In the future, Satoru could be considered a master of hand-to-hand combat..
Many times, Satoru didn't rely on Limitless to fight.
After all, for him, Limitless was more of a trump card—his ultimate technique.
Could it be that he was planning to use his strongest ability right away, only to get countered?
Obviously, in future battles, hand-to-hand combat would be an indispensable part of his combat style...
Since there was an opportunity now, it was best to ensure that Satoru mastered physical techniques early on.
And, of course, this was also another way for Satoshi to squeeze some effort out of him!
"Satoru, I refuse! You must train in hand-to-hand combat with me and Toji."
Satoshi's words shattered any hope Satoru had of slacking off.
Having just received Senbonzakura from his brother, he couldn't refuse Satoshi's request outright.
"Ugh... fine! hand-to-hand combat, right? I'll learn it," Satoru groaned.
He glanced at Toji and shook his head slightly. Just the thought of training alongside this annoying guy made him uncomfortable.
Unfortunately for him, no action of his could escape Toji's sharp gaze.
Seeing Satoru's reluctance, Toji made no effort to be accommodating.
After all, he'd always wanted to beat the crap out of the Six Eyes brat.
"Oi, Satoshi! It looks like Satoru isn't interested in learning," Toji said lazily, his tone filled with mockery.
"Well, that works for me. I wasn't particularly keen on teaching him anyway. Since he doesn't have Heavenly Restriction, he won't be able to keep up with our training."
"It's probably best if I just train you one-on-one. That way, we won't have any dead weight slowing us down."
His casual, disdainful tone immediately irritated Satoru.
Yep, his instincts were right.
The two of them just flat-out didn't like each other—it had nothing to do with Satoshi.
Satoru wasn't jealous of Toji's bond with his brother. He just couldn't stand him specifically.
Neither of them fully understood why this contradiction existed.
Hearing Toji's words, Satoshi quickly shot Satoru a warning glare, telling him to calm down. Then, he turned to Toji with a smile, his tone coaxing.
"Even though Satoru doesn't have Heavenly Restriction, he has the Six Eyes. He will be able to keep up with us."
Then, he added, "Toji, I promise—I'll forge a completely unique Zanpakutō for you. Unlike Sode no Shirayuki, Suzumushi, or Senbonzakura, yours will be something truly special. What do you think?"
In order to ensure Toji properly trained Satoru, Satoshi had to reveal a little about his future forging plans.
After all, the only leverage he had right now was his ability to create Zanpakutō...
Toji copied Satoshi's usual mannerism, stroking his chin while absentmindedly tracing the scar at the corner of his mouth.
His gaze flickered between Satoru and Satoshi before finally settling on Satoshi.
"Well, since Young Master Satoshi values my Zanpakutō so much, I guess I'll begrudgingly take this dead-last Satoru along for the ride."
Hearing Toji agree, Satoshi grinned.
Satoru, however, twitched when he was called "dead-last" and nearly retorted but one look from Satoshi shut him up.
He still didn't understand why Satoshi was so insistent on him learning hand-to-hand combat, but he trusted his younger brother wouldn't make him do something pointless.
Fine. He'd endure it.
But he would master Toji's physical techniques as quickly as possible just so he could rub it in his face.
The Nine Phases of the Cursed Fetus.
A creation of Kamo Noritoshi, the most infamous sorcerer of the Kamo Clan, the greatest stain upon one of the Three Great Families.
During the Meiji era in Japan, there was a woman with a unique constitution, one that made her highly susceptible to cursed spirits.
One day, she became pregnant.
Her sudden conception led to suspicion, condemnation, and relentless malice from her relatives and the people around her.
After all, as far as they were concerned, there was no explanation for her pregnancy.
They couldn't see cursed spirits.
Their rejection—"This child shouldn't be born!" "How could she be pregnant?!"—acted like a curse itself.
In the end, the unborn child, a half-curse, died in the womb.
The woman, rejected and shunned, fled to a temple, seeking refuge.
But that temple belonged to him.
The moment she stepped inside, her fate was sealed.
Noritoshi, fascinated by her ability to conceive hybrid fetuses, subjected her to inhumane experiments.
Nine forced abortions.
The Nine Phases of the Cursed Fetus was the result of those horrific experiments.
To this day, no one knows exactly where its cursed power originated from.
Did it come from the immense cursed energy that Noritoshi injected into the fetuses?
Or from the overwhelming hatred of the mother?
Eventually, when the experiments were uncovered, the Nine Phases of the Cursed Fetus was classified as a Special Grade Cursed Object and sealed within Jujutsu High.
Few had ever seen its true form.
Most only knew of its existence as a forbidden artifact tied to the Kamo Clan.
However, as an elder of the Kamo family, he had seen it.
Or rather, he possessed it.
At this moment, inside the Kamo clan's private chamber.
A petri dish filled with liquid sat quietly on the table.
Floating inside was a small, fleshy mass.
A fragment of the Nine Phases of the Cursed Fetus.
The weakest of the nine phases—The Scorched Phase.
The Nine Phases consisted of nine cursed objects, each representing one of the nine fetuses.
Each phase corresponded to a different stage of human decomposition.
Choso (Swollen Phase)
Kechizu (Blood-Stained Phase)
Nouranso (Purulent Phase)
Shouoso (Green Phase)
Tanso (Devouring Phase)
Sanso (Dispersing Phase)
Kotsuso (Skeletal Phase)
Shoso (Scorched Phase)
Among them, Choso (Swollen Phase), Eso (Putrid Phase), and Kechizu (Blood-Stained Phase)—once they possessed a human body—would mutate into Special Grade Cursed Spirits.
The remaining six, when given flesh, would at best reach Grade 1 strength.
Shoso (Scorched Phase) was the weakest, barely reaching the threshold of a Grade 1 curse.
However, its ability was also the most unique.
Once incarnated, a sorcerer couldn't sense its presence.
It could live unnoticed in human society, completely undetectable.
But there was a time limit.
Once it took on flesh, the vessel would only last seven days.
After that, the body would disintegrate into ash.
And return to being a cursed object.