"Even so… in that brief exchange, he actually matched me?"
Sukuna tensed, his gaze locked onto Roy.
This was nearly impossible!
He had believed his cursed energy reserves were overwhelmingly vast, his output unrivaled in human history. Even in hand-to-hand combat, he should have been able to suppress any sorcerer. No one should have been able to rival him in raw physical combat.
Not even Roy.
Sure, Roy's physical prowess was formidable, but that was it. Even with cursed energy reinforcement, it shouldn't compare to Sukuna's monstrous reserves and output. At best, Roy should have been struggling beneath his overwhelming might.
Yet in actual combat, Roy's strength and speed were on par with his own!
Despite the glaring difference in output…
Was it because of Roy's strangely unique cursed energy?
"Whatever. I'll crush you with everything I have now!"
A ruthless glint flashed in Sukuna's eyes as he retrieved the two remaining fingers from his sleeve and swallowed them whole.
As the last fingers slid down his throat, a sense of completion surged within him.
His already immense cursed energy swelled further, a storm of power gathering around him before gradually settling, the once-rampant energy now as calm as a still lake.
Watching this, Roy narrowed his eyes slightly.
Incredible cursed energy control.
Despite possessing such vast reserves, Sukuna didn't waste a single drop, refining his control to an almost microscopic level.
Roy prided himself on his own mastery over cursed energy, but compared to Sukuna, he fell short.
If Sukuna could utilize 99% of his cursed energy, wasting only 1%, Roy could manage around 95%—still impressive, but not quite at Sukuna's level.
Sukuna was definitely not someone who relied solely on innate power to ascend the throne. His natural talent was first-rate, and he also possessed a thirst for learning. He wasn't content with merely overwhelming others through brute strength—he sought to surpass all other sorcerers even in the most delicate control of power. That was how he attained this formidable mastery.
When it came to the control of cursed energy, perhaps only Gojo Satoru—with his Six Eyes that never wasted a single drop of cursed energy, capable of perfectly utilizing and even overclocking every ounce of his power—could surpass Sukuna in this regard.
"Sukuna, before we go all out, I have a question for you."
Roy remained on guard but suddenly spoke up.
"Want to surrender?"
Sukuna sneered, his cold eyes brimming with murderous intent as the corners of his lips curled upward.
"Too bad—I refuse! I'll slice you from head to toe into ribbons and erase every trace of your existence from this world!"
"You don't seem to be thinking clearly."
Roy scoffed, dismissing Sukuna's delusional rant.
"My question is—in your eyes, who is the challenger in this fight?"
"Hah! That's what you wanted to ask?"
Sukuna burst into laughter at his words, jabbing a thumb at himself with an arrogant smirk.
"Though it's a boring question, I'll humor you since these are your last words. In this life, I've always been the one challenged—you're the challenger!"
Good.
Roy's lips twisted into a grin brimming with exhilaration.
"Then I'll make sure you lose with no room for excuses!"
Battle intent surged in Roy's eyes, his sharp gaze piercing Sukuna like an arrow.
The decisive battle at full strength had finally begun!
At the same time, this scene was being broadcast to sorcerers everywhere through the brass birds.
Yaga Masamichi, Mei Mei, Nanami Kento, and numerous others from the Kamo Clan—even ancient sorcerers—were all watching from afar.
Sensing the invisible yet suffocating aura radiating from the battlefield's center, the gathered sorcerers instinctively kept their distance.
Approaching that place would mean certain death!
"Roy, it's all up to you now!"
Yaga Masamichi dashed through the streets. The sheer number of ancient sorcerers had forced even him to the frontlines.
Unease gnawed at his heart. The sight of Okkotsu Yuta being bisected had nearly stopped his heart in terror. Now, more than ever, he desperately hoped Roy would win.
"Yuta's already lost. The gap between him and Sukuna was too vast. Zen'in probably isn't a match either. You're the only one left who can defeat him—you have to win!"
If Roy failed...
Everyone here would die by Sukuna's hand!
In this moment, Roy carried the hopes of them all—he was, without a doubt, the last remaining hope.
Countless sorcerers were praying for his victory.
...
At the heart of the battlefield, two figures clashed like lightning, each collision shaking the earth, cracking the ground, and sending debris flying. The battlefield became a storm of chaos as the two fought fiercely, turning the world itself upside down.
Sukuna's attacks were feral, every move honed through slaughter—humanity's most primal instinct for battle, unparalleled in its lethality. There was no hint of defense in his stance.
In contrast, Roy was well-balanced in both offense and defense, his every move executed with precision and discipline, showing no signs of disarray. Even when staggered by Sukuna, he could quickly regain his stance, his reaction speed clearly surpassing Sukuna's by more than a margin.
The two exchanged blows, momentarily locked in a stalemate.
"Even at my full restored power, I still can't gain the upper hand!?"
Sukuna relentlessly pressed his assault, disregarding Megumi Fushiguro's body entirely. With each strike, immense cursed energy transformed into overwhelming pressure, bearing down on Roy with full force.
However, Roy merely took a few steps back, effortlessly dispersing the force without even breaking his stance. His face showed not a trace of fear, brimming instead with an air of ease and confidence.
In terms of raw strength, he was superior.
But when it came to reflexes and martial skill, Roy held an overwhelming advantage.
It was as if he had countless eyes—no matter the angle of attack, he could react instantly, deftly blocking every strike with practiced precision. His movements flowed seamlessly, making their battle seem less like a fight and more like a dance, a sight to behold.
Just as Sukuna could wield cursed energy as naturally as moving his own limbs, Roy had honed his physical abilities to their absolute peak!
Refusing to accept this, Sukuna gathered his cursed energy once more and threw a punch at Roy.
Roy took a step back, simultaneously grabbing Sukuna's arm and yanking him forward. Sukuna's balance faltered, and as he stumbled forward, Roy seized the moment to deliver a sharp kick to his chest.
"Again with this move?!"
First, Toji had used this tactic against him, and now Roy too?
A flash of fury crossed Sukuna's eyes. Planting his foot, he abandoned any attempt to regain balance or stance and instead lunged headfirst into Roy's chest, aiming a brutal headbutt.
Roy chuckled lightly, pushing off the ground with his own foot. As he retreated, his body suddenly lifted into the air.
His kick landed squarely on Sukuna's chest, sending him flying backward.
"Boom!"
Roy steadied himself and threw a straight punch, striking Sukuna square in the face.
The tremendous impact sent Sukuna hurtling through the air.
Like a beast, Sukuna clawed at the ground, skidding for over a hundred meters before finally regaining his footing. He wiped the blood from his nose.
With his immense cursed energy, his defensive capabilities were extraordinary. Despite the punch's devastating force, it hadn't dealt any serious damage—his Reverse Cursed Technique quickly healed the injury.
Just as he prepared to charge at Roy again—
A sudden wave of dizziness washed over him. His vision blurred, his legs wobbled, and he nearly collapsed.
"What's happening?"
Sukuna hastily steadied himself, his mind inexplicably clouded.
He shook his head violently, channeling Reverse Cursed Energy throughout his body. Gradually, the dizziness faded.
"That sensation just now... was it my soul? His punch actually struck my soul directly?!"
Sukuna's expression darkened with realization.
Yes.
That was it!
Roy's fist had bypassed Yuji Itadori's body entirely, landing a direct hit on his soul!
That was why he had been left disoriented.
Because while he had healed his physical injuries, his soul remained untouched.
"Heh."
Roy let out a light laugh, his voice dripping with amusement.
Ever since he had expanded the scope of his slashing techniques to target the soul, Roy had effortlessly mastered the art of striking the soul with cursed energy.
Cursed energy was, after all, a force that could directly affect the soul. Most simply couldn't perceive the soul's outline, making it impossible to aim for. But such a trivial matter was no obstacle for Roy.
He beckoned to Sukuna, his gesture brimming with provocation.
"Come at me again!"
"This bastard!"
Sukuna's eyes turned icy, his murderous intent palpable.
He straightened up but didn't rush forward. Instead, he placed both hands behind his back.
"Nue!"
A colossal owl, over twenty meters tall, materialized in the sky above.
Bolts of lightning, like countless silver serpents, crackled and rained down upon Roy from above.
Roy tilted his head slightly.
What was Sukuna up to now?
He placed his hands behind his back—was he forming hand seals to summon Nue?
"Boom!"
A bolt of lightning struck directly at Roy, who hadn't moved an inch.
Intense arcs of electricity flashed across Roy's body, countless sparks erupting over his skin.
The compressed cursed energy armor around him trembled slightly before stabilizing, completely shielding him from the lightning.
"Hard as a turtle's shell!"
Sukuna frowned slightly.
Though he hadn't expected Nue to injure Roy, he was still surprised that it couldn't even breach his cursed energy defense.
Roy's cursed energy output was far inferior to his, but in terms of pure defensive capability, he might even surpass him!
"Max Elephant!"
Sukuna formed another hand seal behind his back.
In an instant, a massive elephant shikigami descended from the sky like a meteor, crashing toward Roy.
The overwhelming pressure was far greater than Jogo's ultimate technique!
Roy's eyes sharpened—his heightened perception instantly locked onto the elephant, and he leaped away just in time.
The more cursed energy poured into Max Elephant, the more terrifying its pressure became. Even with his compressed cursed energy armor, he didn't dare take it head-on.
But the moment he escaped from under the elephant, Roy spun midair and delivered a roundhouse kick straight to its head. The enormous skull exploded on impact.
"Ordinary shikigami are no match for him. In that case—"
Sukuna watched the scene without a hint of regret.
A thought seemed to strike him, and he suddenly grinned.
A smug, eager grin, as if he couldn't wait to see Roy's reaction.
"Then let's try this shikigami!"
He clasped his hands behind his back, cursed energy surging as malice spread across his face.
"Furube Yura yura—Yorozu no Tsurugi, Divine General Mahoraga!"
Let's see Mahoraga's power once more!
Shadow technique shikigami can't be summoned again once destroyed, but since Mahoraga hasn't been fully tamed yet, it doesn't matter how many times it's killed.
Mahoraga alone wouldn't be a match for Roy, but in a chaotic battle, things would be different!
If he bought Mahoraga enough time to adapt to Roy's attacks, it would grow rapidly—surely becoming Roy's toughest opponent!
Sukuna formed the seal and called Mahoraga's name.
He waited for its appearance.
Yet.
Seconds passed.
Nothing appeared beside him.
Sukuna's expression shifted from anticipation to shock, then disbelief.
"What's going on? Where's Mahoraga?!"
He couldn't sense it!
The shadow technique didn't respond at all!
How could this happen?!
Back at the juvenile detention center, he had clearly sensed Fushiguro summoning Mahoraga!
He had replicated Fushiguro's hand seals perfectly—there was no mistake. Mahoraga should have been standing beside him by now!
"Hey, Sukuna. Looking for this?"
A leisurely voice came from across the battlefield.
Sukuna looked up in astonishment.
For a moment, he thought his eyes were deceiving him.
"Fūga, Fūga—Yorozu no Tsurugi, Divine General Mahoraga!"
Roy formed the exact same hand seals Sukuna remembered.
Then, the shadows at his feet writhed—and from them emerged a towering figure.
Standing over three meters tall, its form as slender and sharp as a longsword, with four wings extending backward from its eye sockets, its right arm brandishing a keen demon-slaying blade, and a rudder-like magical array hovering above its head—it exuded an aura of profound mystery.
Roy wore a triumphant smile, as if he had been eagerly anticipating this moment.
"Surprised, Sukuna?"
"Ma... Mahoraga...!"
Sukuna ground his teeth as he took in the sight.
Mahoraga stood obediently behind Roy like a loyal attendant—clearly, it had already been tamed long ago.
Sukuna trembled with rage, his fury so intense it burned away his reason. Even when Uraume had been attacked earlier, his anger hadn't reached this level.
"Roy, you bastard—!!!"