When she heard Hidetsugu address him, Yuki immediately realized that the young man in front of her wasn't Satoshi.
This one possessed Cursed Energy and techniques. He was another Six Eyes child of the Gojo clan and Satoshi's twin brother, Satoru.
Aside from their Cursed Techniques, the two were indistinguishable.
Of course, the Zanpakutō at their waists were also different.
Satoru calmed himself and gave a small nod to Hidetsugu.
Right now, the priority was finding Satoshi.
While everyone focused on locating him, Toji had already followed his instincts and struck the barrier with a powerful Hakuda.
With a single punch, the ground beneath them trembled.
Then, a translucent barrier emerged before their eyes.
In the previously empty alley, Satoshi and Kaori appeared.
"Satoshi!"
The moment Satoru laid eyes on him, he immediately released Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue. Without holding back a single drop of Cursed Energy, he poured everything into the barrier.
Yuki and Hidetsugu were visibly shaken. A six-year-old had this much Cursed Energy?
For the first time, the Gojo clan's monstrous talent was being shown to the outside world.
As expected of the Gojo clan's inherited technique, this thought ran through both their minds.
But what happened next shocked them even more.
Even Satoru's full-power technique failed to break the barrier. The entire structure merely shuddered slightly—no visible cracks at all.
At the same time, they all felt the shift in gravity within the barrier.
Just by standing near it, their bodies felt twice as heavy.
"A Domain…" Hidetsugu muttered, his expression darkening. He hadn't expected the one attacking Satoshi to actually master Domain Expansion—the ultimate secret of a jujutsu sorcerer.
Meanwhile, Yuki's eyes locked on the caster inside the barrier, her face full of disbelief.
That was the short-haired, sharp-eyed woman she had encountered before. She'd never imagined that the real reason she'd been observing Satoshi was to set him up for an ambush.
The situation was far more complex than she'd expected. But one thing was certain: this woman was a clear threat to Satoshi.
As the Domain continued to unfold, the danger to Satoshi only escalated.
Yuki summoned Garuda, ready to support Satoru and Toji in breaking the barrier—but Hidetsugu stopped her.
"Don't act rashly."
Act rashly?
It was the first time anyone had ever said that to her. She was stronger than the uncle beside her, how could she possibly be acting rashly?
Just as Yuki was about to speak up, three surging energy bursts erupted from Toji, Satoru, and Saemon.
"Flower Wind Rage and Flower God Roar, Heavenly Wind Rage and Heavenly Demon Sneer!"
"Rankle the seas and heavens, Nejibana!"
"Scatter—Senbonzakura!"
All three Zanpakutō activated their Shikai simultaneously. Before Yuki's eyes, the true forms of the Zanpakutō unfolded.
Within a storm of cherry blossom blades, Katen Kyōkotsu's dual swords and Nejibana's long spear struck the barrier in unison.
...
Inside the barrier, Kaori's expression turned even more grim.
Thankfully, she had already deployed her Domain. Otherwise, the combined attacks from Toji and Satoru might have shattered the barrier entirely.
Even now, while the Domain held strong, Kaori knew it wouldn't last much longer, not after another round of coordinated Zanpakutō strikes.
She had to take Ryūjin Jakka immediately and prepare for evacuation.
Dragging things out would only work against her.
Now that she'd expanded her Domain and merged it with the barrier, Kaori no longer considered Satoshi a real threat.
Sode no Shirayuki's Absolute Zero had been dangerous, yes—but he was no longer in that state.
Within her own Domain, Kaori believed Satoshi was already within her grasp.
She raised her right hand and slammed it down.
Satoshi instantly felt his entire body become ten times heavier. If it weren't for the enhancements of his Heavenly Restriction, his bones might have been crushed.
He immediately recognized the ability—an indiscriminate gravitational field. A Domain ability, not unlike Sukuna's cleaving slashes.
If he couldn't endure this pressure, it was over.
Toji and the others were outside, and it was only a matter of time before they broke through the barrier.
But if he died at Kaori's hands before that happened, then even if they tore her apart afterward, it would be meaningless.
So, Satoshi knew he could only rely on himself now.
He had to block her attacks, no matter what it took.
But what cards were left for him to play?
Kendo? That wouldn't work against someone who could manipulate gravity—his Zanjutsu would never connect.
Rushing her? Under these warped conditions, even his basic movement was distorted.
Unless he could unleash Ryūjin Jakka's Shikai… or achieve Sode no Shirayuki's Bankai.
But both paths were near-impossible right now.
Still, this was a desperate situation.
No matter how difficult it was, he had to try.
Satoshi gripped Sode no Shirayuki tightly, his heart as cold as the blade.
Under crushing gravity, he forced his body upright.
Are you truly prepared?
A gentle voice echoed in his heart.
A woman appeared before him, wearing a white kimono, her appearance that of a perfect Yamato Nadeshiko.
A glint of determination flashed in Satoshi's eyes.
He nodded.
The personified Sode no Shirayuki smiled softly and pulled him into her embrace.
Her entire form merged with Satoshi.
In that moment, a fierce internal battle ignited in his consciousness.
The battle between him and Sode no Shirayuki.
A battle to determine whether the Zanpakutō would accept submission.
A battle that would decide if her Bankai would be realized.
A battle that would decide if Satoshi would live—or die.
If Sode no Shirayuki won, Satoshi would perish.
But if she lost, Satoshi would be reborn.
(To be continued.)
***
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