The Core of Adaptation

From the stands, Xuan turned his head to look at Fushiguro, Itadori, and a few others.

And, this Thunder Mahoraga.

"Oh? Fushiguro, you subdued Mahoraga so quickly?"

"..."

Hearing Xuan's words, Fushiguro shook his head.

"Mahoraga Rata--"

"I am Megumi Fushiguro's lawyer."

"..."

I see. So it's because it's adapted to Hiromi Higuruma's domain?

Speaking of how they adapted, even the idea of summoning Shikigami must have been disabled.

Xuan didn't think much of it. Although the Mahoraga in front of him hadn't been subdued, it wouldn't harm Megumi Fushiguro. In fact, aside from not being able to borrow her abilities, this Mahoraga was probably the Strongest form the Ten Shadows had envisioned.

"While your Mahoraga is still around, you can try to subdue Tiger Funeral and a few other Shikigami."

The subjugation ritual is theoretically time-limited—theoretically, of course. Unless you're fighting the Round Deer without dealing any damage, it's highly unlikely you'll reach the time limit.

But is it still possible to do this?

Thinking this, Gen also came up behind Itadori and gave it a big Itadori.

"Tiger~ How's your field going?"

"I've already grasped the knack! It's just... I don't have the Cursed Technique."

Looking at Itadori's appearance, Xuan nodded.

"You've been Incarnation's Sukuna, so generally, Sukuna's Cursed Technique will be inscribed on you. You just need to use your mind to activate the Cursed Technique circuits stored in your brain."

Xuan openly taught Itadori how to feel his own Cursed Technique circuits—leaving Yuta Okkotsu behind him completely stunned.

Originally, because of his temper and tendency to only speak halfway, Yuta Okkotsu categorized Gen as a teacher like Satoru Gojo, but now it seems that Satoru Gojo is nowhere near as good as Gen.

Although Satoru Gojo's teaching methods were quite good, Itadori's control over Cursed Energy was learned from Satoru Gojo's methods.

but...

Recalling the days when Itadori described watching horror movies while holding a doll, Yuta Okkotsu touched his face.

I'd say it's a bit rough around the edges.

On the television screen, the battle between Takaba and Sukuna had reached its climax.

"Fumihiko Takaba!!!"

"Ryomen Sukuna!!!!"

The two figures flickered on the television screen like afterimages—until they stopped. Sukuna and Takaba, still holding each other's bodies, slid for hundreds of meters before finally stopping in the mountains.

Immediately afterwards, Sukuna pulled "Hiten" out of thin air.

Takaba then waved his hand and obtained the "Galaxy Spark".

Clang! Clang!

As the two tridents clashed repeatedly, the camera suddenly began to rotate, following the figures of Sukuna and Takaba.

The two fighters maintained the same speed in their battle, but their spinning increased rapidly—and so on.

Bang!

The two were thrown into the air at the same time, and only then did the spectators notice.

Their shoes remained on the constantly rotating disc surface.

"Was this a filming accident?"

Sukuna used the Hiten to support his body as he stood up. Even he was a little dizzy from the spinning just now. The two of them were spinning around at almost ten times the speed of sound, and Sukuna's Cursed Energy defense was completely broken.

"It must have been because the actor couldn't stand steadily, right?"

"It has nothing to do with me!"

As Takaba spoke, a person with the name "Yamada Can't Stand Still" hanging around his neck stood up from the background.

"No, I wasn't referring to a name!"

"I see."

Unable to stand steadily, he sat down.

After he lost his balance and sat down, the Dharma Wheel above the head of Mahoraga, who was next to Fushiguro, spun around once more.

Click!

"I've mastered the essence of comedy!!!"

With a shout, Mahoraga kicked the television screen, shattering it. To the astonishment of Itadori and Fushiguro, the entire Shikigami flew into the center of the battlefield between Takaba and Sukuna.

Mahoraga?!

As Sukuna saw Mahoraga, the common sense that had been forcibly altered by "Superhero" was rewritten.

"Dragon Scales, Recoil, Paired Shooting Stars."

The moment Sukuna saw Mahoraga, he began chanting incantations. His slash instantly sliced through Mahoraga's head, shattering Mahoraga's upper body in an instant. Sukuna then used Mahoraga's appearance to briefly break free from Takaba's influence.

"Ice Condensation Spell - Frostnagi."

Sukuna dared not entangle with Takaba any longer. A gust of cold wind blew by, and Takaba and Mahoraga, who were about to approach Sukuna with a self-sacrificing kick, were immediately frozen. Sukuna immediately turned around.

Takaba's Cursed Technique: Superhero.

The effect of the Cursed Technique is limited to a certain range; once the user leaves this range, the effect of the Superhero Cursed Technique on the Cursed Technique will disappear.

By combining the time when she experienced non-self thoughts with Takaba's location, Sukuna deduced the range of Takaba's Cursed Technique.

Approximately 300 meters.

This 300 meters does not mean that everything within those 300 meters will happen as Takaba imagined.

Instead, those who enter this 300-meter stretch will be influenced by a comedic mindset and choose a path related to humor.

Sukuna decides that, before he can escape Superhero through normal means after being entangled by Takaba under Xuan Zheng's influence in the comedy field, he should run away first.

In his frantic run, Sukuna Sukuna arrived at a ruin. As he sprinted forward, he saw a large expanse of golden light scattered on the ground. But when he looked up, he saw not Takaba, but the Mahoraga that he had just almost instantly destroyed.

"Yo... long time no see."

Mahoraga raised its head, and through the gap between its two wings, it "looked" at Sukuna.

"Hey... really?"

Looking at the unharmed Mahoraga, who was even wearing Jujutsu High uniform and covered in blood, Sukuna's expression flashed with shock and surprise.

"Genuine or genuine."

Mahoraga lifted his clothes, revealing slash marks all over his chest.

"I'm still as lively and energetic as ever."

Sukuna held the Kamutoke in his left hand and the Hiten in his right, and his body was wrapped in his usual clothes.

Have you adapted yet?

Click.

"You got it right!"

Mahoraga raised his head—the white shell on his body degenerated, and what appeared in its place was Megumi Fushiguro, who looked as if she had albinism.

"The moment I was struck by your strike, I gave up resisting and focused all my energy on activating the Binding Vow."

"Although no Mahoraga before, it was thanks to the careful explanation from the person beside me who was proficient in Binding Vow!"

Sukuna gripped her weapon tightly.

Looking at the incessantly chattering Mahoraga in front of him, he judged that this Shikigami was in a state of high excitement.

"Before I died, I grasped the core of adaptation!!!!"

"Your defeat was precisely because you ran away!! I shed my Shikigami identity, gaining a human identity and greater adaptability and regenerative abilities! Sukuna!!"

"The reason for my defeat? I wouldn't mind killing my defeated opponent once again."

Sukuna wore a puzzled smile. With the Kamutoke and Hiten in hand, he was not afraid of the Mahoraga in front of him at all.

"Ah... really? I guess so!!! Maybe so!!!!"

As Mahoraga waved his hands, Sukuna and Mahoraga moved almost simultaneously, rushing towards the opposite side.