At that moment, Angel slowly descended from the sky, landing lightly on the scorched earth not far from Madara.
The wings of light behind her had faded, and her eyes were filled with the joy and excitement of relief, even glimmering faintly with tears.
"Finally... finally..."
Angel's voice caught as she looked up at the sky where Sukuna had vanished, pressing her palms together before her chest as if offering a prayer.
"We've finally... completely purified 'The Fallen'!!"
A thousand-year obsession seemed to find release in that moment.
Madara turned to glance at her and nodded, his tone calm. "Yes. It's over."
He paused, then added, "Go back."
At his words, Angel immediately turned toward Madara, her eyes full of sincere gratitude. "I haven't... properly thanked you yet. If it weren't for you, I'm afraid I..."
Madara shook his head, cutting her off.
"No need."
He raised both hands and formed that familiar hand sign again.
Angel seemed to understand something. A faintly regretful smile appeared on her face, but she did not resist.
She nodded gently to Madara, then slowly closed her eyes.
"Goodbye, Madara Uchiha. Thank you."
Poof.
White smoke billowed, and a plain wooden coffin appeared out of thin air, enclosing Angel before quickly sinking into the ground and disappearing without a trace.
Madara lowered his hands and turned his gaze toward the ground nearby.
A figure lay there.
Yuji Itadori.
With Sukuna purified, he, as the "vessel," had endured an enormous burden and injuries from the battle's aftershocks.
But his soul remained unharmed. Once Sukuna's consciousness disappeared completely, control of his body naturally returned to him. He had merely fallen temporarily unconscious from excessive exhaustion and the impact.
Madara walked over to Itadori and crouched beside him. He reached out, his palm covered in the gentle