The sky trembled as the black-armored figure descended slowly from the heart of the shattered Gate. Flames still crackled across buildings, and the dragons that once rampaged now hovered silently bowing in fear and reverence.
Yuji clenched his fists, sweat rolling down his cheek.
"What… is he?" he whispered.
Gojo didn't answer. His smile was gone. His body tensed, ready.
Then the figure spoke his voice deep and layered, like thousands whispering at once.
"I am not of your world."
The sound alone sent cracks through nearby buildings. His aura pressed down on the battlefield like the weight of a collapsing star.
"This land... your magic... your order. All of it will burn."
He raised one clawed hand toward the horizon. Dragons shrieked in unison.
"I am the one who devours realms. The one who made the Apostles of Itarim kneel."
Gojo's eyes widened. "Wait he's above the Apostles?"
The figure's wings slowly unfurled. Darkness poured from him like ink in water.
"You may call me… Varnontras."
The sky darkened instantly at the mention of his true name.
"And this world shall be mine."
He pointed one claw down at Gojo.
"Unless your so-called 'Shadow Monarch' returns… your hope dies with you."
Gojo smirked slightly, masking the chill running down his spine.
"Then I guess we stall until he does."
The moment Varnontras finished speaking, the sky itself seemed to respond lightning cracked violently across the heavens, and his dragons let out a chorus of roars that shook the very earth.
Gojo vanished in a blur of blue light, appearing directly in front of Varnontras with his hand glowing.
"Cursed Technique Reversal: Red!"
The beam struck the dark dragon square in the chest, exploding with devastating force and yet, the smoke cleared, revealing Varnontras completely unharmed, floating effortlessly.
"Was that supposed to hurt me?" Varnontras asked calmly.
Yuji charged from below, leaping high with cursed energy surrounding both fists.
"Then let me try!"
He slammed a powerful punch into Varnontras' stomach only for his fist to rebound like it hit solid steel.
Yuji was thrown back mid-air by a pulse of black energy.
Yuta fired a barrage of cursed slashes, and Megumi summoned Max Elephant and Divine Dogs, all of them rushing forward in synchronized fury.
Still nothing worked.
Varnontras didn't dodge.
He didn't defend.
He simply allowed their attacks to strike and shrugged them off.
With a flick of his claw, Yuta was slammed into a building. Megumi's shikigami were crushed beneath a pressure wave of aura alone.
"You are insects compared to the Apostles,"
Varnontras said, eyes glowing hotter.
"And the Apostles were nothing compared to me."
Gojo gritted his teeth. He released Hollow Purple with full force, spiraling destructive energy straight through buildings
but Varnontras caught it.
With one hand.
And crushed it.
Gojo's eyes widened. "He neutralized spatial erasure?"
Varnontras hovered above them all, his voice rising.
"Where is the Shadow Monarch?"
"Where is the one chosen by the Absolute?"
He raised a single hand.
The sky turned black.
"No one else is worthy."
Flames rained down. Lightning danced. The city began to fall apart. Despite their best efforts, Gojo, Itadori, and the others were being overwhelmed.
Yuji knelt, panting heavily.
"We're… not enough."
Yuta stood beside him, blood dripping from his mouth.
Gojo floated above, arms wide ready to sacrifice everything if needed.
And above them all, Varnontras smiled.
The sky twisted above them like a living thing, as if the world itself was bending to Varnontras' will. He floated effortlessly, his glowing eyes flicking toward Gojo and the others with disdain. His claws twitched, and the air around them grew heavier, suffocating.
"You still resist?" Varnontras purred, his voice like a low growl that resonated deep within their bones.
"How utterly pointless."
Then, with a sweeping motion of his hand, the darkness in the sky expanded, and reality itself seemed to fracture.
"Endless Abyss."
A tear appeared in the very fabric of space. Black tendrils of pure void energy shot out, wrapping around the ground and dragging entire city blocks into oblivion. The buildings, cars, and streets were consumed by the black hole, vanishing as if they never existed. The air thickened with dread as the ground began to tremble beneath their feet.
Yuji, already bruised and battered, tried to move, but his legs were frozen in place by the crushing gravity of Varnontras' technique.
"Abyssal Chains."
Chains of solid darkness erupted from the ground, ensnaring Yuta, Megumi, and even Gojo, locking them in place despite their overwhelming strength. The chains pulsed with destructive energy, threatening to crush their limbs with every heartbeat.
Gojo, his usual calm demeanor shattered, snapped. He used his Limitless Technique to push against the chains but could barely keep them at bay.
"Impossible…" Gojo growled. "How are these even affecting me?"
Varnontras sneered, the shadows around him twisting into horrific shapes. He raised both hands toward the sky, and the world around them warped once more.
"The End of All Things."
A massive explosion of dark energy erupted from Varnontras, flooding the battlefield with a wave of destructive power that seemed to erase everything it touched. The entire area around them buildings, streets, and trees began to disintegrate into ash and nothingness. The force of the attack pushed everyone back violently, leaving them struggling to stay on their feet.
Yuji gasped for breath, his body shaking from the sheer magnitude of the attack. "This is… impossible."
"It's over," Varnontras' voice echoed, the very sound of it piercing through their minds. "Your world has no savior. No hope."
Gojo's vision flickered for a moment as his eyes locked onto Varnontras.
"You talk too much," Gojo spat, his hand glowing with cursed energy.
But even Gojo, the strongest sorcerer alive, was struggling to hold his ground.
"Hollow Purple!" he shouted, unleashing the deadly attack with all his might. The blast was an explosion of endless destruction, a massive sphere of energy capable of obliterating anything in its path.
But Varnontras simply smiled again.
"You think that will stop me?" Varnontras' eyes glowed brighter as he raised one hand, effortlessly absorbing Gojo's attack into his palm, redirecting it with a simple flick of his wrist.
The energy exploded in all directions, shattering the landscape, but Varnontras was still standing unscathed.
"There is no salvation for you," Varnontras intoned, his voice like a symphony of death. "You fight in vain."
Gojo's hands trembled, but his resolve never wavered.
Yuji gritted his teeth. "We won't give up!"
But Varnontras' laughter was all-consuming.
"Then perish."
He raised his hand, ready to release the final strike a devastating wave of energy that would wipe them from existence. A perfect end to their futile resistance.
But just as the air around them began to shatter completely, a sudden surge of dark energy erupted from a distant location, shaking the entire battlefield.
Varnontras paused, his eyes narrowing.
"What is this?"
From the depths of the chaos, a familiar presence stirred.
The ground shook violently as the very air seemed to bend and twist. For a brief moment, it appeared as though Varnontras would destroy them all in an instant—but suddenly, a shift in the air made everyone pause.
"You're not the only one with powerful allies."
A voice boomed from the distance.
From the swirling vortex of shadows and energy, Sukuna the King of Curses stepped forward, a smirk on his face, radiating malice and power. Behind him, Mahoraga, the beast-like shikigami, appeared, its massive, serpentine body coiling around him like a loyal guardian. Mahito emerged, his unsettling grin plastered across his face, his cursed technique already boiling with anticipation.
And just behind them, the Sorcerer of the Great War Yuta Okkotsu was ready for battle, his cursed energy surging around him like an unstoppable wave.
"So, you think you can just come here and take over this world?" Sukuna asked, his voice dripping with disdain. His hand raised, his fingers twitching as he summoned his immense power. "We'll see about that."
Mahoraga howled, its massive form unleashing a violent gust of wind as it charged toward Varnontras with unstoppable force. The air seemed to distort as Mahoraga clashed with the unknown dragon, the beast's massive blades slashing across Varnontras' armored body but the attack barely left a scratch.
Varnontras simply smirked, raising a hand effortlessly to knock Mahoraga away, sending the cursed beast crashing through buildings.
"Another monster, I see,"
Varnontras said, his voice cold and unamused.
"But you're all still so insignificant."
"Not yet,"
Mahito sneered, his twisted form shifting as he began to manipulate the cursed energy around him. His hands contorted into grotesque shapes, warping the very flesh of the environment.
He launched a mass of cursed spirit forms, wrapping around Varnontras like a swarm, but once again, the mighty dragon only grinned. With a wave of his hand, he disintegrated the cursed spirits before they could even touch him.
Yuta, not one to stand idly by, summoned Rika, the vengeful spirit, her immense cursed power flaring as she materialized beside him.
"I'm not letting you take this world!"
Yuta shouted, charging forward with Rika's power amplifying his every move.
But even as Yuta swung his katana, and Mahito threw twisted formations of cursed energy, and Sukuna unleashed his terrifying Domain Expansion, Varnontras effortlessly blocked, absorbed, or deflected every attack with a level of ease that defied comprehension.
His dark aura seemed to rearrange space itself, making their strikes feel like mere inconveniences.
"You're all so pathetic."
Varnontras snapped his fingers, and the world around them shifted again. A massive dome of darkness erupted from the ground, encasing them in an impenetrable barrier.
"No one leaves until I say so."
Gojo gritted his teeth from within the chaos. He had barely regained his footing after the earlier assault. "We need a new plan, now!"
Sukuna growled. "That thing is beyond even us. But we're not just going to roll over."
Mahoraga howled in anger, shaking the entire dome, while Mahito cracked his knuckles.
"Let's tear this world apart, piece by piece."
Yuta nodded, Rika's spirit roaring to life at his side. "We'll fight to the end."
"That's the spirit." Sukuna grinned, his hands crackling with cursed energy. "This is going to be fun."
But Varnontras only tilted his head, amused.
"So much energy. So much effort. But still, it won't be enough."
The End of All Things loomed, threatening to swallow them all whole.
Varnontras' power, his absolute control over existence, was something they had never encountered before.
The tension thickened, each one of them struggling against his influence, trying to hold onto their lives, their sanity but it was clear: the battle was far from over.
The dome of darkness that encased them trembled under the force of Varnontras' crushing presence. Inside, every ounce of their cursed energy was being siphoned away by his overwhelming power. It was as if the very air itself was poisoned.
Gojo, Sukuna, Yuta, Mahito, and the others stood at the center, all trying to catch their breath. Varnontras floated above them, his sinister smile never faltering.
"You think you can win? You are all so small."
Varnontras taunted, his voice mocking, filled with centuries of superiority.
Sukuna cracked his knuckles, his expression cold.
"We won't just let you win."
His eyes flickered with an unsettling red light, but he seemed to realize the situation.
"We need a new plan."
Gojo's eyes narrowed. He crossed his arms, floating in the air with his usual calm demeanor.
"We can't overwhelm him head-on. His control over space and time is too strong."
Yuta's grip tightened around his katana.
"Then what do we do? He's crushing us, one move at a time."
Mahito smirked.
"There's always a way to twist things."
He flicked his wrist, and his cursed energy surged, deforming the air around him.
"But we need to coordinate better. We can't fight him like we're just brawling. We need to get into his head."
Sukuna grinned, a malevolent gleam in his eyes.
"A little psychological warfare, huh? I like it."
Gojo raised a hand, signaling everyone to listen carefully.
"Here's the plan: We need to keep him occupied long enough for someone to get in close. His defenses are too high, and he's playing with us. We exploit that."
Sukuna's grin grew wider.
"He's toying with us. So we give him something to really play with."
"I'll get in his head,"
Mahito volunteered, his fingers twitching with excitement.
"I'll distort his mind, get him to doubt his power."
Gojo nodded. "That's good. I'll keep him busy with Limitless while you do that."
Yuta stepped forward, his eyes steely. "And I'll provide backup, but we need to act fast. Every second counts."
Sukuna cracked his neck. "I'll move in when the time is right. I'm not going to sit back and let you all do the work."
"Right,"
Gojo affirmed, floating toward the center of the dome.
"Once we begin, we have to execute this flawlessly. We can't afford to waste any more energy."
The group nodded, their resolve hardening as they looked toward the dragon that hovered above them, an embodiment of apocalyptic power.
They all knew that one mistake would mean their end.
---
Varnontras, sensing their preparation, chuckled darkly. "You think you've devised a plan? How quaint."
But Gojo was already moving, a flash of blue light disappearing into the distance. His voice echoed through the air. "You'll have to keep up, Varnontras."
Varnontras sneered. "Foolish humans, trying to challenge the inevitable. Your end will come swiftly."
---
Gojo's Limitless swirled around him, increasing his speed to near incomprehensible levels. He began to rapidly teleport, continuously distorting space around him, attacking from different angles. But Varnontras casually swatted away each attack, like an insect swatting away flies.
Meanwhile, Mahito's cursed energy began to twist the air around Varnontras, distorting reality itself and creating illusory double images of the dragon. His voice echoed,
"Come on, don't you want to play? Let's see if you can tell which one is real."
Varnontras paused, his eyes narrowing.
"Mortal tricks?"
he growled,
"I'll crush you just the same."
But as he moved to retaliate, Yuta and Rika moved in from the side. Yuta's katana flashed as he slashed at Varnontras' defenses, aiming for openings.
"Rika, hold him down!" Yuta shouted.
Rika, her cursed power erupting from within, surged forward, gripping Varnontras' limbs with cursed energy chains attempting to slow the dragon down. Varnontras roared in anger as he tried to break free, but the chains held for a moment, giving Yuta the chance to strike again.
"You're not the only one who can manipulate reality,"
Mahito continued, his fingers wriggling in the air.
"How about I distort your very perception of the world? How does that feel?"
Varnontras' eyes widened in frustration as his perception flickered. "What is this?"
But before Mahito could capitalize on the opening, Sukuna appeared, emerging from the shadows with a sinister grin.
"Now, you die."
Sukuna's Domain Expansion Malevolent Shrine erupted from the ground, breaking the reality around them into a distorted nightmare of cursed energy and death. The area surrounding them began to warp, dark energy flooding the battlefield as Sukuna's shriek of death echoed throughout.
Varnontras recoiled, his defenses struggling to hold as the curse-laden energy of Sukuna's domain pressed down on him.
"You're stronger than I expected,"
Varnontras hissed.
"But it won't be enough."
Gojo's voice boomed from across the battlefield, where he had been constantly moving, grinning through the chaos.
"Let's end this, shall we?"