Hanami had never felt such terror.
But at this very moment.
Facing this human boy wielding a blade, what it felt was...
Pure destruction.
It was a primal tremor of survival instinct, like a mouse encountering a cat or an antelope facing a lion.
*There's absolutely no escape!*
Those eyes of the Transparent World had already locked down all of its escape routes.
Every movement, every thought.
Even the flow of cursed energy within its body was laid bare before those eyes.
"I must block this!"
Hanami let out one final roar.
It ceased all attempts to attack, concentrating every drop of its cursed energy into its chest.
*Crack, crack...*
Countless layers of iron-hard bark grew frantically, instantly forming a wooden shield several meters thick before it.
That wasn't all.
It transformed all surrounding plants into vines, wrapping itself in layers like a cocoon.
This was its ultimate defensive form.
Even a Special Grade Cursed Tool like Playful Cloud might not be able to break through this absolute defense.
However.
Looking at that turtle-shell-like defense, Yoru's expression remained as calm as still water.
There was no disdain or mockery, only focus.
Extreme focus.
Under the gaze of the Transparent World, that seemingly indestructible defense was actually riddled with minute gaps.
*As long as I'm fast enough and my power is concentrated...*
*...I can end this in one strike!*
"Hooo..."
Yoru took another deep breath.
This breath was longer and deeper than any before it.
The air in his lungs was compressed to the limit, then instantly unleashed.
His heart pounded violently, as if it were about to burst from his chest.
Total Concentration: Thunder Breathing, Seventh Form: Honoikazuchi no Kami!
But it wasn't enough.
Speed alone couldn't shatter that absolute defense.
He had to add...
...the destructive power of Sun Breathing!
*Zzzzt, sizzle...*
Golden lightning and crimson flames intertwined wildly upon his blade.
Two completely different Breathing Styles produced a miraculous resonance within his body.
In that moment.
The Special Grade Cursed Tool Shiranui in his hand seemed to come alive.
The blade vibrated violently, emitting a piercing hum, and the surrounding space began to warp from the high-frequency oscillation.
That was... the omen of a Crimson Flash!
By overlapping the shockwave of supersonic speed with the power of the slash itself, it created a spatial distortion effect.
This was the physical version of Black Flash that Yoru had created.
Though not a true Black Flash, its power...
...was even greater!
"Sun Breathing, Seventh Form: Beneficent Radiance."
This technique was originally just a single-point thrusting sword skill.
But augmented by the Crimson Flash, it became a divine technique capable of piercing through anything.
BOOM!!!
Yoru moved.
This time, no one could see his movements.
Even Aoi Todo and Yuji Itadori, who possessed exceptional dynamic vision, only saw a blur.
Immediately following.
A beam of crimson light, like a laser, instantly pierced through the absolute defense Hanami so prided itself on.
*Puchi!*
There was no resistance.
The wooden shield several meters thick was as fragile as tofu before that red light.
Next were the layers of the hard vine cocoon.
And finally...
...Hanami's indestructible body.
"AAAAAHHHH!!!"
A shrill scream echoed through the heavens.
Hanami's eyes bulged as it looked in disbelief at the blood-slicked hole clean through its chest.
Behind it.
Yoru remained in a lunging stance, white smoke still rising from Shiranui.
That strike.
Not only had it pierced its body, but it had also accurately skewered the cursed energy core buried deep within!
It was a heart that was rapidly withering.
Under that terrifying heat and vibration, its core didn't even have time to regenerate before being utterly destroyed.
"How... is this... possible..."
Hanami's voice faltered.
It could feel its life force draining away rapidly.
That once-massive cursed energy was now leaking away frantically, like air from a punctured balloon.
It had lost.
It had lost to a human with no cursed energy, to a blade that seemed to burn with the fire of the sun.
"...Crimson Flash."
Yoru slowly straightened up, flicking the blood from his blade.
But the moment he relaxed, a tearing pain suddenly surged through his entire right arm.
This was the price of using the Crimson Flash.
Unlike sorcerers who enter an omnipotent 'Zone' state after landing a Black Flash, the Crimson Flash—which relied purely on physical strength to force spatial distortion—placed a staggering burden on the body.
Without cursed energy to act as a buffer, the 2.5 power increase in destructive force was matched by a 2.5 power strain on the flesh.
Thus, the more powerful the technique, the greater the price one had to pay.
"Taking on a disaster-level Special Grade Cursed Spirit with a mortal body."
"As expected... was it still too much?"
Yoru panted slightly, fine beads of cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.
Right then.
The Curtain that had been blanketing the entire Goodwill Event venue suddenly began to fluctuate violently.
Then...
...it shattered like glass, collapsing entirely.
Sunlight once again spilled over the devastated battlefield.
It was over.
This Goodwill Event, which should have been a hard-fought battle, had become a one-sided slaughter because of Yoru's presence.
And the boy standing in the sunlight.
He sheathed his blade and turned to face his stunned teammates.
His silhouette.
At this moment, seemed incredibly imposing.
As if he were... a true god.
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