Violence flashed across Mahito's eyes, only to be replaced by intense curiosity a moment later.
"What are you? What does your soul look like?"
Before he finished speaking, his body flowed like liquid, crossing dozens of meters in an instant. His pale hand, wrapped in Cursed Energy capable of manipulating souls, shot toward Sol's arm with barely concealed excitement.
Sol remained where he stood.
He made no attempt to dodge or defend himself, simply watching Mahito approach with complete composure.
Their fingertips met.
A cold, unnatural sensation passed through the fabric of Sol's tracksuit.
Mahito's eager smile froze instantly.
Confusion.
Disbelief.
Fear.
His Innate Technique, Idle Transfiguration, activated.
Cursed Energy poured into the point of contact, attempting to analyze, touch, and reshape the very essence of Sol's soul.
But what he encountered was not emptiness.
It was something immeasurable.
Boundless.
An abyss beyond comprehension.
His Cursed Energy disappeared into it like a drop of water falling into an endless universe, leaving behind no trace, not even the slightest ripple.
The soul he sought to understand existed on a scale completely beyond his perception. It was like trying to see the summit of an infinite mountain or measure the depth of an endless ocean.
Then he felt something else.
A gaze.
Cold.
Detached.
As though an existence far beyond him had acknowledged his presence for the briefest instant.
The mere sensation sent terror through every part of his being.
"Agh!"
Mahito jerked his hand away and stumbled backward as though he had been burned.
For the first time, genuine horror appeared on his face.
He stared at the fingers that had touched Sol, almost as if they no longer belonged to him.
"Impossible... This is impossible..."
His voice shook uncontrollably.
"What... are you? Your soul... How can something like that exist...?"
Sol slowly raised the arm Mahito had touched and glanced at his sleeve.
His expression remained unchanged.
"So, you saw it?"
Mahito's pupils trembled violently.
Every trace of arrogance and excitement had vanished, replaced by instinctive fear and utter incomprehension.
His body unconsciously retreated another step.
"M... Monster!"
His scream echoed across the battlefield.
He no longer possessed even a hint of his earlier composure.
Everything had happened so quickly that Itadori, Nanami, and the others failed to understand what they had witnessed.
All they saw was Mahito touch Sol, then recoil in terror while shouting the word "monster."
"Hey! What did you do to Sol?!"
Although he had no idea what had happened, Itadori immediately stepped in front of Sol and glared at Mahito.
Nanami adjusted his glasses, his sharp eyes moving between Mahito and Sol.
Mahito's fear was genuine.
It was the kind of terror born from pure instinct.
Without realizing it, Nanami raised his assessment of Sol even further.
Megumi Fushiguro and Nobara quickly regrouped, both keeping a wary eye on the visibly shaken Mahito.
Sol gently moved Itadori aside and stepped forward.
He looked calmly at Mahito, who had nearly retreated into the remaining Cursed Spirits.
"It seems your Idle Transfiguration doesn't work on me."
His voice was matter-of-fact.
Mahito's face had gone completely pale.
His lips trembled, but no words came out.
Losing interest, Sol shifted his attention away from him and looked instead at the restless Cursed Spirits and the frightened civilians behind them.
"Clean them up, Nanami."
His calm instruction made everything that had just happened seem like nothing more than a minor interruption.
"Understood."
Nanami immediately acted.
"Salmon."
Inumaki Toge activated Cursed Speech, and an invisible force instantly halted several Cursed Spirits in place.
Maki's spear flashed forward.
Nobara's hammer followed.
Itadori's fists surged with Cursed Energy once more.
Without Mahito effectively directing them, the remaining Cursed Spirits quickly fell before the coordinated assault of the jujutsu sorcerers.
Throughout the battle, Mahito kept retreating farther and farther from Sol.
He remained near the edge of the battlefield, watching Sol with unmistakable fear.
The confidence and amusement he had displayed earlier were gone.
He no longer dared to approach Sol.
The battle ended swiftly.
The surviving civilians were escorted away by the auxiliary supervisors who arrived shortly afterward.
Itadori walked over to Sol and scratched the back of his head.
"Sol, are you okay? That guy touched you, but then he suddenly looked terrified."
"I'm fine."
Sol simply shook his head, offering no further explanation.
Nanami approached as well.
His gaze lingered on Mahito's retreating figure as the cursed spirit disappeared into a distant manhole before turning back to Sol.
"He seemed genuinely frightened."
"Perhaps."
Sol's tone remained as calm as ever.
"Let's continue the mission."
Without another word, he walked ahead as though nothing unusual had happened.
Itadori and Nobara exchanged confused glances before hurrying after him.
Megumi watched Sol's back in silence, his brows slightly furrowed.
The more time he spent with their temporary classmate, the more mysterious Sol became.
Nanami followed behind them, quietly burying his growing doubts.
There would be time for questions later.
For now, the mission came first.
According to Mechamaru's intelligence, the only remaining unresolved threat in Shibuya was Suguru Geto.