The laughter hadn't fully come back yet.
Utahime was still out cold.
People were still replaying what Takeru just did—
trying to understand it.
Failing.
Then—
BOOM.
Not like a speaker.
Not like an attack.
Like something arrived.
The ground trembled.
Air compressed.
Every conversation died instantly.
Even the strongest went quiet.
Kashimo's grin faded.
Ryu stopped mid-bite.
Higuruma's hand paused at his tie.
Nanami straightened.
Megumi's shadows reacted on instinct.
Yuji clenched his fists.
And inside—
Sukuna stirred.
"…Now this…"
A presence flooded the area.
Heavy.
Sharp.
Unfamiliar.
Takeru's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Oh?"
Then—
something moved.
Too fast to see.
Too fast to react.
It passed right by Takeru's face—
SHHK.
A thin line opened across his cheek.
Silence.
Behind him—
BOOM.
The wall in the distance exploded outward.
Cleanly cut.
Delayed impact.
Everyone froze.
Gojo's expression dropped.
Both of them.
"…That was close."
Shoko's voice cut in immediately.
"…Takeru."
He didn't move.
Didn't wipe the blood.
Just smiled.
Slightly.
"…Huh."
From the dust—
a figure walked forward.
Calm.
Steady.
Unbothered.
A woman.
Her presence didn't spike wildly like most.
It pressed.
Constant.
Refined.
Dangerous.
Her eyes scanned the group once.
Then settled on Takeru.
No introduction.
No explanation.
Just intent.
Uro frowned.
"…She's not normal."
Kashimo's grin came back slowly.
"…Good."
Megumi whispered:
"…Reincarnated…?"
Higuruma added quietly:
"…Or something else."
Even Gojo didn't joke this time.
"…Strong."
Takeru finally lifted a hand.
Wiped the thin line of blood from his cheek.
Looked at it.
Then back at her.
"…Aura farming?"
A small chuckle.
"…Ha."
He took one step forward.
"…Hit me one more time—"
His cursed energy shifted.
Subtle.
But real.
"…and you'll see some real stuff."
The woman stopped.
Just a few steps away now.
No reaction.
No words.
Just—
a faint smile.
The air tightened again.
Something was about to happen.
And this time—
no one laughed.