The battlefield looked destroyed.
Roads shattered.
Buildings partially collapsed.
Broken glass covered the street.
Cracks stretched for dozens of meters in every direction.
And in the middle of it all—
Takeru was somehow still standing.
Barely.
His black shirt had been torn apart in several places.
Blood covered his arms.
Blood dripped from his chin.
One eye had swollen nearly shut.
His breathing was ragged.
Heavy.
Uneven.
Across from him—
everyone was exhausted too.
Yuji bent over slightly.
Breathing hard.
Sweat rolling down his face.
Megumi stood with shadows flickering around him.
Still controlling the absurd Bunny 273 swarm.
Older Higuruma had loosened his collar.
Younger Higuruma was panting.
Younger Sukuna rolled his shoulders.
Still ready.
Takeru smiled weakly.
Coughed.
Blood splattered the pavement.
"…Okay…"
Another cough.
"…You guys are getting scary."
Yuji wiped sweat from his forehead.
"…YOU ASKED FOR THIS."
Takeru pointed weakly.
"…Fair."
Silence.
Then everyone moved again.
One final rush.
Yuji first.
A heavy cursed-energy reinforced punch directly into Takeru's ribs.
CRACK
Megumi's rabbits swarmed immediately after.
Dozens slamming into him from every angle.
Older Higuruma's hammer crashed downward.
BOOOOOM
Younger Sukuna followed instantly.
A brutal kick straight to the chest.
THUD
Then—
Yuji moved again.
Fast.
Faster than before.
His fist pulled back.
Cursed energy surged violently around it.
Takeru saw it.
Didn't move.
Didn't block.
Yuji shouted.
"DON'T BLAME ME FOR THIS."
The punch landed.
BLACK FLASH.
BOOOOOOOOOOM
The entire street exploded.
Shockwaves ripped outward.
Windows shattered three buildings away.
The pavement cratered instantly.
Smoke filled everything.
Silence.
Then—
Takeru collapsed.
Face first.
Not moving.
Yuji stared.
Panting heavily.
"…Did…"
A pause.
"…Did we kill him?"
Megumi looked uncertain.
"…I genuinely don't know."
Then—
someone landed nearby.
Light footsteps.
Feathers drifting gently in the air.
A girl.
Young Hana.
Watching the scene quietly.
Confused.
Concerned.
And very, very confused at the destruction.
"…What happened here?"
Nobody answered.
Because everyone was staring at Takeru.
Still motionless.
Then suddenly—
golden light erupted around him.
Warm.
Bright.
Overwhelming.
Cracks in his bones repaired instantly.
Bruises vanished.
Blood disappeared.
Swollen flesh returned to normal.
Internal damage rewove itself like time reversing.
Within seconds—
he stood up.
Perfectly fine.
Not a scratch left.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Takeru stretched his neck.
Then placed a hand against his stomach.
Thinking.
"…I think you gave me internal bleeding…"
A pause.
He looked toward Yuji.
Smiled.
"…Damn."
Yuji froze.
Takeru pointed at him.
"You really have gotten really strong, Yuji."
Yuji stared.
Still breathing hard.
Brain visibly refusing reality.
"…I hit you with Black Flash."
Takeru nodded.
"Yep."
"…You died."
"Probably."
"…You came back."
"Correct."
Yuji slowly pointed at the glowing golden energy fading around him.
"…That shouldn't exist."
Takeru shrugged.
"…I upgraded."
Megumi stared blankly.
"…I dislike that sentence."
Nearby—
Young Hana quietly raised a hand.
Still completely lost.
"…Why are all of you beating each other to death?"
Takeru immediately turned.
Smiled.
Perfectly casual.
As if nothing happened.
"Oh hey, Angel."
Everyone else:
"…What."