Deep within the mountains stood an ancient estate.
Once the forbidden storehouse of the Zenin clan.
The structure was abandoned long ago, its wooden corridors rotting with age.
The air was thick with mold, rust, and the lingering stench of blood.
At the deepest chamber lay a vast ritual pool.
The liquid inside was black and viscous.
It was not water.
It was a cursed solution created from the blood and entrails of countless cursed spirits, mixed with fragments of powerful cursed tools.
A substance designed to corrupt the soul.
Standing beside the pool was Uraume.
They bowed deeply.
"Everything is ready, Sukuna-sama."
Before them stood Ryomen Sukuna, now occupying the body of Megumi Fushiguro.
He removed his robe and stepped forward.
"This body…"
Sukuna flexed his fingers slowly.
"…still resists me."
Even after possession, Megumi's soul continued to struggle deep within the body.
Whenever Sukuna attempted to unleash his full cursed energy—
A resistance surfaced from the depths of the vessel.
Like shackles binding a king.
But Sukuna merely smiled.
"It won't matter for long."
He stepped into the pool.
"Because of this."
"The Bath."
The ritual known as "Yoku".
In ancient jujutsu practice, cursed tools were submerged in a mixture of cursed spirits for ten months and ten days.
The purpose was to saturate the object with curses until its original nature vanished.
Now Sukuna was using that same ritual—
On a human vessel.
"Glub…"
The moment Sukuna submerged himself, the black liquid began to churn violently.
Countless curses screamed inside the pool.
Invisible hands clawed at his body.
Curses forced themselves into every pore of his skin.
Pain.
Not merely physical pain.
It was spiritual corrosion.
A poison meant to drown a soul in despair.
But Sukuna's expression remained relaxed.
Even pleased.
"Magnificent."
He closed his eyes, savoring the sensation.
Inside the depths of consciousness—
Megumi's mind was collapsing.
Within the Depths of Megumi's Soul
Darkness stretched endlessly.
An empty abyss.
Megumi sat alone within it.
His knees pulled to his chest.
His gaze hollow.
"Sister…"
Memories replayed again and again.
His sister Tsumiki Fushiguro.
The gentle girl he had always wanted to protect.
But that sister…
No longer existed.
Her body had already been possessed by the ancient sorcerer Yorozu.
The realization shattered something inside him.
"If only I had noticed sooner…"
"If only I had been stronger…"
Guilt.
Regret.
Despair.
They swallowed him completely.
And then—
Eyes appeared in the darkness.
Hundreds.
Thousands.
They were the resentments of the cursed spirits saturating Sukuna's Bath.
They sensed the fracture in Megumi's soul.
And they rushed toward him.
"Give up…"
"You can't change anything…"
"You've already failed…"
"You're useless."
The whispers filled his mind.
Megumi covered his ears.
But the voices did not come from outside.
They came from within.
His consciousness slowly sank.
Falling deeper into darkness.
"Just sleep…"
"Stay here forever…"
Outside the Ritual
The cursed liquid was rapidly draining.
The hatred of countless curses was being absorbed into Sukuna's body.
Used to crush Megumi's remaining will.
Finally—
The last drop disappeared.
"Splash."
Sukuna rose from the empty pool.
His appearance remained Megumi's.
But the aura around him had changed completely.
No trace of hesitation remained.
Megumi's soul had been buried beneath layers of curses.
Only pure malice remained.
Sukuna stretched his neck.
"Perfect."
The resistance was nearly gone.
Megumi's consciousness had sunk so deep it could barely interfere.
Uraume handed him a robe.
"Congratulations, Sukuna-sama."
Sukuna draped it casually over his shoulders.
"This was only the preparation."
"The real step comes next."
Uraume tilted their head.
"What step?"
Sukuna glanced at his hand.
"To destroy the last anchor of that brat's soul."
"Once I erase what he treasures most…"
"His will shall collapse completely."
His smile widened.
"That person…"
"…is his sister."
Tsumiki Fushiguro.
Or rather—
Yorozu.
If Sukuna killed her with Megumi's own hands—
Megumi's soul would be crushed beyond recovery.
A perfect plan.
Cruel.
Absolute.
Sukuna began walking toward the exit.
"Let's go."
"To Sendai."
"She should be waiting there."
But before he could leave—
BOOM!!!
The stone gate exploded.
Fragments of rock blasted inward.
Two figures appeared within the dust.
One surrounded by controlled blue cursed energy.
The other radiating violent rage.
Yagami Sora.
And Yuji Itadori.
Yuji's voice roared through the chamber.
"SUUUUKUUUNAAA!!!"
He launched forward instantly.
"Give Megumi back!!"
Sukuna turned slowly.
Annoyance flickered in his eyes.
"You insects again."
Without hesitation he raised a hand.
"Dismantle."
Invisible slashes flooded the chamber.
Blood exploded from Yuji's body—
But he did not slow.
Ignoring the wounds, he drove forward.
"BLACK FLASH!!"
His fist struck with spatial distortion.
But Sukuna caught it easily.
With one hand.
"The same trick…"
"…won't work twice."
CRACK.
Yuji's wrist bones fractured.
Sukuna smiled.
"Oh, by the way."
"I have interesting news for you."
"That useless Megumi brat never completed the exorcism ritual."
"Even though someone destroyed it during the Shibuya incident…"
"The ritual itself was incomplete."
"And thanks to the Bath…"
"I have now fully subdued it."
Shadows erupted behind Sukuna.
A gigantic white shikigami emerged.
A divine wheel rotated slowly above its head.
Mahoraga.
Yuji froze.
"That… thing…"
"The shikigami that even Gojo-sensei struggled against…?!"
Yagami Sora stood silently nearby.
His eyes sharpened.
"So that's how it happened."
He understood immediately.
Vector manipulation could redirect force and energy.
But Sukuna's possession had relied on binding vows and cursed object transfer.
Causal manipulation.
Something vectors could not intercept.
"That was my mistake."
Sora flexed his fingers.
Cursed energy erupted around him.
"But…"
A cold smile appeared.
"So what if you have the Ten Shadows Technique?"
"If Mahoraga exists…"
"Then I'll destroy it again."
His aura surged violently.
"And this time…"
He pointed directly at Sukuna.
"I'll destroy you along with it."
Two overwhelming forces collided.
The air split apart.
The battle between the King of Curses—
And the Vector Manipulator—
Was about to begin.
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