Midnight…
Konoha was shrouded in deep silence. The moon had hidden behind the clouds, and a heavy darkness settled over the streets. One by one, the lights in the village houses went out, leaving only the distant footsteps of patrolling ninja echoing through the night.
But there was no peace in Gojo Satoru's room.
He was still awake. Tossing and turning in bed, every time he closed his eyes, that ominous laughter rang in his ears.
"Did you really think you could forget me, Satoru?"
The laughter grew clearer. At first, it was like a faint whisper in the depths of his mind. Then it swelled, louder and louder, until it became an echo that filled the entire room.
Satoru bolted upright. His Six Eyes opened involuntarily.
And in that moment… he noticed movement in the darkness of the room.
A shadow curled in the corner. At first, he thought it was an ordinary shadow—but shadows didn't breathe. And this one did, its presence heavy and undeniable.
Satoru's hands trembled.
"Sukuna… This is impossible. You can't be here. This is another world."
From within the shadow, not two but four crimson eyes gleamed. A hot, suffocating breath filled the room, rooting him in place.
"Ahahah… Worlds, bodies, time… none of these can stop me. My name is the King of Curses. My bond with you cannot be broken, Satoru. As long as you exist, so do I."
Satoru rose to his feet, his eyes blazing with fury. Cursed energy stirred in his veins.
"I don't believe you! This is only a figment of my mind. You can't truly be here!"
Sukuna stepped out of the shadow, his formless silhouette slowly taking human shape. Burn-scarred face, demonic grin, and four eyes—standing before him.
"An illusion? Then why is your heart racing? Why are you sweating? Look at me, Satoru. I am no illusion… I am your reality."
Satoru clenched his fists. He struggled to contain his power, his child's body unable to handle the cursed energy. Pressure radiated outwards, making the windows rattle.
"Shut up!" he shouted.
"Because of you, everyone died! I… I couldn't protect them…"
Sukuna laughed. The darkness reverberated against the walls.
"You didn't protect them because you didn't want to. The only thing you ever wanted was to be supreme. And that desire made you like me. We are the same, Satoru."
Satoru's eyes widened with rage.
"I will never be like you!"
Sukuna leaned down, his face almost brushing against Satoru's. Satoru could nearly feel his hot breath.
"Really? Then why can I hear, deep within your heart, that what you truly desire is not to kill me… but to replace me?"
Satoru froze. Sukuna had spoken aloud the darkest thought, the hidden desire he had never confessed to anyone. His heartbeat thundered, his lips went dry.
No… it couldn't be true. He only wanted power. But why? Was it really to protect others? Or only to stand alone at the top?
"Silence!" Satoru roared.
At that moment, an explosion erupted. Cursed energy surged through the room. The wooden floorboards cracked, windows shattered, the table flipped into the air.
But when the smoke cleared, Sukuna was still there. Arms crossed, watching with delight.
"How pathetic… You have power, but your body is weak. A child's cage. There could be no greater torture for you."
Satoru collapsed to his knees. Blood dripped from his hands. His breathing quickened, his heart pounding as if it would tear through his chest.
"No… I… I can defeat you…"
Sukuna tilted his head, his fourth eye glinting as he whispered:
"Defeat me? Ahahah… The game has only just begun. The stronger you try to become, the stronger I will grow. This bond cannot be broken. I am your curse, Satoru."
Satoru shut his eyes, clamped his hands over his ears. But Sukuna's voice still thundered inside his mind.
"Go on, admit it… You're afraid of becoming like me. But at the same time… you want to be like me."
"No…" Satoru groaned.
"I'm not like you…"
But deep within his heart, a faint voice whispered back:
"What if you are? What if you truly are like him?"
A bead of sweat slid down his cheek. Shaking, he forced himself to stand.
Sukuna smirked as he stepped back. His body melted into shadow once more, leaving only his parting words:
"This world may be a new beginning for you. But for me… it's nothing more than a new playground."
In an instant, Satoru found himself alone in the room. The windows shattered, the walls cracked—but there was no trace, no one there.
He opened his Six Eyes. Silence. Nothing at all.
But in his chest, a deep fear remained.
Was Sukuna truly here? Or was it only a reflection of the darkness within his own mind?
He didn't know.
But there was one thing he was certain of:
The battle would no longer be only against enemies outside—
but also against the shadow within himself.
And that shadow was growing stronger every day.