Night had settled quietly over Jujutsu High.
The chaos of the battlefield felt distant now—like a fading echo.
Yuji lay on a futon, bandaged but very much alive, staring up at the ceiling.
"…Man… I really thought I was done for," he muttered.
Across the room, Nobara scoffed. "Yeah, well, next time don't get impaled."
Maki leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "…You handled it."
Megumi stood near the window, looking outside. "…We all did."
Takeru sat slightly apart.
Quiet.
Still.
His sunglasses rested in his hand.
He hadn't said much since they got back.
Yuji glanced over. "…Hey."
No response.
"…Takeru?"
"…Yeah," he said finally.
"…I'm here."
But his voice was distant.
Because he wasn't fully there.
Inside—
Darkness.
Endless.
Silent.
A familiar place.
At the center—
A throne.
And on it—
Ryomen Sukuna sat, one hand resting lazily against his cheek.
"…So," Sukuna began.
Takeru stood before him.
Calm.
But alert.
"…You're quiet," Takeru said.
Sukuna smiled.
Slowly.
"…I was thinking."
That alone—
Was wrong.
"…About?"
Sukuna leaned forward slightly.
Eyes sharp.
Focused.
"…You."
Silence.
"…You surprised me," Sukuna continued.
"…Not because you used my power…"
His grin widened.
"…But because you didn't lose yourself."
Takeru's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…I told you. I'm not letting you take control."
A quiet chuckle.
"…That's the problem."
The words hung in the air.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
"…What?"
Sukuna stood.
Slow.
Deliberate.
"…Do you understand what you did?"
Takeru didn't answer.
"…You didn't borrow my power."
Sukuna stepped closer.
"…You used it."
A pause.
"…Perfectly."
For the first time—
There was no mockery in his voice.
No arrogance.
Just…
Interest.
"…That shouldn't be possible," Sukuna continued.
"…Not for someone like you. Not for anyone."
Takeru's expression hardened.
"…Then I guess I'm the exception."
Sukuna laughed softly.
"…No."
He stopped directly in front of him.
"…You're something else."
Silence pressed in from all sides.
"…And now," Sukuna said, voice lowering—
"…I'm curious."
Takeru didn't move.
Didn't react.
"…Curious about what?"
Sukuna's smile returned.
Wider.
Darker.
"…How far you can go…"
A pause.
"…before you break."
The words landed.
Heavy.
Sharp.
"…I won't," Takeru said.
Sukuna's eyes gleamed.
"…Everyone says that."
Another step closer.
"…But you're different."
A beat.
"…If you don't lose control…"
His grin twisted slightly.
"…Then you might become something even worse."
Silence.
"…What are you getting at?"
Sukuna leaned in slightly—
Voice barely above a whisper.
"…If you can truly control my power…"
A pause.
"…Then one day…"
His smile sharpened.
"…you might not need me at all."
Everything stopped.
Takeru's eyes widened—just slightly.
And Sukuna—
For the first time—
Looked…
Interested.
"…And that…"
A low chuckle echoed.
"…would be very dangerous."
Takeru's eyes snapped open in the real world.
The room was the same.
Yuji still talking.
Nobara still arguing.
Megumi quiet.
Maki watching.
Normal.
But his hand tightened slightly around his sunglasses.
"…Takeru?" Yuji asked.
"…Yeah," he replied.
But his voice—
Was different.
"…I'm fine."
Outside, the night stretched on.
Quiet.
Calm.
But something had changed.
Not in the battlefield.
Not in the mission.
But in potential.