Faced with Zen'in Mirai sudden question, the savage expression on Sukuna's face froze slightly.
Recalling the sensation from the strike that had severed the world itself, Sukuna's expression visibly darkened.
Blood spilled from his mouth as his four eyes widened upward.
"…Masaka!?"
("Impossible!?")
"Hahaha!"
Mirai smiled knowingly and softly explained:
"So you did feel it…"
"For that single instant, you also sensed the restraints imposed by the world itself."
Mirai lifted the foot pressing down on Sukuna.
From the shadows beneath him emerged a black throne.
It was not for show.
The manifested rules of the Ten Shadows Domain spread like thick black liquid over Sukuna's body. Besides preventing the operation of his Reverse Cursed Technique—
the expanding darkness also directly prohibited the activation of Yuta's Boogie Woogie.
Sitting upon the throne, Mirai rested his chin against one hand and murmured:
"That feeling was probably similar to when you were imprisoned inside Yuji Itadori, wasn't it?"
"A shallow pond cannot nurture a true dragon."
"To protect itself from destruction, the pond can only continue restricting the dragon's growth."
"In the jujutsu world, a sorcerer capable of single-handedly destroying a nation is classified as Special Grade."
"Then what would someone capable of destroying an entire world alone be classified as?"
Without waiting for Sukuna's answer, Mirai continued:
"It started several years ago…"
"Back then, I had already begun sensing the obstruction of the world's will."
"No matter what I did, my strength simply couldn't improve any further."
Unlike Sukuna and Satoru Gojo, who viewed themselves as invincible and stood isolated at the summit—
Mirai perspective was broader.
He knew there were far more terrifying beings beyond this world.
There were conquerors whose sheer aura could split the heavens apart.
Brilliant worlds of ninjutsu.
The Ōtsutsuki Clan, who treated entire planets as nourishment.
And even a certain bald-headed monster capable of destroying a planet with a single punch.
Mirai had never considered himself invincible within existence.
Yet despite that, his power still could not grow any further.
So he had no choice but to rely on external means—
to absorb the negative emotions of all humanity in order to evolve his "cheat."
To evolve the Sharingan into the Rinnegan.
To complete the ascension of his lifeform itself.
Now, the jujutsu world had nearly been completely swept clean by Mirai, and the nourishment ordinary humans could provide had become extremely limited.
Which meant that Mirai's path of growth had once again been sealed off by the world itself.
If he wished to continue growing stronger—
then he could only break this world apart.
Leave for a higher plane of existence.
Exchange this shallow pond for a boundless ocean capable of containing a true dragon.
But to shatter the world's barrier, Mirai was still lacking one final step.
Back when he spoke with Master Tengen at the Tombs of the Star Corridor, he had once said that perhaps only two people after him could understand this predicament.
And Sukuna, after comprehending the World Slash, barely qualified as one of them.
"That feeling of being restrained…"
"It's unbearable, isn't it?"
"It feels like countless chains wrapped around your entire body. Every extra second I remain like this feels torturous."
Mirai slowly raised one arm.
At his fingertip erupted a terrifying pressure far greater than anything he had displayed during his battles with Gojo or Sukuna.
It was a violent energy on an entirely different level.
Sukuna's four eyes nearly split apart from shock as his heart trembled violently.
This sensation—
was exactly like the slash he had unleashed to cut through the world itself!
But even after gathering power for so long, he had only reached that state for a fleeting instant.
Meanwhile, the monster before him merely condensed power at his fingertip for a moment—
and already possessed destructive force equal to Sukuna's fully extended supreme slash!
Kzzzt!
The deep black light condensing at Mirai's fingertip caused the surrounding void to tremble violently.
Like an incomplete black hole still taking shape—
cracks spread faintly through shattered space as a terrifying gravitational pull erupted outward!
"You see?"
"In this world, I can't even use my full power."
"The consequence of forcibly breaking free from those chains…"
"…is the large-scale collapse of space itself."
"The planet would gradually crumble, eventually turning into a small black hole drifting through the universe."
With a soft sigh, Mirai dispersed the energy gathered at his fingertip.
The void slowly returned to calm.
"If the planet is destroyed, I wouldn't be able to survive alone in outer space either."
"That outcome isn't what I want."
"Just as you escaped from inside Yuji…"
"…I only want to break free from this world's restraints and regain my freedom."
Hearing those words—
the savage expression on Sukuna's face finally quieted.
After listening to Zen'in Mirai explanation, Sukuna seemed to finally understand the reason behind everything.
Devouring cursed energy.
Absorbing the resentment of humanity.
Those had merely been preparations.
Using his full strength in the outside world would trigger unpredictable consequences, so Mirai used Kenjaku's barrier to package the entirety of Japan itself inside.
Once the entire barrier merged into the mysterious space under his control—
this monster would finally be able to unleash his full strength and attack the world's barrier from within that space.
To reach the land of freedom he knew existed beyond.
As for why he first needed to drag the entire barrier into that mysterious dimension—
First, because the mutual slaughter mandated by the Culling Game would generate even greater resentment to evolve those eerie eyes.
Second, because of the horrifying thing Kenjaku had created—
the grotesque cursed womb hanging in the sky—
which was now trapped within this space, unable to escape.
Meeting Mirai's cold gaze, Sukuna let out a deep sigh.
"I see now."
"There must be many interesting people beyond this world."
After witnessing the brief glimpse of Mirai's true power, Sukuna understood that his fate could no longer be changed.
He held no attachment to life.
Nor any fear of death.
What Sukuna regretted was simply this—
that he would never meet more interesting people.
Never experience more interesting battles.
Nor savor more interesting… delicacies.
And mixed into that regret was dissatisfaction toward himself.
The loneliness of absolute strength.
The solitude of standing at the summit.
Throughout this entire battle, Sukuna had remained the one being toyed with.
At this moment, he even felt the faintest trace of apology.
After fighting this long—
he still had not managed to force the monster before him to reveal his full power.
Seeing the complicated emotions on Sukuna's face, Mirai slowly rose from the throne and sighed softly.
"It seems… you finally understand."
Unlike his earlier mockery, Mirai gaze toward Sukuna now carried genuine seriousness.
"You were actually a pretty good opponent."
"I probably won't forget you."
As he spoke, the black liquid shadows sank back into the ground, and the throne behind him disappeared into the void.
The Domain clone currently battling Yuta and the others dissipated.
Mirai's true body stood before Sukuna and slowly formed a hand seal.
The instant the clone vanished, Yuji prepared to charge toward Mirai's real body—
only for Yuta to immediately grab him and pull him away!
After hurriedly glancing at the seal Mirai was forming, Yuta instantly dragged everyone into retreat!
It was an open-barrier Domain.
If they did not escape quickly enough, all four of them would be caught within its range.
At this point, saving Megumi Fushiguro was impossible.
The moment the four fled—
Mirai's indifferent voice echoed behind them, accompanied by the roar of overwhelming cursed energy.
"Domain Expansion…"
"Final Scene: Glazed Moon."
Sukuna, who no longer possessed the strength to struggle, stared blankly with his bloodstained eyes.
A crimson moon rose into the sky.
Soul memories.
And in that instant—
Mirai stepped directly into the memories of the King of Curses…
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