The group moved deeper into the colony's fractured layout.
Concrete corridors twisted into open-air ruins, then back into narrow hallways that felt like they didn't belong to any real architectural logic anymore.
Megumi led slightly ahead.
Hana and Angel followed at mid-distance.
Takeru walked just behind Megumi.
Quiet.
Focused.
For a while, nothing happened.
No curses.
No ambush.
Just tension building in the silence.
Then—
Takeru stopped for half a second.
Megumi noticed immediately.
"…What now?"
Takeru didn't answer right away.
His expression stayed neutral, but the air around him shifted slightly.
Controlled.
Alert.
A familiar pressure returned to his cheek.
Not physical this time.
Intentional.
A mouth formed there again.
Sukuna.
His voice came out low and amused.
"…Ooooh."
A pause.
"…Hana likes the brat."
Hana immediately stiffened behind them.
"…What?"
Angel's voice overlapped sharply.
"…That is an inaccurate interpretation."
Sukuna chuckled through Takeru's cheek.
"…Is it?"
Takeru's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Unnecessary commentary."
Sukuna ignored him.
"…I've seen enough humans to know when one is distracted."
Megumi glanced over his shoulder.
"…Can you shut that off?"
Sukuna responded lazily.
"…No."
Hana took a small step forward, her expression tightening.
"…I am not 'liking' anyone."
Angel followed immediately.
"…Correct. This is not emotional attachment."
Sukuna hummed.
"…Denial is often the first stage."
Takeru exhaled slightly through his nose.
"…Irrelevant."
Sukuna's tone sharpened just a bit—still mocking, still entertained.
"…Careful, vessel."
"…You might get replaced in your own story."
A brief silence followed.
Megumi stepped forward again.
"…We're wasting time."
Takeru nodded once.
"…Confirmed."
But as they resumed walking—
Hana's eyes flicked toward Takeru again.
Only briefly.
Then away.
Angel noticed.
"…Still observing."
Hana muttered under her breath.
"…Shut up."
Sukuna gave one last amused sound through Takeru.
"…This will be fun to watch."
Then—
silence returned.
But not the same silence as before.
Something had shifted slightly in the space between them.
And no one said it out loud.