Mahoraga's full-power strike landed on Sukuna.
Sukuna was sent flying like a cannonball.
But Mahoraga did not stop. It immediately pushed off with both feet and gave chase.
Bang.
The ground shattered under Mahoraga's stomp.
Heavy blows that struck the Soul began landing on Sukuna one after another.
'This attack can damage the Soul?'
Sukuna quickly realized that the pain in his Soul was not just from that little girl constantly driving nails into his toes.
The Soul damage inflicted by Mahoraga's fists in front of him was even more severe.
Mahoraga's Soul-damaging attack came from Nobara.
After learning about Yuji's situation, the two of them had made detailed arrangements for this possible day.
They had also prepared a contingency plan in case either Yuji or Megumi's Soul was suppressed by Sukuna.
Although Eichi had not told them too much in detail, he had mentioned that Sukuna had set his sights on Megumi and wanted to possess his body.
He had also provided information such as Sukuna having a way to make a person's Soul sink into depravity.
For this, the two of them had devised different plans.
A Soul sinking into depravity was actually easy to handle. Whether it was Yuji's Soul-attacking fists or Nobara's Soul-attacking Cursed Technique, both had a chance to make contact and awaken the Soul.
Only Megumi lacked a clear method of attacking the Soul.
Because of this, Nobara proactively suggested having Mahoraga adapt to her Cursed Technique to gain a method of attacking the Soul.
If Yuji's body was possessed by Sukuna, the two of them would beat Yuji awake.
If Megumi's body was possessed, Nobara would tell Yuji the plan, and then they would awaken Megumi together.
Mahoraga's adaptation to the Cursed Technique came from Eichi.
After obtaining Sukuna's fingers, Eichi and Medea began researching them together, using the Holy Grail to run multiple scans and record the Soul information inside the fingers.
After a period of research, they obtained data related to the Cursed Technique. Then, by simulating this data, they recreated the Cursed Technique's attack and allowed Mahoraga to adapt to it in advance.
Although the Cursed Technique they simulated might not be one hundred percent identical to Sukuna's own Cursed Technique, that was enough.
As long as Mahoraga was not killed, any remaining subtle differences would immediately be adapted to.
After all, many things were interconnected.
For example, in its battle with Sukuna, Mahoraga adapted to the slashes from the Dismantle Cursed Technique, so the Cleave Cursed Technique, which Sukuna had not even used yet, also became useless.
Facing Sukuna, the major antagonist who dominated the entire later stage and a suspected true protagonist, Eichi showed enough respect.
Before the battle even began, he had thoroughly investigated all of his opponent's secrets.
"Straw Doll Technique: Resonance! Straw Doll Technique: Resonance! Straw Doll Technique: Resonance!!"
On a rooftop more than three hundred meters away from the battlefield.
Nobara had been hiding there, using the clutter on the rooftop to conceal herself while carefully observing Megumi and Sukuna's battle.
Her job was to seize the right opportunity and create openings for Megumi.
Although Nobara had a strong personality, she was also self-aware and would not, like many female protagonists, rush in and cause trouble despite being weak.
She deeply understood that with her Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer strength, she could not participate in a Special Grade level battle like this.
So her goal was clear, to fully utilize her value and buy Megumi even a single opportunity.
Because of this, after the battle began, Nobara barely dared to blink, forcing herself to focus completely on everything happening on the battlefield.
Her hammer, nails, and straw doll had always been placed on Sukuna's toes, covered by talismans to prevent him from sensing them, so she could instantly unleash the Straw Doll Technique when she found an opening.
Under the Straw Doll Technique and Mahoraga's Soul-striking iron fists, Yuji's slumbering Soul finally awoke, like Tom being jabbed in the butt by Jerry after falling asleep.
'Huh? What's going on? Wasn't I in the classroom?'
Yuji looked around in confusion.
'Is that Fushiguro? Why is he so badly injured? Wait, why can't I control my body? Sukuna?'
Yuji immediately understood the situation.
'Sukuna, you bastard, give me back my body right now!'
Yuji immediately began fighting for control of his body.
"Yuji, listen to me..."
Sukuna was fully focused on dodging Mahoraga's attacks while simultaneously reinforcing the outer defenses of his Soul with Cursed Energy to prevent the Straw Doll Technique from damaging his Soul.
Yuji's sudden attempt to take back his body put him in danger again just as he was regrouping.
Therefore, Sukuna immediately acted, trying to make Yuji's Soul fall back into slumber.
But neither Mahoraga nor Nobara would let Sukuna's momentary vulnerability slip by.
Yuji, who had not fully fallen asleep again, was immediately awakened by the pain.
'Ouch! Does Mahoraga's punch hurt that much?'
Seeing Yuji wake up from the pain once more, Sukuna finally grew anxious.
Sukuna had not been serious in the previous battle, but when he wanted to get serious, he found that everything was already over.
"Where is this?"
Sukuna found that his surroundings had changed, from scorched earth to an unfamiliar train station.
"Let's go, Sukuna."
Yuji stood in front of him, looking at him with a serious expression.
"This is your Domain, kid?"
Sukuna looked at Yuji in displeasure.
The surrounding environment began to change, and Sukuna unhappily accompanied Yuji, playing around in the place where he had grown up.
"Enough. What do you want to say, kid?"
Sukuna was annoyed by Yuji's self-absorbed stories about his childhood.
At first, he had only gone along with Yuji's thoughts to buy time and observe the Domain because he was not clear on its effects.
But he found that this brat was becoming more and more disrespectful.
"I used to think that understanding and completing my mission was the correct way to die, but I don't think that anymore."
Yuji looked directly into Sukuna's eyes.
"Life isn't only meaningful when you complete missions or achieve great things.
Those subtle memories also have value of their own. But Sukuna, you arbitrarily kill all the weak and consider them worthless. You should at least try to understand them first."
"Heh, I know what you're saying, but so what? I feel nothing for those things, and I have no interest in them."
"Is that so?"
Yuji showed a sad expression.
Suddenly, Sukuna realized something.
"Hey, kid, you're not pitying me, are you?"
"That's right. I am pitying you, Sukuna."
###.
Sukuna's eyes widened in fury, veins bulging.
"Bastard, I'll kill everyone you care about in front of your corpse!"
...In the real world, Megumi and Nobara stood in front of Yuji, checking his condition.
Mahoraga also stood alertly to the side, guarding against any possible actions from Sukuna.
Soon, Yuji opened his eyes.
"Welcome back, Yuji."
In those clear yet foolish eyes, Megumi and Nobara confirmed Yuji's return.
"I'm back."
(To be continued.)