Chapter 292: Scene at the Tombs of the Star

So, Kamo Kenshin once again resumed training.

After a long time, an old man appeared beside him and bowed slightly.

"Young Master Kenshin."

"Uncle Ryo." Kamo Kenshin nodded in return.

The old man, Kamo Ryo, was the only one in the Kamo family who had never changed his treatment of him, even after the clan head distanced himself.

Ryo looked at Kenshin with a gentle gaze.

He took out a small black box and handed it over. "Young Master Kenshin, this is something the clan head instructed me to deliver to you when he heard you were participating in the goodwill event. It seems the patriarch still cares about you very much."

After saying that, Kamo Ryo smiled warmly.

Kenshin froze for a moment, clearly stunned. It took him a few seconds to process what he'd just heard.

"Uncle Ryo, this really came from my father?" His breathing trembled slightly. It wasn't fear, but rather excitement—like someone parched for days suddenly stumbling upon a clear spring.

"Yes. The head handed it to me personally and asked me to bring it to you," Kamo Ryo said. "Go ahead and open it."

Kenshin opened the box. Inside was a carefully arranged set of light armor and a bronze hoko.

He blinked in surprise. "This is Zenin-made cursed armor, and this looks like Inverted Spear of Heaven. Wasn't it confiscated by Gojo Satoshi... but the coloring on this spear seems off."

Ryo nodded and spoke in a low voice, "Correct. That is a specially crafted cursed armor by the Zenin clan. It can withstand the full-force attack of a Curse User without suffering any damage."

"As for that Inverted Spear of Heaven, it's not the original."

"It was crafted as a replica of the Inverted Spear of Heaven based on the Zenin family's schematics. While it can't nullify Cursed Techniques completely like the original, it can suppress seven or eight layers of Cursed Energy. With this, you'll have a significant advantage when facing Gojo Satoshi, and even Gojo Satoru and Suguru."

After confirming its authenticity, Kenshin's smile lit up from the bottom of his heart. "Uncle Ryo, I never expected my father to care about me this much!"

Ryo's smile stiffened, and he responded with a forced grin, "Of course. After all, you are still the head's son."

Noticing the flicker in the old man's expression, Kenshin's smile also froze for a moment.

He gave a helpless smile. "Uncle Ryo, please tell my father that with these two treasures, I'll definitely go all out at the goodwill event. I'll defeat those them fair and square and restore the honor of the Kamo family!"

"Haha, that's the spirit. If Young Master Kenshin takes first place at the goodwill event, the head will surely be very pleased," Ryo said with a full smile.

...

Tokyo, drowned in a sea of dazzling neon lights, made it difficult to see the stars.

At the top of a towering building, a young man with black hair stood on the rooftop with one hand in his pocket. The night wind tousled his hair and rustled his clothes.

"I understand what you're asking. As long as you can stop Lord Tengen from merging with the impure Star Plasma Vessel, we of the Time Vessel Association are willing to pay you 100 million."

A middle-aged man's voice came from the outdated speaker of a bloated phone.

"We will not allow mortal bodies to defile Lord Tengen."

Choso's voice was calm. "I don't care about money. But since our goals align in preventing the merger with the Star Plasma Vessel, I can agree to cooperate. However, before we handle the vessel, you'll follow my command. It will increase the mission's success rate. If you can accept that, I'll cooperate with you."

There was a long silence from the other end.

"Agreed. Once we finalize the candidate for Lord Tengen from the list, I'll contact you. Don't let us down."

"Haha. Looking forward to it."

Choso hung up the call.

He lifted his gaze toward Jujutsu High in the distance.

Though it was late, the neon glow of Shibuya and Shinjuku still shimmered above. Darkness, however, had begun to swallow the city skyline piece by piece.

As he looked at the distant lights of Jujutsu High, he thought of the upcoming sister school goodwill event.

"Gojo Satoshi... will he be there?" he muttered, rubbing his chin.

Know yourself and your enemy, and you will never lose.

In the upcoming Star Plasma Vessel incident, he would likely clash with Gojo Satoshi again.

Satoshi's decision to participate in the goodwill event, on some level, made it easier for Choso to assess his strength in advance.

It was the perfect opportunity to witness Satoshi's current capabilities firsthand and prepare accordingly for their inevitable conflict.

However, the thought also brought some unease.

This would be his first time encountering Satoshi since being unsealed from Jujutsu High.

But the Kamo family's Blood Manipulation Technique was a legacy refined over a thousand years. With proper application, Choso believed he was no less capable.

Right now, among the three great inherited abilities, 'Six Eyes' had the highest potential. But that only manifested once its wielder mastered Domain Expansion and Reverse Cursed Technique.

Until then, Blood Manipulation remained the most well-rounded and balanced technique.

As long as Domain and Reverse Cursed Technique weren't fully in play, he was confident he could defeat them.

...

Tokyo.

After leaving the Yorozuya, Satoshi arrived to check on Tengen's condition.

Even though the Tombs of the Star had vanished from the physical realm, Satoshi had still spent nine years asleep there. Anyone seeking him could still trace him through residual energy.

From the current instability of the Jujutsu barrier, it was clear that Tengen's condition was becoming more unstable.

It could be said that awakening her Zanpakutō into Shikai was now an urgent matter.

Soon after, the woman's closed eyes slowly opened. She glanced at Satoshi beside her.

Like watching ginkgo leaves drifting downward... silent and unmoving.

"Still not enough?" Satoshi asked after a moment of silence, cutting straight to the point.

After all, syncing with the Zanpakutō required full resonance with Tengen's soul.

Even if the blade had been forged, he couldn't substitute for the spiritual resonance required between wielder and sword.

Satoshi's words sounded like a foolish comment, instantly choking Tengen into silence. The atmosphere grew heavy.

"Do I look successful to you right now?" she asked him with a helpless look.

"Ahem... well, I can feel it's close..." Satoshi coughed and tried to lighten the mood.

"Stop making promises on my behalf," Tengen replied flatly. "If nothing goes wrong, I can probably last another year and continue to communicate with my Zanpakutō."

The two of them exited the underground palace and stepped into the night air.

The wind rustled the trees, and a few leaves floated down, brushing past Tengen's face.

(To be continued.)

***

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