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He removed his glasses, revealing two radiant eyes of piercing blue.
His eyes narrowed suddenly, and his expression grew heavier. As his gaze swept across the surroundings, his brows furrowed deeper with each passing moment, his mouth twisting into a grimace of annoyance.
At last, he let out a heavy sigh.
"Tch… So in the end, I was the careless one, huh?" His hand ran absently through his white hair, mussing it up even further.
He lowered his head slightly.
"Kid… I'll give it to you, you did well this time."
He took a few steps. His blue gaze scanned the area. Then, he suddenly stopped. A thin smile formed on his lips. He crouched down slowly, placing one hand flat against the cracked ground. A faint, muffled wave of energy rippled outward, like an invisible breeze. His eyes narrowed further.
"Though you put in more effort than last time, I see everything, you little trickster," he murmured, his tone mocking but sharp.
He straightened in one smooth motion, his hands sliding back into his pockets. His smile widened slightly, almost amused.
"So, you really want to play in the big leagues, huh? Fine then…"
The wind whistled faintly around him as he lifted his head.
"Looks like we're due for another meeting, brat."
And without another word, he vanished, leaving only a soft cloud of dust rising gently within the silent crater.
Kenjaku and Uraume stepped out of the crumbling confines of the abandoned theater.
Kenjaku stretched nonchalantly before turning to his companion.
"So, Uraume, what did you think of the film?" he asked in a tone of feigned curiosity.
Uraume didn't answer. Her gaze was fixed straight ahead, blank and distant, as if the exchange had never happened.
Kenjaku, slightly amused by her stubborn silence, was about to throw in another biting remark. But before the words could leave his mouth, he froze in place—just as Uraume did.
Their faces stiffened instantly, a sudden chill seizing their expressions.
Above their heads, a black, opaque dome materialized, closing in on the area with a deep rumble.
Uraume cast a quick glance at Kenjaku.
"Tell me this was planned."
Kenjaku gave no reply. His eyes were fixed in a specific direction, a crease forming on his brow. His gaze locked onto a corner of the black veil.
A figure appeared.
It passed through the dome as if it were nothing more than a mirage, its outline gradually solidifying.
The man who stepped forward was dressed in the traditional robes of a Buddhist priest. Long black hair framed a face of cold beauty, elevated by a smile that was as charming as it was unsettling.
Kenjaku's brows furrowed slightly, his eyes widening for an instant before returning to neutrality.
The man stopped a few meters away, relaxed, as though greeting old acquaintances. He brought his hands together politely, bowing his head slightly.
"Pleasure to meet you," he said, his soft, calm voice contrasting with the oppressive atmosphere. "I am Geto Suguru."
Kenjaku's smile stiffened almost imperceptibly. At his side, Uraume remained silent, her gaze flicking quickly between Kenjaku and the stranger.
Geto let his eyes drift leisurely between the two of them, his hands hanging loosely in front of him in a relaxed stance.
"I hope I'm not intruding."
But the moment he finished speaking, the air literally froze. A barrage of ice spikes shot out from every direction, hurtling toward him with lethal precision, their sharp edges gleaming under the dim light of the black dome.
Geto didn't flinch. Just before they struck, an invisible shockwave rippled outward from him, scattering the ice into a crystalline rain. The shards tinkled lightly as they fell to the ground.
"Well now, that wasn't very welcoming," Geto murmured, his smile stretching wider.
And then, as if rising from a shadow none of them had noticed, a figure appeared at his right.
She materialized.
It was a woman of chilling beauty. Her long black hair cascaded in a silky flow down to her waist, framing a slender face of almost unreal paleness. Her eyes, metallic gray, gleamed with a piercing light. She wore an elegant black robe adorned with subtle silver embroidery of snowy branches. A high collar framed her neck, while a white sash cinched her slender waist.
In her left hand, she held a closed black fan, which she tapped lightly against her palm in an almost absent gesture.
Geto raised a hand toward the woman, amusement glinting in his eyes.
"Allow me to introduce my companion," he said with exaggerated politeness. "She was quite insistent on greeting you."
Uraume, still frozen in place, exhaled a cold breath between her lips. Kenjaku, however, arched a brow, intrigued.
He folded his arms, his lips curling into a smile.
"Well, that's quite the dramatic entrance. Couldn't you have just knocked?"
The woman slowly opened her fan, silver patterns shimmering faintly under the diffused glow of the black dome.
Uraume straightened slightly.
"Are you seeking death?"
Kenjaku chuckled softly, lifting a hand as if to ease the tension.
"Oh, come now. Don't be so harsh with our new friends. After all, they came with good intentions… isn't that right?"
Geto's smile stretched a little further.
"We came to talk," he replied calmly. Then, tilting his head, he added, "But I've no problem resorting to other methods, if you prefer."
Kenjaku raised a brow, amused.
"Is that a threat, or a promise?"
Geto stepped forward, locking eyes with him.
"Enough teasing. The truth is, you have something that interests me."
Kenjaku tilted his head slightly.
"Oh? Do enlighten me."
Geto stroked his chin, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.
"If my information is correct… you should have some of Sukuna's fingers, don't you?"