When Mahito's flesh finally stopped shifting, a suit of grotesque armor formed around his body.
The demonic shell wrapped tightly around him, hard and unnatural.
In this form, Mahito could no longer reshape his body freely. In exchange, he gained overwhelming defense and terrifying physical strength.
Even though his eyes were hidden beneath the armor, Mahito slowly looked down at his hands.
Exhilarating.
Joyous.
It felt as if the very essence of his existence had risen to a higher state. The cursed energy within him had reached an entirely new level.
Power surged through his body.
It was as if he had evolved into a perfect lifeform.
"Ah... this feeling."
Mahito stretched his arms slightly.
"Itadori, and all of you."
His voice trembled with excitement.
"I should thank you for helping me complete the final form of my soul."
A twisted grin spread across his face.
"Right now, I feel incredible."
He leaned forward slightly.
"So let's celebrate my rebirth with your lives."
Mahito vanished.
In the next instant he appeared directly in front of Aoi Todo and threw a punch.
Todo barely had time to react. He raised both arms to block while reinforcing his body with cursed energy, trying to reduce the effect of Idle Transfiguration.
But Mahito had now crossed into a completely different level.
Not simply a Special Grade cursed spirit.
At that moment, his combat ability had reached the level of a Special Grade jujutsu sorcerer.
Even Todo, a Grade 1 sorcerer, could not withstand the blow.
Bang.
Todo was sent flying instantly.
His body crashed into Nanami behind him, and both men were thrown violently into the ruined buildings nearby.
Dust and debris exploded into the air.
Before anyone could react, two of their strongest fighters were already out of the battle.
Megumi Fushiguro felt a chilling sensation crawl from the bottom of his feet to the top of his head.
Weakness.
Helplessness.
Fear.
Those emotions flooded his mind all at once.
His muscles stiffened as if frozen.
Should he run?
Or should he fight?
Megumi's mind spiraled in confusion.
Mahito slowly turned his head toward Nobara.
"You were the one who hurt me earlier, right?"
He swung his arm.
Several bone spikes shot toward Nobara like bullets.
Suddenly, Nanami appeared in front of her.
Blood trickled down from his forehead as he swung his blade.
The bone spikes shattered instantly.
"I am a teacher," Nanami said firmly. "Protecting my students is my responsibility."
Though badly injured, Nanami stood firmly in front of Megumi and Nobara.
Yuji struggled to support the wounded Todo beside him.
Everyone understood the situation clearly.
Mahito had become far too powerful.
No matter how hard they fought, they could not defeat him now.
Nanami suddenly roared.
"Run!"
His voice echoed through the battlefield.
"Split up and escape! Don't worry about anything else!"
"As long as one of you survives, we haven't lost!"
His words rang loudly in their ears.
In that instant, everyone understood.
If they continued fighting, none of them would live.
Megumi snapped out of his daze and prepared to summon Nue so he could carry Nobara away through the air.
Yuji and Todo prepared to carry their unconscious allies and retreat.
Then they noticed something.
Nanami was charging toward Mahito alone.
"If someone doesn't hold him back, no one will escape!"
With that resolve, Nanami rushed forward without hesitation.
It was the determination of someone prepared to die.
"Nanami!"
Mahito suddenly smiled mockingly.
"Who said... you could escape?"
He formed a hand sign.
From his open mouth, countless small arms sprouted and twisted outward.
"Domain Expansion."
The air trembled.
"Self Embodiment of Perfection."
Gigantic hands unfolded behind Mahito like a blooming flower.
The domain formed instantly.
There was almost no time to react.
At the last moment, Nanami used all his strength to shove Megumi and Nobara away from him.
The two were pushed out of the forming domain.
Shock and grief filled their faces.
Megumi clenched his teeth.
The shadow beneath his feet suddenly surged upward and pushed against his back.
Crack.
The black barrier of the domain closed completely.
Only Nobara remained outside.
Inside the domain, Nanami stared at Megumi in fury.
"What are you doing? Why didn't you run?"
Mahito's laughter echoed before Megumi could answer.
"Hahaha!"
He turned toward Yuji.
"Itadori, you hate seeing people die so much, right?"
Mahito pointed casually toward Nanami and Todo.
"So I came up with something fun."
A twisted grin spread across his face.
"I'm going to torture all your companions to death, piece by piece, right in front of you."
His voice dripped with excitement.
"What do you think?"
"Surprised?"
"Happy?"
Yuji tried to rush forward in anger.
Mahito kicked him instantly.
The blow knocked Yuji to the ground, leaving him unable to stand.
Mahito ignored him and walked toward Nanami and Todo.
Both men stood in defensive stances, maintaining their Simple Domains.
However, Mahito had already mastered the Instant Spirit Body of Distorted Killing.
He no longer needed his cursed technique to overwhelm them.
Bang.
His fists struck like iron hammers.
Nanami's goggles shattered.
Todo's necklace snapped from the impact and fell to the ground.
It popped open.
Inside were photographs of Takada chan and Yuji.
In Todo's heart, Yuji had long become one of the two most important people in his life.
Yuji lay on the ground, his body twitching.
He could only watch helplessly.
After beating Nanami and Todo to the brink of death, Mahito turned toward Megumi.
With a burst of cursed energy, Megumi was slammed into the wall of the domain.
Blood spilled from his mouth.
"Bastard..." Yuji muttered weakly.
He tried to stand, but his body refused to move.
It felt as if every bone had fallen apart.
Mahito looked down at him with a twisted smile.
"Ah, look at you."
"You really do look like a pathetic worm."
He laughed softly.
"What, you thought this was enough?"
Mahito raised his hand.
"Now watch carefully while I turn your friends into caterpillars."
Idle Transfiguration activated.
Inside the domain, his cursed technique should have been unavoidable.
He could even use it from a distance.
But suddenly Mahito froze.
His smile disappeared.
"What?"
His eyes widened.
"The guaranteed hit effect... it's gone?"
He slowly turned toward Megumi.
Shock filled his expression.
Megumi was standing.
Blood covered his face, but his hands were already forming a sign.
A wild grin stretched across his face.
"If you can't imagine yourself becoming stronger, you'll never become stronger."
Gojo Satoru's words echoed in his mind.
"Be greedier, Fushiguro."
Megumi abandoned all hesitation.
Running.
Surviving.
Those thoughts disappeared.
Right now, only one idea remained.
Victory.
An overwhelming victory.
Someone who cannot even imagine winning is already destined to lose.
Megumi's cursed energy surged violently.
"Domain Expansion."
Shadows spread across the ground like black water.
"Chimera Shadow Garden."
The sea of shadows flooded half of Mahito's domain in an instant.
Megumi laughed wildly as the silhouettes of countless shikigami twisted within the darkness.
Mahito stared in shock.
"This is his first domain?"
His voice trembled slightly.
"The Ten Shadows Technique..."
Then his grin slowly returned.
"Still just a brat."
"Even if you opened a domain, how long can you maintain it?"
Megumi looked straight at him.
"Oh?"
"Why don't you try me?"
With a sharp shout, Megumi commanded the shadow shikigami to attack.
They surged toward Mahito from every direction.