Watching Sukuna stride away, Fushiguro hesitated, then sighed.
He had to admit—when Sukuna appeared, he'd felt saved… Sukuna hadn't hurt them; he'd helped fight the Curse. It felt awkward. He knew he should thank him, yet the words stuck… Forget it, he'd find another way—maybe a gift? Snacks again?
His gaze drifted to the Divine Dogs beside him.
Itadori's earlier words flashed through his mind—no, no, what was he thinking?!
He wasn't thinking anything!
…The mission—right! It wasn't over.
He quickly called Nobara, and they set off to find the other two targets.
Sukuna went for the faucet; Fushiguro and Kugisaki found the remaining corpses. By the time they regrouped, Sukuna had reverted to Itadori.
Fushiguro studied Itadori rubbing his throat. "Finger down?"
Itadori grimaced and nodded. "Yeah… just feels scratchy."
He paused, voice dropping.
"After I swallowed it, Sukuna said he was sleepy and went to bed…"
Worry crept across his face.
Nothing like this had happened with the other fingers; he didn't know why this time was different.
Fear that something might be wrong with Sukuna showed plainly on him.
Fushiguro was quiet. "Back to school. I'll report this to Gojo-sensei."
One Special Grade and one Grade 1 had been fully matured when they arrived; without Sukuna, they'd have been wiped out.
No matter how short-handed they were, first-years should never have been assigned this.
And right when Gojo-sensei was away… Fushiguro glanced at Itadori and shelved the thought.
Someone was clearly testing Sukuna inside Itadori; all he could do was grow strong enough to help when danger returned.
The three carried the five bodies out of the barrier.
Ijichi, waiting outside, beamed with relief when he saw them unharmed.
Thank goodness.
He breathed inwardly.
Powerless himself, the supervisor could only pray the young Jujutsu Sorcerers came back alive and unhurt.
If every sorcerer he sent off returned safely, that was enough for him.
Mission complete, he called other supervisors for clean-up and carefully drove the three back to school… Inside Itadori's soul, Sukuna lay asleep.
After swallowing the third finger in the Juvenile Detention Center, an icy, sinister yet wonderfully comfortable current flowed from the melted digit.
It felt like soaking in a warm spring; he couldn't help sighing in contentment.
He gave a lazy greeting to the brat and quickly fell asleep.
Then he dreamed—
Endless blue sky and white clouds; below, a soft breeze rippled over emerald grass.
He saw "himself" reclining on the lawn, propped on one arm, relaxed, wearing a white kimono much like the one he'd bought.
The figure's face was hidden, yet an air of carefree peace surrounded him.
Sukuna blinked, then understood.
This… was him from a thousand years ago?
His eyes widened, fixed on the figure, trying to seize the lost memory… So he'd favored white even then—no wonder he'd wanted that kimono!
Pleased, he figured he'd been subconsciously reclaiming his past.
He leaned closer, but no matter how hard he tried, the face stayed misted, unreachable.
He sighed and gave up.
Lowering his gaze, he froze.
Something fluffy and white lay on the figure's stomach…?
He stared, stunned.
A snow-white fox, pure without a speck of color, curled into a soft ball, fast asleep on the reclining man's belly.
Its neat little ears twitched; its pink nose drew slow, quiet breaths… Huh?
Sukuna gaped at the tiny white fluff—a fox…?
Only after a long moment did the shock hit him—
…I kept a fox a thousand years ago?!
He rushed closer, eyes devouring the little creature—
Its fur was soft and snowy, immaculate white.
A luxuriant tail, nearly as long as its body, wrapped it snugly.
Its tiny head nestled in the fluffy tail, eyes closed in bliss.
The tail-tip flicked lazily, tugging at the heart.
So… so cute…!
Sukuna's heart pounded; a smile tugged at his lips.
He adored this little fox…!
A millennium ago or now—he loved it all the same.
Familiar warmth flooded him; his past self had such taste!
After basking in pride, he kept staring—then envied.
Such a soft, snowy fox had to feel wonderful to pet.
But in a dream, he couldn't touch it.
A pang of envy for his past self stabbed him.
He sighed in regret.
No wonder he drooled over Fushiguro's Divine Dogs—he'd kept fluffy white pets long ago.
As he yearned to feel fur, the scene shattered—
Like a mirror struck, countless cracks webbed outward—
Behind the shards yawned a reeking, deep scarlet gloom—
He plunged headlong into that abyss!
The violent contrast jolted Sukuna awake.
Cold sweat soaked him; he panted, steadying himself.
Eyes opening, focus returned—
And what he saw made his breath catch again—
The once-black inner world had become a vast expanse.
Overhead, a colossal, nameless spine stretched endlessly.
Below, boundless dark-crimson blood formed a sea, exhaling faint red mist.
He stood atop a mountain of hundreds of skulls, the only island amid the blood-ocean.
This… His heart clenched as realization struck—an Innate Domain?
This was his Innate Domain?!
—his inner world?!!
Sukuna stared, stunned.
He could never have imagined his soul looked like this—?!
He… he'd been this style a thousand years ago??!
Gaping at the scene, he finally murmured,
"Brat…"
Eyes glazed, voice dry,
"…This isn't just a little brutal…"
He shut his eyes in despair… I'm not just kinda vicious—I'm freakin' savage!!
What the hell did I do a thousand years ago… to end up with an inner world like this mountain of corpses?!
—Someone needs to chuck me back into the forge for a total re-cast?!
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