Chapter 250: Whetstone

"Zenin Ogi, not that it matters, but I never planned to use Sukuna's fingers."

"Even if I did, as you say, use Ryoumen Sukuna's fingers to awaken my Zanpakutō—what exactly is wrong with that?"

"If my Zanpakutō can consume Ryoumen Sukuna's fingers, wouldn't that be a blessing for the entire jujutsu world?"

Satoshi raised an eyebrow as he looked at Zenin Ogi and Kamo Kaname, amusement written across his face.

Perhaps Zenin Ogi and Kamo Kaname thought that this live-broadcast stunt would let them fish in troubled waters.

But in truth, Satoshi's aim was to use this very public moment to help sorcerers shed their fear of Ryoumen Sukuna.

The stance that Zenin Ogi took was already flawed. That was why his current actions failed to align with mainstream values.

When Satoshi said that, both the spectators at the scene and those watching the broadcast were stunned.

Up until now, the focus had always been on Gojo Satoshi possibly using Sukuna's finger for selfish gain. No one had considered the fact that if he truly could use Sukuna's finger, it would actually demonstrate his strength, wouldn't it?

Just as Satoshi said, if his Zanpakutō could devour the fingers of Ryoumen Sukuna, wouldn't that be considered purging a great evil from the cursed world?

At that moment, both on and off the battlefield, the atmosphere grew strangely awkward.

Those who despised the Gojo clan and were annoyed by Satoru's eccentric nature naturally extended that dislike to Satoshi.

On the other hand, those aligned with the Yorozuya and the Gojo household naturally supported him and felt that letting Satoshi make use of Sukuna's fingers was a good thing.

...

Zenin Ogi was speechless. Faced with the point raised by Satoshi, he had no idea how to respond.

He couldn't even convince himself, because what Satoshi said made too much sense.

As he watched Ogi stumble over his words, a faint sneer appeared on Satoshi's face.

He knew Zenin Ogi had reached a miserable point.

The General Directorate of the Jujutsu Association was filled with people like this. No wonder Satoru had once referred to it as a basket of rotten oranges.

Fortunately, this time, he had persuaded the Gojo and Yagyū families to support the Ieiri-led Directorate.

At least, among the rot, there were still some unspoiled pieces.

But if you mix fresh and rotten oranges together for too long, even the good ones will spoil.

Once this matter with Sukuna's finger was settled, he'd need to clean house at the Jujutsu Association.

If they didn't eliminate the hidden threats now, they would only end up dragging down the future or stabbing them in the back at critical moments.

No one else could carry out this purge. Only he, as a reincarnator, could do it properly and efficiently.

Still, for now, his top priority was to destroy Sukuna's fingers and weaken his power.

...

Zenin Ogi's silence was met with Satoshi's indifference.

He stood calmly at the center of the library, where he had the best vantage point. All around him were various Cursed Objects collected by Tokyo Jujutsu High.

The venue was large and durable enough for him to unleash his power.

Satoshi retrieved five more fingers and placed them alongside the one that had previously been struck by Satoru and the others.

This move puzzled everyone. Satoshi clearly intended to destroy all six of Ryoumen Sukuna's fingers at once.

But where did he get the confidence?

Had he forgotten that even Satoru and Suguru had only managed to leave marks on Sukuna's fingers using their Zanpakutō?

Not only did Zenin Ogi and the others look uneasy, even those in the Yorozuya faction—who trusted Satoshi deeply—showed signs of hesitation and inner conflict.

They still believed in him, but this act seemed a bit too dismissive of Sukuna's might.

Is this really necessary? That's Ryoumen Sukuna.

Nanami Kento muttered under his breath.

Ever since he guessed that Satoshi had been the one who saved him, he had been rooting for him to destroy Sukuna's fingers.

But Satoshi's behavior made him unsure whether to laugh or worry.

He believed Satoshi was stronger than Satoru, but surely the gap wasn't that wide?

Satoru could only leave minor damage. Was Satoshi really about to obliterate six of Sukuna's fingers at once?

Nanami's thoughts reflected what most people in the audience were thinking. But what they didn't know was that Satoshi's action was, in fact, a form of respect toward Sukuna.

After all, Sukuna was the King of Curses. Even in this dried-up, mummified state, Satoshi would have to go all out to destroy the remnants.

Given that, it made sense to handle them all at once.

If he destroyed them one by one, it would be exhausting.

After all, these were the remains of Sukuna. They deserved that much acknowledgment.

...

Feeling the waves of doubt from the crowd, Satoshi's expression didn't change in the slightest. He simply smiled and turned his full focus onto the six fingers resting atop the stone platform.

Aside from the one damaged by Satoru and the others, the remaining five were dry and a dark, blood-like red.

These were Sukuna's fingers. Each contained one-twentieth of his full power.

If he succeeded in destroying them, it would reduce Sukuna's strength by roughly thirty percent.

Even though the six fingers were incredibly tough, Satoshi was confident. He had made multiple preparations and was certain he could crush them.

Whether or not that was something the rest of the world wanted to see, he didn't care.

What he knew was that Zenin Ogi, Kamo Kaname, and Itadori Kaori—who had all opposed him—absolutely did not want to see him succeed.

Nine years. He had slept for nine years.

Now, it was time to use Ryoumen Sukuna's fingers as the whetstone to sharpen his strength.

(To be continued.)