Chapter 111: Satoshi The Restless Gambler? (BONUS)
Satoshi walked in with a smile and sat across from Kamo Shin.
Kamo Shin's expression darkened, his entire face contorted with malice.
He had underestimated Satoshi. If not for his presence, he might have successfully escaped by now.
Faced with such undisguised hostility, Satoshi's youthful face showed only mild curiosity.
"Grandmaster Kamo, we've never had a past grudge, nor have we recently clashed. So why did you try to kill me using Shoso?"
"If I recall correctly, today is our first meeting, isn't it?"
Kamo Shin remained silent. It was as if the man who had showered Satoshi with praises during the banquet was someone else entirely.
Satoshi smirked, a sharp edge to his expression.
"Then let me guess."
"Is it because I forged a Zanpakutō?"
"Is it because Zanpakutō threaten the traditional Cursed Tool industry?"
"Is it because you relics are afraid of me, the one who created the Zanpakutō?"
Satoshi fired off each question deliberately, one by one.
A flicker of shock crossed Kamo Shin's eyes. He knew Satoshi was intelligent, but hadn't expected him to see through everything so clearly.
The child before him wasn't just the Gojo Clan's Six Eyes prodigy, he was more like a demon with eyes that could peer into the depths of the human soul.
"Come now, Grandmaster Kamo."
"Let's play a game. Let's make a bet."
"Let's wager on something you excel at, do you believe I am incapable of reforging a Special Grade Cursed Tool and turning it into a brand-new Zanpakutō?"
Satoshi ran his fingers along the pristine white blade of Sode no Shirayuki, his tone brimming with confidence.
Kamo Shin scoffed, unwilling to back down in his area of expertise.
"You are doomed to fail! Special Grade Cursed Tools can be destroyed, but they cannot be reforged. Their abilities are set in stone the moment they are created."
His voice was resolute—he was, after all, a renowned authority on Cursed Tool forging.
"Is that so?"
Satoshi casually placed Sode no Shirayuki against Kamo Shin's neck.
The blade's freezing touch sent a shiver down Kamo's spine, his body instinctively stiffening as if the sword would slice his throat at any moment.
Kamo Shin trembled, his breath unsteady. Closing his eyes, he muttered,
"Kill me, Gojo brat. It doesn't change the fact that you cannot forge it."
"Oh? Then allow me to grant Grandmaster Kamo's wish."
Satoshi chuckled, the tip of Sode no Shirayuki pressing slightly against Kamo Shin's throat. A light stroke almost imperceptible and an eerie sensation spread across Kamo's neck.
In an instant, the skin froze over.
Kamo Shin's body convulsed, his eyes filled with despair.
He had resigned himself to dying in the Gojo estate, yet now, faced with the moment, he found he wasn't quite as accepting of death as he'd thought.
"Haha, Grandmaster Kamo, relax. It was just a joke."
Satoshi withdrew his Zanpakutō, the frigid air dissipating instantly. Warmth returned to the room.
Kamo Shin instinctively reached for his neck. No wound.
He had survived.
The realization left him feeling oddly relieved.
Just then, Satoshi's expression softened into a warm, almost playful smile. Pouring a cup of hot tea, he set it down in front of Kamo Shin.
"Since Grandmaster Kamo believes I can't reforge a Special Grade Cursed Tool, let's make a bet."
Kamo Shin stared at the boy, aside from his age, there was nothing childish about him.
He finally conceded.
"...What bet?"
Satoshi smirked, his lips curling into a playful grin.
"Let's bet on whether I can successfully reforge Kagerō into a Zanpakutō."
"If I fail, the Gojo Clan will act as if the Shoso incident never happened. You will remain President of the Blacksmith Association, the undisputed master of the craft, and the Kamo Clan's reputation will remain intact."
Kamo Shin's expression twitched. His heart wavered slightly.
"And if I lose?"
"Then you will return to the Kamo Clan and handle the matter yourself. Settle your debts before your death. The Gojo Clan will still pretend the Shoso incident never happened, and your family's reputation will remain untouched."
Satoshi lazily rubbed his earlobe, flashing an ugly grin.
"After all, you do have the blood of a Gojo on your hands."
"And now that the victim's kin has come to collect their due, you refuse to put anything on the table?"
Kamo Shin took a deep breath, shifting his gaze toward Gojo Kumaen.
He refused to believe Satoshi had the authority to make such a decision on behalf of the entire Gojo Clan.
Kumaen, sensing Kamo's doubts, turned toward Satoshi.
He had already grasped what Satoshi was aiming for.
Suppressing his astonishment, he nodded firmly.
"What Satoshi said stands. As the representative of the Gojo Clan, I approve of this bet."
Is this really the same Satoshi I've been neglecting? How could he possess such sharp, commanding authority?
Have I been blind all these years? How did I fail to notice this about Satoshi?
Is this what the clan head meant by 'the terror of one who is born knowing'?
With just a few words, Kamo Shin has been maneuvered into a corner.
---
Kamo Shin hesitated, but at that moment, the doors swung open.
The clan head entered, his pace slow but deliberate.
"On behalf of the Gojo Clan, I acknowledge the bet between you and Satoshi. The terms are set, Satoshi must forge a Zanpakutō from Kagerō."
The old man's presence crushed the last of Kamo Shin's resistance.
With the Gojo Clan's formal backing, there was no doubt left, Satoshi's bet was real.
"...Fine. I accept. But don't underestimate Special Grade Cursed Tools, Gojo brat. There is a fundamental difference between them and Grade 1 Cursed Tools."
"I'll be waiting to see you fail."
Having come to terms with his survival, Kamo Shin regained his composure and immediately tried to rattle Satoshi with taunts.
But Satoshi remained indifferent.
"Grandmaster Kamo, please arrange for someone to deliver Kagerō"
Everything else was secondary.
What mattered was forging Ryūjin Jakka.
"Wait."
Kamo Shin suddenly spoke up again.
Kumaen frowned. "Kamo Shin, don't push your luck. This bet is already generous toward the Kamo Clan."
Kamo Shin shook his head.
"I'm not asking to change the terms. I simply wish to witness the entire forging process."
His request wasn't without reason.
He firmly believed Satoshi would fail. But in the process, he could observe how Zanpakutō were forged, perhaps even uncover their secrets.
(To be continued.)
***
Bonus chapter. Eid Mubarak ✨️ to my Muslim readers.
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