"Damn scum…" Sukuna growled through clenched teeth, each word dripping with the murderous rage of the King of Curses. "Nero!"
"You said you wouldn't interfere with my recovery! What the hell are you doing?!"
Sukuna's roar carried a tangible malice, making the ruins tremble.
In midair, the white-haired man—Gaio—let out a faint, mocking chuckle. The sound was laced with scorn, ringing clearly in everyone's ears.
He descended slowly, his posture exuding an effortless arrogance. His shoes touched the ground lightly, kicking up a puff of dust.
He tilted his chin up, his eyes devoid of any ripple, holding only the disdain of someone looking at an inferior creature.
"I wasn't planning to bother with you," Gaio said calmly.
"But Sukuna," he tilted his head slightly, a few strands of white hair slipping free, "you're too slow."
"From Shibuya until now—fifteen whole days." Gaio raised a single finger, his tone dripping with unmasked disappointment and irritation. "And you're still in this…"
His gaze swept over the charred, broken body of Megumi Fushiguro that Sukuna had possessed, landing on Sukuna's rage-twisted face. He spat out a cold verdict:
"…pathetic state."
"And to think," Gaio's lips curled into a faint, mocking smirk, "you have to resort to such lowlife tricks, tearing at a broken girl's throat just to find some amusement?"
He didn't spare another glance at Sukuna, whose face had turned ashen and whose cursed energy boiled unstably with fury. Instead, he walked straight toward Hua Raishin, who sat on the ground.
In stark contrast to the soul-freezing coldness he showed Sukuna, Gaio crouched naturally before Hua, extending a hand to her.
The sharp lines of his face seemed to soften instantly, replaced by a warm, celebrity-like smile.
"It's okay now, Miss Raishin," he said in a low, soothing voice, carrying a calming strength. "Can you stand?"
Hua's unfocused eyes sharpened slightly, meeting Gaio's now-reassuring gaze.
"N-Nero?" Hua stared up at the man offering his hand, someone she knew all too well.
Because she *had* to attend every single one of his concerts.
Gaio gave her a gentle smile, his hand still extended. "Yep, it's me. My number-one fan."
Hua looked at him in disbelief. "You… you… you *knew*?"
She had never bought a ticket to his concerts.
Gaio nodded. "Of course. I knew you were hiding in the rafters above the stage at every show. And I know you've been to every one of my signing events, too."
Hua's eyes welled up slightly. "I… I love your music so much. I couldn't afford tickets, so I had to sneak in to see you perform…"
Gaio gently took her hand, helping her to her feet. "It's alright. I felt your passion."
His hand sliced through the air, tearing open a black rift in space as if it were cloth. Uraume tumbled out of the rift, their white monk robes stained with blood.
"Lord Sukuna!" Uraume cried out, only to be sent flying by a single kick from Gaio, their body crashing toward Sukuna like a ragdoll.
Sukuna's four crimson eyes narrowed, a feral grin splitting his face. "Well, well…" He caught Uraume, his nails digging deep into their shoulder. "You really get me, don't you, Nero?"
Gaio slipped his hands into his pockets, nodding toward Uraume with his chin. "Eat. Let's see if the peak you can entertain me."
Uraume, trembling, pulled a black wooden box from their robes. The lid snapped open, revealing three withered fingers and a decayed head.
Sukuna's pupils contracted sharply. That was… *his* head!
"Hahaha!" Sukuna burst into wild laughter, snatching the box. "Fine, I'll indulge you!"
He opened his bloodied maw, shoving the fingers and head into his mouth!
*Crunch—*
The bone-chilling sound of chewing echoed.
Megumi Fushiguro's body began to twist violently, grotesque cursed markings spreading across his skin. Sukuna's cursed energy erupted like a tsunami, shaking the entire space!
His power swept through like a volcanic eruption.
"This is… the full power of Sukuna?" Yuji Itadori dropped to one knee, sweat soaking his back.
Just standing in the eye of the storm made every cell in his body scream with danger.
Gaio tilted his head. "Still… a bit short?" He turned to Yuji. "Where's the Prison Realm?"
"S-Still in Shibuya!" Yuji answered instinctively.
Gaio's finger casually sliced through the air, parting space like a curtain. A black cube etched with eerie patterns crashed to the ground with a *thud*.
Yamato blade slid an inch from its sheath, its cold glint flashing across the Prison Realm—
*BOOM!* Thick smoke burst forth!
"Ahh~ Out at last~" A playful voice cut through the haze as a white-haired man stretched lazily, stepping out.
Under messy white hair, a familiar grin curved his lips. "That was a *long* nap."
"Teacher Gojo?!" Yuji's shout and Sukuna's wild laughter rang out simultaneously.
Sukuna's four eyes narrowed, his cursed energy boiling even more violently. "Satoru Gojo!"
He tore off his shirt, revealing a body covered in cursed markings. "Perfect timing! I'll rip you and that damn pretty boy to shreds!!"
Gojo's azure eyes narrowed slightly, a playful smile tugging at his lips. "Sukuna."
His voice was light, like a casual greeting, but it froze the air solid.
Sukuna's four crimson eyes contracted, his cursed energy erupting into tangible black flames that shot skyward. "Die!!"
He shattered the ground with a step, his form blurring as he lunged at Gojo! But mid-swing, he froze, a flicker of shock crossing his curse-marked face.
*'Megumi Fushiguro?!'* Sukuna's pupils trembled violently.
He felt a consciousness awakening within, like thorns wrapping around his cursed energy's flow. The boy's soul, which should have been fully suppressed, was fighting for control!
"Heh." Gaio crossed his arms. "The vessel's fighting back."
Gojo suddenly flashed in front of Sukuna, their noses almost touching. "Can't even control the body."
He wagged a finger. "How're you gonna tear me and…" He teleported beside Gaio, slinging an arm over his shoulder, "…this celebrity bro apart?"
"Scum!!" Sukuna roared, claws digging into his own throat, piercing the skin.
Gaio flicked Gojo's hand off his shoulder, his gaze cutting through Sukuna's struggle to land on Gojo. "Boring," he said coolly. "Sukuna's last finger. You have it."
Gojo raised an eyebrow, his azure eyes glinting with surprise. "Oh? Yeah, I do."
"Hand it over," Gaio ordered.
"Huh?" Gojo's mouth dropped open dramatically. "You're not serious, are you?"
"This Sukuna's boring," Gaio repeated, his eyes unwavering.
"Hey, hey, hey!" Gojo tapped his temple. "If we do this, Fushiguro's gonna be completely suppressed, you know?"
"I know."
"And you still—?!" Gojo's voice pitched up.
Gaio's lips curved into a wild smirk. "That's what makes it… interesting."
The air fell dead silent.
Even Sukuna stopped struggling, his four blood-red eyes locking onto Gojo and Gaio.
Gojo's mouth hung open wide enough to fit an egg, his azure pupils shaking twice.
The next second, he clutched his stomach, erupting into earth-shaking laughter. "Hahaha! Interesting! Too damn interesting!!!"
He laughed so hard he doubled over, even wiping away exaggerated tears.
His laughter cut off abruptly, his playful face freezing over.
"You sure?" Gojo's voice sank like icy depths. "Sukuna at that level… he's gonna be a real monster." The air grew thick with each syllable.
"I know," Gaio replied, not even blinking.
Gojo's lips split into a manic grin. "Alright then—"
"Can you win?"
Gaio's hand rested on Yamato blade's hilt, the scabbard letting out a clear, resonant hum as it grazed metal.
He lifted his gaze slightly, looking past Gojo to Sukuna.
"We will win."
---
"We will win."
Those three words made Gojo's azure eyes blaze with stunning light!
That wild confidence struck something deep within him, igniting a dormant madness.
"Hahaha! Alright!" Gojo's laughter exploded, filled with unprecedented exhilaration. "It's yours!"
He casually flicked two fingers toward the sky.
*Buzz!*
A streak of azure light tore through the horizon, a distant black dot rapidly growing, whistling through the air!
Gojo caught it with precision, an ancient wooden box landing in his palm. Without a glance, he tossed it toward Gaio.
Gaio didn't even blink, catching it with a backhand. Without pausing, he flicked his wrist, sending the box—holding the final source of the King of Curses' power—flying.
Like tossing garbage, he hurled it toward Sukuna, who stood at the center of a cursed energy storm, seething with rage at being treated like a bargaining chip!
"Scum—!!!" Sukuna's roar warped, his four crimson eyes practically bleeding with fury!
His overwhelming humiliation turned into tangible killing intent, as if dragging the entire space into hell! He snatched the flying box, savagely crushing it along with the last withered finger inside!
Without hesitation, he shoved the fragments, carrying the endless curse, into his mouth!
*Crunch!*
The sickening sound of chewing echoed.
*BOOM—!!!*
A cursed energy far more terrifying than before—pure, despair-inducing, and pitch-black—exploded like the universe's primal birth, erupting from Sukuna!
The ruins' concrete and steel turned to dust in an instant!
Megumi Fushiguro's body swelled and twisted in the black energy vortex!
His skin tore, more cursed markings spreading and intertwining like living things, radiating destruction.
Four grotesque arms burst from his body, a gaping mouth appearing on his abdomen. The complete, suffocatingly terrifying form of the King of Curses rose at the heart of the devastation!
"Tch, tch," Gojo clicked his tongue, his azure eyes scanning the inhuman shadow, his tone carrying exaggerated awe. "Scarier than I expected."
He turned to Gaio, flashing a playful grin. "Go for it, bro."
He gave a thumbs-up, pointing at himself. "If you lose, you've still got the strongest backing you up."
Gaio's gaze remained locked on the King of Curses, now completing his final transformation.
He didn't spare Gojo a glance, his voice calm but carrying the sharp edge of a blade that cut through all doubt:
"No need."
"Sukuna will die."
"And your student," he paused, his gaze seeming to pierce through the boiling black tide of curses, seeing something beyond, "will live."