After such a long period of growth—and after experiencing countless battles and events—
Cao Ye's own cursed technique had finally been born.
Unlike most sorcerers whose techniques exist from the moment they are born, Cao Ye's technique was created afterward, forged through experience.
Technique: Flower of Evil
A seed.
Watered by evil.
Gradually it sprouts… grows… and finally blooms.
This flower, called "Evil," represents absolute malice.
It was born directly from the power of "All the World's Evils."
"Flower of Evil…"
At the moment his technique awakened, Cao Ye clearly felt its power.
The ability of the Flower of Evil was extremely straightforward.
It could absorb the evil within others.
That evil would then become nutrients, feeding and strengthening the flower.
Behind Cao Ye—
A jet-black Manjusaka flower slowly bloomed.
"Hm?"
"So this is your real technique?"
Sukuna's eyes flickered slightly.
Even he could sense that this strange black Manjusaka was far from ordinary.
At that moment, in Cao Ye's vision—
Sukuna was wrapped in an ocean of evil.
As a Special Grade Curse, and a tyrant-like existence at that, the evil he carried was unimaginable.
A thousand years ago, he had already been an unstoppable monster in the jujutsu world.
"Come on."
"Give your evil to me."
Buzz—
"Hm?"
Suddenly Sukuna's expression changed.
He realized—
He could no longer control his body.
The body he now possessed was formed from something like the world's purest evil.
A vessel perfectly capable of housing his soul and cursed energy.
That alone should have been impossible.
But now Sukuna realized—
From the very beginning…
He had already walked into Cao Ye's trap.
Cao Ye smiled.
This was his technique.
And it was excellent.
The evil within Sukuna began to peel away, little by little.
It was absorbed into Cao Ye's body as nourishment.
Behind him, the black Manjusaka symbolizing evil began to emit an eerie dark glow.
"Heh… looks like I've been outplayed."
"Hey."
"What's your name?"
Realizing he had become fish on the chopping board, Sukuna asked.
For the King of Curses to ask someone's name—
It meant he had acknowledged their strength and cunning.
"Cao Ye."
Cao Ye answered directly.
"Cao Ye…"
"I'll remember that name."
"If we ever meet again—"
"I'll twist your neck, rip off your head, and wash away today's humiliation."
"You won't get that chance."
In this world—
There were no other Sukuna fingers.
Their encounter would likely never repeat.
As Cao Ye finished speaking, the evil within Sukuna had already been completely extracted.
It was devoured by Cao Ye.
The black Manjusaka flower grew slightly larger.
After absorbing Sukuna's evil—
Cao Ye's strength increased by more than thirty percent.
That was the terrifying aspect of the Flower of Evil.
While stripping away an enemy's evil, it simultaneously strengthened Cao Ye himself.
And not just magic power.
His strength, speed, durability, and other attributes all improved as well.
"After witnessing Sukuna's domain…"
"With that as reference…"
"I should be able to construct my own Domain."
This battle—especially Sukuna's Domain Expansion—had allowed Cao Ye to personally experience what a domain truly was.
If he remembered that feeling—
He could likely develop his own domain in the future.
As for his other two techniques—
Compared to his personal technique, they were merely additional bonuses.
Clatter—
Just as Cao Ye was digesting everything that had happened, a faint sound echoed nearby.
His eyes instantly sharpened.
"Who's there?"
He turned suddenly.
Not far away stood a small figure.
The person looked completely stunned by the power Cao Ye had just displayed.
Yet somehow—
The face looked familiar.
"It… it's me…"
The figure slowly stepped out.
It was just a child.
Then Cao Ye remembered.
This was the unlucky girl he had once saved in the Dungeon.
"I didn't mean to spy…"
"I know."
"And even if you did, it doesn't matter."
Cao Ye wasn't concerned.
Even if she understood what she saw, it wouldn't matter.
The things he said to Sukuna were concepts people of this world wouldn't understand anyway.
"What's your name?"
Since they had now met twice, it felt like a strange kind of fate.
"L-Lili…"
"Liliruca Arde."
"Hm?"
Cao Ye was momentarily surprised.
A member of the original protagonist group?
He looked at her small figure hidden inside a robe.
A Pallum girl, only about 110 cm tall.
It was interesting.
Although Cao Ye didn't know many people in Orario—
Quite a few of them happened to be Pallums.
The Gulliver brothers from his own familia
Finn from Loki Familia
And now Lili
That made six Pallums he knew.
And Lili herself was no ordinary character.
In the future, even Finn would propose to her.
But she rejected him because she already loved someone else.
Looking at her crimson hair, Cao Ye remembered something important.
She belonged to the Soma Familia.
And Soma Familia was notorious in Orario.
They produced the city's famous divine wine.
But the members of that familia were basically addicts.
Completely controlled by the divine wine.
To obtain more money to buy it—
They would do anything.
People like that…
Must carry plenty of evil, right?
Cao Ye's Flower of Evil had just bloomed.
Although it had already enjoyed a massive feast from Sukuna—
It still needed more nutrients.
"Lili."
"You belong to Soma Familia, right?"
At those words—
Lili's body trembled.
Fear and hatred flashed through her eyes.
Normally, a familia should be a shelter for its members.
But to Lili—
Soma Familia was a living hell.
It had tormented her since childhood.
And even now, she still couldn't escape.
"Yes…"
Her voice grew quiet.
Even despair crept into her tone.
To Lili, the world was nothing but darkness.
And just when the first ray of light had appeared—
Was she about to lose it again?
Then Cao Ye spoke again.
"Do you want the people who bullied you…"
"to pay the price?"
"...!"
Lili froze.
She lifted her head slowly.
Her eyes were filled with disbelief.
Because what Cao Ye said—
Was completely different from what she had expected.