The beach volleyball game had become absolute nonsense.
Again.
Teams had been formed.
Then immediately ignored.
Then reformed.
Then ignored again.
Nobody even knew the score anymore.
Sukuna was dominating.
Completely.
The volleyball flew toward him—
and he slammed it so hard the air cracked.
BOOOOM.
The ball landed in the sand.
A perfect line burned through the beach.
Silence.
Yuji stared.
"…UNC WHY ARE YOU TRYING SO HARD!?"
Sukuna crossed his arms.
A tiny smirk on his face.
"…Weak."
Hakari pointed dramatically.
"HE'S SWEATING IN VOLLEYBALL!"
Kirara looked over.
"…You're sweating too."
"…THAT ISN'T THE POINT."
Meanwhile Fred had somehow evolved enough to spike the ball.
Not well.
But enough.
Everyone clapped.
Fred looked proud.
Then—
Takeru stopped moving.
His smile faded slightly.
The ball rolled by him.
He didn't even react.
Nanami noticed first.
"…Takeru?"
The conversations slowly quieted.
Takeru stared toward the ocean.
Then toward the forest farther back.
Then at the sky.
"…This is seeming suspicious."
Everyone looked at him.
Takeru slowly rubbed his throat.
"We haven't found an enemy…"
A pause.
"And for some reason…"
He rubbed his neck again.
"I have an itchy, itchy, itchy Japanese throat right now."
Silence.
Yuji blinked.
"…A WHAT."
Megumi frowned immediately.
"…Wait."
Geto's expression changed.
Gojo looked less playful.
Takeru looked around slowly.
"And I don't like it."
A small pause.
"I feel like something bad will happen."
The wind shifted.
The ocean waves continued normally.
The sun still shined.
Everything looked peaceful.
But suddenly—
that peaceful feeling felt…
off.
Fred slowly lowered his sunglasses.
Then raised a sign.
"Danger?"
Nobody laughed.
Even Sukuna's smile disappeared.
And far away—
something moved.