The walk continued.
Technically.
Megumi had stopped trusting anything Takeru was holding.
Hana kept the milk bottle close like it was sacred.
Angel was quietly analyzing the chemical composition of everything they'd consumed so far.
And Sukuna—
was still laughing.
"…YOU REALLY THOUGHT THAT WAS FOOD?"
His voice echoed through Takeru's cheek-mouth, sharper now, almost delighted.
"…YOU'RE GETTING WEAKER BY THE MINUTE."
Takeru stopped walking.
Slowly turned his head.
Expression blank.
"…Correction."
Sukuna continued immediately.
"…OH, DON'T START WITH YOUR—"
Takeru reached into his pocket.
Pulled out another candy.
Megumi's eyes widened slightly.
"…Don't."
Hana, alarmed:
"…Wait—"
Angel, immediately:
"…Do not ingest additional compounds—"
Too late.
Takeru shoved the candy directly into the cheek-mouth.
Right into Sukuna's own space.
A beat.
Silence.
Then—
"…WHAT DID YOU JUST—"
Sukuna's voice cut off.
Mid-sentence.
He swallowed.
And immediately—
The air changed.
"…!"
Sukuna's voice spiked, no longer amused.
"…YOU—YOU IDIOT—WHAT IS THIS—"
Takeru blinked.
"…Unexpected outcome."
Sukuna was now fully reactive.
No sarcasm.
Just anger.
"…THAT WAS NOT—YOU CANNOT JUST—"
Takeru, suddenly pausing mid-step:
"…Stomach feedback detected."
His expression shifted slightly.
Confusion.
Then realization.
"…Wait."
He slowly pulled the candy bottle back out.
Read it.
Megumi leaned in slightly.
"…What does it say."
Takeru read aloud.
"…'Not to be consumed unless spaced into three hours. One candy per three-hour interval.'"
Silence.
Then—
Takeru's eyes widened.
"…Side effects?"
He kept reading.
"…'Exceeding dosage may cause severe sensory and cursed energy disruption.'"
A pause.
"…I consumed approximately seven units."
Hana's face went pale again.
"…Seven?!"
Angel immediately:
"…That is a critical overdosage."
Sukuna, inside Takeru's body, suddenly exploded into full panic.
"…SEVEN?! YOU FED ME SEVEN?!"
"…ARE YOU INSANE?!"
"…THIS BODY SHARES SYSTEMS, YOU MORON!"
Takeru froze.
Slowly looked down.
"…Confirmed."
Then—
his stomach growled.
Loud.
Uncomfortable.
"…Uh."
Megumi stepped back slightly.
"…That's not good."
Hana rushed in:
"…What happens if cursed energy reacts—"
Angel cut in:
"…Potential destabilization of vessel-spirit synchronization."
Sukuna was now fully screaming internally.
"…I'M GOING TO KILL YOU—AFTER I STOP BURNING FROM THE INSIDE—"
Takeru raised a hand slightly.
Calm voice, but clearly panicking now.
"…Mitigation strategy required."
He looked around rapidly.
"…Milk consumed. Insufficient."
"…Water insufficient."
"…Movement stability decreasing."
Megumi grabbed his shoulder.
"…Focus."
Takeru blinked.
Then nodded sharply.
"…Right."
Sukuna continued yelling nonstop.
"…I SWEAR IF YOU DIE FROM CANDY BEFORE I DO, I'LL BE SO MAD—"
Hana looked between them.
"…Is he always like this?"
Megumi answered flatly.
"…Worse."
Takeru suddenly straightened.
"…Countermeasure identified."
He pulled out the remaining milk bottle.
Chugged it.
Immediately.
No hesitation.
Sukuna groaned loudly.
"…MILK IS NOT FIXING THIS—"
Angel observed carefully.
"…Hydration may slow absorption rate."
Takeru exhaled sharply.
"…Stabilization in progress."
He paused.
Then added, quieter:
"…I will read packaging more carefully in future."
Megumi sighed.
"…That's the takeaway?"
Hana muttered:
"…Barely survived candy."
Sukuna, still inside, quieter now but furious:
"…You owe me a new body for this."
Takeru wiped his mouth.
"…Noted."
And then, very calmly—
they kept walking.
Slightly less confident in snacks.
Slightly more cautious about everything labeled "safe."