Boom!
The two men's nonstop clash in close combat sent out heavy, dull impacts, like blunt weapons crashing together.
Wherever they passed, the shockwaves from their blows shattered countless walls and crushed large sections of the ground.
For a moment, in Megumi's eyes, their fists and kicks crossed again and again. They traded blows back and forth, with neither gaining the upper hand.
"Is this all you've got? I'm already getting used to your slow speed. Come on, come on. A little faster!"
Their fists collided, and a violent gust of wind roared outward.
Sukuna bared his sharp white fangs in a wide grin. The raging battle intent on his face never faded.
He was enjoying it. This long-lost excitement, and a rare worthy opponent.
"As you wish."
When the next punch landed, the wild smile vanished from Sukuna's face.
Mukuro's speed suddenly jumped far beyond before, so much so that Sukuna was already struggling to keep up.
What made his forehead bulge with veins even more was what Mukuro said next.
"Megumi, you don't need to learn what comes next. Even if you see it, you won't be able to copy it."
So that so-called even fight earlier was nothing more than him slowing down to teach close combat to someone else?!
"Huh? You mean the earlier stuff was learnable?!"
Megumi's stunned expression could have been turned straight into a reaction image.
Then Mukuro changed tactics. Instead of trading punches head-on, he tilted his head slightly to dodge an attack. A sharp dagger appeared in his hand and stabbed deep into Sukuna's left shoulder.
"Dismantle!"
By the time Sukuna reacted, his right hand had already fired off dozens of slashes.
Yet even at this distance, Mukuro was faster than the slashes themselves.
Before Sukuna's palm fully swung, several more stabs tore through his shoulder down to his hand. Mukuro pulled the blade free and leapt into the air, cleanly dodging every slash.
"He can't fly. If he's in the air, there's a chance!"
Ignoring the blood pouring from his left arm, Sukuna twisted his body hard.
In that instant alone, nearly a hundred slashes erupted from his palm and surged into the sky.
Even if someone could move at high speed in midair, movement was still movement. No matter how much it looked like teleportation, it was not true disappearance.
"Nice wishful thinking."
With his abnormal sensitivity to cursed energy, the slashes looked like solid, misshapen blades to Mukuro.
The number "1" flashed in his right eye. The dagger in his hand shifted into a long blade held with both hands.
He kicked off the air, cutting through the storm of blades, and in the blink of an eye, he was back in front of Sukuna.
"Cleave—"
At such close range, Sukuna reached out to unleash the more powerful cutting technique.
But as the two figures passed each other, "Cleave" missed.
Instead, Sukuna's own body erupted like a human fountain. From his arm to his chest, his entire upper body was carved with deep gashes, blood spraying everywhere.
"Uncle Mukuro!"
Megumi couldn't stop himself from shouting.
That was Yuji's body. If Sukuna refused to heal him, what would happen?!
"Ralax. I'll heal minor wounds like these that won't kill him but will affect movement. Otherwise, how could I enjoy myself?"
Sukuna's words immediately eased Megumi's fear.
The injuries on his body then rapidly closed. The wounds healed in an instant, as if they had never existed.
"So what will you do now? Once the kid comes back out, he'll die in ten seconds at most. But if he doesn't, you'll have to keep fighting me until I run out of cursed energy and retreat. Can you last that long?
"And if someone who knows reverse cursed technique shows up, I'll kill them first. So what are you going to do? Hahahaha!"
Even though he had been completely outmatched earlier, Sukuna laughed loudly.
Friendship, family, love. Those were emotions only the weak cared about.
With a hostage in hand, he already held an overwhelming advantage.
"Megumi, find a way to call your friend back out. If not, I might accidentally kill him together with Sukuna."
By now, Mukuro had completely lost interest in the current King of Curses.
With only three fingers worth of power, he wasn't even the strongest special grade curse Mukuro had faced over the years. There was no reason to waste more time.
"But—"
"Just do it."
Megumi held his phone, still wanting to see if he could call Shoko over first, but Mukuro cut him off again.
"It's useless. That coward won't come out to die."
Sukuna sneered, his mind filled with the image of Yuji's helpless fear when facing the special grade curse alone earlier.
Then he charged at Mukuro once more.
"Itadori! listen to me carefully. When I saved you, there was never any rational calculation. Even if it put me in danger, I didn't want to let a genuinely good person like you die.
"When it comes down to it, I was just acting on impulse. But that's enough. I'm not some ally of justice. I'm just an ordinary jujutsu sorcerer. I've never once regretted saving you!"
Remembering the doubt his companion felt in the domain and even questioned him for ignoring a scumbag's death, Megumi shouted at Sukuna's back as he ran toward Mukuro.
He didn't know if this would be enough to awaken Yuji, but he believed that if it was Yuji, he wouldn't stay silent after hearing his answer.
The charging figure gradually slowed.
The markings on Yuji's face faded away. The arrogant expression disappeared, replaced by a pure and familiar look.
"Itadori!"
Megumi rushed forward.
"So that's how it is. Fushiguro really is smart. What you believe is probably right, but that doesn't mean I was wrong either…"
The boy scratched the back of his head, looking embarrassed.
"Sorry. Time's about up. Fushiguro, Kugisaki, and Gojo-sensei. Though I guess I don't need to worry about him. Please live long lives…"
With Sukuna gone, blood gushed from the hole in his chest. Blood spilled from his mouth as well.
His vision blurred. He could barely see his companion anymore. His legs gave out, but Megumi caught him, not caring that his clothes were soaked in blood.
"If I let you die like this, where would my pride go later?"
Behind them, Mukuro's right eye glowed with the number "1." He clenched his fist and lightly struck Yuji's back, producing a dull thump.
That sound seemed to spread into Yuji's body.
Before Megumi's shocked eyes, the pink-haired boy's chest began to rise and fall again.
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