His gaze settled on the Special Grade Cursed Spirit once more. Deep within his dark red eyes, a subtle glint flickered, a meaning only he understood.
He could have crushed those tentacles with ease earlier. He could have counterattacked the Cursed Spirit instantly.
But he chose not to.
This was a rare opportunity.
Itadori and Nobara needed to face a truly powerful opponent. They needed to be pushed to their limits and grow through the pressure of a life-or-death battle. As long as he remained here, even if they suffered severe injuries, he could pull them back from the brink with the power of rules.
"Let's take it together," Sol said, breaking the tense silence. "It won't be easy."
His words reignited the group's fighting spirit.
"Right!" Itadori nodded firmly, resetting his stance as determination burned in his eyes. "So what if it's a Special Grade? There are four of us!"
Nobara licked her lips and tightened her grip on her hammer.
"Perfect chance to test some new moves."
Megumi took a deep breath and formed another hand sign. The shadows at his feet expanded.
"Understood. Nue, keep harassing it from above. Great Serpent, come out!"
A massive serpent-shaped shikigami burst from the shadows, radiating a fierce presence.
The Special Grade Cursed Spirit watched the three regain their resolve while Sol stood beside them, still impossible to read.
"Heh... that's more like it," it chuckled. "Toys should act like toys. Struggle harder for me."
The battle erupted again.
The mouths covering the curse's body shrieked in unison as a torrent of Cursed Energy flooded outward.
This time, it abandoned all restraint.
Its arms slammed into the flesh-covered ground.
The entire space trembled violently.
Countless spikes formed from flesh and cursed energy burst from the floor, walls, and ceiling, blanketing the area in a relentless storm of attacks.
"Dodge!" Megumi shouted.
Nue immediately spread its wings and unleashed a net of lightning in an attempt to block the barrage.
The lightning shattered almost instantly beneath the overwhelming number of spikes.
Relying on his extraordinary reflexes and physical abilities, Itadori weaved through the assault. Whenever he couldn't evade an attack, he shattered it with Cursed Energy-enhanced fists.
Nobara depended on agility and quick defensive movements with her hammer. Even so, the sheer volume of attacks was impossible to avoid completely.
One spike grazed her arm, leaving a bloody wound.
"Tsk!"
Pain flashed across her face, slowing her for a split second.
More spikes immediately converged on her position.
"Nobara!"
Itadori tried to rush over, only to be forced back by another wave of attacks.
Meanwhile, Megumi's Great Serpent coiled around the group, using its massive body to absorb much of the incoming damage. Several spikes pierced its scales, drawing pained hisses from the shikigami.
Sol moved through the battlefield like a shadow.
Amid the dense barrage, he avoided every attack with minimal movement.
His eyes swept across the battlefield, monitoring the condition of the others.
Not yet.
They could still keep going.
"This isn't working!" Megumi gritted his teeth. "We need to get closer!"
"How?" Nobara shouted while batting away another spike. "We can't even get through!"
The Special Grade Cursed Spirit stood at the center of the flesh-covered arena, watching with obvious amusement.
It looked as though it were enjoying the struggle of trapped prey.
Suddenly, Itadori roared and surged forward.
Ignoring the spikes tearing at his arms, he shielded his head and charged straight through the barrage.
"Just punch it!"
"Idiot! Don't be reckless!" Megumi shouted.
But Itadori was already charging.
The curse watched him approach and slowly raised a hand.
A massive mouth split open in its palm.
Highly condensed Cursed Energy rapidly gathered within it.
At that exact moment, Sol moved.
Instead of helping Itadori, his figure appeared beside Nobara.
A spike had slipped through the chaos and was hurtling toward her blind spot.
Sol casually raised an arm.
Clang!
The spike deflected away as though it had struck solid steel.
Nobara felt a gust of malicious wind behind her, followed by the metallic impact.
Turning in surprise, she saw Sol lowering his arm.
"Th... thanks," she said instinctively.
"Mhm. Watch your back more carefully during a fight."
His eyes never left the battlefield.
At the same time, Itadori's reckless charge successfully drew the curse's attention.
The attack gathering in its palm was on the verge of firing.
"Nue!"
Megumi seized the opportunity.
The winged shikigami dove from above, crackling with electricity.
Its lightning-covered talons slammed into the curse's arm.
The impact knocked the arm aside.
The concentrated blast fired harmlessly into the wall, blowing a massive hole through it.
"Good opening!"
Nobara acted immediately.
A nail shot forward and embedded itself in the exposed wound.
"Resonance!"
Boom!
Part of the curse's body exploded.
It released a howl of pain as its momentum faltered.
Itadori took advantage of the opening and closed the distance.
His fist crashed into the curse's calf with full force.
Bang!
The heavy strike forced the Special Grade Cursed Spirit to stagger.
Roaring in irritation, it unleashed more spikes and tentacles from the flesh-covered ground, sending them surging toward Itadori.
"Itadori!"
Megumi immediately directed the Great Serpent forward to cover him.
The battle descended into a brutal stalemate.
The three sorcerers worked together, barely enduring the relentless assault of the Special Grade.
Occasionally, they managed to launch successful counterattacks.
Even so, injuries accumulated across their bodies, and their Cursed Energy reserves were being drained rapidly.
Throughout the fight, Sol remained at the edge of the battlefield.
He rarely attacked.
Yet every time he moved, it happened at the most critical moment.
A perfectly timed sidestep blocked a bone spike flying toward the back of Megumi's head.
A seemingly accidental step crushed a fang emerging beneath Itadori's foot.
A casual flick of his hand knocked aside a piece of debris racing toward Nobara's eye.
Each action appeared insignificant.
Almost accidental.
Yet those subtle interventions repeatedly prevented disaster.
Again and again, the three escaped danger and continued fighting.
As the battle dragged on, they gradually adapted to the pressure.
Their confidence grew.
The Special Grade Cursed Spirit became increasingly frustrated.
These young sorcerers were proving far more troublesome than expected.
Every time victory seemed within reach, some inexplicable accident ruined its efforts.
Its crimson gaze finally settled on Sol again.
Although he had barely attacked, his presence filled it with unease.
"You!"
Its shrill voice echoed through the battlefield.
"You're in the way!"
Abandoning its relentless assault on the others, the curse gathered a massive amount of Cursed Energy.
The pressure shifted entirely toward Sol.
A crushing force descended like a mountain.
The burden on Itadori, Nobara, and Megumi instantly lessened.
But their expressions changed immediately.
The curse had switched targets.
"Hey! It changed targets!" Itadori shouted.
Sol felt the concentrated malice and overwhelming pressure bearing down on him.
His expression remained unchanged.
He had intended to keep using this battle as training for the others.
Unfortunately, the Special Grade Cursed Spirit seemed determined to make him its primary target.
===
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