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Sukuna leapt aside as Garuda, curled into a ball, shot toward him, the ground beneath his feet shattering as concrete exploded in every direction.
But aside from irritating him, the attack achieved nothing more than forcing him back a few meters. Yuki felt relief at creating some distance, and recalling Garuda to her side, she planted herself protectively in front of Itadori's body.
Her goal in this fight was never to win. Tengen had told her that Itadori would eventually rise on his own, so clinging to that hope, she was willing to defend him at all costs.
Itadori was not just a talented sorcerer. Even if Yuki disliked admitting it, it was undeniable how important he was now that Sukuna was completely free. His ability to copy techniques without restrictions made him a trump card—the hope of the Jujutsu society.
Letting him die, with Gojo still sealed, would doom them all.
She had to prevent that.
Swoosh!
Her eyes widened as something tore through the ground toward her, instincts kicking in just in time to leap away from an invisible slash.
Once again, she couldn't see the attack. Even sensing the cuts was difficult, forcing her to rely almost entirely on instinct in this battle.
!
But when a deep gash split open across her chest—quickly mended with reverse cursed energy—it became clear that instincts alone would not always save her.
"Capable of surviving these cuts? Impressive," Sukuna remarked, a disdainful smile on his lips.
His stance was the complete opposite of Yuki's. While she stood tense, always anticipating the next strike, Sukuna was relaxed, his hands in his pockets, removing them only when he felt like attacking.
"But is that all you've got, sorcerer?"
Boom!
The moment he asked, Garuda slammed down where he had been, Sukuna leaping away just before the strike landed.
"Hm?"
As he retreated through the curtain of dust, his brow arched when he caught movement in his peripheral vision. Turning his head, he saw a shadow burst through the haze, rocketing toward him like a bullet.
'Smart,' he thought with a mocking grin, pulling his hands from his pockets to prepare. 'Show me!'
Boom!
Sukuna raised his guard, a powerful punch crashing into his forearms with such force it sent him flying like a cannonball. He was momentarily surprised by the strength behind the blow, but regaining control and healing whatever damage he had sustained instantly, he merely brushed off the spot as if it were nothing.
"Bastard…" Yuki muttered, her irritated grin tightening as a vein throbbed on her forehead. She had taken a huge risk getting close to land a clean hit, but all it managed was to catch the King of Curses off guard for a fleeting moment.
She knew she was facing a monster, but this was starting to feel utterly ridiculous.
"Alright." Sukuna's voice carried like a warning as Yuki noticed him raise his right hand. "My turn."
With a simple flick of his wrist, a massive slash flew toward Yuki. Garuda immediately placed itself in front of her to block.
Swoosh!
But to their shock, the cut passed straight through the shikigami, and Yuki couldn't react as her stomach split open, her hand pressing hard against the wound to keep her insides from spilling out.
"Damn it!" she spat blood, stumbling back as she desperately tried to heal.
"Running?"
No sooner had she retreated a few steps than a voice came from her side. Turning, she found Sukuna already pacing alongside her with a mocking grin.
Unable to defend in time, she took a cursed-energy-enhanced punch straight to the head, her skull snapping back as she struggled to keep her vision from fading.
"So this is the level of strong sorcerers in this era?" Sukuna spat, his fist glowing with cursed energy. "What a joke."
Finishing his taunt, his fist drove toward her wounded stomach—a blow Yuki could have blocked if not for one deciding factor.
Boom!
The unexpected raw power burst with black sparks spreading in every direction, a perfectly placed Black Flash detonating on her wound, bypassing her guard entirely.
Her body writhed against the strike, launched so violently that when she collided with a distant wall, her consciousness nearly blacked out before she forced herself to her knees.
Her crushed organs and reopened wound sent unbearable waves of pain through her. Even lifting her head was a struggle, but sensing the danger of her situation, she forced herself to meet the eyes of the King of Curses.
Only to find him staring back with that same disdainful grin, his hands once again stuffed in his pockets.
A vein pulsed on her temple, but she did not let anger consume her. Instead, she focused on healing the grievous damage. If there was one silver lining, it was that Sukuna did not seem intent on killing her immediately.
Every extra second mattered.
"..."
Meanwhile, Sukuna paid no mind to her healing. In fact, he was intrigued by the Black Flash's effect on his new body.
Earlier, he had felt unstable. But as soon as he landed a Black Flash, his soul seemed to stabilize slightly. That was promising—and gave him a new, malicious idea.
He had already noticed Yuki wanted to buy time. For what, he didn't care. But if that was her plan, then he could use it to his advantage.
His grin widened as the thought fully formed.
He would hammer her with Black Flashes until he was satisfied. He would let her heal as many times as she could endure, only to strike her down again and again.
If she wanted to stall for time, then at least Sukuna could enjoy himself.
"Go on, heal yourself," Sukuna ordered, beckoning her forward with a single finger. "I'm not finished with you yet."
Wiping blood from her lips, steam hissing from wounds as they closed, Yuki narrowed her tired but determined eyes.
She didn't know what Sukuna was planning, but if this was what he wanted, then fine—she'd give it to him.
"Garuda!"
Her voice rang out, and Sukuna, caught off guard by a shadow looming over him, turned to see the freshly healed shikigami swinging down.
Boom!
Blocking with his forearms, his feet carved into the ground, a manic grin spreading across his face.
The shikigami tried to retreat, but Sukuna caught it, his cursed-energy-packed fist smashing it away.
'I could feel it—that was close,' he thought.
!
But before he could dwell on it further, Yuki closed the distance, forcing him back as he unleashed a barrage of slashes to stop her advance.
The cuts were deep enough to wound her, but her momentum didn't falter. Her body mass swelled dramatically as she closed in on the King of Curses.
Unimpressed, Sukuna braced himself. He had taken a hit before and knew he could withstand it.
That was his mistake.
Boom!
Yuki's punch crashed into his guard, but instead of the expected force, Sukuna was met with overwhelming power. The strike shattered his arms and drove into his stomach, crushing his organs into pulp.
Yuki's lips curled into a grin. Sukuna had underestimated her technique from the very beginning. The attack was clean, and while she knew it wouldn't be enough to defeat him, it should at least weaken him.
At this stage, any advantage could be miraculous.
Bam!
Sukuna's body slammed into a wall, erupting in debris. The dust cloud swallowed the battlefield, and Yuki stood back, Garuda circling her protectively, waiting.
It wasn't worth wasting energy chasing him down. Better to let him heal—buying more precious seconds.
Her eyes shifted toward Itadori. He still hadn't moved, and worry gnawed at her.
Her entire plan hinged on him awakening reverse cursed energy. Considering his talent, it shouldn't be impossible, so why was he taking so long?
An internal conflict? A lack of cursed energy?
She didn't know, and the uncertainty weighed on her.
Her gaze flicked to the crater's edge, spotting Tengen with arms crossed. A single nod from her was all Yuki needed.
Despite her doubts, she had to trust the boy.
Quitting was not an option.
Swoosh!
Yuki jumped aside as a slash ripped through the ground beneath her.
Swoosh!
Expecting Sukuna to emerge, she was caught off guard when another cut flew her way, Garuda intercepting it this time.
But Sukuna wasn't done. Yuki's eyes widened in shock as cursed energy exploded from the rubble.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
A storm of slashes tore toward her. She dodged the first few, only to scream as one ripped into her thigh.
"Shit!" she cursed.
Garuda fought to shield her, but even the shikigami couldn't withstand the supernatural barrage for long. Yuki, left vulnerable, endured as best she could.
The barrage lasted only seconds, but felt eternal, before finally ceasing. Bloodied and missing an arm, Yuki panted heavily, eyes fixed on the debris.
Her reverse cursed energy struggled to keep up, exhaustion creeping into her reserves.
She was in dire straits.
"That punch really was something…" Sukuna's deep, malevolent voice carried, tinged with faint admiration—the first and perhaps only acknowledgment he'd give her. "So you're the one who was supposed to be that old fool's vessel?"
Yuki spat blood, fury etched on her face. She had no interest in exchanging words with the King of Curses. Compared to him, even Kenjaku seemed pleasant.
"She wasted a fine body," Sukuna sneered.
He hadn't meant it sexually—he was speaking of power—but Yuki couldn't suppress the chill crawling up her spine. Sukuna noticed and, realizing the misinterpretation, didn't bother correcting himself. Why would he? Guilt was not in his nature.
With a shake of his head, he raised his cursed-energy-glowing fists toward her once again.
Yuki let out a frustrated sigh at the sight. "So? Come on, finish it. I'm ready."
Even gravely wounded, her body mass continued to grow. She clearly had no intention of surrendering without one final act.
Itadori hadn't awakened yet, and Sukuna was about to kill her. At this point, there was nothing left but sacrifice.
She would drag him down with her.
Unfortunately, Itadori would be caught in the crossfire.
But to prevent an even greater catastrophe, this was the best path forward.
She would apologize to Itadori and Choso when their souls met in the afterlife.
"Finish it?" Sukuna asked, arching a brow.
"I'm just getting started."
The King of Curses lunged, fist blazing with cursed energy. Yuki barely had time to register the charge before he closed the distance.
Black—!
!!!
Sukuna froze, his eyes widening as a surge of cursed energy engulfed him. His fist, halted inches from Yuki's face, slowly lowered as he turned toward the overwhelming source.
And to his surprise, standing tall, his body blazing with cursed energy so dense it defied belief—was Yuji Itadori.
'What is this? Why does this brat have so much cursed energy?!' A vein bulged on Sukuna's forehead as his teeth ground in fury.
Itadori's wounds sealed in seconds, his once-shaven head now crowned with pink hair that fell over golden-glowing eyes.
Sukuna's rage deepened with every passing second.
"What's wrong?" Yuji smirked, his first words dripping with mockery. "Happy to see me?"
Yuji Itadori was back, stronger than ever.
"Don't act like this is impossible. After all…
I'm the one who will soon be the strongest."