Satoshi stretched lazily.
The world line of this timeline should have already shifted. Zenin Toji was no longer Fushiguro Toji, and Megumi's mother was still alive.
Both Satoru's and Suguru's forces were far stronger than in the original timeline. As a result, the Time Vessel Association likely wouldn't be able to launch an attack like in the original. Most importantly, they shouldn't be able to find an assassin as strong as Toji.
Which meant that Tengen's Star Plasma Vessel, Riko Amanai, should never have reached that point.
But who knew what the future held?
Satoshi himself hadn't expected that he would fall into a deep sleep for nine years for seemingly no reason. The future was interesting exactly because of how uncertain it was.
In any case, Satoshi had chosen to take the initiative. He had already informed Gojo Kumaen that he would personally search for Riko Amanai.
Given the power of the Gojo clan, finding someone named Amanai Riko shouldn't be difficult. But what surprised him was how long it was taking.
After all, she was Riko Amanai—a high school student.
Even if Satoshi couldn't recall the exact school Amanai attended, that shouldn't make the search difficult.
Even if they had to comb through every school in Tokyo one by one, the Gojo family had the ability to do so. The only precaution was to avoid publicizing the search or leaking any information that Satoshi was personally looking for Amanai.
Under such circumstances, the complete lack of news regarding Amanai made Satoshi suspicious.
Could it be that his presence had altered the timeline so that Riko no longer existed? But that shouldn't be the case. Before the age of six, Satoshi had not significantly impacted the world line of the entire jujutsu world.
According to the original timeline, Riko was close in age to Satoru, which meant Satoshi's unexpected appearance shouldn't have affected her birth.
So did that mean that the current generation's Star Plasma Vessel was no longer Amanai?
Satoshi had never been able to identify a clear pattern in how Star Plasma Vessels were born. But he remembered that when he mentioned Amanai's name in front of Lord Tengen, she had shown clear shock.
That meant someone named Amanai Riko definitely existed.
So what was going on?
Satoshi frowned slightly, and a new thought surfaced. Perhaps Tengen had deliberately spread the rumor to have the General Directorate search for the next Star Plasma Vessel, while in reality, she had already hidden and protected her?
Another possibility was that Amanai had already been discovered early on by Kenjaku's camp. Perhaps they were isolating this generation's Star Plasma Vessel to prevent her from fusing with Tengen?
Given how Kenjaku operated, it was possible that Riko's death in the original storyline had also been orchestrated by him in advance.
"Forget it. No point thinking too hard. Things always turn out differently anyway, so why not just take a break today?"
"I keep thinking about this stuff back at the Gojo estate. Since you're with me, how about we go out and unwind a little? Let's go shopping. We've been holed up at home for three months."
"I don't know what you've been researching, but if you've made no breakthroughs in three months, maybe a change of scenery will help. You might get some inspiration while we shop."
Yuki wrapped herself around Satoshi's left arm and dragged him out of the Gojo estate.
Although Satoshi felt a bit helpless, his research into the evolution of the Tenshintai had indeed hit a bottleneck. Putting it on hold for now wouldn't be a problem.
Inside the Itadori household. Once again facing Itadori Kaori, Choso felt an uncomfortable tension in the air.
Still, in order to become stronger and escape Uraume's control, he had no choice but to seek out Kaori.
In this room, the only presence that gave Choso a bit of peace was the little boy named Itadori Yuji.
"Choso, are you prepared to pay the price for strength?"
Itadori Kaori sat in a rocking chair, her right hand touching her forehead as she swayed casually, seemingly unconcerned with anything.
Itadori Yuji was pushing her from behind. Though he was only three years old, Yuji already possessed strength far beyond his age. Even with an adult in the chair, he could rock it effortlessly.
Despite the heat, Choso wore long sleeves and pants that covered his entire body. His expression was gloomy.
But when Kaori mentioned the price of becoming stronger, a hint of resolve appeared on his face.
He understood well. Strength always came with a cost.
No one became powerful without sacrifice. If you wanted overwhelming strength, you had to pay a steep price.
Choso nodded without hesitation.
But he didn't yet understand that becoming stronger wasn't always a good thing.
And the cost of that strength might be far more than he could bear.
It was a pity that he didn't know what Itadori Kaori intended to do.
Because, the moment he agreed, an immense gravitational force crushed him to the ground, making it impossible to stand.
"Choso, hold on tight. Feel the weight of gravity."
Within the gravity field of Itadori Kaori's domain, the pressure on Choso's body grew heavier and heavier, as if every bone in his body was about to be shattered.
He wanted to raise his head, but couldn't.
Then, through a hazy awareness, he saw Kaori step slowly in front of him and pour a stream of cool liquid over his body.
A strange sense of closeness bloomed in his chest, then he lost consciousness.
"The Nine Phases must reunite to reach their peak."
Itadori Kaori licked her lips. A glimmer of excitement flashed in her eyes, as if she were admiring her greatest creation.
Aside from Yuji, the Nine Phases of the Cursed Womb truly were her most perfect work.
Unfortunately, the Nine Phases Diagram was currently missing the Shoso.
If she could gather all nine, she might even unlock a power beyond her comprehension.
"But it's fine if Shoso is missing. I'll just make something more useful."
Kaori pulled out a withered finger and tossed it lightly in the air, a smile flickering in her eyes.
She used the finger like a blade to cut into the man's back.
The shriveled digit was sharp as a scalpel. The bloated flesh split open, blooming like a flower of meat and blood.
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