"Hanami... is dead."
Three or four hours had passed since Hanami left Kenjaku and the others. Amid their silence, Kenjaku, who had been keeping track of the time, suddenly spoke those words, instantly setting off a storm in the Cursed Spirits' hearts.
Especially Jogo's.
A jet of scalding lava instantly erupted skyward from Jogo's Mount Fuji head. Gritting his teeth, he strode up to Kenjaku and grabbed her collar with one hand. Had he been tall enough, he would certainly have lifted her off the ground.
"What the hell are you saying?!"
Jogo glared ferociously at Kenjaku. Dagon and Mahito slowly approached as well, surrounding her.
At the sight, Kenjaku leisurely raised both hands in surrender and let out a helpless sigh.
"What good does getting angry with me do? I'm not the one who killed Hanami. She's been gone this long without coming back, so she's either dead or captured. If you'd rather believe she was captured, that's fine too. It's good to have something to hold on to, after all."
Kenjaku's measured words reached everyone's ears. Although she had warned them before Hanami set out that abducting Yuji Itadori would not be easy, their arrogance had kept them from imagining such a disastrous failure.
Jogo released Kenjaku's collar. His pupil dilated, and he staggered back two steps as though his soul had left him, softly mumbling Hanami's name.
Mahito tilted his head up slightly, looking thoughtful, while Dagon lowered his head a little. Only the child named Uraume showed no grief over Hanami's passing.
He calmly stepped toward Kenjaku, lifted his chin slightly, and said, "Kenjaku, don't forget our contract. You must resurrect Lord Sukuna. I'll kill you myself before the [binding vow] even activates!"
Ice-blue crystals slowly drifted up from his outstretched palm. Even with some distance