Just one punch, one kick.
Two transformed humans shattered on the spot.
And then…
Hikari Uchiha didn't pause for a second, charging straight at Mahito. Her petite frame seemed to stretch tenfold in that moment, leaving a trail of afterimages like a streaking comet. To onlookers, it was as if a dozen Hikaris appeared simultaneously, each one smashing a transformed human into pieces.
Her speed was so blistering that the explosive sounds lagged a few beats behind, finally erupting in a continuous roar through the air!
"?!"
Mahito froze, stunned.
In that instant…
He caught a glimpse of a dark red aura flaring around the black-haired girl, like a thin veil wrapping her body. Then, she launched herself forward, swinging a fist right at him!
BOOM!!
Her pale fist carved a sharp, forceful arc through the air, carrying the weight of a thousand tons!!
Mahito reacted quickly, raising both arms and morphing them into a spiky sea urchin-like form, hoping to force Hikari back.
But…
Her punch landed like a freight train, sending him flying dozens of meters. His body broke apart mid-air, only to be yanked back together by thread-like tendrils, reassembling into a loose, humanoid shape.
"Loose" because wisps of that dark red aura clung to him, burning relentlessly, preventing his body from fully healing.
"…What kind of technique is this?!"
Shock flashed across Mahito's face.
In theory, Mahito was immune to all physical attacks.
His technique allowed him to lock his soul's shape, so no matter how much his body was damaged, his soul would pull it back to its original form. Only attacks targeting the soul could truly harm him.
This was one of his most terrifying traits as a cursed spirit.
—His other terrifying trait? An insane capacity for learning and evolving.
In the original story, Mahito's innate domain was a breakthrough he achieved mid-battle against Nanami and Yuji, instantly mastering it and nearly killing Nanami, a Grade 1 sorcerer, with one use. Given enough time to grow and learn, his potential could rival—or even surpass—Sukuna's.
But…
"…Just as I thought. The flames of 'Fire-Thunder God' can directly harm souls."
Hikari raised her fist, studying the "veil" of aura cloaking her body, lost in thought.
It made sense.
Mangekyo Sharingan weapons were the pinnacle of ocular power. If Itachi's Totsuka Blade could seal souls, then the superior "Fire-Thunder God" could naturally do the same.
With that confirmed, the rest was simple.
Hikari strode toward Mahito. After a few steps, her figure flickered, reappearing beside him like a phantom before he could even stand. She kicked—
BAM!
Mahito went flying again.
A split second later, Hikari materialized behind him, delivering a downward heel strike before he could react.
Then came a third spinning kick.
At this point, Hikari was treating Mahito like a soccer ball, kicking him back and forth. Each strike triggered a piercing sonic boom. His body cracked, healed, and cracked again, riddled with holes.
Mahito wasn't just taking it lying down.
He tried to fight back, morphing his body into chains, swords, drills… even summoning grotesque transformed humans. But in front of Hikari, they were like child's play—shattered with a single blow.
After being kicked back to the ground, crashing into a half-meter-deep crater…
Mahito finally seized an opening, opening his mouth wide toward the sky.
"Domain Expansion…"
In that moment…
His mouth stretched like a snake's, splitting almost to his ears. Tiny hands emerged from within, flipping and weaving together to form a series of seals—
Innate Domain: Self-Embodied Perfection
A black curtain unfurled!!
In a single breath, it expanded to a dozens-of-meters-wide sphere, enveloping Hikari as she flickered into range.
"…Gotcha!"
A triumphant grin spread across Mahito's face.
He'd already noticed that Hikari's "technique"—the dark red veil—seemed to counter him. It prevented direct contact, making his Idle Transfiguration useless. Worse, the flames leaking from the veil kept burning him, stalling his healing.
But…
Once "Self-Embodied Perfection" was activated, everything changed.
Inside his domain, Idle Transfiguration could be unleashed without physical contact, twisting or destroying a soul in an instant.
Nanami had nearly died to this move not long ago.
—The only reason he survived was Sukuna's interference.
But there was only one Sukuna.
This girl, strong as she was, was young—probably just a Grade 1 sorcerer with a unique technique. Outside, her "veil" protected her, but inside his domain… she was at his mercy.
Mahito could practically see her soul bending to his will.
And yet…
"?!"
His pupils trembled violently.
In his vision, the black-haired girl lowered her head, eyes downcast, as if resigned to her fate.
Cracks began to appear—on her face, neck, and exposed legs—the telltale signs of Idle Transfiguration taking effect.
But at that very moment, a chilling, terrifying aura erupted from her, spreading rapidly through every inch of the domain. As it expanded, it was as if endless flames ignited within, scorching everything in their path.
No…
Not "as if." A faint red blaze did roar to life, draping the entire "Self-Embodied Perfection" in a shimmering veil!
Then…
The black-haired girl slowly raised her head.
A pair of crimson eyes, radiant like flames, met Mahito's gaze, filling his entire field of vision!
"This is…"
Something was breaking.
A thunderous jolt rocked Mahito's mind, as if a giant hammer had slammed into his consciousness, dragging it into darkness. In a daze, he heard a soft voice whisper in his ear—
"When did you start believing this was all real?"
SHATTER!!
The illusion collapsed.
Snapping back to reality, Mahito found himself still lying in the crater, his mind a chaotic mess, as if he'd just woken from a long, disorienting dream.
"…You awake?"
That same soft, clear voice rang out, like a babbling spring.
As Mahito turned his head, he saw the black-haired girl in a T-shirt and shorts standing at the crater's edge, looking down at him with a calm yet faintly teasing expression. Her almond-shaped eyes glowed with that same flame-like crimson he'd seen in the dream!
—That's right.
Hikari had used genjutsu.
Mahito thought he'd successfully activated "Self-Embodied Perfection," trapping her and twisting her soul with Idle Transfiguration. But in truth… from the moment he was kicked into the crater, everything had been an illusion.
With Hikari's current ocular power, pulling someone—especially someone unaware of Mangekyo Sharingan techniques—into a genjutsu was undetectable.
And beyond "Tsukuyomi"…
She'd used another ocular technique on Mahito.
"Can you still stand?"
Hikari spoke again.
Mahito instinctively tried to respond, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he felt his strength—more accurately, his cursed energy—completely drained. He was like an exhausted otaku after running a marathon, too weak to even speak.
"Heh."
Hikari closed her eyes briefly, then opened them again, extending her right hand.
With a subtle ripple of energy…
Her small, pale hand began to grow broader, more slender, as if aging four or five years in an instant. Moments later, it curved into sharp, feline claws.
—Technique: Idle Transfiguration.
From the start of the fight, Mahito had been trying to use Idle Transfiguration on her.
Hikari, in turn, used the opportunity to study his technique with her Sharingan, hidden behind contact lenses, analyzing the flow of cursed energy. Then, while trapping him in Tsukuyomi's illusion, she used "Yasakani no Magatama" to siphon his cursed energy dry.
Combining the two, Hikari successfully mastered Idle Transfiguration.
It probably helped that she had a dual soul, making her comprehension of the technique smoother. From absorbing Mahito's cursed energy to applying Idle Transfiguration to herself, the process was even more seamless than when she mimicked Gojo's "Red."
However…
Merely twisting souls or altering forms was the most basic use of Idle Transfiguration.
More advanced applications—like "Self-Embodied Perfection" or Mahito's healing of Mechamaru's congenital paralysis in the original story—would take more time to figure out.
On the other side…
Mahito's eyes widened, filled with unspeakable terror.
As the original master of Idle Transfiguration, he instantly recognized that Hikari was using his technique.
But…
When? How?
Born from humanity's fear of itself, Mahito understood humans better than they understood themselves. He knew there were natural-born geniuses and people with incredible learning abilities, but… a technique that manipulated souls was not something just anyone could pick up.
In that moment, Mahito looked at Hikari like she was a ghost.
"…What's with that look?"
Hikari raised an eyebrow, her tone teasing.
"…"
Mahito stayed silent.
Hikari didn't mind, crouching down and pulling a bundle containing Sukuna's fingers from his chest. She opened it, glancing inside. "So these are Sukuna's fingers… They look like overcooked chicken claws. A human grew these?"
"…"
Still no response.
"Alright then… Let's take a peek at your memories."
As her words fell…
Hikari closed her eyes briefly, activating "Yasakani no Magatama" again.
The scene shifted.
Images from Mahito's birth to his recent activities flashed through her mind, one after another, before fading away.
…
A short while later…
Esdeath and Yamato appeared in the forest.
Esdeath's first glance was at Hikari, seemingly checking for injuries. Satisfied, she strolled over and looked down at Mahito in the crater.
"This guy's the cursed spirit you said could twist souls?"
"He's gross. Kinda like that Orochimaru guy."
Hikari: "…"
Well, she did often find Orochimaru creepy, especially when he stared at her with that greedy, longing look. But compared to Mahito…
Let's just say Orochimaru didn't deserve that level of shade.
"Should we just kill him?" Esdeath asked, a sharp ice spike forming in her hand, its tip hovering at Mahito's throat, ready to pierce with the slightest push.
But…
"Not yet," Hikari shook her head. "You probably couldn't kill him anyway. His weak point is his soul. No matter how much you damage his body, it'll recover after a while."
"…"
Esdeath frowned slightly, as if doubting the claim but ultimately dropping the idea of attacking. "So what's the plan?"
"Let him go," Hikari said casually.
"Hm?"
Under Esdeath's puzzled gaze, Hikari's lips curved into a faint smile. "He's a puppet on strings now—no threat to us. But… as bait for fishing, he's still got plenty of value left to play."
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