"The latter!"
Satoshi's answer was firm.
The Zanpakutō he forged for Toji was merely icing on the cake.
Even without Katen Kyōkotsu, Naobito and Ogi would still be no match for Toji.
"Oh? Why? Satoshi, why are you so certain?"
A hint of curiosity flashed across the wrinkled face of the old man. From the very beginning, Satoshi seemed to have an unusual regard for Zenin Toji. The first time he had drawn his sword in battle had also been for Toji's sake.
What exactly had influenced Satoshi to make such a judgment?
Facing the clan leader's inquiry, Satoshi did not hesitate. He directly revealed the secret of Heavenly Restriction.
"Toji's Heavenly Restriction is the most extreme type. The complete absence of Cursed Energy grants him a natural resistance to it while also allowing him to reach the absolute peak of human physical potential."
"You could say he is the strongest human being alive."
Satoshi spoke with conviction. At the very least, as a human, Zenin Toji had reached the pinnacle.
A flash of understanding appeared in the old man's eyes.
"I see… And what about yours, Satoshi?"
"Me? My physical strength will also stand at the peak of humanity in the future."
Satoshi's words made the smile on the old man's face widen.
"Satoshi, I believe in you. You've already given me enough surprises."
"The future of the Gojo family will be in the hands of you and Satoru. With that, I can rest easy."
The old man no longer pursued the topic of Toji. Although he had initially felt envious of such a person, knowing that Satoshi possessed the same kind of body put his mind at ease.
If Toji were truly brought into the Gojo family, it would only cause more internal strife.
Both the Zenin and Gojo families would be displeased.
"So, Satoshi, why did you and Satoru come to see me together?"
"Clan Head, I want to apply for some Cursed Tools," Satoshi responded immediately.
"Cursed Tools?" The old man's eyes lit up. "Are you planning to continue forging Zanpakutō?"
Gojo Satoshi nodded. "But this time, the Zanpakutō is a bit special, so I need your assistance."
"It's fine, it's fine! If you need anything, just go to the Treasury and take it yourself. I'll grant you full access."
Seeing how hard Satoshi was working, the old man felt a tinge of guilt.
The person in front of him was just a child, not some tireless machine, not an adult.
He had assumed that Satoshi would take a short break after his previous forging, but he hadn't expected him to start again so soon.
"Clan Head, what I need isn't in the Treasury."
Satoshi shrugged.
If the Gojo family had the necessary materials, he would have taken them long ago. Why would he need to come here and ask the old man for help?
The old man's expression stiffened for a moment before he let out an awkward laugh.
"We don't have what you need?"
Satoshi nodded. "Our Gojo family's inventory is quite large, but it's lacking in many areas. The materials for Senbonzakura and Katen Kyōkotsu both came from the Zenin family's stockpile."
"Clan Head, our Gojo family has not done well in this regard."
Satoshi looked genuinely disappointed.
If there were enough materials in the Treasury, he might have already mass-produced a batch of Zanpakutō and trained a whole squad of leek-warriors by now.
"It's true… Our family doesn't place as much importance on Cursed Tools as the Kamo and Zenin families."
The old man nodded and coughed lightly.
"Then tell me, Satoshi—what kind of materials do you need? I'll see what I can do to get them for you."
They had been skirting around the issue, but in the end, this was the main point.
"Fire-element Cursed Tools. The higher the quality, the better…"
---
Lately, a pattern had emerged within the Gojo family.
Whenever the forge was opened, it meant that another Zanpakutō was about to be born.
"Young Master Satoshi is unbelievably productive! In just two months, he has already forged three special Zanpakutō Cursed Tools. I wonder who he's forging for this time?"
"It doesn't matter who it's for, as long as it's not for another family! We can't let something as sacred as the Zanpakutō fall into another clan's hands again."
"But these Zanpakutō were all forged by Young Master Satoshi. Doesn't he have the right to decide what to do with them?"
"First and foremost, Young Master Satoshi is a member of the Gojo family. Only after that is he an individual. If a person leaves the family, they lose their foundation."
"But didn't Zenin Toji leave the Zenin family?"
"...Still, we must ensure Young Master Satoshi doesn't share any more Zanpakutō outside the clan!"
Conversations like this echoed throughout the Gojo family mansion.
In the eyes of almost every Gojo family member, Gojo Satoshi had already become an indispensable figure in the clan.
---
Gojo Kyokushin-Ryu Dojo
Many Kyokushin-Ryu disciples subconsciously turned their gazes toward the forging house. Though it was located in a remote area, it had become a place of longing for every disciple.
Every Kyokushin-Ryu disciple harbored the same dream—that one day, they would be summoned to the forging house and receive a Zanpakutō personally forged by Gojo Satoshi.
"Grandfather, are you really just going to let things unfold like this?"
Gojo Genichi looked at Gojo Kumaen, unable to understand why his grandfather, once so firm in his stance had softened after becoming the acting head of the clan.
The foundation of their Twin Curse Faction was the Two-Person Curse Theory. However, Satoshi was gradually breaking away from the traditional understanding of Cursed Energy. If this continued, their faction would lose its reason for existence.
Gojo Kumaen stroked his chin, gazing into the distance at the forging house. His mind replayed the moment he had been engulfed by Senbonzakura.
"The sight of cherry blossoms in winter… Genichi, do you still remember it?"
Genichi nodded, though he was puzzled. Every member of the Gojo family who had witnessed that spectacle would never forget it.
"Grandfather, are you referring to Young Master Satoru's Senbonzakura?"
Just the mention of Senbonzakura sent a chill down Genichi's spine. The sight of thousands of shimmering petals had completely shattered his previous understanding of Zanpakutō.
"Genichi, remember this—at the end of the day, strength is the foundation of everything."
"For the weak, the family is a source of support."
"But for the strong, the family often becomes an obstacle…"
"I'm looking forward to it. What kind of spectacle will Satoshi bring us next?"
Genichi didn't fully understand, but he could clearly sense something, his grandfather, the staunchest believer in the Twin Curse Theory, had started to waver.
(To be continued.)
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