The chamber reeked of scorched stone and blood. Deep scars littered the walls, as if cut by an unstoppable blade. Remnants of Sukuna's emergence into the world once more.
The air itself seemed heavier, pressing down on lungs and spirit alike. Jogo knelt rigid, head bowed, eye filled with fear, every muscle locked as though he were holding himself back from collapse.
By his side, sprawled lifeless across the ground, lay the twins. Mimiko's glassy eyes still held a trace of pleading.
Nanako's body was twisted at an awkward angle, her final scream cut short. Both had foolishly gambled for vengeance, hoping the King of Curses might humor them, hoping he might aim his wrath toward Kenjaku if given a finger as tribute.
But Sukuna had answered them with only disdain.
The King's laughter echoed still, sharp and cruel, as he wiped stray blood from his mouth with casual indifference. "Pathetic. You think I'd bend to a brat's request?"
Their deaths had been instantaneous, like insects swatted from the air. For all their desperation, all their grief, they had been little more than entertainment for him.
Jogo said nothing, not that he cared for the two bugs he had tried to kill earlier as well. He could only kneel, waiting for his turn to have an audience with the king.
Sukuna stretched languidly, as if waking from a pleasant nap rather than devouring human flesh. His many eyes shifted, locking onto Jogo with a predator's amusement.
"You."
The single word cut through the air like a blade.
Jogo swallowed the flames rising in his throat and answered, "Yes… Sukuna-sama."
The King's grin widened. "What do you want? You worked pretty hard after all~"
Jogo's jaw tightened. He had not dared request a thing.
He had only sought Sukuna's rebirth, believing that once the King walked again, curses would finally claim their rightful place above humans. His faith burned hotter than his own body.
Sukuna took a step forward, the pressure of his presence pressing harder with each movement. "Fine then. I'll give you a chance. If you can so much as land a single hit on me, I'll entertain the idea of working alongside your little group."
The words hung in the air, heavy and intoxicating.
Jogo's eye widened, his body trembling. A chance. Not a promise, not a guarantee, but a sliver of acknowledgement. That was more than any curse could hope for.
Before he could speak, before the fire of gratitude or challenge could leave his lips, another voice broke the tension.
"My, my~ What an interesting little deal."
The sound came from the shadows beyond the scorched chamber. Light bent oddly there, rippling as though reluctant to touch what stood inside. Mahito stepped into view with an easy gait, his golden hair catching the dull glow of flame.
Jogo's head whipped toward him instantly, eye blazing hotter than the magma inside him. Fury erupted across his face. "You-!"
The younger curse only tilted his head, a smile tugging at his lips. "Don't sound so surprised, Jogo~ Did you really think I'd sit out on something this entertaining?"
Jogo's fire flared violently, his rage firmly kept in check by the presence of Sukuna. He wanted to lunge, to burn Mahito until nothing remained but ash.
That smug, childlike grin infuriated him more than anything else. Especially knowing how his betrayal had killed Hanami, one of their own.
But his body remained rooted to the floor, fear whispering in his bones.
Sukuna had turned to face the intruder, and Jogo knew that if he moved without permission, it would be the last thing he ever did.
The King's expression was different from before. Not contempt, not mockery, but a spark of genuine interest.
"Well, well. Mahito. Figured you'd be around somewhere." His voice rolled like thunder. His amused tone made something abundantly clear... He wanted to play.
To see how far the curse that stood in front of him so confidently but a scant few weeks earlier had grown.
Mahito clasped his hands behind his back, posture relaxed, almost playful. "How can I miss something this fun?~"
Sukuna's grin stretched, baring teeth. "I already stand above you in strength; I am sure you can feel it. Yet you do not kneel~"
Mahito's smile widened further, eyes gleaming. "I hold my head high no matter who I'm in front of~ Even if it's the King of Curses himself."
Silence fell for a moment, broken only by the crackle of lingering flames. Jogo's jaw nearly cracked from how tightly he clenched it.
The audacity. The sheer disrespect. If anyone else had dared such words, they would already be a corpse on the floor.
But, unexpectedly, Sukuna did not strike. He laughed.
The sound was booming, vicious, and yet filled with approval. "Good. I guess it wasn't a fluke after all~ Even when I have recovered this much strength, your spirit is unshaken. Better than these grovelling insects." His gaze flicked toward the dead twins, dismissing them with a glance. "You're worth watching after all..."
Mahito bowed lightly at the waist, not out of subservience but mock politeness. "I do my best to keep things interesting~"
Jogo snapped. "You arrogant brat! Do you think you can just waltz in here-" His voice cracked with molten fury, flames spilling from his body, consuming the stone underfoot.
But he didn't finish. Sukuna's presence loomed too large, his aura sharp enough to slice through even Jogo's blazing wrath. The older curse stopped himself, trembling with frustration, his teeth grinding together.
Mahito only chuckled. "Aw, what's wrong, Jogo~? You look like you're about to explode. If only you had the guts to actually use that anger to your advantage..."
Jogo's eye blazed, but his fear held him still. He wanted nothing more than to crush Mahito, to silence that insufferable voice, but Sukuna's gaze lingered between them, watching, evaluating.
And then, with a flicker of amusement dancing across his face, Sukuna made his decision.
"This is boring," he said. His words carried the weight of judgment, a tone that could end lives with indifference. "Jogo, you want my cooperation? Fine. I'll give you your chance."
Jogo straightened instantly, fire roaring across his body, awaiting the command.
Sukuna's grin widened, vicious and cruel. "Kill him."
The air seemed to freeze.
Mahito blinked once, then laughed, the sound ringing sweetly through the scorched air. "Oh, now that's a fun twist~"
Jogo's body ignited like a volcano breaking its crust. The fury he had restrained and the rage he had choked back all surged upward, flooding his veins with fire.
He smiled for the first time since Sukuna's awakening, ashen teeth bared in a savage grin.
"As you wish, Sukuna-sama," he said, voice crackling like magma. His eye locked on Mahito, burning with hatred and exhilaration alike.
Mahito tilted his head, lips curling into an eager smile, as if delighted by the prospect. "Looks like we get to play after all~"
Sukuna leaned back against the ruined wall, folding his arms, eyes glittering with cruel anticipation. To him, this was nothing more than a game, a spectacle for his amusement.
Whether Jogo triumphed or Mahito survived mattered little. What mattered was the entertainment.
The King of Curses smiled. "Go on then. Show me something worth watching."
And with that decree, the battlefield was set.