"Nanami...!"
Maki watched in anguish and fury. She had never imagined Sukuna could be so capricious, killing on a whim while laughing!
But she dared not raise her head. All she could do was stare helplessly at the floor.
"All right, your turn." Sukuna looked down at Maki.
To him, what he had just done seemed no more significant than a little after-dinner diversion.
"...Heh."
Sukuna raised an eyebrow and turned toward Mahito.
Bright red blood streamed from Mahito's nose as he stared straight at Sukuna.
"I've figured it out..."
"Idle Transfiguration!!!"
Mahito's Idle Transfiguration could alter his own soul without restriction.
Even his double, which could not use Idle Transfiguration or Transfigured Human Kind, could still change and repair its own body.
"Domain Expansion: Self-Embodiment of Perfection!!!"
His brain had overheated, and his cursed technique had entered burnout.
Under Sukuna's gaze, Mahito was like a lamb awaiting slaughter, unable to move.
He feared Sukuna, yet deep down, he still held him in contempt.
What made this bastard worthy of being the King of Curses?
He would kill Itadori and make sure Sukuna could never be reborn!
Faced with Sukuna's overwhelming pressure, Mahito finally took Idle Transfiguration one step further!
Previously, he had focused only on the soul within the body, using it to shape different forms of flesh.
Now, however, he turned his attention to the brain, where the cursed technique was stored.
His cursed technique had burned out?
Then Mahito would destroy part of his brain and restore it.
By finding a new use for Idle Transfiguration, Mahito successfully broke free of the restriction that prevented him from repeatedly deploying his domain.
As long as he had enough cursed energy!
He would kill even Satoru Gojo!
Watching countless hands overlap and wrap around them, Sukuna merely smiled faintly.
"You've cleared that hurdle too."
Sukuna formed the Yama Heaven Seal with his hands.
"Domain Expansion: Malevolent Shrine."
Sukuna's domain, Malevolent Shrine, manifested directly in the real world without an enclosed barrier: a grotesque shrine built on ox bones and human skulls, with gaping mouths for entrances on all four sides and an eerily sinister roof adorned with beast horns.
In the battle of the strongest in Shinjuku, the clash between Satoru Gojo's and Sukuna's domains had opened the fight that drew the world's attention.
This time, however...
Sukuna had not expected anyone to dare challenge him with a domain.
"Dismantle!"
"What?!" Mahito's face twisted. He could not believe his domain had been broken in less than a second.
How was that possible?!
Was the gap between him and Sukuna really that vast?
"You... you bastard!"
With a wet squelch...
Mahito destroyed his brain again. Blood ran from his nose as he formed the hand sign once more.
"Domain Expansion: Self-Embodiment of Perfection!"
This was Mahito's first encounter with an Open Domain. He did not understand why his own domain was so fragile.
But he knew that the instant he dismissed it, Sukuna would use his domain's sure-hit Dismantle and Eight-Cut to unleash Slashing on him endlessly.
"Idle Transfiguration!"
To make it harder for Sukuna to unleash Slashing, Mahito transformed his hands into over a dozen supple tentacles, which closed around him like a net.
This time, Sukuna was in no hurry to destroy Mahito's domain with Dismantle. Instead, he was curious about how Mahito had escaped cursed technique burnout and repeatedly used his technique after deploying his domain.
"But do you really think you can touch me?"
Sukuna kept his arms folded, merely lifting a finger.
Countless fine slashes of Dismantle tore through everything in their path, as merciless as a tornado ripping through a parking lot.
Although the domain clash had stripped both domains of their sure-hit effects, the boost they gave their users remained.
Facing the surging Slashing, Mahito managed only one last remark: "Seriously...?"
As the domain shattered again, Sukuna began to feel a little bored.
"Instant Spirit Body of Distorted Killing."
Before Sukuna could continue using Slashing to destroy Mahito, Mahito, having grasped the Instant Spirit Body of Distorted Killing at his limit, unexpectedly chose to flee.
"Don't kill me!"
"Don't kill me!!!"
Mahito panted heavily. He was so fast that he reached the station entrance in barely ten seconds.
Only when he reached the exit did he discover that his double and Kugisaki were both there.
"What is that thing?!" Kugisaki stared in alarm at Mahito, who was radiating immense cursed energy, and instinctively raised her hammer to defend herself.
But Mahito did not even glance at her. He ran straight past.
"Double! Go stop that guy!"
"I don't want to die!"
Mahito immediately took control of his double.
It would not be able to hold Sukuna off for long, but if it could get him talking, perhaps it could buy a little time.
Yet after a brief hesitation, Mahito's double followed the original's example and fled in another direction.
"D-don't kill me!"
"I don't want to die either!!!"
And so Kugisaki watched the two Mahitos split up and run in different directions, crying and shouting for their lives as they fled.
Just as Kugisaki was wondering whether to pursue Mahito...
An immense surge of cursed energy all but froze the air. Indescribable pressure instantly washed over her entire body.
"Running away?"
"How ugly. You can't even manage a dance."
Sukuna's steps were steady, as though Mahito's escape meant nothing to him.
Looking at Kugisaki, he merely spoke coldly to the surrounding area. "Time to come out, don't you think? I didn't expect you to still be alive."
Kugisaki swallowed. He looked like Itadori, but judging by the markings on his face and his presence, this was undoubtedly Sukuna!
She had never imagined this was who Mahito was running from!
But what was he talking about?
Hadn't Mahito already escaped?
Should she tell him?
No!
He would kill her!
"Hey. My patience has limits."
"You were the one who got that woman out, weren't you? Before I expanded my domain." Sukuna continued staring ahead, his expression unchanged.
Then, without warning, a slash of Dismantle shot straight toward Kugisaki.
Clang!!
Before Kugisaki could make out what had happened, a figure appeared in front of her and blocked the blow.
Before curiosity could set in, the wounds covering his body frightened her.
She could still make out the man's delicate features, but his entire body was covered in burns patterned like tiger hide. The sight alone made her heart tremble!
"Really... really..."
"That really, really was one hell of a detour!"
The newcomer was none other than the man who should have been dead-Kinoshita!!!
"I've never seen you before." Sukuna looked at Kinoshita with a soft chuckle.
He possessed Itadori's memories and knew most of the capable sorcerers at Jujutsu High. He even knew much of the information about Satoru Gojo.
He had heard of even the ordinary Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerers.
Yet he had never heard of this man, who had withstood a blast of his Furnace: Open.
"Even if you weren't going all out, that still hurt." Kinoshita touched the scars on his face and broke into a radiant smile.
He pointed at the now-unconscious Maki and told Kugisaki without turning around, "Get out of here."
Kugisaki hesitated, but she had no other choice. She immediately did as he said.
"Quite the gentleman, aren't you? Why didn't you save that man?" Sukuna sneered.
Kinoshita shook his head. "I'm not here to take you down. I just need to keep you busy."
With that, Kinoshita formed a hand sign.
The battle... was poised to erupt...!!!
Before you continue