Domain Expansion: Time Cell Moon Palace!"
An immense surge of cursed energy roared outward as a black shell of the domain instantly enveloped the two of them.
It resembled the edge of the universe itself—an empty, dim starry sky.
A grotesque passageway paved entirely with blood and flesh stretched into the darkness.
At the very end of the corridor floated a constantly pulsating giant eye, flashing with crimson light.
Naoya's upper body stood naked before the eye, fists tightly clenched.
The mutilated lower half of the American female soldier hanging beneath him formed the hand seals for the domain as cursed energy churned violently.
This was Naoya's innate domain, constructed upon the foundation of Projection Sorcery.
And the rules within the domain were even more tyrannical.
Anyone touched by Projection Sorcery had to replicate the exact same movements as the caster, or else they would be frozen in place for one second.
But Naoya's Time Cell Moon Palace refined the target of Projection Sorcery even further.
From the body—
To the cells themselves.
What once required only rough physical imitation had now evolved into every single cell in the body replicating the exact same motion.
Death.
If even one cell moved differently from Naoya's trajectory, the enemy inside the domain would bleed from all seven orifices until they died.
Naoya grinned viciously toward the corridor—
Then suddenly froze in confusion.
During battle, he had at least been able to vaguely sense Maki's presence.
But now, wrapped within the domain, there was no trace of her whatsoever.
Naoya had no experience fighting someone with Heavenly Restriction.
This was also his first time using Domain Expansion.
He didn't understand that a domain required cursed energy to lock onto its target in order for its guaranteed-hit effect to function.
Nor did he understand the terrifying nature of Heavenly Restriction—that it could completely ignore domains whose detection relied upon cursed energy.
Perhaps the Maki from before White Zetsu's guidance could not have achieved this.
But after her awakening…
Within the empty starry void, Maki silently approached Naoya from behind.
Just as she aimed her fist at his heart—
She suddenly stopped dead in place.
SPLURT!!!
A spray of glaring crimson burst from Naoya's back through his chest!
Naoya stared blankly at the hand protruding from his torso—
A hand gripping his still-beating heart.
"DIE!!!"
His head twisted around a full one hundred and eighty degrees!
Naoya suddenly looked behind himself, toward the one who had ambushed him.
The killing intent in his eyes paused for an instant as he shouted in shock:
"White Zetsu?!!"
Sneaking up from behind and tearing out his heart—
White Zetsu scratched his head awkwardly.
This kind of underhanded sneak attack behavior actually felt…
Pretty satisfying.
Crunch!
He crushed the heart in his hand without hesitation.
Tilting his head toward Maki, White Zetsu scratched his head sheepishly.
"Ah, I almost forgot. I still need to take this guy back alive."
Earlier, he had been so focused on looking cool that he nearly forgot the task Future had assigned him.
Crack, crack!
Naoya's cursed-spirit physiology prevented him from dying even after losing his heart.
But such severe damage still disrupted the cursed energy maintaining his domain.
BOOM!!!
The domain shattered apart violently, and the two cursed beings and one human returned once more to the ruined streets outside.
Maki had just opened her mouth to speak—
When she abruptly turned toward the overwhelming wave of evil erupting in the distance!
That direction…
Sukuna, now controlling Yuji's body and possessing the power of sixteen fingers, gave Megumi absolutely no time to react.
With a single casual step, Sukuna instantly appeared in front of Megumi.
"I admit it… what comes next is something of a gamble."
Sukuna concentrated all the power within his body into Yuji's left pinky finger.
Rip!
Blood sprayed.
The finger tore free.
Megumi stared in shock at the black markings spreading across Yuji's body and the utterly different aura of malice radiating from him.
Instinctively, he formed the hand sign to summon Mahoraga—
Only for Sukuna to seize both of his hands with one arm before he could complete it.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
"This brat really is unbelievably stupid!!!"
Sukuna's grin stretched to an exaggerated degree as his shrill laughter rang out.
The binding vow he had made with Yuji stated that for one minute, he would not harm anyone.
That was why Sukuna had not touched Nobara earlier, despite her being closest to him.
And when restraining Megumi, he had only gently stopped his movements without drawing even a drop of blood.
But tearing off Yuji's finger—
That was a genuine gamble.
He was betting that the naïve brat had excluded himself from the definition of "anyone."
While lurking inside Yuji's body, Sukuna had been like a cunning fox.
Observing the outside world.
Analyzing his vessel's personality.
It was precisely because Yuji was the kind of person he was that Sukuna had remained imprisoned within him, unable to resist.
And it was because he understood Yuji so thoroughly that Sukuna dared to risk everything on this gamble.
As expected—
Sukuna won.
Sukuna's manic laughter shook Megumi's eardrums as the overwhelming malice continued swelling higher and higher.
"Yu…ji?"
Megumi's voice trembled as he tried to call back the true owner of the body before him.
But the only response he received—
Was Sukuna's four mocking eyes.
"Ghk—!!!"
Sukuna excitedly forced Megumi's mouth open!
With lightning speed, he shoved the severed finger containing all his power straight down Megumi's throat!
The next second—
Megumi's pupils trembled violently as his entire body convulsed uncontrollably!
His consciousness—
His soul—
Began sinking into a bottomless abyss of darkness.
And replacing it—
Was that towering wave of monstrous malice.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
Megumi was not Yuji.
Faced with the overwhelming difference between their souls—
In an instant, Sukuna's soul completely overtook Megumi's body.
"You naïve little brat."
Sukuna casually slapped away Yuji's hand gripping his chin, his expression full of ridicule.
"So? Was it entertaining enough for you?"
Yuji Itadori stood there blankly, staring at the familiar face now covered in black markings.
His heart felt as though it were being squeezed tightly by a hand covered in thorns.
He had already resolved himself…
Once Tsumiki was saved, he would confess everything to Angel.
Then he would trade his own life in exchange for unsealing Satoru Gojo.
So why…
Why…
Why?!
Why had Tsumiki been incarnated by another sorcerer?
Why had Megumi become Sukuna's vessel?
Why…
Had everything turned out like this?
Meeting those four eyes overflowing with malice—
Yuji felt as though he had fallen into an icy abyss, utterly shattered.
"Megumi…"
Yuji whispered hopefully.
No one answered him.
That painfully familiar face now reflected only the deepest evil imaginable.
BOOM!
Without using any cursed technique or cursed energy—
A single punch slammed brutally into Yuji's abdomen!
"UGHHH!!!"
A massive spray of warm blood burst from Yuji's mouth!
Like a meteor, Yuji crashed through two or three buildings in succession!
Sent flying hundreds of meters away, his body drenched in blood, he collapsed atop the ruins of a shattered rooftop!
Sukuna grinned wildly and prepared to rush forward and finish Yuji off—
But suddenly stopped in place.
Raising an arm to shield himself from the blinding light descending from above, Sukuna felt an inexplicable burning pain spread across his body!
"MEGUMI!!!"
"THE FALLEN!!!"
Holy halos.
Pure white wings.
From the same body came two cries carrying entirely different meanings!
Kurusu Hana's voice was filled with terror and desperate worry.
Angel's voice burned with fury and murderous intent.
"It's him! That man is the Fallen!"
Angel's scream echoed within Hana's ears!
Even though Sukuna no longer wore the same appearance as a thousand years ago—
Even though he had not yet used any cursed technique—
With only a single glance, Angel recognized the identity of Ryomen Sukuna.
Hana stared blankly at the face she had longed for day and night, turmoil raging within her heart.
"This is not the time to hesitate!"
"If you want to save that boy, then the faster you separate them with your technique, the greater his chance of surviving!"
Unlike Sukuna, Angel and Hana existed in a symbiotic relationship.
Angel would never seize control of Hana's consciousness without her consent.
And contrary to expectations, Hana did not hesitate.
Staring fixedly at Sukuna, cursed energy surged from her body!
"Give him back!!!"
"Give Megumi back to me!!!"
Angel instantly received permission.
Technique release!
"Bear his sins, carry his sorrow, and bring them before the seat of God!"
"Technique Release — Jacob's Ladder!!!"
At that moment—
The heavens and earth lost all color.
Across the entire Tokyo No. 2 Colony, only one thing remained—
That incomparably radiant pillar of pure white light.
Bright as day itself!
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