Accompanied by a dull impact, a charred body that was almost unrecognizable was thrown like a rag doll heavily against the wreckage of a building.
It was Jogo.
At this moment, the Special Grade Cursed Spirit no longer possessed the arrogant and overbearing posture he had previously displayed on the streets of Shibuya.
The iconic volcano atop his head had been completely sheared off, and his remaining solitary eye was dim and lightless, covered in a fine web of cracks.
His limbs had all been severed, and not even a sliver of magma could seep from his wounds; only a few dim sparks remained, struggling to survive.
"What's wrong? Is that it?"
A voice filled with mockery and cruelty rang out from above Jogo.
Ryomen Sukuna wore his tattered black Jujutsu High uniform and walked barefoot toward Jogo with a leisurely stroll.
There wasn't even a speck of dust on his body, as if the terrifying battle that had just leveled the entire block was merely a warm-up exercise for him.
"Maximum: Meteor... its power was actually quite decent."
Sukuna looked down at Jogo, a hint of boredom flashing in his crimson eyes.
"Too bad the speed is too slow and there are too many openings."
"In the face of absolute power, those sluggish fireballs are nothing more than children's toys."
Jogo turned his single eye with great difficulty, gazing at the invincible, demon-god-like existence before him. The initial fear had vanished from his heart, replaced by an inexpressible sense of peace.
He had given his all, even burning his soul to release that soaring pillar of fire.
Though he still failed to cross the chasm known as the King of Curses, he had at least proven that he was by no means a useless insect.
"Sukuna..."
Jogo opened his mouth, his voice as raspy as a worn-out bellows.
"I... did my best..."
His vision began to blur, and the violent flames surrounding him gradually transformed into a different scene within his eye.
It was his life flashing before his eyes.
In that vision, there were no high-and-dry jujutsu sorcerers, nor were there humans who hunted them as monsters.
It was a pure 'New World' that belonged only to them.
In that world, the sunlight was just right.
Hanami sat on the grass, using those large, rough hands to gently stroke the blooming wildflowers.
Dagon splashed happily in the clear stream, sending up strings of crystalline droplets.
And Mahito, the guy who always wore an innocent, carefree smile, was sitting on a tree branch, swinging his legs as he shouted toward the distance:
"Jogo! Come over here!"
"Ah..."
A hideous, mangled smile tugged at the corners of Jogo's broken mouth, yet it was filled with relief and satisfaction.
"We aren't monsters..."
"We... are the ones born of this world... the purest... New Humans."
In this world that belonged only to them, there were no lies and no hypocrisy—only the most authentic existence.
They had given everything for this shared dream, and even if he finally fell on this thorn-filled path, he had no regrets.
"Oh? Is that so?"
Sukuna watched Jogo, who was lost in his final vision with a slight smile on his face, and the mockery at the corner of Sukuna's mouth gradually receded.
He did not raise his foot to trample upon the dignity of this Special Grade Cursed Spirit.
"As an insect born from fear, to be able to use flames to oppose me to this extent..."
Sukuna slowly raised his right hand, interlocking his index and thumb while slightly curling his middle finger.
"You are quite good."
"Stand proud, Jogo."
"Open."
Following the single word softly spoken from Sukuna's mouth,
A cluster of eerie black flames, as dark as ink and seemingly capable of swallowing light itself, ignited quietly in his palm. Then, like an arrow released from a bow, it fell gently yet dominantly upon Jogo's ruined body.
Whoosh—!
The black flames flared up. There was no painful struggle; the flames simply consumed Jogo's remaining form in the purest manner possible.
The Special Grade Cursed Spirit Jogo, carrying his infinite longing for the New World and the rare recognition of the King of Curses, perished completely, turning into a wisp of ash scattered by the wind!
With Jogo's death, the massive cursed energy within him instantly collapsed, turning into a sky full of sparks that drifted through the air.
Sukuna took a deep breath, drawing the residual cursed energy and the scent of blood into his lungs as if savoring a peerless delicacy.
"Phew... that was passable."
Sukuna cracked his neck, the bones popping as the suffocating pressure emanating from him climbed another level.
After absorbing Jogo's lingering cursed energy, he felt that Yuji Itadori's body had finally been fully activated.
The power of fifteen fingers surged wildly within him. That long-lost, wonderful feeling of total control made him want to laugh out loud.
However, right then.
Before Sukuna's laughter could escape, his movements suddenly paused.
His crimson eyes shifted slowly, looking toward the ruins of a nearby elevated bridge.
"Hmm?"
The corner of Sukuna's mouth curved into a playful arc.
"It seems tonight's entertainment isn't over yet."
At the end of Sukuna's gaze,
Two figures—one in red and one in black—stood side by side at the broken edge of the bridge.
The night wind whipped their clothes, making them flap loudly under the dark red sky.
It was Yoru and Suguru Geto, arriving at top speed!
Yoru held the Shiranui blade, which was wreathed in black-red flames. There was no fear in his crimson eyes, only an extreme, pure battle intent.
Standing beside him, Suguru Geto looked somewhat pale, yet his gaze was as firm as steel as several terrifying Imaginary Cursed Spirits loomed in the void behind him.
"Two more bugs?"
Sukuna turned around, surveying the two newcomers with interest.
When his gaze swept over Suguru Geto, a flash of contempt appeared in his eyes.
"Cursed Spirit Manipulation? You look a bit stronger than that waste who only knew how to play with fire, but..."
Sukuna's gaze finally settled on Yoru. When he saw the katana burning with black-red flames in Yoru's hand, his pupils suddenly constricted.
"This aura..."
The mockery on Sukuna's face vanished instantly, replaced by a feverish intensity, as if he had found an incredibly interesting prey!
"So it's you, the boy who made me feel a hint of divinity back at the Juvenile Detention Center."
In Sukuna's mind, the image of Yoru's 'Sun Breathing, Eleventh Form: Clear Blue Sky'—the move that had severed a Special Grade Cursed Spirit's regenerative ability—instantly resurfaced.
Though he had only briefly occupied Yuji's body at the time, that pure flame, devoid of any impurities, had left an incredibly deep impression on him.
"You don't have a single trace of cursed energy on you."
Sukuna slowly spread his arms, his smile becoming increasingly crazed.
"But that sword in your hand and that strange breathing method of yours... they make my soul, which has slumbered for a thousand years, feel a long-lost shiver of excitement."
"Boy, tell me your name!"
Sukuna's voice was like rolling thunder, booming over the ruins of Shibuya.
"Yoru."
Yoru's voice wasn't loud, but it reached Sukuna's ears clearly through the vibration of energy.
"Yoru... Good. I'll remember it."
Sukuna withdrew his smile, and the cursed energy on his body began to burn like literal black fire.
"As a reward for your interesting soul, I will slice you into pieces, bit by bit, in the most cruel way possible."
"Then, I will snap that piece of scrap metal in your hand!"
Facing Sukuna's blatant declaration of death, Yoru did not retreat; instead, he took a step forward.
Whir—!
The blade of Shiranui emitted a crisp ring, as if responding to its master's battle intent.
"Suguru, you're on cover and distraction."
Yoru's gaze remained locked onto Sukuna as he spoke to the man beside him without turning his head.
"Don't try to tank his slashes. Use the numerical advantage of your cursed spirits to lock down his movement."
"I know what to do."
Suguru Geto took a deep breath and slammed his palms together.
BOOM!!!
Several massive Special Grade Imaginary Cursed Spirits instantly emerged from the void, letting out deafening roars as they charged toward Sukuna!
"Die, King of Curses!"
Facing those terrifying cursed spirits that could easily tear a Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer apart, Sukuna didn't even blink.
"Too slow."
Sukuna gave a casual wave of his hand.
"Dismantle!"
Slash—
An invisible, terrifying slash instantly cut through the air. Before the sound could even travel, the Special Grade spirits leading the charge were sliced cleanly in half!
Foul-smelling blood rained down like a storm.
But Suguru Geto was not discouraged. His hands continuously shifted through seals as more cursed spirits poured out like an endless tide, attempting to drown Sukuna with sheer numbers.
Under the cover of the cursed spirit army, Yoru's figure instantly vanished!
"Total Concentration: Sun Breathing."
The blood in Yoru's body boiled like magma, the Slayer Mark pattern emerged on his forehead, and the perception of the Transparent World was pushed to its absolute limit!
"Eleventh Form: Dragon Sun Halo Head Dance!"
With Yoru's low shout, the blade of Shiranui instantly transformed into a roaring fire dragon.
Yoru's silhouette was like a bolt of lightning, weaving through the gaps between the cursed spirits at extreme speed, leaving a trail of blazing afterimages.
In an instant, he crossed a distance of a hundred meters and appeared directly in front of Sukuna!
"Strike!"
The fire dragon composed of black-red flames opened its bloody maw, bearing heat enough to incinerate all as it lunged fiercely for Sukuna's head!
"Good!"
Facing this slash that was incredibly fast and unavoidable, Sukuna did not retreat. Instead, he lunged forward, his eyes erupting with startling mania.
He didn't even use a technique. Instead, he simply raised his right arm, coating it in a dense layer of cursed energy to meet the blade of Shiranui head-on!
BOOM!
The moment the blade collided with his arm, a terrifying shockwave visible to the naked eye exploded outward from the pair like a nuclear blast!
The ruins for dozens of meters around were instantly ground to dust under the ravages of this shockwave!
The ultimate showdown had officially begun!
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