The battlefield had become unrecognizable.
Half the city was carved apart by invisible slashes.
Smoke rose.
Stone bled dust into the air.
At the center stood two monsters.
One born without cursed energy.
One born from it.
The King Laughs
Ryomen Sukuna stood calmly atop a shattered tower fragment.
Blood from Toji's earlier graze had already dried.
He looked amused.
Truly amused.
"You know," Sukuna began casually,
"I expected more."
Below him, silent and steady—
Toji Fushiguro wiped blood from his shoulder.
No response.
Sukuna chuckled.
"The famous Sorcerer Killer… reduced to a man with a knife."
He snapped his fingers.
A barrage of invisible Cleaves descended like falling guillotines.
Toji vanished.
Reappeared behind him.
Blade aimed at Sukuna's neck.
Sukuna tilted his head just enough.
The blade cut skin—
But not deep.
A thin line of blood rolled down Sukuna's cheek.
He touched it.
Looked at it.
Then laughed louder.
"Oh. So you can hurt me."
Insult and Insight
Sukuna jumped back lightly.
"You destroy Domains," he said mockingly.
"You kill elites."
He looked Toji up and down.
"But you still stink of human weakness."
Toji's eyes didn't waver.
Sukuna continued.
"You fight for nothing."
"For pride? For revenge? For that son you abandoned?"
The words were precise.
Deliberate.
Toji moved instantly—
Faster than before.
Blade flashing toward Sukuna's chest.
But Sukuna blocked it barehanded.
The impact shattered the ground beneath them.
Their faces inches apart.
Sukuna's voice lowered.
"You're not a curse."
"You're not a sorcerer."
"You're not even a proper monster."
His grin widened.
"You're just a mistake."
Pressure of a God
Cursed energy exploded outward violently.
The shockwave sent debris flying kilometers away.
Even distant sorcerers like Yuta Okkotsu were forced to brace themselves.
Sukuna extended his arm.
A massive slash tore toward Toji.
Toji crossed his blade—
The impact launched him through three buildings.
Dust consumed everything.
For a moment—
Silence.
Sukuna sighed theatrically.
"Is that it?"
He turned away slightly.
"Disappointing."
The Answer
From within the dust—
A figure walked out.
Bleeding.
Bruised.
But upright.
Toji rolled his shoulder back into place with a sharp crack.
Then he spoke.
"You talk too much."
Sukuna's smile twitched.
Toji continued calmly.
"I don't fight for pride."
"I don't fight for ideals."
He pointed his blade directly at Sukuna's face.
"I fight to kill."
For the first time—
Sukuna's amusement faded slightly.
Just slightly.
Because Toji wasn't angry.
Wasn't emotional.
Wasn't provoked.
He was adapting.
Studying.
Waiting.
Sukuna grinned again—
But this time it wasn't playful.
"Good."
Cursed energy surged even darker.
"Then let's see which predator dies first."
The sky cracked with black lightning as both stepped forward again.
Mockery was over.
Now—
It was personal.