Tokyo Jujutsu High.
The flames summoned by the Ennetsu Jigoku consumed Sukuna's six fingers without mercy. The fingers were steadily reduced, burning and melting under the intense heat until finally, nothing remained but ash.
When there was nothing left for the flames to consume, Satoshi retracted Ryūjin Jakka and slowly sheathed it once more.
All the flames, as though sentient, followed the flow of the blade and surged back into the scabbard like a tide.
In just a blink, the treasury, which had looked like a blazing hell moments ago, returned to its original state. If not for the lingering burn marks scorched into the stone walls, anyone watching might have thought everything that happened was just an illusion.
After all, there was nothing left atop the stone platform.
...
Did Sukuna's fingers really get destroyed just like that?
Even though he had braced himself for this outcome, Zenin Ogi's expression was still filled with disbelief.
This was the King of Curses...
He didn't want to believe that Gojo Satoshi, someone of this age, already possessed the power to completely annihilate Sukuna's fingers.
But reality left no room for doubt.
Even if his surname was Zenin, even if he stood in opposition to the Gojo clan, he couldn't deny what Gojo Satoshi had just accomplished—something no sorcerer in history had ever done.
Gojo Satoshi?
Why wasn't he born into the Zenin clan?
This heretical thought surfaced in Ogi's mind. But Satoshi's astonishing strength made him long for such a talent to have emerged from the Zenin lineage. Someone who could finally bring their family to the top of the sorcerer world.
What he failed to recall was that someone once had—Zenin Toji, bearer of the Heavenly Restriction. A man who walked away from the Zenin clan without a second thought.
Back then, Toji had already been the strongest in the Jujutsu world.
The Zenin clan produced a genius like Toji, but failed to keep him. They gave him no sense of belonging.
In the end, the entire Zenin family became little more than a trash heap to him.
In this light, even if Gojo Satoshi bore the Zenin surname, what would change? He would simply become another Toji.
...
Yuki could barely contain her joy. Everyone had doubted whether Satoshi could really pull it off.
Well, now they had their answer.
Her boyfriend had done it. He had accomplished the impossible in the most decisive way.
Seeing Yuki smiling so broadly that her eyes curved shut, Mei Mei and Iori Utahime standing beside her couldn't help but elbow her gently.
"Yuki-sensei, please control yourself. Your expression is way too obvious. A lady should know restraint," Utahime whispered while adjusting her miko robes.
Before coming here, Yuki had begged them to help her keep her composure in front of Satoshi.
So Mei Mei and Utahime didn't hold back.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. I'll control myself."
Though Yuki said that, her expression didn't change in the slightest. She kept grinning, which only made Ogi's dark expression look even gloomier in contrast.
After reminding Yuki, Mei Mei showed a hint of regret. These were six of Sukuna's fingers. Extremely rare Cursed Objects in the entire jujutsu world, and now... just gone.
Such a waste.
If she could have sold those six fingers to the Curse Users first, she could've made a fortune. Then maybe Satoshi could've taken them back. They could've split the profit—fifty-fifty, or even sixty-forty, seventy-thirty. Anything worked. It was still good business.
These big clans really don't care about money, huh? What a pity.
Everyone watching the livestream had their own thoughts. Meanwhile, far away in Kyoto, Principal Gakuganji sat in stunned silence.
He had expected Satoshi might damage Sukuna's fingers.
But he never imagined the boy would outright destroy them.
Gakuganji sat stiffly in his chair, eyes glazed.
His stance differed completely from Tokyo Principal Sekiguchi Seiji.
He represented the old guard.
Though always tactful, anyone in the jujutsu world knew he was at odds with the Gojo clan and the new forces like Yagyū Hidetsugu.
But now, with Satoshi's overwhelming display, even Gakuganji began to wonder if his allegiance had been misplaced.
In this moment, the aging principal looked even older.
Thanks to Gojo Satoshi's appearance, the dominance of Kyoto Jujutsu High might soon be eclipsed by Tokyo.
And he knew... it might be time to reconsider his standing within the Jujutsu Association.
...
At the Yorozuya.
Jogo leapt up in excitement.
"As expected! I told you, Ryūjin Jakka is on another level. Sukuna's fingers didn't stand a chance!"
"Yuto, look! Sukuna's fingers were reduced to ash by Ryūjin Jakka's flames!"
Jogo beamed with pride. The performance of Ryūjin Jakka validated everything he had said about it.
Ryūjin Jakka's strength truly surpassed that of Sode no Shirayuki.
"Alright, alright, I get it. Ryūjin Jakka's the strongest. All the other Zanpakutō are trash, okay?"
Yuto waved dismissively. Why should a sorcerer like him, who didn't even have a Zanpakutō, care about which one was strongest?
Wait. That wasn't right. Jogo didn't care about all Zanpakutō, just Ryūjin Jakka being the strongest.
However, at that very moment, Yuto's offhand remark seemed to spark a reaction from Katen Kyōkotsu. The Zanpakutō in Toji's hand trembled slightly, almost like it was protesting.
Of course, Toji immediately understood it wasn't a protest about Ryūjin Jakka being stronger. It was a protest against Yuto calling the other Zanpakutō "trash."
"Jogo, no one's denying that Ryūjin Jakka is powerful. But you have to admit, Sode no Shirayuki played a role too, right?"
"If not for the power of her Bankai, Ryūjin Jakka wouldn't have been able to unleash Ennetsu Jigoku to such effect and fully destroy the finger."
As someone bound by Heavenly Restriction, Toji's insight was sharper than most. He immediately recognized the real reason behind Satoshi's dual-wielded Zanpakutō strategy.
(To be continued.)