The training yard was already worn down from Takeru's earlier session—cracked ground, shattered dummies, scattered debris that nobody had bothered to clean up yet.
It was the kind of mess that meant someone powerful had been here recently.
Yuji, Hakari, Maki, Nobara, and Gojo all felt it at the same time when the cursed energy shifted.
Not just heavy.
Not just sharp.
Authoritative.
Yuji tensed.
"…That feeling again…"
Hakari cracked his neck.
"…Yeah. That's not training energy."
Maki's eyes narrowed.
"…Sukuna."
Gojo's tone lowered slightly.
"…He's in control."
And then—
Takeru's body straightened in the center of the yard.
But it wasn't him anymore.
Sukuna.
Fully present.
Fully comfortable.
A slow grin formed.
"…Ah."
He stretched slightly.
"…This vessel again."
Yuji stepped forward instinctively.
"…Takeru—!"
Sukuna glanced over.
"…Quiet."
The air tightened instantly.
But before anyone could move—
Sukuna tilted his head.
Like he was listening to something only he could hear.
Then he exhaled.
"…Switch."
The body flickered.
And Takeru was gone from control again.
But not from existence.
A second presence emerged—separate, distinct.
A manifested form.
Same face.
Same general shape.
But refined in a way that felt unnatural.
Like Gojo's presence had been layered into him without fully blending.
Yuji blinked.
"…Wait—he can do that again?"
Gojo smiled slightly.
"…Apparently."
Takeru (manifested form) rolled his shoulders once.
Looked at Sukuna.
"…Training confirmed."
Sukuna raised a brow.
"…You intend to fight me like this? Again?"
Takeru nodded.
"…Yes."
A pause.
Then Sukuna smiled wider.
Not mocking.
Not dismissive.
Interested.
"…Very well."
And he moved.
Malevolent Shrine erupted instantly.
The yard shattered under invisible pressure—space itself slicing outward in constant motion.
Yuji's eyes widened.
"…He opened it immediately—!"
Hakari jumped back.
"…No warm-up, huh?!"
Maki pulled Nobara out of range.
"…Get clear!"
But Takeru had already moved.
He jumped out of the domain's immediate radius, landing just at the edge of destruction.
His feet hit ground—
and he didn't stop moving.
Sukuna followed.
Fast.
Relentless.
Cleave cut through the air.
Dismantle followed.
Takeru twisted—just barely avoiding both.
Yuji watched, stunned.
"…He's actually dodging it…"
Gojo's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…He's reading him."
Hakari grinned.
"…This is starting to look like a real fight."
Takeru stepped forward again.
No hesitation.
He punched.
A clean hit landed on Sukuna's jaw.
Not enough to stagger him fully—
but enough to register.
Sukuna's grin widened slightly.
"…Good."
And then the pace exploded.
Sukuna struck again.
Takeru dodged.
Countered.
Another strike.
Another dodge.
And then—
BLACK FLASH.
The impact echoed through the yard like a snapped line of reality.
Yuji froze.
"…That was—"
Hakari finished it immediately.
"…Clean."
Maki's eyes sharpened.
"…He's getting timing perfect."
Takeru didn't stop.
He moved through Sukuna's rhythm instead of against it.
Like he wasn't just reacting anymore—
he was learning mid-fight.
Another exchange.
Another opening.
BLACK FLASH.
Sukuna slid back slightly this time.
Just a fraction.
But noticeable.
His eyes narrowed.
"…Hm."
Takeru exhaled.
"…Still adapting."
Sukuna smiled.
But it was different now.
Less amusement.
More attention.
"…You are improving faster than expected."
Takeru stepped in again.
"…Then I accelerate."
And the fight continued—
two versions of one body's potential clashing against the King of Curses himself.
From the sidelines—
no one spoke anymore.
Because for the first time in a while—
this wasn't just chaos.
It was progress.