"Lord Sukuna! I'm sorry I'm late!"
Uraume suddenly appeared before Sukuna. He had a striking head of white hair and knelt humbly beside him.
"It's fine."
Sukuna waved dismissively.
The "Insect Armor" reappeared on Kinoshita's body, followed by scarlet blood pouring into it. He assembled a powerful suit of armor as though stacking building blocks.
"Sukuna, do you bleed?" Kinoshita's bright red armor stood out brilliantly beneath Shibuya's dim lights.
"You bastard...! How dare you speak to Lord Sukuna..."
Uraume immediately charged forward. Someone actually dared speak to Lord Sukuna like that! He would never allow anyone to insult the god he worshipped!
Bam!!!
An immense force slammed into Uraume's chest. He smashed through four or five buildings before they absorbed enough of the impact for him to finally come to rest amid the rubble.
"Who are you?"
Kinoshita dusted off his hands and turned his gaze back to Sukuna.
"You bastard..." Sukuna wasn't angry. Cursed energy simply gathered in his hand.
Kinoshita's gaze remained steady. Given how long Sukuna had possessed Itadori's body, he should have had difficulty using Domain Expansion a second time.
In other words, as long as he stalled Sukuna, he could count this battle as a win.
Boom, boom, boom!!!
Loud, heavy booms rang out above Shibuya.
"Dismantle!"
While Kinoshita was inside a building, a massive Dismantle tore through every structure around him, bringing them crashing down.
As the ground shook, Sukuna stopped underestimating Kinoshita. He took his stance and was preparing to meet Kinoshita as he charged out when-
"Piercing Blood!!!"
"That was close!" Sukuna glanced to the right. A clearly visible bloody gash had appeared on his face.
Had he reacted another 0.2 seconds slower, his soul would have flown to heaven along with Itadori's head.
Yet Sukuna's tone remained mocking, as though the narrow escape he had just mentioned was nothing.
"Aren't you afraid of killing this brat?" Sukuna touched his face.
His Reverse Cursed Technique healed it in less than a second.
"Of course I am. But against Lord Sukuna, I'm not so full of myself that I'd hold back." Kinoshita opened one hand and swiftly stepped forward.
In the space of a single breath.
Kinoshita went from the ground back to Sukuna's side.
"Eight-Cut!"
More restricted than Dismantle but far more powerful, Eight-Cut unleashed its overwhelming slashing force the moment Sukuna touched Kinoshita's blood-red armor.
Crack, crack...
Kinoshita watched his heavy armor break apart. Even though its thickness was approaching half a meter, the attack still wounded his abdomen.
"Reverse Cursed Technique."
"Your Reverse Cursed Technique isn't very efficient, but your cursed energy reserves are astonishing. Just where did you come from..."
"Not that I'm curious." Sukuna continued forming hand signs.
"Dismantle!"
Another building collapsed.
Kinoshita had vast cursed energy reserves, but reserves weren't everything.
If a sorcerer's strength were broken down into its components, they could roughly be categorized as cursed energy reserves, cursed technique strength, cursed energy output, and Domain Expansion.
In terms of cursed energy reserves, Kinoshita already had one foot in the five-Sukuna tier.
At the same time, his cursed energy output was only on par with an average Special Grade Sorcerer. Through his constant improvements, his cursed technique's strength could qualify him as an excellent Special Grade, but his domain capabilities were currently zero.
However, the positive energy output of Reverse Cursed Technique was different from ordinary cursed energy output.
After all, counting the time strictly, Kinoshita had only learned Reverse Cursed Technique half a month ago.
He couldn't even output Reverse Cursed Technique externally.
In other words, even without expanding his domain, Sukuna surpassed Kinoshita in cursed technique, cursed energy output, cursed energy reserves, and endurance.
This battle needed a turning point, or defeat was inevitable!
"You forced me to do this." Kinoshita stood atop a high-rise, looking down at Sukuna.
"Oh?"
Sukuna's curiosity grew. He wanted to see what this kid could pull off.
"Ochre Scale: Modified."
Kinoshita vanished into the night at incredible speed.
Sukuna followed immediately, without hesitation.
The two raced onward, one chasing the other, swiftly crossing more than half the barrier.
Until a figure on the ground caught Sukuna's eye.
"That kid with the Ten Shadows Technique. Why come here?" Sukuna looked back at Kinoshita.
"Piercing Blood!!!"
This time, Kinoshita had enough time to build up the attack, increasing its power once again.
A single shot of Piercing Blood could absolutely rival Ryu Ishigori's high-output Granita Impact.
But Sukuna looked at Kinoshita in confusion.
Kinoshita had pressed his hands together, but he wasn't aiming at him.
Instead...
"Are you kidding me?!" Sukuna could no longer stand by. He immediately unleashed his full cursed energy and moved in front of Megumi Fushiguro.
Because Kinoshita's target wasn't Sukuna, but the bewildered Megumi Fushiguro below!!!
Megumi Fushiguro was startled by the two men's auras. Then he noticed that Kinoshita was still alive. He looked battered, but at least he was alive.
He was just about to greet him when Kinoshita suddenly pressed his hands together and fired a shot of Piercing Blood straight at him!
Screeech, screeech, screeech!!!
If Piercing Blood was a high-pressure water jet, then Sukuna's body was, at best, a titanium alloy plate. It couldn't kill him instantly, but given enough time, it would still inflict damage.
"You bastard! How did you know I'd protect Megumi Fushiguro?!" Sukuna held back Piercing Blood with both hands.
There was no trace of Kinoshita in Itadori's memories. In other words, it was entirely possible that he intended to kill Megumi Fushiguro.
Sukuna couldn't risk it!
"It's a fight. Who needs a reason?" Seeing Sukuna struggling to hold on, Kinoshita increased the cursed energy in his hands again. "Hahahahaha!!!"
"To think even the King of Curses has someone to protect!"
Sukuna concentrated cursed energy in his arms, running Reverse Cursed Technique at full power as well.
He cursed at Megumi Fushiguro behind him. "Brat! Stop that fucking 'with this treasure' shit! Can you hurry up and get out of the way?!"
The instant Megumi Fushiguro saw Sukuna, he had already taken the stance for the ritual to summon Mahoraga.
Only after getting into position did he realize he had already used up today's free summon.
Starting with "with this treasure" whenever he faced a powerful opponent was already Megumi Fushiguro's fundamental operating principle.
Megumi Fushiguro stared at Sukuna, who looked like Itadori, unsure what was happening.
Still, with Piercing Blood coming right at his face, he had to dodge.
"Damn it!"
Seeing Fushiguro finally decide to flee, Sukuna darted out of Piercing Blood's range.
"Running?" Kinoshita shifted his hands and locked onto Megumi Fushiguro again.
Megumi Fushiguro was even more dumbfounded.
Why did Kinoshita keep coming after me!?!
And another thing!
Why did Sukuna keep protecting me?!?
Could someone please explain what the hell was going on!?!
"Despicable!"
Sukuna had learned his lesson this time. He simply snatched up Megumi Fushiguro and sprinted away with him!
Before you continue