Sol heard applause from above.
"Excellent work!" Gojo Satoru called out with a grin. "That was some good teamwork!"
Sol, however, was already watching Toji Fushiguro.
The moment Dagon staggered under the relentless barrage of attacks and its consciousness faltered, Toji moved.
Like a cheetah waiting for the perfect opening, he seized the instant without hesitation.
His figure blurred, crossing the distance in the blink of an eye. He appeared beneath Dagon's raised head, where the shell was thinnest and closest to its core.
At some point, the Playful Cloud had shifted from its nunchaku form into a long, double ended spear. Empowered by Toji's overwhelming physical strength, it carried terrifying destructive force.
There was no roar.
No flash of light.
Only a single, flawless thrust.
Pfft!
The weapon pierced straight through Dagon's shell without resistance, driving deep into its body and striking the pulsating core at its center.
Time seemed to freeze.
Dagon's massive body locked in place. Every movement stopped. Every roar fell silent.
The violent glow in its enormous eyes quickly faded.
Then black cracks spread across its body like a spiderweb, radiating outward from the point of impact.
Crack. Crack.
A series of sharp fractures echoed through the domain.
The next instant, the Special Grade Cursed Spirit Dagon shattered completely.
There was no blood or gore. Its body broke apart like black glass, dissolving into countless shimmering fragments of Cursed Energy that drifted through the air before fading away.
The domain, Dagon's Horizon, began collapsing.
The white sand beneath everyone's feet lost its texture, while the endless ocean rapidly dissolved, its vibrant colors fading like an old painting.
"We did it..." Nanami said, leaning on his blade as he caught his breath. Exhaustion covered his face, along with quiet relief.
Maki dropped onto the fading sand, completely drenched in sweat.
Zen'in Naobito stroked his beard, exhaled deeply, then shook his sake flask. Finding it empty, he clicked his tongue in disappointment.
Megumi Fushiguro dismissed his Shikigami and watched the scattered remnants of Cursed Energy disappear, letting out a slow sigh of relief.
Only Toji Fushiguro calmly separated the Playful Cloud back into its nunchaku form. He casually flicked away nonexistent dust and stood silently, as though destroying a Special Grade Curse had required no effort at all.
His crimson eyes briefly drifted toward the overhead beam.
Gojo Satoru clapped enthusiastically.
"All done. Looks like there's nothing left for us to do."
He turned toward Sol with an amused smile.
"So, you specifically let me out just to watch the show?"
"You and I make them lose their sense of crisis," Sol replied.
He pulled out the Prison Realm once again and pointed it toward Gojo.
"Hey, seriously? I just got out for some fresh air," Gojo complained, making no attempt to resist.
A flash of light engulfed him.
An instant later, Gojo Satoru disappeared back into the Prison Realm.
Sol slipped the box into his pocket.
His own figure quietly vanished from the beam, leaving no trace that he had ever been there.
Below, the collapsing domain disappeared completely.
Everyone found themselves back inside the ruined Shibuya subway station. The air still carried the lingering scent of seawater mixed with fading traces of Cursed Energy.
The exhausted sorcerers exchanged weary glances, each seeing the same relief reflected in the others' eyes.
"At least one threat is gone," Nanami said quietly.
"Megumi."
Megumi turned toward the voice.
Sol stood a short distance away.
No one had noticed when he appeared.
His dark red eyes remained steady and unreadable, as though he were simply passing through.
"Sol?" Megumi instinctively took half a step back, immediately raising his guard.
Nanami stepped in front of him, holding his short sword horizontally.
"Sol," he said, his gaze sharpening behind his glasses, "you need to explain yourself."
Maki and Zen'in Naobito also became alert, subtly positioning themselves to surround Sol from both sides.
Only Toji Fushiguro tilted his head, a faint trace of amusement flickering across his crimson eyes as he observed the confrontation.
Sol ignored everyone's hostility.
His attention remained fixed on Megumi.
"Come with me, Megumi Fushiguro."
"What are you planning?" Megumi asked, clenching his fists as Cursed Energy gathered around him, ready to summon his Shikigami at a moment's notice.
"I'll give you an opportunity," Sol said evenly. "A chance to witness the true potential of the Ten Shadows Technique."
Megumi's eyes narrowed.
"What do you mean?"
"Mahoraga."
The single name froze the atmosphere.
Megumi's expression changed instantly.
Zen'in Naobito inhaled sharply.
Even Nanami's brow furrowed.
Mahoraga.
The final Shikigami of the Ten Shadows Technique.
The one no Ten Shadows user had ever successfully tamed.
"Have you lost your mind?" Maki shouted. "That'll get him killed!"
"Not while I'm there," Sol replied, taking a single step forward.
His gaze never left Megumi.
"Don't you want to know your limits? Don't you want to see how much power you can force out of Sukuna?"
The mention of Sukuna made Megumi's breathing become noticeably heavier.
The King of Curses residing within Itadori...
"Where is Sukuna now?" Nanami asked in a low voice. "Is Itadori alright?"
"On a stage large enough for him," Sol answered without revealing the location.
He looked at Megumi once more.
"Come with me. Both you and Itadori will be fine."
Megumi Fushiguro stared at him in silence.
He had no reason to trust Sol.
Mahoraga was a force that even the greatest members of the Zen'in Clan had failed to tame, losing their lives in the attempt.
And then there was Sukuna.
Conflicting emotions churned behind Megumi's eyes as he weighed the impossible choice before him.
===
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