Urgent footsteps and heavy breathing echoed throughout the stairwell.
Itadori kept his eyes locked on the fleeing figure ahead, Kurisaka, the Cursed User clutching two black Cursed Tool nails.
"Stop!" Itadori roared as he leaped down several steps at a time with astonishing speed.
Megumi Fushiguro followed closely behind.
"Watch out for ambushes," Megumi warned. "He might be trying to lure us into a confined space."
That was exactly Kurisaka's intention.
He suddenly spun around with a malicious grin and flicked several poisoned needles toward Itadori's face and chest.
"Hmph!"
Itadori reacted instantly. His Cursed Energy infused fist struck the needles with precision, knocking them aside and embedding them into the nearby wall with several dull thuds.
However, that brief delay was enough.
Kurisaka widened the gap between them and burst out of the stairwell, entering one of the department store's floors.
"Don't think you can escape!"
Itadori immediately gave chase, with Megumi right behind him.
The floor appeared to be an abandoned clothing store.
Collapsed racks, scattered garments, and broken mannequin limbs littered the area. The lighting was dim, with only the eerie green glow of emergency exit signs illuminating the space.
Kurisaka vanished behind the clutter.
Itadori and Megumi immediately stopped and stood back to back, carefully observing their surroundings.
"He's trying to stall us so those Special Grade Cursed Spirits can finish whatever they're planning," Megumi said quietly, already preparing his Ten Shadows Technique.
"We have to deal with him and get those nails back," Itadori replied, raising his guard as his senses sharpened.
The only sounds that remained were the distant echoes of battle and their own breathing.
Suddenly, a faint rustling noise came from behind a pile of collapsed racks to their left.
Itadori was about to charge over when Megumi grabbed his arm.
"It's a trap."
Megumi's eyes sharpened.
"Divine Dogs."
Two black and white figures emerged silently from his shadow and shot forward like arrows.
Just as the Divine Dogs closed in, the pile of racks exploded.
Sharp metal fragments and wooden splinters rained toward the Divine Dogs and the two sorcerers.
"Nue!"
Megumi instantly switched Shikigami.
The giant winged Shikigami materialized and spread its wings, shielding them from most of the debris.
At that moment, Kurisaka launched his real attack.
He descended from an overhead ventilation shaft like a phantom, a short dagger in each hand, both coated in dense Cursed Energy as he aimed directly for their heads.
"Above!"
Itadori's combat instincts kicked in instantly.
He shoved Megumi aside while simultaneously leaping backward.
Slash.
One of the blades grazed Itadori's shoulder, drawing blood.
The malicious Cursed Energy attempted to invade his body, but the immense power within him quickly dispersed it.
"Tsk. Sukuna's vessel really is troublesome," Kurisaka muttered.
The moment his attack failed, he retreated once again and disappeared into the shadows.
"Are you okay, Itadori?" Megumi asked as he looked at his shoulder.
The wound was shallow, but an ominous black purple aura lingered around it.
"I'm fine."
Itadori rotated his shoulder as Cursed Energy surged through his body, forcing the lingering energy out.
"That guy is slippery as an eel."
"We can't let him drag this out any longer."
Megumi formed another hand sign.
"We need to catch him quickly."
...
On the rooftop, the atmosphere was unbearably oppressive.
Nanami's entire body was tense as cold sweat trickled down his temples.
As a Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer, he immediately understood that the man standing before him was far more dangerous than he had anticipated.
There was no trace of Cursed Energy emanating from him, yet his killing intent toward living beings surpassed that of any Special Grade Cursed Spirit.
Takuma Ino was equally shaken.
Despite Toji Fushiguro's seemingly relaxed posture, every instinct in his body screamed danger.
"Nanami-senpai... who exactly is he?"
"He's a being summoned through a spirit summoning technique," Nanami answered quickly. "But now that the summoner is dead, his actions are completely unpredictable. Focus on evasion and survival."
Before he could finish speaking, Toji moved.
There was no warning.
No Cursed Energy fluctuation.
Only explosive physical speed that left behind a blur.
His target was Ino.
"So fast!"
Ino barely had time to react before Toji appeared in front of him and threw a simple, straightforward punch toward his face.
The force alone nearly suffocated him.
"Number Four: Dragon!"
Ino instinctively activated his strongest technique.
But Nanami was even faster.
He knew Ino had no chance of blocking that attack.
"Move!"
Nanami shoved Ino aside and simultaneously slashed at Toji's wrist, attempting to force him to defend.
However, Toji's fighting instincts surpassed conventional understanding.
Instead of retreating, his free hand shot out with unbelievable speed.
His index and middle fingers clamped down onto Nanami's blade.
Clang!
A metallic sound rang out.
Nanami felt an overwhelming force surge through the weapon.
The skin between his thumb and index finger split open, blood immediately pouring out as his grip nearly failed.
At the same time, Toji's punch continued downward after losing its target.
Boom!
His fist smashed into the rooftop.
The concrete shattered instantly, creating a massive crater as spiderweb cracks spread across the surface.
The sheer physical power and precision were terrifying.
Nanami seized the opportunity to retreat and regroup with Ino.
Both wore expressions of shock.
"No... we're not even on the same level," Ino said, his voice trembling.
"His physical abilities have surpassed human limits," Nanami said grimly as he looked at his bleeding hand.
Without his weapon, his combat effectiveness had been significantly reduced.
Toji casually tossed the stolen short sword aside as though it were worthless.
He tilted his head and looked at the two sorcerers standing on high alert.
A mocking smile slowly formed on his lips.
Then he took another step forward, closing the distance.