Volcanic ash still drifted across Sakurajima like endless black snow.
The cursed spirit Naoya Zenin had finally dissipated.
Silence returned to the battlefield.
At the center of the ruined terrain stood Maki Zenin.
Her hand still gripped the Split Soul Katana.
The blade trembled faintly.
Not from fatigue.
Not from fear.
But from something deeper.
Transformation.
"How do you feel?"
Yagami Sora walked over and tossed her a bottle of water.
Maki caught it.
Drank the whole thing in one go.
Then exhaled slowly.
"…Light."
Her voice was calm.
But honest.
For years she had lived beneath the shadow of the Zenin clan.
Compared to Toji Zenin.
Compared to the expectations of her family.
Compared even to her sister.
Even after awakening the power of Heavenly Restriction—
A small piece of doubt had remained.
But now—
That shadow had finally shattered.
Sora smiled faintly.
"You've surpassed Toji."
"Not just in strength."
"In spirit."
Toji had escaped the Zenin clan.
Escaped responsibility.
Escaped everything.
Maki hadn't.
She confronted it.
Destroyed it.
And walked forward.
"Where to next?"
Noritoshi Kamo approached.
His wounds were wrapped with basic reverse cursed technique.
Still pale.
But stable.
Sora opened the Culling Game map.
Kogane's projection floated beside him.
"We head to Tokyo Colony No.1."
"Megumi and Yuji ran into something."
Maki frowned.
"With those two together?"
"Who could threaten them?"
Sora's eyes darkened slightly.
"A sorcerer called…"
Hana Kurusu
"The Angel."
"She can extinguish cursed techniques."
"And she's the key to opening the Prison Realm."
"Which means…"
Maki muttered.
"She might also kill Sukuna's vessel."
Sora nodded.
"Exactly."
"Let's move."
Tokyo Colony No.1
The ruins of Tokyo stretched endlessly.
Smoke curled above collapsed skyscrapers.
And in the center of the battlefield—
A strange confrontation unfolded.
Megumi Fushiguro and
Yuji Itadori
stood surrounded.
Not by sorcerers.
But soldiers.
Foreign soldiers.
American military units.
Assault rifles aimed directly at them.
"Freeze!"
"Hands where we can see them!"
Yuji blinked.
"…Are those… soldiers?"
Megumi frowned.
"They shouldn't be inside the barrier."
But the truth was simple.
To increase cursed energy production for the Culling Game—
Kenjaku
had lured foreign governments into the colonies.
Promising them a new energy source.
Their mission was simple.
Capture sorcerers.
Megumi whispered.
"Don't kill them."
"They're still civilians."
Yuji nodded.
"Got it."
They prepared to break through.
Suddenly—
RATATATATATAT!!!
Helicopters roared overhead.
Machine-gun fire rained down like a storm.
"Megumi!"
Yuji shouted.
Megumi formed a seal instantly.
"Ten Shadows Technique—"
"Rabbit Escape!"
Hundreds of rabbits burst from his shadow.
Forming a living shield.
Bullets tore through the swarm.
But the rabbits bought them time.
Then—
The sky lit up.
A column of divine light descended.
"Technique."
"Jacob's Ladder."
A blazing beam engulfed the helicopters.
No explosion.
No fire.
The aircraft simply died.
Their engines extinguished.
They crashed silently to the ground.
The soldiers' weapons malfunctioned.
Metal turned useless.
Megumi looked up.
Floating in the air—
A girl with white wings and a halo.
Hana Kurusu.
"Are you two okay?"
She descended gently.
Megumi stayed cautious.
"Who are you?"
"Hana Kurusu."
She smiled softly.
"The one speaking right now…"
She tapped her head.
"…is the Angel."
Yuji blinked.
"Angel?"
"It seeks to eliminate a certain sorcerer."
"The one known as…"
"The Fallen."
Yuji froze.
Megumi frowned.
"…Who?"
Suddenly—
Yuji's cheek split open.
A mouth appeared.
Sukuna laughed.
"Hehehe."
"Fallen?"
"That would be me."
Silence fell instantly.
Hana's eyes changed.
Cold.
Deadly.
"Found you."
Light gathered again.
Jacob's Ladder prepared to fire.
Megumi stepped forward.
"Wait!"
"That's Yuji!"
"Sukuna can't take full control!"
Hana sneered.
"You're naïve."
"Sukuna cannot be contained."
"To destroy him…"
"The vessel must die."
The light intensified.
Yuji closed his eyes.
Then—
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Applause echoed across the battlefield.
"Wonderful performance."
Everyone turned.
Yagami Sora stepped out of the ruins.
Maki and Kamo behind him.
Yuji's face lit up.
"SORA!"
Megumi exhaled in relief.
Sora smiled calmly.
"Miss Angel."
"Mind giving me a minute?"
Hana narrowed her eyes.
"You're dangerous."
"You can feel that too?"
Sora chuckled.
He stepped forward.
Standing between them.
"We share the same enemy."
Hana frowned.
"Who?"
Sora answered with one name.
"Kenjaku."
"The one who created the Culling Game."
"Kill Sukuna now and nothing changes."
"Stop Kenjaku…"
"…and the game ends."
Hana hesitated.
Sora pointed at Yuji.
"That kid."
"He's under my protection."
"If you want to kill him…"
His cursed energy erupted.
A crushing pressure filled the battlefield.
Even Hana stepped back unconsciously.
"…you'll have to get past me first."
Silence lingered.
Finally—
Hana lowered her hand.
"…Fine."
"I'll cooperate."
"But if Sukuna loses control—"
"I will kill him."
Sora snapped his fingers.
"Deal."
Then he turned toward the soldiers still remaining.
"…Now."
"Let's clean up the trash."
Maki grinned.
"Gladly."
She drew the Split Soul Katana.
The slaughter lasted less than three minutes.
Against sorcerers—
Modern weapons meant nothing.
When it was over—
Bodies littered the battlefield.
Megumi looked down at them quietly.
"…They were used."
Sora nodded.
"Kenjaku baited them."
"They're just fuel."
"To raise cursed energy levels inside the colonies."
Yuji clenched his fists.
"…That bastard."
Sora turned away.
"Which is why we don't have time."
"We unseal Gojo."
"Stop Kenjaku."
"And end the Culling Game."
Megumi nodded.
But hope flickered in his eyes.
"…First."
"We save my sister."
Sora didn't respond.
He simply looked toward the distant horizon.
Because he knew something Megumi didn't.
Inside Tsumiki Fushiguro's body—
Another soul had already awakened.
The ancient sorcerer.
Yorozu.
And somewhere else—
Sukuna was waiting.
Waiting for the moment
to steal Megumi's body.
The real nightmare—
Had only just begun.