"It seems that this time, although only the Gojo family and the Kamo family were directly involved in the battle, the Zenin family also joined in from behind the scenes."
Satoshi murmured to himself.
What a pity. After all that planning, it was meaningless.
After all, he was no longer the six-year-old boy he had been nine years ago.
In the eyes of others, nine years of sleep meant nine years without training. But they had forgotten that, like Toji, he was born with a Heavenly Restriction and completely devoid of Cursed Energy.
That also meant he did not need to train like a normal sorcerer.
All he had to do was sharpen his battle experience and make full use of a nearly invincible body.
And during those years of sleep, his group of Zanpakutō wielders never stopped training. With their efforts, even the smallest gains were enough to allow his Zanpakutō techniques to mature, enabling him to master the three fundamental Shinigami combat arts.
In addition to Kidō, Satoshi had also mastered Zanjutsu, Hakuda, and Hohō. Combined with a body strengthened by Heavenly Restriction, he was no longer someone that even the Inverted Spear of Heaven could threaten.
Even without using the power of Sode no Shirayuki or Ryūjin Jakka, Kamo Kenshin, even armed with the Inverted Spear of Heaven, would not be his opponent.
This goodwill event allowed Satoshi to fully evaluate his own strength.
In the current jujutsu world, the only opponents he could consider a challenge were Kenjaku, Ryomen Sukuna, Tengen, Yuki, Toji, and Satoru, after Satoru absorbed the experience from this battle.
As for Okkotsu Yuta, Itadori Yuji, and Megumi, they were still children for now. It was not yet their time.
Satoshi felt that, at this point, the story would never unfold the same way it had originally.
…
At the Gojo estate.
Looking at the unconscious Satoru lying on the bed, Satoshi was silently reflecting on whether he had been too harsh. Even with Shoko and Minazuki combining their efforts, they still couldn't completely heal Satoru. He would have to recover slowly in this state.
Kumaen and Shunichi stood nearby, both looking somewhat helpless.
"Young Master Satoshi, you really were too heavy-handed on Young Master Satoru. You two are brothers. If someone else had seen that fight, they would have thought you were enemies."
At that moment, the image of Ennetsu Jigoku still lingered vividly in Shunichi's mind.
The pillar of flames that had soared into the sky was unforgettable. That raging inferno did not seem like the power of a human being. It looked like a fire from hell itself, capable of ending the world.
Kumaen sighed and said, "Satoshi, there shouldn't be any issue with Satoru's status as successor, right? I chose Satoru to represent the Gojo family. If there's a problem, you will be the one who has to answer for it."
Kumaen spoke in a casual tone, but there was seriousness in his eyes as he looked at Satoshi.
He hadn't told anyone except Satoru that he would act as a transitional head for the Gojo family. Even Shunichi was hearing this for the first time.
By revealing this now, Kumaen was testing Satoshi's reaction.
When Kumaen first took over, the old patriarch had told him that the future of the Gojo family would belong to the two brothers, Satoru and Satoshi. He was only a temporary head between the two of them.
The last time Satoshi returned home, he had firmly refused to take over any family responsibilities. So Kumaen had planned to slowly transition the management of the clan to Satoru instead.
Of course, all of this depended on Satoshi's approval.
He had no idea what Satoshi thought about this. If Satoshi had other plans, then adjustments needed to be made while Satoru was unconscious.
As for whether Satoru himself was willing to accept this position, Kumaen had never doubted it. As the inheritor of the Limitless Technique, the bearer of the Six Eyes, and the older of the twins, Satoru had an obligation to bear this responsibility.
But again, everything depended on Satoshi's stance.
"Don't worry. Satoru will wake up soon."
"And as for you wanting me to take on that position? Forget it. That's impossible."
Satoshi's refusal was firm and immediate. There wasn't even the slightest hesitation. His tone carried nothing but rejection, and even his eyes showed open disgust at the thought.
The Gojo family, as the leader of the Three Great Clans, stood as one of the most powerful families in all of Japan, even in the world.
Even if Satoshi didn't want the position, his disgust still came as a shock.
As soon as he inherited the Gojo family, he would automatically become one of the wealthiest individuals on earth.
Although Kumaen knew that for a sorcerer, money was nothing more than a number, wealth still had its uses.
"Satoshi, do you want to think about it again?"
Kumaen pressed the issue one more time.
"Don't even bother. I have no time to manage the Gojo family.
"Recently, the Tombs of the Star have disappeared, and Lord Tengen's body has shown strange changes. I need to focus entirely on that."
After the goodwill event, Satoshi had tried again to reach the Tombs of the Star to meet Tengen.
But to his surprise, this time, the Tombs of the Star gave no response, and his usual method of entering failed completely.
Even with Tengen and Urozakuro sharing their connection, neither could find any clues, and even the vision of Urozakuro remained closed.
Faced with this, Satoshi knew that something had happened to Tengen.
As the one who had proposed the Urozakuro plan, Satoshi understood that he bore responsibility for Tengen.
After all, it had been his proposal that had led Tengen to devote herself fully to the liberation of Urozakuro.
Nine years had passed without progress. Tengen must be growing anxious.
(To be continued.)
***
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