Sukuna's consciousness seemed to "glance" toward the direction deep within Jujutsu High where the Cursed Spirit's aura had erupted, then "looked" at the battle-ready Satoru.
'If, because of such a boring interlude, I were unable to see all the tricks that Six Eyes brat might use in a desperate situation... I would feel regret.'
This was not an excuse, but his genuine feeling.
As a warrior who pursued the ultimate pleasure of combat, what he craved was a no-holds-barred slaughter against an opponent at their peak.
Being interrupted unexpectedly now, combined with his own state not being perfect—if they continued, regardless of the outcome, it would be hard to enjoy it to the fullest.
Deeper down, a thought he alone knew lingered.
'It's not an incarnation, and I'm not using my own body... as expected, fighting isn't smooth enough."
Utaha's physical body had been carefully strengthened by him, enough to carry a portion of his power, but it was "someone else's property" after all.
In the highest-level Domain clashes and collisions of rules, that sense of disharmony and the limitation of the upper bound prevented him from exerting one hundred percent of his combat power and truly immersing himself in the pleasure of the slaughter.
To Sukuna, this was an unbearable "flaw."
Therefore, he chose to stop of his own accord.
Rather than engaging in a battle that might end abruptly due to outside interference or be limited by the vessel and thus not be fully enjoyed, it was better to maintain the anticipation and wait for a more suitable time.
Sukuna's sudden withdrawal made the situation instantly delicate.
The threat of the Special Grade Cursed Spirit was imminent, yet the opponent who had been at each other's throats just moments ago had "logged off" on his own.
Satoru looked at Utaha, whose eyes had become clear again but still couldn't hide her exhaustion and complex emotions. Sensing the rising Cursed Spirit aura in the distance, he instantly understood Sukuna's intention.
He curled his lip, feeling a bit annoyed but helpless.
Sukuna's level of self-indulgence was even greater than his own.
"Tch, he sure ran fast." Satoru muttered.
Then his expression turned serious as he waved to Masamichi and Kiyotaka, who had just arrived at the edge of the barrier with anxious faces.
"It's fine here for now. Leave that intruding big fly to me. Ijichi, arrange for someone to look after Kasumigaoka. Megumi, Itadori, you guys get ready too, there might be some aftermath to clean up."
Having said that, he took one last look at Utaha. The Six Eyes under his blindfold seemed to see through the terrifying existence temporarily dormant within her.
Then, his figure flickered, turning into a streak of white light that shot toward the direction where the Special Grade Cursed Spirit's aura had erupted, leaving an afterimage in the air.
Inside the Training Barrier, only the students who had survived the ordeal remained, along with Utaha, who was completely drained of strength and supported by Kiyotaka.
This sudden top-tier duel ended abruptly in this fashion, but the night at Jujutsu High was clearly far from over.
The faint sound of explosions and intense Cursed Energy fluctuations coming from the distance indicated that the battle between Satoru and that unknown Special Grade Cursed Spirit had already begun.
...
Satoru's figure was like a streak of white lightning tearing through the night sky, crossing most of Jujutsu High in an instant. He descended precisely at the source of the Special Grade Cursed Spirit's aura—a secluded forest area on the edge of the back mountain training ground.
Under the moonlight, a creature with a peculiar shape was slowly walking out of the forest.
It had a torso similar to a human's, but its skin was like cooled lava—dark red and covered in cracks, with glowing orange-red light flowing through the gaps.
Most eye-catching was its head—it wasn't a head in the usual sense, but a miniature volcano that constantly wriggled, erupting small flames and thick smoke from its peak. A single eye was located below the "volcanic crater," burning with a lava-like hue, filled with a light that intertwined violence and intelligence.
"A Special Grade Cursed Spirit..." Satoru adjusted the new sunglasses he had put on at some point, his tone carrying undisguised interest.
"Quite a unique look, isn't it? Volcano-head? Were you the one making trouble just now?"
That volcano-headed Cursed Spirit, Jogo, fully revealed himself.
His single eye locked onto Satoru, and his voice was low and raspy, like churning magma. "Gojo Satoru... I've finally met you. This appearance, this Cursed Energy... as expected, you are the sickeningly 'strongest' just like the rumors say."
"Oh?" Satoru raised an eyebrow, a more interested smile appearing on his face.
"You can talk? You have clear consciousness and personal emotions? This is quite a rare breed. Hey, volcano-head, what's your name? Did you come looking for me for something? Surely it's not just to say hello?"
He seemed relaxed, but his Six Eyes had already taken in the flow of Cursed Energy around the opponent, the energy intensity, and the "intellectual" fluctuations that were completely different from ordinary Cursed Spirits.
An intelligent Special Grade Cursed Spirit was much more interesting than a mere destruction machine.
Jogo did not answer the question about his name. The killing intent and a deeper fervor in his single eye grew more intense.
"The strongest among humans, the peak of Jujutsu Sorcerers... Only by eliminating you can the era of Cursed Spirits truly begin. Come, Gojo Satoru, let me see if you are worthy of the title of strongest!"
Before his voice had even faded, the temperature around Jogo rose sharply, and the grass beneath his feet instantly withered and burned.
He suddenly raised his hand, aiming his palm at Satoru. A highly compressed lava ball containing destructive energy condensed instantly, and with a heatwave that distorted the air, it blasted out.
"Starting off with an ultimate move? How rude."
Satoru joked, but his movements were not slow at all.
He didn't even use Infinity to block he just slightly tilted his body. The lava ball, powerful enough to level a small hilltop, grazed the edge of his clothes and flew past, exploding into a huge mushroom cloud of fire in the distant mountain forest.