Chapter 31: New Zanpakutō
Jujutsu Blacksmith Association.
"I heard that the fake Six Eyes from the Gojo family failed to forge another one?"
Hirai Taketa and Gota Yosuke, both master curse tool forgers, exchanged glances and let out a sigh of relief.
Ever since rumors spread that the Gojo family had discovered a mysterious Zanpakutō-like cursed tool, the entire curse tool forging industry had been thrown into upheaval.
Everyone was waiting for further developments, watching to see whether the six-year-old "pseudo Six Eyes" Gojo Satoshi could forge a second Zanpakutō.
For the Blacksmith Association, the last thing they wanted was for Satoshi to succeed in creating another such weapon, one that could overturn the future of curse tools as they knew it.
Satoshi's mentor, Gojo Takuya, had never been fully accepted by the mainstream spell tool forging world. Now, another outlier had emerged within the Gojo family, making the association even more unwilling to recognize such results.
"Whether they succeed or fail, we cannot allow the Gojo family to break the rules of the curse tool industry."
An aged voice sounded from behind Taketa and Yosuke.
"Grandmaster Kamo!"
The man who had arrived was Kamo Shin, the last remaining grandmaster of curse tool forging. As a member of the Kamo clan, one of the three great sorcerer families, he had crafted many top-grade cursed tools.
He currently served as the president of the entire Blacksmith Association.
Kamo Shin, with his full head of white hair and energetic demeanor, appeared no different from a middle-aged man. Years of forging had enhanced his physical condition far beyond his actual age. If not for the undeniable rasp in his voice, many would have assumed he was only in his forties or fifties.
As a member of the Kamo clan, Kamo Shin was keenly aware of his family's declining influence within the sorcery world.
No matter how prestigious his status as a grandmaster forger was, it couldn't change the fact that the Kamo clan severely lacked powerful sorcerers.
Particularly, their exclusive Blood Manipulation Technique was now practiced by only a handful of members within the entire clan.
If this trend continues, the Jujutsu world might no longer need the "Three Great Families." Instead, the Gojo and Zenin clans alone could dominate the era.
To safeguard the Kamo clan's future and its standing in the curse tool industry, Kamo Shin could not allow this balance to be disrupted.
And more than anyone, it was the Gojo family that posed the greatest threat to the established order.
If Satoshi, the twin brother of the Gojo family's Six Eyes heir, gained full backing from his clan and successfully continued forging these mysterious cursed tools, the Kamo family's dominance in curse tool craftsmanship could be completely overshadowed.
For Kamo Shin, this was something that could never be allowed to happen.
As the highest authority in curse tool forging, he had extensive connections and resources at his disposal.
He would never allow Gojo Satoshi to expand his influence unchecked…
--
Inside the forge, m Shunichi eyed Satoru, Satoshi, and Toji with apprehension.
"Young Master Satoru, Young Master Satoshi, Toji-san… What exactly are you planning to do?"
Five minutes later, staring at his now-seized cursed tool, Cicada's Cry, Shunichi looked utterly despondent.
Since Satoshi had been unable to obtain more materials for forging, he had set his sights on Shunichi's own tool instead.
Though Shunichi had been deeply impressed by the existence of Sode no Shirayuki, he still didn't want to risk having his Cicada's Cry used in the forging process.
"Don't worry, don't worry! Uncle Shunichi, I've figured out the pattern this time. I'm sure it'll work!"
Hearing Satoshi's reassurance, Gojo Shunichi's expression only grew more bitter.
He had been hearing this exact promise for nearly a month now, yet each attempt had still ended in failure.
The forge was already littered with the remains of numerous cursed tools, many of which had been high-grade items he had never even used before.
And so, Shunichi could only watch as Satoshi entered his forging state and began integrating Cicada's Cry into the weapon's embryonic form.
The rhythmic sound of hammering echoed through the forge. Each strike of Gojo Satoshi's hammer felt like it was landing directly on Shunichi's heart.
Here it comes! This feeling again!
A trace of intensity flashed across Satoshi's face. He had entered the same state he was in when he first forged Sode no Shirayuki.
At this moment, it felt as if the sword god had possessed him once more.
"It's done!"
[Beep! Congratulations to the host for successfully forging the Zanpakutō Suzumushi.]
Hearing the system's notification, Gojo Satoshi, whose nerves had been tense for an entire month finally relaxed.
He exhaled, gripping the newly-forged Asauchi in his hands.
So, there's nothing wrong with the system. More than one Zanpakutō can be forged!
This means that something was missing in my previous attempts.
Other materials don't seem to be the key, the most important factor must be the cursed tool used as the base!
Before, I assumed that the higher the grade of the cursed tool, the easier it would be to forge a Zanpakutō. But now, I realize that assumption was wrong.
The second-grade cursed tool Cicada's Cry has now become the Zanpakutō Suzumushi, which belonged to Kaname Tōsen in Bleach. There must be a specific connection between the two.
Satoshi closed his eyes, deep in thought. He considered the link between Sode no Shirayuki and Yoru, as well as the connection between Suzumushi and Cicada's Cry.
The birth of Sode no Shirayuki was tied to Yoru's frost-based nature.
Likewise, Suzumushi was born from the auditory properties of Cicada's Cry.
Satoshi felt like he had grasped a key principle, but he needed to experiment further.
Seeing Satoshi suddenly close his eyes in contemplation, Shunichi grew nervous. He feared that his beloved cursed tool had been reduced to scrap like the countless others before it.
Satoru and Toji also looked disappointed. If this continued, they wouldn't be able to keep supporting Satoshi's forging experiments for much longer.
"Failed again?"
"Yeah, looks like it failed again."
"That does seem to be the case…"
Toji and Satoru's all-too-familiar exchange took place once more—except this time, a smirk appeared on Satoshi's face.
"Who said we failed this time? You guys really have no sense at all."
Satoshi's voice rang through the forge.
The room instantly fell silent.
Satoru and Toji glanced at each other, a look of surprise flashing in their eyes.
Meanwhile, Shunichi, his expression shifting from despair to excitement, rushed over and stared at the newly forged Zanpakutō in Satoshi's hands.
It really worked! Just like with Sode no Shirayuki, this is what an Asauchi looks like at first!
Since he had personally held Sode no Shirayuki in its base form before, Shunichi still had a vivid memory of what it looked like.
And now, as he gazed at the shallow katana before him, there was no doubt in his mind.
The forging was a success.
Chapter 32: Sword Contract!
"Young Master Satoshi, what is the name of this Zanpakutō?"
Shunichi's eyes sparkled with excitement. He was eager to know if the name of this Zanpakutō was still Cicada's Cry.
Satoshi paused for a moment before speaking in a deep voice.
"Its name is Suzumushi. It was forged using the characteristics of Cicada's Cry."
As he spoke, Satoshi tossed the Asauchi to Shunichi.
The moment Shunichi made contact with Suzumushi, a system notification sounded in Satoshi's mind.
[The system has detected that the host has lent his Zanpakutō to another person. The Borrowed Sword function has been activated!]
[Borrowed Sword Function 1: All Zanpakutō forged by the host belong solely to the host. When others use a Zanpakutō, they are merely borrowing it. The host can recall the Zanpakutō at any time, reverting it to its Asauchi state.]
[Borrowed Sword Function 2: While a borrower wields the Zanpakutō, they generate experience for the host as a rental fee.]
[Borrowed Sword Function 3: The borrower must gain the Zanpakutō's recognition to access its Shikai. If the borrower achieves Bankai, the system will randomly extract one of their skills and grant it to the host. (Each Zanpakutō can only provide one skill, and only from its first borrower.)]
[Borrowed Sword Function 4: The host can observe the outside world through the Zanpakutō's perspective and communicate with the borrower via the Zanpakutō's spirit.]
Satoshi was momentarily stunned by the system's notification.
He had assumed the system had become dysfunctional, leaving him only with the ability to forge Zanpakutō and use Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kidō.
Yet now, after lending Suzumushi to Gojo Shunichi, he had unexpectedly unlocked the Borrowed Sword function.
Even with just a glance at its abilities, he could tell how powerful this feature was.
If Forging and Zanjutsu-Hakuda-Hohō-Kidō were meant to build his foundation, then Borrowed Sword was designed to drastically raise his upper limits.
The system had clearly defined that no matter who wielded a Zanpakutō, ultimate ownership remained with him. Even if he forged a Zanpakutō for Zenin Toji, should Toji one day become his enemy, Satoshi could revoke the blade's power instantly.
Additionally, he could absorb combat experience from multiple users through the Borrowed Sword function.
Most importantly, if a borrower achieved Bankai, Satoshi could randomly extract one of their skills.
Although he wasn't yet sure what kind of skills he could obtain, this mechanic was like opening a blind box, it could yield either something ordinary or something overpowered.
For instance, if he could extract Limitless from Satoru, wouldn't that mean he could wield the same abilities as his brother?
The only downside was that each Zanpakutō could only provide one skill, and only from its first borrower.
This meant he couldn't repeatedly lend his Zanpakutō to multiple people, harvest an array of skills, and then redistribute the swords to new wielders.
This restriction made one thing clear, he had to be careful in choosing who borrowed his Zanpakutō. If he lent it to someone ordinary, he would likely only receive a basic or useless ability.
Still, the most broken ability of Borrowed Sword was the shared vision with his Zanpakutō and the ability to communicate with the borrower through its spirit.
This meant that even without leaving his home, he could observe and experience countless battles.
He could even use his Zanpakutō as a long-distance communication device, essentially turning his blades into a supernatural cellphone.
Satoshi furrowed his brow slightly. He had only scratched the surface of this ability, but he was sure that with time, he would discover even more ways to exploit it.
He quickly opened his system panel.
Two Zanpakutō were now displayed on the interface:
[Zanpakutō: Sode no Shirayuki (Owner: Gojo Satoshi) (Borrower: None)]
[Zanpakutō: Suzumushi (Owner: Gojo Satoshi) (Borrower: Gojo Shunichi)]
Satoshi suddenly felt a pang of regret.
Once the first borrower was selected, it couldn't be changed.
Even if a second person borrowed Suzumushi and unlocked Bankai, Satoshi would not get another chance to extract a skill from them.
As he watched Shunichi testing out Suzumushi, a sense of loss settled in.
Shunichi was only a Grade 2 Sorcerer. Even if he eventually reached Bankai, the quality of the skill he provided would be nowhere near that of someone like Toji or Satoru.
In hindsight, he should have waited for a stronger candidate before allowing his first Borrowed Sword contract.
Satoshi sighed helplessly but quickly shook off the regret.
This was his first time testing the ability, Shunichi would be the guinea pig.
Besides, Suzumushi suited Shunichi far more than it did Toji or Satoru. Their fighting styles didn't align with its abilities.
At the very least, by lending Gojo Shunichi a Zanpakutō, Satoshi had likely secured his loyalty.
If nothing else, he had exchanged a Zanpakutō for an ally.
Even if it felt like a loss, it was still an investment.
Satoshi dismissed the stray thoughts and turned his attention back to his surroundings.
"Satoshi, did you succeed in forging it?"
Satoru's face broke into a wide grin. He had been worried that Satoshi might lose confidence after his repeated failures.
But now that Suzumushi had been successfully forged, he could finally relax.
This wasn't just about Shunichi acquiring a powerful new cursed tool, this proved that Satoshi could reliably forge Zanpakutō.
And if he could create two, then there would be more to come.
The birth of Suzumushi wasn't just an isolated achievement, it was the beginning of something much bigger.
First, Sode no Shirayuki.
Now, Suzumushi.
In the future, even more Zanpakutō would be forged.
More mystical abilities would surface.
The entire world of Jujutsu Sorcery was about to change.
And at the center of it all, Satoshi would stand as the creator of Zanpakutō, a revolutionary figure in the world of curses.
There wasn't a single trace of jealousy in Satoru's heart.
This was his younger brother.
The other Six Eyes of the Gojo family.
Even without cursed energy, Satoshi possessed overwhelming strength.
And he would still stand at the peak of the Jujutsu world.
Chapter 33: Cursed Objects And Cursed Tools (BONUS)
Toji was also surprised by this outcome.
In his opinion, even if it took half a year or more to study how to forge a special Zanpakutō like this, it would still be worth it.
If he were the head of the Gojo family, he would have invested all available resources into Satoshi. Yet, after only a month, many within the clan had already started wavering in their support. This made Toji deeply disappointed in the Gojo family.
The Three Great Families… So-called pillars of the Jujutsu world.
And yet, even the Gojo family, which had produced the wielder of Six Eyes, could be this impatient and short-sighted.
However, the fact that Satoshi had successfully forged a second Zanpakutō within just a month was completely beyond Toji's expectations.
He had believed in Satoshi's potential and had even been prepared for a long-term struggle alongside him.
But no one had anticipated that Satoshi would figure it out so soon.
--
"Suzumushi?"
Toji murmured the name, intrigued. While he understood the value of a Zanpakutō, he felt no greed toward it.
Perhaps Suzumushi had a powerful ability, but Toji had a gut feeling that it wouldn't suit him.
That didn't matter.
Because now, he was certain, if Satoshi could forge a second Zanpakutō, then the one meant for him wasn't far away.
--
"Young Master Satoshi, what abilities does Suzumushi have?"
Shunichi swung his new Zanpakutō with excitement, anticipation shining in his eyes.
After witnessing the overwhelming power of Sode no Shirayuki, he was eager to know whether Suzumushi could rival it.
As the forger of Suzumushi, Satoshi should have been familiar with its abilities.
And he was.
But he chose not to answer.
Satoshi recalled the system's message, if a borrower wished to unlock a Zanpakutō's power, they needed to gain its recognition first.
Even if he told Shunichi the Shikai command now, it wouldn't work.
Shunichi had just obtained Suzumushi. How could he possibly resonate with it so soon?
"Uncle Shunichi, you need to discover Suzumushi's abilities on your own," Satoshi said calmly. "Every Zanpakutō has its own soul. Once Suzumushi acknowledges you, its power will naturally reveal itself."
Satoshi's words confused Shunichi.
But Satoru and Toji?
They were shocked.
That… explained everything.
It explained why Sode no Shirayuki was so powerful.
It explained why it possessed multiple techniques.
Because… it was alive.
A cursed tool… with a soul.
Takuya, who had been silent throughout the forging process, suddenly spoke up.
"Satoshi, from now on, do not tell anyone about this secret. Especially the fact that your Zanpakutōs have souls."
His tone was heavy, his expression grim.
The forge fell silent.
Everyone present instinctively knew, Takuya would not say something like this without reason.
And so, they waited for his explanation.
Taking a deep breath, Takuya asked, "Why do you think there are cursed tool users among sorcerers? And what do you think is the difference between cursed tools and cursed objects?"
Silence.
No one had ever questioned this before.
A sorcerer who specialized in using cursed tools was called a cursed tool user. That was common knowledge.
But… the difference between a cursed tool and a cursed object?
Even Satoru had no answer.
Toji had no answer.
Shunichi had no answer.
But Satoshi… understood immediately.
"Because cursed tools are just tools. So sorcerers can use them without restriction."
"And cursed objects… have souls."
His words sent a shockwave through the room.
Takuya nodded.
"A cursed tool is a weapon that contains a curse, making it effective against cursed spirits."
"A cursed object, on the other hand, is an item that has been cursed. Every cursed object houses a soul, something unpredictable, uncontrollable."
The moment he finished speaking, an image flashed in Satoshi's mind—Yuji Itadori, swallowing Sukuna's finger.
Sukuna had been dead for centuries, yet his fingers still held immense power.
Why?
Because of the soul within them.
Then…
How would the outside world perceive a Zanpakutō?
Would they consider it a cursed tool?
Or… a cursed object?
Satoshi immediately understood Takuya's warning.
Right now, he wasn't strong enough. If the secret of the Zanpakutō were exposed, it could easily become an excuse for others to eliminate him.
Cursed objects were viewed as dangerous, evil things.
Even though everyone in the room knew that Satoshi's Zanpakutō were not cursed objects, the rest of the world wouldn't see it that way.
History had proven, being ahead of one's time was often seen as madness.
Satoshi's forging abilities were already disrupting the balance of the cursed tool world.
The blacksmiths of the Jujutsu world would see him as a threat.
And if word got out that his creations had souls?
They wouldn't stop at simple opposition.
--
"Shunichi," Takuya said, his voice firm. "You must protect the secret of Suzumushi."
"You should know how special this Zanpakutō is. With your current strength, you shouldn't even have the right to wield something like this."
"You were only given this opportunity because of your relationship with Satoru and Satoshi."
Takuya's eyes narrowed. "I know you had ties to the Twin Curse Faction before. But from this day forward, I want you to think carefully."
"Who do you believe will truly lead the Gojo family forward?"
"The Twin Curse Faction?"
"Or these two?"
Shunichi froze.
Then, after a long pause—
He nodded.
Gojo Shunichi, from this moment on, would follow only Satoru and Satoshi.
Chapter 34: Perspective Switch – The Zanpakutō Suited for Satoru and Toji! (BONUS)
After Shunichi made his stance clear, the tension in the forge finally eased.
Satoshi then had Shunichi get accustomed to Suzumushi, seeing if he could communicate with it and unlock some of its abilities.
Meanwhile, Satoru and Toji stood nearby, watching with curiosity, eager to see what Suzumushi could do.
Once their attention was diverted, Satoshi focused entirely on the system.
Now that Suzumushi had successfully bonded wit Shunichi, a new option appeared in the Zanpakutō display room of Satoshi's system panel—[Suzumushi's Perspective].
Satoshi clicked on it, and in the next moment, his world spun.
When his vision cleared, he found himself surrounded by Satoru, Toji, and Shunichi—all staring at him.
Or rather, staring at his body.
His perspective shifted as Shunichi swung the sword, making his "body" shake in response.
So this is how it feels? This perspective is actually quite adaptable.
From now on, I should be able to see everything Shunichi sees! As for communication, I shouldn't test that yet. It'd be too hard to explain if I scare them. I'll try it later when Shunichi is alone.
Satoshi tested the system's function before switching his vision back to his own body, though he couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed.
"What a shame. So many system functions are still locked! If the system were fully operational, I'd be able to defeat everyone instantly by now."
After sighing inwardly, he refocused and turned his gaze toward Satoru and Toji.
Switching between [Suzumushi's Perspective] and his main perspective was seamless, almost like flipping between TV channels, with barely any delay.
Satoshi stared at them, lost in thought. What kind of Zanpakutō should I forge for Satoru and Toji?
There were countless Zanpakutō in the world of Bleach. If he found the right materials, he could forge one for each of them. However, neither Satoru nor Toji had any understanding of the power these swords wielded.
But that didn't matter to Satoshi.
The Zanpakutō he forged had to be powerful enough.
Only then would the wielder strive to resonate with it, pushing themselves to unlock Shikai and eventually Bankai. Only then would Satoshi gain the chance to acquire their abilities through the system.
Because of that, his choices were limited.
As for Satoru, Satoshi already had a perfect Zanpakutō in mind.
Satoru loved anything flashy and cool, and with his over-the-top personality, Satoshi was certain he'd be thrilled with the choice.
Toji, on the other hand, was a trickier case.
If it were purely about raw physical strength, any Zanpakutō could enhance Toji's power. However, considering Toji's overwhelming might, an ordinary Zanpakutō wouldn't cut it. It had to be a captain-level Zanpakutō, something befitting The Sorcerer Killer.
But which one would suit Toji best?
Suddenly, a name surfaced in Satoshi's mind.
Yeah, that one's perfect. These two captain-class Zanpakutō are exactly what Satoru and Toji need.
Now, I just need to find cursed tools suitable for forging them! This time, I need to be more careful in my selection. If the cursed tool doesn't align well enough with the Zanpakutō, I'll just end up failing again.
Determined, Satoshi pulled Zenin Toji aside.
"What's up, young master?" Toji smirked.
He always liked calling Satoshi young master when they were alone, as if the teasing tone amused him.
Satoshi shot him a helpless look before whispering, "Toji, you know a lot about cursed tools, right? Can you check if the Zenin family has these two specific types? It's important for the Zanpakutō I'm forging next."
He explained his request in detail. Initially, he had planned to obtain the necessary tools from the Gojo family, but after a month of burning through resources, he doubted the clan elders would approve any more cursed tools for him.
Even Satoru had applied for more materials before but was denied.
Until Shunichi successfully wielded Suzumushi, no one would believe that Satoshi's forging actually worked.
After all, seeing is believing.
A single unfinished blade wasn't enough to convince the clan head. That's why it seemed far more practical to rely on the Zenin family's resources to find the right cursed tools.
Of course, Satoshi wouldn't stop applying to the Gojo family. Now that he had figured out the process, the failure rate wouldn't be nearly as high as before.
"You need those kinds of cursed tools?" Toji tilted his head. "I haven't paid much attention to them before, but I can look into it."
Then, a sly grin spread across his face as he looked Satoshi up and down. "Let me guess... You're preparing this Zanpakutō for Gojo Satoru, aren't you?"
Toji had an expression that practically screamed I see right through you.
Satoshi didn't respond.
One of the Zanpakutō was indeed meant for Satoru. But the other…
The other was specially prepared for Toji himself.
However, since he could only forge one at a time, he had to focus on Satoru's first.
If Toji could really find a cursed tool that met his requirements, then after completing Satoru's Zanpakutō, he'd be able to forge Toji's right away.
And when that moment came, he'd give Toji the biggest surprise of his life.
A mischievous smile crept onto Satoshi's face.
He couldn't wait to see the Zenin clan's reaction when they learned that Toji. the man born without cursed energy had wielded a Zanpakutō with power rivaling the strongest sorcerers.
The more he thought about it, the more he felt that the Zanpakutō he chose for Toji was perfect.
Chapter 35: Kendo Challenge? I Never Agreed to This
"Master, why are you still here? Hurry up and get to the dojo! Have you forgotten what you planned for today?"
A young man suddenly burst into the forge.
Shunichi, who had been testing his sword, and Satoru, who was watching, both turned their heads instinctively.
"Kotetsu? What are you doing here?"
Shunichi sheathed Suzumushi, his eyes filled with confusion.
The young man before him was Gojo Kotetsu, a paper cutter at the Gojo family's kendo dojo and one of his most promising disciples.
In modern Japan, traditional sword schools classified their disciples into ranks such as paper cutter, catalog, Kaiden, and Menkyo Kaiden.
To put it simply:
Paper Cutter (紙切): An apprentice still in the observation phase, only practicing basic forms.
Catalog (目録): Officially accepted into the school and allowed to learn its true techniques.
Kaiden (皆伝): A fully trained swordsman permitted to use the school's name in formal competitions.
Menkyo Kaiden (免許皆伝): The highest rank, granting permission to pass on the school's techniques and establish a dojo.
For example, Kotetsu had not yet reached Kaiden, so he wasn't allowed to introduce himself as a swordsman of Gojo Kyokushin-ryu. He could only say he practiced its techniques.
On the other hand, Shunichi was already a Menkyo Kaiden of Gojo Kyokushin-ryu, meaning he could teach in the Gojo family's dojo or even start his own outside the clan.
Looking at his disciple, Shunichi frowned in confusion.
For the past month, his attention had been completely occupied by Satoshi's forging experiments, and he couldn't recall making any specific plans.
Moreover, Kotetsu had come from the dojo.
Could this be related to the dojo?
"Huh? Master, you don't know? Didn't Master Kumaen inform you?"
Kotetsu's eyes widened in shock. His face turned pale.
He had assumed his master simply lost track of time, but he hadn't expected that Shunichi had no idea about this at all.
"A month ago, Master Yagyū Saemon of Yagyū Shinkage-ryu challenged you to a kendo match! Master Kumaen agreed to it on your behalf! The duel is happening today at the Gojo family dojo!"
"This match will determine whether you can enter the ranks of the Four Great Masters of Swordsmanship! You did prepare for it… right?"
Seeing Shunichi's blank expression, Kotetsu panicked.
Duel challenges between kendo masters were never taken lightly. Even a slight lapse in preparation could result in defeat.
Shunichi had always meticulously prepared for such battles in the past.
Yet this time, Master Yagyū was already at the dojo… while his master was still hanging out in the forge.
"Huh? Yagyū Saemon challenged my ranking? When did this happen?"
Shunichi frowned, trying to recall.
Thinking back, he vaguely remembered that before his falling-out with Gojo Kumaen, there had been some mention of a challenge from Yagyū Shinkage-ryu.
Back then, he had outright refused.
He figured the matter had ended there.
But somehow, Yagyū Saemon had shown up at the dojo anyway.
Judging from Kotetsu's words, it seemed that Kumaen had accepted the challenge on his behalf.
Shunichi's expression darkened.
Now that a rival school had come knocking at his dojo, he—as the dojo's Menkyo Kaiden, couldn't just back down, no matter how unprepared he was.
Still… he felt conflicted.
This fight didn't bode well for him.
Yagyū Saemon was his equal in skill.
The difference was that Saemon had prepared for this duel, while he had not.
The odds were not in his favor.
--
"Young Master Satoru, Young Master Satoshi! I have to go accept Yagyū Shinkage-ryu's challenge, so I won't be able to accompany you two for now."
After hesitating for a moment, Shunichi moved to hand Suzumushi back to Satoshi.
He had yet to fully understand his new Zanpakutō. Leaving it with its creator for safekeeping seemed like the logical choice.
However, to his surprise, Satoshi shook his head.
"Suzumushi is yours now. It's your partner. Every battle you fight is a chance for it to recognize you. For this kendo duel, use it."
Satoshi refused to take it back.
As the borrowed sword wielder, Shunichi could only truly grow if he fought using Suzumushi.
If the blade was left sitting in storage, it would serve no purpose.
Besides, Satoshi already had Sode no Shirayuki. He had no need for another Zanpakutō.
Everything had to be used to its fullest potential. If Shunichi learned to wield Suzumushi properly, perhaps he could unlock Shikai sooner… and eventually even Bankai.
That was the outcome Satoshi wanted to see.
Seeing Satoshi's unwavering stance, Shunichi didn't argue. He nodded firmly.
Yagyū Saemon was not just a kendōka, but also a sorcerer.
Shunichi's former cursed tool, Cicada's Cry, had been used up in the forging process.
If he replaced it with a random cursed sword for the duel, he might struggle to adapt.
Though Suzumushi differed in shape from Cicada's Cry, Shunichi felt a strange sense of familiarity when holding it.
At the very least, he wouldn't be fumbling with an unfamiliar weapon.
--
"Toji, let's go watch! We'll both have Zanpakutō eventually, so we should probably learn a bit about swordsmanship."
A glimmer of excitement flashed through Satoru's bright blue eyes.
He had always known that Shunichi's kendo skills were top-tier, but he had never seen their true extent.
Now, with the master of Yagyū Shinkage-ryu coming to challenge him, this was a rare opportunity to witness a high-level duel between masters.
Toji hadn't been particularly interested at first.
But hearing Satoru mention learning kendo piqued his curiosity.
"…Yeah, I've never actually seen a true sword master fight before."
Their excitement was mutual.
Both of them then turned to look at Satoshi, waiting to hear his decision.
...
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