By the time Fushiguro reached Kugisaki, she'd just used her last nail.
"Perfect timing—switch, switch!"
Kugisaki sprinted to Fushiguro's side, warily eyeing the huge flock of mask-faced Cursed Spirits hovering in mid-air, their numbers barely diminished.
"How's it going up there?" she asked, stealing a moment.
Fushiguro stared at the swarm of Curses overhead, body taut, and answered rapidly, "Sukuna's handling the Special Grade."
Nobara's face flashed from shock to delight, then to a groan: "Aww—what a waste!"
Fushiguro: "What's wrong?"
Nobara looked mournful: "I missed it! I wanted to see Sukuna too. Am I literally the only one who hasn't met him yet?"
Fushiguro: "…"
Is Sukuna some kind of pop star? Why's everyone dying to meet him?
Their casual chatter enraged the Curses across from them; a wave of spirits surged forward to remind them they existed.
"Great Serpent!" "Nue!"
Fushiguro swiftly summoned the two shikigami. The serpent and eagle shot ahead to block the onrush while he ordered the Divine Dogs to escort the weaponless Nobara in a rapid retreat.
Calling so many shikigami at once left his breathing ragged.
These Curses looked like a mob of Grade 2 and 3, but a hidden Grade 1 was somewhere endlessly splitting off new bodies; mowing down clones wouldn't hurt the original—he had to find the source first.
But Nobara behind him was combat-ineffective, and overhead, Sukuna and the Cursed Womb were still duking it out at Special Grade level.
Top priority: evacuate now—getting caught in a Special Grade clash was unthinkable.
"Kugisaki, pull back!"
Crack!—
The instant he spoke, the surroundings shifted; the chill, eerie aura faded, reverting to plain gray concrete walls.
Fushiguro froze… the Cursed Womb's Innate Domain had unraveled?
…Had Sukuna won?
The thought had barely formed when a chain of booms rolled closer, floor after floor shaking.
Boom—!!
A huge hole burst through the ceiling.
Sukuna dropped through the gap, landing with casual ease beside Fushiguro.
He glanced at the Curses opposite, a wild grin tugging at his lips, posture relaxed, and asked lightly, "Yo, you two okay?"
Fushiguro: "Suku—"
"Sukuna—?!"
Nobara's voice drowned him out, squealing in excitement, eyes sparkling.
My god, this is Sukuna… way hotter than Itadori!
And—and this scene is exactly the classic—
H-E-R-O S-A-V-E-S B-E-A-U-T-Y!!!
—Never dreamed the great me would get a hero-saves-beauty moment!
Of course, she'd never admit the "beauty" part probably applied more to Fushiguro.
Nobara's expression was so genuinely thrilled that Sukuna blinked, startled that anyone would look at him so kindly.
Something inside him loosened; his face softened.
He lifted a hand, smiling as he greeted her.
"Nobara, first time seeing me in this form, huh?"
"Take care of me from now on."
…just no more pure-dark-chocolate gifts—he really hated bitter stuff—if it's chocolate, make it milk-flavored!!
Nobara: "!!! Deal—"
…Sukuna actually greeted me!!
Polite as ever—super polite!!!
Aaaaah help, he smells even better—what do I do?!!
Even if you're a Cursed Spirit, I'm firmly on your side!!!
Nobara buried her face, crying with joy.
She totally forgot… at their first meeting she'd looked down on him—
—Huh, you mean the finger-eating thing?
—Itadori was the one eating fingers; what's that got to do with Sukuna?
Sukuna didn't hear her inner monologue; his gaze snapped back to the Curses.
Finish this fast—he still had a finger in his pocket waiting to be washed.
He raised one hand, index and middle fingers pointing skyward.
Cursed Energy surged; crimson, yellow, and violet flames erupted, swallowing every spirit in sight—including the hidden Grade 1 behind them.
Countless Curses dissolved mid-air in the flames' warm, brilliant light.
The gorgeous, blazing scene etched itself into Fushiguro and Nobara's eyes, shaking them to the core.
Such beautiful fire.
Warm—and terrifying.
"All right, Curses cleared."
Sukuna clapped his hands casually.
"Let's find the other two targets and head back."
He added after a thought, "But I don't sense any living beings—looks like the humans are gone."
Sukuna sighed; this mission had been a bust—all targets dead, the only gain another finger.
Right, he needed to report it to Fushiguro.
He fished the finger from his pocket and waved it in front of Fushiguro.
"Fushiguro, that Special Grade had one of my fingers—mind if I eat it?"
"Tell Gojo later: we just recovered the third one."
He turned to leave, adding over his shoulder, "There should be water here somewhere; I'll wash it and eat it now—better safe than sorry. Wouldn't want to lose it."
"I'll hunt for a tap; you two search for those humans. No Curses left, so it's safe."
With that, he strolled off, leaving a stunned Fushiguro frozen in the wind.
Fushiguro: "…"
Found… the third finger?
…wash and eat?
Where do I even start—wait, shouldn't this be a huge deal??
Why are you acting like you just bought a bag of chips on the roadside???
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