Yuji and Todo were locked in a desperate struggle amidst the ruins of Shibuya's streets.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Mahito's blade-like arms and thick tail lashed out like a torrential rain.
Each time they struck the ground, the hard asphalt was pulverized into dust, and the remaining structures nearby shook precariously.
"Tch..."
Aoi Todo performed several mid-air backflips, narrowly avoiding the sweep of Mahito's tail.
Upon landing, his legs felt slightly weak.
'Is this monster's stamina and cursed energy endless?'
Todo wiped away the cold sweat pouring from his forehead.
The high-intensity evasion and consecutive use of Boogie Woogie had pushed his cursed energy consumption to a dangerously critical limit.
If this continued, he would collapse from exhaustion even if he managed to avoid Mahito's attacks.
Meanwhile.
On the ruins of a skyscraper several hundred meters from the battlefield.
Yoru, who had just received emergency bandaging from Arata Nitta, was half-kneeling on the ground, staring fixedly at the battle below.
"Huff... huff..."
Yoru's breathing was heavy and labored; every inhale felt like swallowing shards of glass.
Although his body had not suffered a fatal injury, his life force was severely depleted from fighting Special Grade Cursed Spirits and 15-finger Sukuna, followed by forcing a Bright Red Nichirin Sword to suppress Mahito's clone.
Most critically.
He was still forcing himself to maintain the Transparent World.
Without the support of a Slayer Mark, maintaining the Transparent World put a horrific burden on his brain and nerves.
Yoru felt his temples throbbing violently. His vision blurred and cleared in turns, and cold sweat poured down his face, dripping onto the blade of Shiranui.
'It's not enough...'
'Yuji's Black Flash can damage his soul, but this guy's defensive shell is too thick. I have to find an opening to break his defense in an instant...'
Yoru gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stay conscious and watching every detail of Mahito's muscle contractions and cursed energy flow.
In the center of the battlefield.
"Die! Die! Die!"
Mahito laughed maniacally, his massive body charging like a tank.
With Todo's stamina fading and his ability to distract weakened, Yuji had to bear the full weight of the Instant Spirit Body of Distorted Killing alone.
Bang!
Yuji crossed his arms and barely blocked one of Mahito's heavy punches, but he was sent flying like a baseball, smashing into the ruins of a convenience store.
"Is this your limit?!"
Mahito stopped his assault and stood in the middle of the devastated street. He looked down at Yuji struggling to climb out of the rubble and Todo gasping for air in the distance.
A hint of mockery and cruelty flashed in his deep, black-hole eyes.
"Playing house with you all was quite fun, in its own way."
"However..."
Mahito's voice turned freezing cold, like a wind blowing from the depths of hell.
"I'm bored now."
The moment the words left his mouth.
Mahito's body went still.
His massive arms slowly joined together, forming a strange hand seal in front of his chest.
"Hm?!"
From the high building, Yoru saw through the Transparent World that the originally violent cursed energy within Mahito was suddenly compressing with an incredible regularity!
'That feeling...'
"Oh no!"
Yoru's pupils shrank to pinpricks.
"That seal... it's a Domain Expansion!"
Not just Yoru, but Aoi Todo on the battlefield felt the spine-chilling threat of death at the same time.
'Is this guy... going to expand his domain here?!'
Todo was struck with horror.
The sure-hit effect of Mahito's domain, Self-Embodiment of Perfection, was Idle Transfiguration!
Once caught inside, the sure-hit effect would crush their souls instantly!
'I have to use Simple Domain immediately!'
Todo began to mobilize his remaining cursed energy without hesitation.
However.
Just as Todo was about to form the seal.
A cunning and crazed smile curled on Mahito's lips.
After his brief encounter with Satoru Gojo at Shibuya Station and witnessing the extraordinary battles of Sukuna and Yoru.
Mahito's soul had achieved a true metamorphosis in this instant.
He mimicked the ultimate technique of the Strongest Jujutsu Sorcerer of the Modern Era! He merged the manifestation of his Innate Domain with the activation of his technique!
"Domain Expansion..."
"Self-Embodiment of Perfection!"
Voom—!!!
The black barrier, like an inverted bowl, expanded through the streets of Shibuya at a speed the naked eye couldn't track!
It was too fast!
So fast that Todo hadn't even finished the opening move for his Simple Domain!
0.2 seconds!
Mahito only maintained his domain for 0.2 seconds!
But in those brief 0.2 seconds, the sure-hit effect of Idle Transfiguration acted like countless invisible ghost hands, seizing Aoi Todo's soul!
"No!"
Todo's pupils shook violently.
He could clearly feel a nauseating, twisting power surging into the depths of his soul through his left hand!
His left hand began to twitch and swell uncontrollably—a terrifying omen that his soul was about to be transfigured into a monster!
"Idle Transfiguration!"
Mahito's maniacal laughter sounded exceptionally grating after the 0.2-second domain vanished.
"Your soul is mine, Gorilla!"
In just a fraction of a second, Todo's left hand would be completely deformed, and the twisting power would spread to his entire body, ruining him!
In that desperate moment when everyone thought Todo was doomed!
Clang—!
A sword chime, so clear it seemed to sever all illusions, suddenly exploded in Todo's ears!
Then.
A flash of bright red blade light, brilliant as the sun yet carrying an air of extreme weakness, fell like a crimson lightning bolt from the ruins hundreds of meters away!
"Sun Breathing, Seventh Form..."
"Beneficent Radiance!"
Squelch—!
That bright red blade light, carrying the heat to incinerate anything, struck with absolute precision against the arm Mahito was pointing at Todo!
"Aaaaagh!"
Mahito screamed, the searing pain of the Bright Red Nichirin Sword forcing him to retreat instinctively.
As Mahito recoiled, the Idle Transfiguration power connected to Todo's left hand was forcibly severed!
"Huff... huff..."
Todo stared at his left hand; though it was red and swollen, it was still intact. He gasped for air, his entire body soaked in cold sweat.
He looked up sharply.
Standing before him.
A figure in a tattered black uniform, holding a bright red katana, stood as straight as a javelin.
"Yo... Yoru?"
Todo's voice trembled.
At this moment, Yoru's condition was abysmal.
His body was shaking violently, as if he no longer had the strength to even hold his sword.
Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, dripping onto the guard of Shiranui.
To save Todo within that 0.2-second limit, he had squeezed the last bit of his life force to launch this attack from hundreds of meters away.
He was truly at the end of his rope.
But even so.
Yoru still stood firmly in front of Todo, his red eyes showing not a single hint of retreat.
"If you want to touch my companion..."
Yoru's voice was weak, but it carried a chill that made Mahito's soul tremble.
"Ask the blade in my hand first."
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