Chapter 253: The Power of Hadō

Next to Satoru, Suguru held his breath.

Watching Satoshi move so casually now made him realize—this was still the same Satoshi from nine years ago. Still the heart of their small circle. Still the one with overwhelming power.

It was laughable that others actually believed Satoshi had lost his grip on this era just because he had slept for nine years.

Even without his Zanpakutō, just Bakudō and Hadō alone were likely enough for Satoshi to crush 99% of modern sorcerers.

Behind Satoru and Suguru, Shoko was also holding her breath as she watched Satoshi's movements.

She had no knowledge of the Bakudō or Hadō Satoshi was using. After all, when she had fought against the Finger Cursed Spirit, she'd lost consciousness and had been sealed away by Sukuna. She never saw the battle between Satoshi and the cursed spirit firsthand.

This was her first time seeing him use these binding techniques.

And just like everyone else, she was eager to see what came next after the restraint phase.

...

Under everyone's watchful gaze, Satoshi felt no pressure at all.

Now, the real feast he had prepared for Ryoumen Sukuna's fingers was about to be served.

Among all Kidō, Hadō is the most revered. After all, only Hadō has true destructive power.

It was time for Ryoumen Sukuna to savor the destructive strength he currently wielded.

"Hadō #4, Byakurai!"

Almost the instant the words left his mouth, before anyone could react, a beam of white lightning shot from Satoshi's fingertips.

A low rumble of thunder echoed in everyone's ears.

The white bolt streaked straight toward the six fingers, still bound by Hainawa and Geki.

The sound was loud, but the visual effect seemed... underwhelming.

The lightning didn't look particularly powerful or imposing.

That was the impression most viewers had. Byakurai appeared far too plain, too simple.

But Nanami Kento felt something different.

The moment he saw that white flash, he immediately recalled the scene when Satoshi had saved his life.

Yes, it had been this exact technique.

Back then, Satoshi had been in midair, casually firing a single bolt of white lightning that instantly destroyed a Grade 1 cursed spirit—one that had nearly killed Nanami.

He would never forget how calm and unbothered Satoshi had been.

"Byakurai..." Nanami murmured softly.

Sukuna really lived up to his reputation. A cursed energy that could vaporize a Grade 1 spirit did little more than graze one of his fingers.

Still, Nanami wasn't disappointed. He believed Satoshi had far more powerful techniques in his arsenal.

That thought had barely formed when Satoshi opened his mouth again.

No hesitation, no pause.

"Hadō #11, Tsuzuri Raiden."

Arcs of electricity ran along the length of Satoshi's Zanpakutō, coursing into the bound fingers.

Sparks exploded across the surface. Thin traces of smoke rose from the fingertips.

Even Ryoumen Sukuna's fingers, hardened through centuries of cursed energy, couldn't completely withstand the effects of Hadō.

Seeing this, Zenin Ogi looked like he was about to say something, but Satoshi gave him no opening.

He only knew four Hadō at present, and had already used the newly unlocked Byakurai and Tsuzuri Raiden.

Now it was time to revisit the two he'd used in the battle against the Finger Cursed Spirit.

To be honest, Satoshi felt a little sorry for Sukuna.

Since his return, Sukuna had suffered more under Satoshi's hands than anyone else. Now he would experience the twin flames once more.

"Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Inferno and pandemonium, the sea barrier surges, march on to the south!"

"Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws!"

Satoshi softly recited the two chants, nearly identical in cadence, as flames ignited in his palm.

Shakkahō.

Immediately after, a swirling burst of fire followed.

Sōkatsui.

The double firestorm engulfed the platform, the heat so intense that everyone on campus could feel the pressure through the barrier.

The sheer force of these flames stunned the entire Jujutsu High.

So this was the true power of Satoshi's Hadō?

Only now did many realize—maybe that cursed spirit wasn't so terrifying after all.

Facing these two devastating attacks, being destroyed instantly was to be expected.

The fireball and the wave of flames struck Sukuna's six fingers head-on.

Explosions thundered. Blazing heat swept the platform. The entire stone altar seemed on the verge of collapse. Fire licked at the sealed fingers, determined to reduce them to ash.

Could Sukuna's fingers endure this?

That question lingered in the minds of every viewer.

Surely even Sukuna's fingers couldn't resist such scorching fire, right?

But Satoshi only shook his head calmly.

As expected, Ryoumen Sukuna's fingers weren't that easy to destroy. If I had access to a Kidō above level 90, maybe then...

Satoshi felt a trace of regret.

Shakkahō and Sōkatsui were strong, but they were only mid-tier Hadō. They couldn't fully showcase the devastating potential of high-level Kidō.

If he could unleash Aizen Sōsuke's Hadō #99: Goryūtenmetsu or Yamamoto Genryūsai's Hadō #96: Ittō Kasō, or even Urahara Kisuke's Hadō #91: Senju Kōten Taihō, that would be a different story.

Any of those three should be able to reduce Sukuna's fingers to dust in an instant.

But mastering such high-level Kidō wasn't easy.

If he cast a Kidō above #90 right here, Satoshi had no doubt that the aftermath would affect more than just the fingers.

Aizen's Goryūtenmetsu and Yamamoto's Ittō Kasō would obliterate the entire Tokyo Jujutsu High campus.

Those spells would turn the academy into scorched earth.

(To be continued.)