The abandoned laboratory stood silent beneath the dark Tokyo sky.
Rain tapped softly against the cracked windows while rusted metal doors creaked in the wind. The entire building looked like it had been forgotten for years.
But the cursed energy leaking from inside told a different story.
Akira Kurose stood at the entrance beside Megumi Fushiguro and Nobara Kugisaki.
The moment Akira stepped closer to the building, his Echo reacted violently.
A cold sensation ran through his spine.
Something inside the laboratory was powerful.
Megumi noticed Akira's reaction.
"You feel it too?"
Akira nodded slowly.
"Yeah… something's definitely in there."
Nobara cracked her knuckles.
"Well, we didn't come all the way here to admire the architecture."
She pushed the door open.
The rusty hinges screamed as the door slowly moved.
The inside of the building smelled like chemicals, dust, and old metal.
Broken laboratory tables were scattered everywhere.
Glass containers filled with unknown liquids had shattered long ago.
The floor was covered with dark stains.
Megumi's shadow stretched across the hallway.
Two shadow wolves silently formed beside him.
They walked deeper into the building.
Every step echoed loudly through the empty corridors.
Suddenly—
Akira stopped.
His Echo pulsed again.
But this time… stronger.
A presence.
Cold.
Heavy.
Watching them.
Then a voice echoed through the hallway.
Low.
Calm.
Dangerous.
"So… the sorcerers finally arrived."
Akira's heart skipped a beat.
That voice.
He had heard it before.
Megumi's eyes sharpened.
"Stay alert."
The lights above them flickered.
Then went out completely.
Darkness swallowed the hallway.
Only faint moonlight from broken windows illuminated the room.
And then—
Cursed energy flooded the air.
The pressure was immense.
Nobara stepped back slightly.
"This energy… it's way stronger than the last curse."
A shape slowly formed at the end of the hallway.
A tall humanoid curse stepped forward from the darkness.
Its body was thin but muscular, covered in black markings that looked like burning cracks in stone.
Four eyes opened across its face.
Each one glowing faintly in the dark.
Akira's Echo flared.
His cursed energy automatically reacted.
Then the curse smiled.
And when it spoke—
The voice was unmistakable.
Sukuna.
"Interesting… you again."
Megumi clenched his fists.
"That energy… Sukuna's finger."
The curse raised its hand slowly.
A black object rested between its fingers.
Wrapped in old sealing cloth.
Sukuna's third finger.
Akira felt the air grow heavier.
Sukuna's presence was stronger now.
Much stronger.
The curse tilted its head slightly.
"You survived before. Let's see if that was luck."
Then it vanished.
Akira barely saw the movement.
The curse reappeared directly behind Nobara.
"Move!" Akira shouted.
Nobara jumped sideways just as a claw ripped through the floor where she had stood.
Megumi reacted instantly.
"Shadow Wolves!"
The two wolves lunged forward.
But the curse moved faster.
Its arm slashed through the air.
The wolves were thrown against the wall like smoke.
Akira stepped forward.
Echo activated automatically.
His mind replayed the movements he had seen from Sukuna earlier.
The angle of attack.
The speed.
The rhythm of cursed energy.
He copied it.
His body moved faster than before.
The curse attacked again.
Akira intercepted the strike.
The collision sent shockwaves through the hallway.
The floor cracked beneath them.
The curse's four eyes widened slightly.
"Oh?"
Akira's muscles burned.
Echo was pushing his body beyond its limit.
But he kept moving.
He dodged another strike.
Then another.
Each movement becoming smoother.
More precise.
Megumi watched carefully.
"He's not just copying anymore…"
Akira's Echo was evolving.
Nobara saw an opening.
She threw a handful of nails forward.
"Straw Doll Technique!"
The nails shot through the air like bullets.
The curse deflected two of them.
But one pierced its shoulder.
Nobara slammed her hammer down.
"Resonance!"
The nail exploded with cursed energy.
The curse staggered backward.
Megumi raised his hand.
"Nue!"
A massive winged shikigami burst through the ceiling window.
Lightning crashed down the hallway.
The curse roared as electricity tore through its body.
The entire laboratory shook violently.
Akira took the opportunity.
Echo surged to its maximum.
He focused on the cursed energy flowing from the finger.
Then he copied the curse's own movement pattern.
For a split second—
His speed matched it.
Akira rushed forward.
His fist collided with the curse's chest.
A massive shockwave exploded.
The walls cracked.
Glass shattered across the room.
The curse flew backward through several laboratory tables.
Smoke filled the hallway.
For a moment—
Everything was silent.
Then laughter echoed softly.
The smoke cleared.
The curse stood up again.
But its body was cracked.
Dark energy leaked from the damage.
Sukuna's voice echoed through it.
"Impressive."
Akira stood there breathing heavily.
His body trembled from exhaustion.
But Sukuna continued speaking.
"You're adapting faster than I expected."
The curse looked down at the finger in its hand.
Then it crushed the sealing cloth slightly.
Cursed energy exploded outward.
The pressure in the room doubled instantly.
Megumi's eyes widened.
"That's bad—"
The curse suddenly jumped backward through a broken wall.
And disappeared into the darkness outside.
Silence returned to the laboratory.
Nobara exhaled slowly.
"Okay… that thing was creepy."
Megumi walked toward the hole in the wall.
"He took the finger with him."
Akira stared at the darkness.
His Echo was still reacting.
Still vibrating with Sukuna's energy.
Somewhere out there—
Sukuna was getting stronger.
And now…
He was clearly interested in Akira.
Akira clenched his fists.
"This isn't over."
But deep in the darkness outside the laboratory…
A pair of glowing eyes opened.
Watching.
Waiting.