Satoshi closed his eyes and carefully felt the fluctuations within the crystal. Every Zanpakutō requires the most suitable material, and the characteristics of this crystal were a perfect match for Nikufu.
The power that can invert one's sense of direction could resonate with the Reverse Cursed Technique.
As Satoshi began to clean the furnace, the familiar motions made him feel as if he had returned to nine years ago. He checked the condition of the tools. Although some were rusted, their basic functions were still intact.
The moment he lit the fire, thick white smoke rose from the chimney, quickly drawing the attention of the entire Gojo family.
Kumaen was sipping tea in the courtyard when he noticed the familiar white smoke. His old hands trembled slightly and a few drops of tea spilled.
This white smoke is a sign that only appears when forging a Zanpakutō. Is Satoshi really going to start forging from scratch?
Excitement flashed in the old man's eyes. He had been waiting for this moment ever since Satoshi woke up.
The Zanpakutō is not only the foundation of the Gojo family, but also the hope of the entire Jujutsu world. If Satoshi really recovered his forging ability, then the Gojo family's position in the world of sorcery would be more secure.
Shunichi stood in the dojo, watching the white smoke rising in the distance, a glint of surprise in his eyes.
It seems Satoshi's ability has not disappeared. The future of the Gojo family still depends on him for protection. Over the years, the Zenin family and the Kamo family have been coveting our position. Now they will finally back off.
Elsewhere, Satoru, Suguru, and Shoko were enthusiastically discussing the pros and cons of their respective Zanpakutō.
"My Minazuki is a Zanpakutō that can heal any wound," Shoko said proudly. "In actual combat, this ability is invaluable. The most important thing in a fight is survivability."
Suguru chuckled. "Healing is important, but it is not as decisive as my Hōzukimaru. Close combat decides victory or defeat. Hōzukimaru can not only strengthen physical ability, it can also explode with amazing power at critical moments."
"Heh," Satoru leaned lazily against the wall. "What are you talking about? In terms of strength, my Senbonzakura is the strongest. Don't forget, I have already completed Bankai. Your Zanpakutō are far from reaching that level."
This immediately left the other two speechless. A Zanpakutō that can perform Bankai is far stronger. More importantly, Satoru's own strength had reached a terrifying level.
At this time, Kumaen and Shunichi arrived in a hurry.
"Satoru, is this true?" Kumaen asked anxiously. "Is Satoshi really going to forge a Zanpakutō?"
Satoru nodded. "Yes, Grandpa. And it looks like he is going to forge a very powerful Zanpakutō this time. The material seems ordinary, but it can affect one's perception. Even my Limitless Technique is affected to some extent."
Shunichi and Kumaen looked at each other, excitement flashing in their eyes. The glory of the Gojo family will finally shine upon the Jujutsu world again. All these years of waiting are finally paying off.
"It seems those families that have been eyeing us will be disappointed," Shunichi said with a smile. "As long as Satoshi reforges his Zanpakutō, the status of the Gojo family will not be shaken."
Kumaen nodded, a pleased smile on his aged face. "Yes, Satoshi did not disappoint us after all."
"This cannot be made public," Shunichi said, looking around, his voice low and serious. "At least before the Zanpakutō is forged, no one else can know."
"Shunichi is right," Kumaen agreed, a hint of worry appearing on his face. "Right now, the entire Jujutsu world thinks our Gojo family has lost the ability to forge Zanpakutō. That illusion is what gives those restless families the courage to challenge us."
Satoru yawned lazily. "Don't worry, Grandpa. Even if the Zenin and Kamo families knew, so what? With their meager strength, do they dare attack the Gojo family?"
"Don't take it lightly," Shoko warned seriously. "They may not be a threat individually, but if they unite, it will be troublesome. And the situation in the Jujutsu world is unstable now. Who knows what forces are lurking behind the scenes?"
Suguru nodded. "Shoko is right. We are strong, but overconfidence often brings disaster." He turned to Satoru. "You haven't forgotten what happened nine years ago, have you?"
Satoru put away his playful expression. "How could I forget? It is precisely because I know how despicable those people are that I have to be more careful."
At that moment, a strong wave of Cursed Energy surged from the forging house in the distance. The five of them turned their heads at the same time and saw a faint green light mixed with the thick white smoke. It was the manifestation of a special power.
"It's begun," Kumaen murmured. "Satoshi is really going to forge his Zanpakutō."
A trace of reminiscence flashed across Shunichi's eyes. "The last time I saw this was nine years ago when Satoshi forged Nejibana for Yagyū Saemon. The fluctuation of Cursed Energy back then was much weaker than it is now."
"Yes," Kumaen said with emotion. "These nine years of sleep did not weaken Satoshi's ability. They made his power more mature. You can see that the concentration of his power is far beyond what it was before."
Shoko asked curiously, "Grandpa, you have seen Zanpakutō forging so many times, can you tell what level Satoshi is aiming for this time?"
Kumaen observed carefully for a while, then spoke slowly. "Judging from the strength and nature of this Cursed Energy, it should be no weaker than yours. It may even be stronger."
"Stronger?" Suguru raised his eyebrows. "Even compared to Senbonzakura, which has completed Bankai?"
Satoru became interested. "Grandpa, how can you tell?"
Kumaen pointed at the rising white smoke. "Look at the green light in the smoke. It is an extremely rare sign. Among all the Zanpakutō Satoshi has forged, only Senbonzakura manifested something similar. And this time, the light is even brighter than when Senbonzakura was forged."
Just then, a strong wind blew, lifting large clusters of cherry blossom petals. The pink petals fluttered in the air, forming a strange vortex.
"This is..." Shunichi showed a surprised look. "Is Senbonzakura resonating?"
(To be continued.)
***
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