"SCREECH—!!!"
An ear-piercing shriek shattered every window in the entire building instantly.
*Crash!*
Countless glass shards rained down like a storm, reflecting a lethal light in the sun.
"Ugh!"
Megumi Fushiguro groaned, feeling a sharp pain in his eardrums as if they were being pierced by needles.
What made him even more desperate was what happened next.
*Bang!*
A dull thud.
The Divine Dog, which had been so majestic just a moment ago, exploded into black ink from the sheer force of that shriek.
"Divine Dog?!"
Megumi Fushiguro's eyes widened.
Just a roar...
A single roar had instantly killed his shikigami?!
Is this the power of a Special Grade?
"Cough, cough!"
On the other side, Nobara Kugisaki was sent flying by the terrifying sound wave, crashing heavily against a wall.
She clutched her chest, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth, while her hammer and nails lay scattered across the floor.
"So... so strong..."
"Is this... the enemy we're about to face?"
Despite Yuji Itadori's superhuman physique, he felt his internal organs churning.
Gritting his teeth, he stared intently at the monster that had just emerged from its shell.
The creature hovered in mid-air, surrounded by a cursed energy so dense it had practically materialized.
That energy seemed alive, transforming into countless black tentacles that lashed out wildly in the air.
"This is going to be a problem..."
Yoru tightened his grip on his sword.
Although he knew Special Grades were powerful, the suffocating pressure he felt while facing one in person exceeded his expectations.
Even with Yoriichi Tsugikuni's template, he felt a long-forgotten chill.
"ROAR—!"
The Special Grade Cursed Spirit seemed satisfied with the effect of its roar, its twisted faces all breaking into gruesome smiles.
A second later.
*Whoosh!*
A black shadow flickered.
Fast!
Incredibly fast!
Before Yuji Itadori could even blink, a massive black tentacle appeared right in front of him.
"Look out!"
Megumi shouted.
Yuji instinctively raised both arms to block.
*Boom!*
A loud explosion rang out.
Yuji was sent flying like a cannonball, smashing through two walls before finally coming to a stop.
"Yuji!"
Megumi and Nobara cried out in unison.
"Cough... cough... that hurts..."
Amidst the rubble, Yuji struggled to his feet, his arms twisted at unnatural angles.
If it hadn't been for his freakish physical constitution, that single blow would have turned him into mincemeat.
"Is this the power of a Special Grade?"
Yuji looked at his trembling hands, fear flickering in his eyes for the first time.
His fists could leave imprints even on concrete walls.
But when he hit that tentacle just now, it felt like hitting a mass of indestructible cotton—all his strength was neutralized.
They were in completely different leagues!
"It's not over yet!"
Megumi Fushiguro suppressed his fear and formed hand signs once more.
"Great Serpent!"
A massive serpent-like shikigami emerged from the shadows, attempting to coil around the cursed spirit.
However...
*Rip!*
The cursed spirit simply flicked a tentacle, and the Great Serpent was instantly torn to shreds.
It was completely defenseless!
"Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!"
Megumi's heart sank to the bottom.
Divine Dog was instakilled; Great Serpent was instakilled.
His shikigami were as fragile as paper before this Special Grade Cursed Spirit.
'Do I really have to use that move?'
Megumi's fingers began to tremble as he assumed a specific starting stance.
"Furube... yura-yura..."
It was the prelude to summoning Mahoraga, a forbidden technique meant for mutual destruction.
Just then.
"Don't be in such a hurry to die."
A hand gently pressed onto Megumi's shoulder.
That hand was steady, carrying a reassuring warmth.
Megumi whipped his head around and met Yoru's calm gaze.
"Yo... Yoru?"
"Step back."
Yoru didn't waste any words, simply uttering those two.
"But..."
Megumi wanted to say more, but he saw Yoru already walking past him toward the arrogant monster.
"It's a bit of a stretch."
Yoru looked at the Special Grade Cursed Spirit and let out a soft puff of white air.
"But if I don't give it my all..."
"I'll probably actually die here."
Sensing Yoru's provocation.
The Special Grade's multiple pairs of crimson eyes locked onto Yoru simultaneously.
"ROAR—!!!"
Accompanied by a furious roar, dozens of tentacles rained down toward Yoru like a black storm.
There were no blind spots, no room to dodge.
It was a certain-kill blow!
"Yoru!!!"
Nobara Kugisaki shrieked and closed her eyes in despair.
However, the moment before the devastating attack landed.
*Thump!*
A heavy heartbeat suddenly resounded in everyone's ears.
No.
It wasn't an ordinary heartbeat; it sounded more like a war drum!
Yoru's legs spread slightly, and his grip on the sword hilt creaked.
At this moment, his breathing underwent a qualitative change.
It was no longer the rhythmic breathing of the Kagura dance.
It was something more domineering, more scorching, as if it were about to set his entire lungs ablaze!
Massive amounts of oxygen were drawn into his body, and his blood surged through his veins like molten lava.
His body temperature skyrocketed!
[SYSTEM: STRONG PROTECTIVE WILL DETECTED. RESONANCE WITH YORIICHI TSUGIKUNI'S SOUL ACHIEVED!]
[SYSTEM: SYNCHRONIZATION RATE HAS SURPASSED 5%!]
[SYSTEM: CONGRATULATIONS TO THE HOST. SUN BREATHING: FORMS ONE THROUGH THREE HAVE BEEN FORMALLY UNLOCKED!]
The system's notifications chimed in his mind.
In that instant, Yoru snapped his eyes open.
In his originally dark red pupils, it looked as if a blazing sun was rising.
A magnificent aura, like the midday sun, erupted from his seemingly slender body, instantly dispelling the surrounding cold and despair.
The standard iron blade in his hand began to turn red rapidly, sizzling as it struggled to withstand the violent heat within him.
The air itself was ignited.
Facing the falling tentacles that covered the sky, Yoru didn't retreat; instead, he stepped forward to meet them.
"Huuu..."
He exhaled a breath of scorching air that turned into white mist.
"Since I can't dodge."
"Then I'll just cut them all down."