The cursed dimension convulsed violently, the air thick with the scent of ozone and the taste of raw energy. Jagged shards of blackened stone floated like shattered teeth beneath a sky alive with violet lightning. Sukuna's presence dominated the void, a humanoid figure carved from malevolence, his four eyes blazing with calculated fury. Kuma landed lightly on a fragment that shuddered under his weight, Shira at his side in human form, her gaze steady, unwavering.
"Brace yourself, Kuma," she whispered, "he's no longer testing us. This is his true assault."
Kuma drew a deep breath, feeling the pulse of Sukuna's cursed energy reverberate through the void. The dark inheritance within him responded instinctively, a dangerous, potent echo of the power that had shaped him. Every movement, every thought, every strike had to be perfect.
Sukuna's humanoid form surged forward, faster than Kuma's eyes could track. Shadows erupted around him, forming colossal tendrils that writhed and lashed with terrifying precision. Each strike threatened to obliterate everything in its path, tearing apart shards and sending fragments tumbling endlessly into the abyss.
Shira shifted seamlessly into blade form, her edge glowing with resonant energy. "Predict his pattern, Kuma! Focus on the gaps!"
Kuma ducked under a sweeping tendril, countering with a fist ignited by his own cursed energy. The impact met Sukuna's defenses with a resonant clash that sent ripples through the void. Maka, Soul, and Kid moved in synchrony, their attacks coordinated to suppress multiple tendrils, keeping Sukuna's onslaught manageable for Kuma.
Sukuna's grin widened, cruel and taunting. "You struggle… yet persist. Admirable, but futile." He raised both hands, and the void itself seemed to distort. Shadow constructs erupted from every shard, converging into a massive, undulating form—a living nightmare of cursed energy and jagged spikes.
"The King's Wrath," Shira muttered, her voice tense. "Brace yourself… this will test every limit."
Kuma inhaled sharply, channeling the full measure of the cursed energy within him. Flames spiraled along his limbs as he lunged forward, Shira cutting through the shadows with him, their movements synchronized perfectly. The first wave of the King's Wrath struck, exploding upon impact, sending shockwaves that rattled the floating shards and scattered debris across the void.
One tendril smashed into Kuma's side, throwing him backward, but he rolled seamlessly, landing atop another platform. Shira immediately shifted back to human form, guiding him. "You must anticipate, Kuma! Every fluctuation counts!"
Kuma's fists blazed again, each strike a blend of raw force and calculated precision. He could feel Sukuna's energy pressing against his mind, whispering, "Give in… become mine…" but he resisted, grounding himself in Shira's presence and the synchronized rhythm of the DWMA team.
Sukuna advanced again, his movements a blur, shadow tendrils striking from all directions. Kuma pivoted, using one tendril as leverage to spring forward, delivering a combined strike with Shira's blade that severed a section of Sukuna's defensive construct. The impact resonated across the void, causing one of Sukuna's forms to stagger for a fleeting moment.
"Interesting… you have learned to exploit openings," Sukuna's voice echoed, tinged with both amusement and fury. "But the true test is far greater than this."
From beneath the fractured platforms, the terrain shifted violently. The void split, jagged shards twisting and colliding, creating sudden chasms. Sukuna's King's Wrath surged again, an overwhelming tidal wave of cursed energy, twisting reality itself, forcing Kuma and the DWMA team to leap and strike with perfect timing.
Kuma's mind raced. Focus, anticipate, exploit. He signaled Shira, and they moved as a single entity. Blade and fists struck simultaneously, severing multiple tendrils in perfect synchrony. Maka's scythe arcs complemented the motion, Soul deflected incoming shadows, and Kid's gunfire disrupted the next wave of the onslaught.
Sukuna's form twisted violently, the single humanoid now radiating an aura that distorted the very void. "Enough!" he bellowed. Shadows coalesced into massive spires, each tipped with jagged shards, each brimming with cursed energy. Kuma ducked, rolled, struck, and dodged in a deadly rhythm, each movement feeding off Shira's guidance and the precise coordination of DWMA.
For a fleeting instant, time seemed to slow. Kuma's eyes caught a subtle misalignment in Sukuna's massive energy surge—a minor lag between intention and execution. "Now, Shira!" he thought. Blade and fists met in a devastating convergence, tearing through the King's Wrath. The shockwave fragmented the void further, shards raining down, lightning arcing violently across the sky. Sukuna recoiled, a flicker of surprise in his four blazing eyes.
"You are… formidable," he admitted, voice low, reverberating through the void. "But this is not the end. You have only glimpsed my full power."
The dimension trembled, shadows writhing, fragments of stone shifting, as Sukuna prepared another assault, far more chaotic and destructive. Kuma and Shira steadied themselves, breathing deeply, every muscle coiled, every nerve alive. The DWMA team gathered, bruised but resolute, ready to respond, their attacks synchronized to protect and amplify Kuma's movements.
Kuma's heart pounded in resonance with Shira. "We act as one… no hesitation… full force," he thought. Blade and fists surged, a combination of dark energy and precise strikes, meeting the next wave head-on. The collision created a maelstrom, fragments scattering into the void, lightning fracturing across the sky, echoing like a symphony of destruction.
For the first time, Kuma felt the true scale of Sukuna's power. Yet, he also felt the strength of synergy, of unity, of precise coordination with Shira and the DWMA team. Together, they withstood the King's Wrath, carving openings in Sukuna's defense, pushing back the shadows, and proving that even the King of Curses could be challenged.
As the shockwaves subsided, the cursed dimension quivered, suspended in a moment of tense silence. Sukuna's gaze met Kuma's, unyielding and piercing. The King had revealed greater strength, but Kuma had survived, striking a blow that shifted the balance.
Shira returned to human form, placing a hand on Kuma's shoulder. "We've crossed a threshold… the next phase will define everything. Sukuna is committed—there is no more testing, only war."
The DWMA team gathered their bearings, eyes wide, breaths heavy. The void pulsed around them, alive with anticipation. Kuma and Shira shared a silent nod, their bond stronger than ever. The King's Wrath had been resisted, but the storm was far from over.
Every shadow, every shard, every crackling bolt of lightning seemed to hum with Sukuna's power, and the next confrontation would demand every ounce of strength, skill, and unity they possessed. The true battle for control, for survival, and for the fate of the void was just beginning.