Relying on the North

The flames of ten thousand deaths surged forth, completely burning away the Sendai Colony and the ground itself.

As Sukuna raised his head, his consciousness returned to the center of the ancient battlefield 1,000 years ago.

"Hmm... where am I?"

Sukuna's four eyes swept across the battlefield, littered with severed limbs and marks of slashing, and at the same time—he also saw the little guy he had picked up.

"Uraume--?"

Sukuna stood up and walked towards Uraume, who, as usual, was treating his flesh and blood.

"Ah, Sukuna, the meat isn't ready yet."

As Sukuna approached, Uraume, contrary to her usual behavior, did not stand up— Sukuna felt a momentary blur before her eyes and saw the former Kenjaku sitting next to Uraume.

"What's going on... Why you?"

Having roughly guessed what she was going through, Su Sukuna relaxed and plopped down next to Uraume.

"How rude of you, King of Curses! I was one of your closest friends in your previous life, wasn't I?"

"Yeah, that's true, after all, that's the kind of person I am."

Sukuna took the roasted meat from Uraume with her four hands, put it to her mouth and tore into it forcefully— Kenjaku remained silent, waiting for Sukuna to swallow the roasted meat.

"How was it, King of Curses?"

Are you asking me about the Zenin Xuan?

Sukuna tore and chewed the roasted meat with a large bite in his waist and abdomen, his four eyes vacant, as if he were recalling something.

"He's really strong—and I feel like he wasn't even using his full strength."

Sukuna forcefully slammed that thigh into the ground.

"I even think that I would still lose even if he didn't unleash his domain."

Seeing Sukuna, Kenjaku smiled.

"I never expected him to make you say something like that."

Sukuna placed his four hands on his lap, and his four eyes surveyed the surroundings littered with severed limbs.

"Actually... I feel a little sorry. I originally thought I could win this battle effortlessly, but I used every trick in the book and still couldn't force out his Shikigami."

Sukuna clenched her fists.

"I've put to use all the physical skills I've developed over the years, the tactics I've learned, the style I've honed, and the imagination I've built up for improvisation."

"..."

Uraume, who hadn't spoken for a long time, raised her head and looked at Sukuna, Sukuna was talking to himself.

"I originally intended to pass all of this on to Zenin Xuan."

The absolute strength, the loneliness that comes with it, teaches you about love...?

"I enjoyed it, but Zenin Xuan definitely didn't use his full strength—if it happened again, I would definitely be able to convey all my thoughts to that person."

But this time... I feel very sorry.

Sukuna's eyes had dimmed considerably, but Kenjaku, who was beside him, saw this and his smile did not diminish at all.

"I really envy you, Sukuna."

"... Hmph, what killed me wasn't time, nor illness... but something stronger than me. Isn't that good enough?"

Finally, Uraume, who had been silent for a long time, slapped her hand towards Sukuna.

"Lord Sukuna."

"... What's wrong?"

Seeing that Sukuna seemed "satisfied," Uraume stood up.

"Although I had long expected this day to come, I didn't expect it to come so soon."

Thump!

"Sukuna, this is probably how we'll part ways this time."

"Uraume?"

"Given that level of damage, it would be impossible for me to still have Cursed Object left, but Lord Sukuna is different."

"... What's the meaning?"

Uraume stood up, straightened his wide robe, and then walked towards the approaching crowd.

"My combat strength is weak, and I can't be of much help to Sukuna —but I'm already quite satisfied that I was able to establish that kind of Binding Vow for Sukuna."

Sukuna remained silent. He stood up and followed Uraume —four arms tried to grab Uraume's body, but missed their target the moment they tried to grab her arms.

"Amidst the flames of ten thousand deaths, I managed to preserve Sukuna Sukuna's body... giving him the chance to revert to his original form—after that, it's up to Sukuna."

"Hey!! Uraume, wait a minute!!"

Sukuna's hand grasped Uraume's hand once more.

"What are you saying?! You're not allowed to leave alone!!"

"I've known this for a long time... why Sukuna has always taken me along. There are plenty of good cooks out there—but maybe I'm different?"

Sukuna tried step by step to catch up with Uraume —but despite his invincibility, he couldn't keep up with Uraume's pace and could only watch Uraume go further and further away.

"I was very happy during the time I spent with Sukuna."

Finally, Uraume stopped.

Sukuna finally managed to drag his enormous body to Uraume's side.

Snap!

Sukuna's right hand grasped what Uraume was holding—but not Uraume's hand. In the illusory figures surrounding them, Sukuna also saw what was in his palm.

A piece of ice.

I will only leave behind my own Cursed Technique.

As Uraume spoke, she looked at her empty palms.

"I will take the injuries and this lifeless body, which cannot deploy its domain, with me."

"..."

Sukuna raised her head and looked at Uraume, whose face was resolute.

"... See you in the soul passage a hundred years from now, Sukuna."

"Uraume!!!"

Uraume, who was about to turn and leave, looked at Sukuna again at Sukuna call—and then, Uraume opened her mouth.

"One last thing... please grant me one more request, Lord Sukuna."

Sukuna raised his head, and the scene before him flashed continuously—thousands of horses and soldiers fell with his strikes, and Uraume before him had already transformed back to the way she looked when they first met.

"Destroy everything."

Sukuna's figure also shrank a bit—his four eyes were fixed on Uraume.

"It's everything."

At this moment, in the center of the battlefield, Zenin Xuan, who had turned into a blur of light and fled the instant the Flame of Ten Thousand Deaths appeared, stood beside Sukuna corpse, frozen in frost.

Although I didn't use the Dharma Wheel to adapt to the Furnace: Open of Sukuna, Sukuna has now turned into a banana that has been left out for about 20 days, turning yellow and black. I probably won't have a chance to see the Furnace: Open hit me anymore.

Are you kidding me? Sukuna suddenly unleashed a domain the size of the Sendai Colony, and then used the Furnace: Open all the dust ablaze. Do you think Satoru Gojo Satoru Gojo handle that?

Oh, it seems like I can actually catch it.

As he pondered, Xuan approached Sukuna's corpse.

"How boring, Sukuna. I'll probably forget about you by the afternoon."

Xuan had just finished reading his victory declaration when Sukuna's "corpse" stood up again with a loud bang.

"Zenin Xuan!!!!"

Startled by Sukuna's resurrection, Xuan immediately jumped back—the icy slash left a fan-shaped mark nearly a hundred meters long on the ground in front of Xuan.

"Holy crap!! Sukuna has activated his original form!!!"