Nuo Ten

"Hey! Dinner's ready!"

With a moment of disorientation, Sukuna suddenly found himself sitting in a clearing in the mountains—he looked up at the person sitting opposite him.

"Uraume?"

Sitting opposite her was Uraume, who looked impatient. At that moment, Takaba's voice came again.

"Hey! Little Nuo, stop looking around."

With a snap, a bowl of wriggling worms appeared in front of Sukuna. He looked up and saw that Takaba had become fat and was wearing a Hawaiian outfit. A large segment of non-existent memories had also been inserted into Sukuna's mind.

Grandpa—what is this?

Xiao Nuo raised his head, and his once tall figure seemed to have suddenly shrunk to one-third of its original size—his left hand pinched the rice weevils in the basin, revealing a look of disgust.

"Live, fresh rice weevils! In some countries, they are considered a delicacy!"

Xiao Nuo stood up and quietly approached Xiao Mei.

"Hey... I still have half a box of chocolate bars and a few bags of Potato Chips, what do you have?"

"Oh... some rice crackers and half a box of freeze-dried strawberries?"

Xiao Nuo raised her face and looked formally at Xiao Mei.

Do you think we can survive this summer?

"... I think it's quite risky."

The two were silent for a moment, then Xiao Nuo stood up.

"Grandpa, I ate some snacks before I came—oh, I guess I should take some to aid digestion?"

Takaba nodded, while Xiao Nuo turned and walked into the forest—he quickly fled the scene.

In the woods, Xiao Nuo looked up at the Sky Manipulation —hmm, something seems off?

"Ugh, this is going to be the worst summer vacation of my life. I should have signed up for summer tutoring."

Xiao Nuo has completely let go of that matter; what could be wrong with that? It's not like a meteorite could suddenly fall from the sky and hit her, is it?

That's unbelievable! Why don't you just say a volcano is swinging meteorites at me?

Then—Xiao Nuo saw a shooting star streak across the Sky Manipulation.

Oh, that's cool! Now, should I make a wish? Let me think... I want to become a four-armed superhuman who can use slashing attacks and flames.

"?"

As the meteorite hurtled towards Sukuna, Sukuna immediately realized his problem.

Has our perception been distorted?

Sukuna immediately stomped one foot on the ground, but all his Cursed Energy and physical abilities had been stripped away. He quickly ran backward, and with a loud bang, the meteorite exploded on the ground.

Xiao Nuo then turned around and saw the trajectory the meteorite had left on the ground.

"Oh... it's like a satellite..."

Xiao Nuo stood beside the giant crater created by the impact—with a cracking sound, Xiao Nuo's body slid down the hole and landed next to the metal shell. As the shell opened immediately afterward, two hands instantly grabbed Sukuna's body and merged into it—

In just one glance, he transformed from his previous thin and frail appearance back into the Ryomen Sukuna. As he realized the change in himself, Takaba's voice came over.

"Clatter!"

"And so, Sukuna was born!!"

Accompanied by the sound of a folding fan slapping against his palm and Takaba's words, Sukuna opened his four eyes. He was covered in cold sweat as the memory of what had just happened flooded his mind. He jumped backward repeatedly, but dared not take his eyes off the sorcerer in front of him wearing a half-body suit for even half a second.

He didn't even let his guard down—the warlock had dragged himself into a Cursed Technique similar to a domain, and then deliberately stopped the Cursed Technique. Why?

"Hey... which era's warlock are you?"

Sukuna was getting anxious. This guy wasn't playing by the rules at all. His Cursed Energy had recovered, but that meant the other could strip him of his Cursed Technique at any time. More importantly—

The slash that just attacked him didn't even harm his body.

Is it an illusion-type Cursed Technique? Or is it Cursed Technique that alters the senses, but this kind of Cursed Energy...?

"Oh, you mean my comedic experience?"

Is he a modern person...? The effect of this Cursed Technique, are you kidding me? This guy is probably several times stronger than Zenin Xuan... He pulled me into the domain so silently.

"I've been making jokes since I graduated from university! I'm a super funny comedian who's been making jokes until I'm 35! By the way, this outfit was the first comedian outfit that made me laugh out loud from the bottom of my heart. I still remember that performance vividly, which is why I specifically picked up this outfit from the supermarket. I also abide by the hilarious rules of 'Hilarious Hero,' which is why I'm so successful now!"

Accompanied by long and complicated sentences that were completely unimportant, Sukuna's thoughts developed rapidly, while Takaba, after finishing speaking, began to stretch. While pressing his legs, Takaba opened his mouth and asked Sukuna.

Hey! Have you ever seen Xuan?

"..."

He fought with Zenin Xuan?

"Last time—it was a draw. Now I'm going to find him and have another good fight!"

Of course, the battle Takaba was referring to was a comedic duel—but Sukuna didn't see it that way.

This guy, even after his Cursed Technique were adapted to, still managed to fight Zenin Xuan and even draw?

Sukuna was sweating—if it were a draw, it would be an exceptionally exciting battle. Zenin Xuan's methods were far more than this; he had just experienced it himself. The guy before him—

"Your name is Sukuna, right? I just thought of a funny joke!"

Attack?!

Takaba pushed off the ground with both feet and delivered a desperate kick to Sukuna —before Sukuna could react, half of Sukuna's body was smashed into the ground, leaving only his hands and feet sticking out.

"Look! Su--Nuobu!"

Takaba placed his hands on Sukuna's body, Sukuna coughed suddenly, then used the "eight" technique on the floor with his hands on the ground.

Boom!

Having regained the ability to breathe, Sukuna looked at Takaba again—he hadn't even sensed Cursed Energy during the attack. This guy actually broke through my Cursed Energy defense with just brute force?

However, it did not cause me any harm.

Sukuna grew increasingly silent as he thought about it. He had originally believed that only Satoru Gojo was his match, but now, who knew that this place was full of experts? However, the other party probably wasn't after him.

Are you referring to Zenin Xuan?

"Zenin Xuan? Although I don't know his surname, his Cursed Technique is quite similar to yours. I've been hit by that slash quite a few times! Have you seen him? Can you tell me his location?"

Takaba appeared behind Sukuna without her noticing, and awkwardly approached Sukuna.

Sukuna, on the other hand, had no will to fight. He needed to find Kenjaku as soon as possible—because Kenjaku had said before they set off that he had a sure way to defeat Zenin Xuan —and told Uraume not to insist on going alone.

"If you're looking for Xuan, he should be inside that pit, or a little outside it—"

"Oh wow! Thank you! I've studied my comedy books thoroughly, and now I'm terrifyingly strong! Haha! My partner, here I come!!!"

Watching Takaba gradually run away, Sukuna breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't dare to linger, but instead took a few steps forward. Once again, Sukuna "encountered" Takaba on the next street.

"Oh right! I was just thinking about it."

Sukuna swallowed hard, looking at Takaba in front of him.

"If you've ever fought with Xuan, I have a 70% reason to suspect you're a bad person!"

"...?"

"If you're a bad person!"

The Takaba in front of Sukuna suddenly disappeared, and in its place, an unimaginable pain came from behind Sukuna.

Hmm...?

Sukuna's body was suddenly propelled into the air by this Thousand Year Kill.

"Well then—before I have a comedic battle with Xuan, I need to take care of you first!"

Takaba withdrew his hand after finishing the Thousand Years of Kill, then assumed a fighting stance in front of Sukuna, whose expression was contorted.