The attacks of the three landed almost simultaneously—
And then stopped.
Half a meter away from the surface of the Cursed Womb, an invisible barrier blocked them.
"What?!"
Kugisaki Nobara's eyes widened.
Her nails hung suspended in midair, striking the unseen wall with a dull thud, unable to advance even the slightest bit further.
Fushiguro Megumi's Divine Dogs were thrown back, rolling twice across the rooftop before regaining their footing.
Itadori Yuji's fist pressed against the barrier.
"It's no use…" he gritted out. "I can't break through!"
At that moment, the hole began to writhe.
Viscous black liquid slowly poured from it, flowing over the Cursed Womb.
Sizzle—
The surface of the Cursed Womb began to boil instantly.
The black liquid spread, covering it like a writhing cloak.
As the Black Mud completely enveloped the Cursed Womb, the hole vanished.
The heart-like beating of the Cursed Womb stopped as well.
But cold sweat began to bead on the trio's foreheads as they stared at the cocoon wrapped in Black Mud.
They could feel it.
Something terrifying had been born.
Crack.
A faint sound rang out.
A crack split across the cocoon's surface.
Crack… crack… crack…
More cracks spread outward, crawling across the shell like a spiderweb.
Then the Black Mud exploded.
Terrifying Cursed Energy erupted like a tsunami, instantly sweeping across the entire rooftop.
Kugisaki Nobara, Fushiguro Megumi, and Itadori Yuji didn't even have time to react before the force slammed them violently onto the ground.
"Cough—!"
Nobara coughed up a mouthful of blood as she struggled to push herself upright.
With great difficulty, she lifted her head and looked toward the center of the explosion.
The Black Mud dissipated.
Revealing the thing inside.
It had a humanoid shape.
Roughly two meters tall, with limbs that were unnaturally long and distorted, like a rubber man stretched far beyond its limits.
Its torso was gaunt, ribs starkly visible beneath sickly pale skin riddled with black cracks. Beneath those cracks, viscous Black Mud writhed.
Its neck was absurdly long—almost a third of its total height—thin as a hemp stalk, supporting a perfectly round head.
There were no facial features.
Only a bottomless, pitch-black circular hole covered the entire face.
It floated silently in midair, looking down at the three people sprawled on the rooftop.
No sound.
No movement.
But Nobara could feel it.
It was smiling.
That malice.
That pure, delighted cruelty.
It seemed curious.
Curious why these tiny creatures were still alive.
Then it hooked a finger.
Thud.
Knees struck the ground.
Vision blurred, and consciousness began to fade.
It's… over…
The moment that thought surfaced, Nobara's lips curled slightly.
"This time…" she heard her own voice murmur faintly, "it's really the end…"
Inside Itadori Yuji's body, the Cursed Energy of Ryomen Sukuna stirred like an enraged beast.
The turbulence partially neutralized the pressure pressing down on him.
Yuji forced his arms beneath himself and pushed upward little by little, trying to stand.
His knees braced against the ground. His back arched. His muscles strained to their absolute limit.
"Ugh…!"
A muffled groan escaped him.
Finally, he managed to rise onto one knee and lift his head, staring at the Cursed Spirit floating in the sky.
The Cursed Spirit seemed to notice.
It tilted its head.
Thud.
Yuji's body, which he had just forced upright, slammed heavily back onto the ground.
This time, he couldn't even move a finger.
His consciousness began to fade.
Black mist crept into the edges of his vision.
The only things he could hear were his own heavy heartbeat and the roaring rush of blood in his ears.
Am I… going to die?
The thought flickered through his mind.
I don't want to.
I've… I've only just made friends…
We… made a promise…
Just one second before the darkness swallowed him completely—
He heard footsteps coming from the rooftop entrance.
Who is it…
The question lingered for only an instant before disappearing into the void.
Itadori Yuji lost consciousness.
The Cursed Spirit floating in the air turned toward the uninvited guest.
The pitch-black hole on its face shifted slightly, as if sizing her up.
The silver-haired girl approached step by step, radiating an icy chill.
The Cursed Spirit's head rotated several times—180 degrees each time—as if confused by the fact that this human hadn't collapsed within its Domain.
Kama crossed her arms and stopped in front of the fallen trio.
Her tone carried a trace of displeasure.
"Heh."
"What a naughty little rat."
"To provoke me again and again…"
The corners of her lips slowly curved into a sweet smile.
"Are you trying to make me angry?"
The moment her words fell—
BOOM!!!!!
A terrifying pressure descended like a physical mountain.
The Cursed Spirit had no time to react before it was slammed violently into the rooftop.
BANG—!!!
Spiderweb cracks burst across the concrete floor.
The Cursed Spirit was pinned down on all fours, its long neck bent almost to the breaking point. Its round head was forced hard against the ground as viscous liquid seeped from the black hole.
Kama's rose-colored eyes reflected the pitiful sight.
"That's more like it."
She spoke softly, as if coaxing a misbehaving pet.
"Be good."
"And stop running around."
The Cursed Spirit struggled.
Its pale fingers clawed into the concrete, nails snapping as black blood seeped out.
It raised its head slightly, the pitch-black hole turning toward Kama.
AAAAAAAAAA—!!!!!
A silent shriek erupted.
A horrifying sonic wave exploded outward, twisting the air and cracking the concrete inch by inch.
It was its final struggle—a desperate attack that condensed every ounce of its Cursed Energy, enough to reduce the entire building to rubble.
Kama didn't even blink.
She simply raised one hand and pressed her index finger lightly against her lips.
"Shh."
The shriek stopped instantly.
The Cursed Spirit froze mid-scream, locked in place.
Then—
Pop.
Like a punctured balloon.
Its body began to collapse from the inside.
The pale skin shattered piece by piece, revealing the writhing Black Mud beneath.
The Black Mud evaporated rapidly, turning into black mist that dissipated into the air.
One second.
The Cursed Spirit vanished completely, leaving not even a trace behind.
Only a shallow crater in the rooftop remained, proof it had ever existed.
Kama lowered her hand.
Her gaze swept over the three unconscious figures on the ground before shifting toward a certain direction.
She knew it was still there.
That broken Cup.
That piece of trash that kept causing her trouble was still hiding somewhere, peeking out from the shadows and playing these ridiculous games.
Kama's lips curled.
"I'm starting to get bored."
"You'd better hide a little deeper~"
Somewhere in space, a faint fluctuation appeared.
Extremely subtle.
But Kama's gaze locked onto it instantly.
"Found you."
Whish—!
The flower arrow left the string, streaking through the air as a flash of light toward that unstable space.
It plunged into the void and vanished.
The next second—
A dull thud echoed from somewhere far away.
Like the sound of something shattering.
Kama narrowed her eyes, sensing the feedback from the arrow.
"Tch."
Her lip curled in irritation.
"Did it manage to get away?"
The longbow in her hand dissolved into particles of light.
She looked down again.
A brilliant gleam flickered in her rose-colored eyes as she examined the three unconscious figures on the rooftop.
None of them were missing. Their injuries were neither too light nor too severe.
Especially Itadori Yuji.
The Cursed Energy of Ryomen Sukuna within him was rampaging wildly—trying to seize control while simultaneously repairing the body's injuries.
Kama observed them for a few seconds.
Then a flash of danger appeared in her eyes.
She had just happened to discover the trail of the Black Holy Grail.
Gojo Satoru had just happened to receive an emergency mission.
And the higher-ups had very conveniently assigned Itadori Yuji to deal with this "Cursed Womb."
"Ah."
"I see."
Kama let out a soft laugh.
Her rose-colored eyes narrowed as her smile deepened.
"I think I know who's been meddling~"
She walked over, knelt down beside them, and extended a finger to lightly tap Itadori Yuji's forehead.
The warmth of the boy's body passed through his skin—vivid, alive, carrying a growing vitality.
Her fingertip lingered there for two seconds.
Then she withdrew it and stood.
The rampaging Cursed Energy calmed instantly.
Kama turned and walked toward the rooftop entrance.
"To dare lay a hand on my property…"
Her voice drifted lightly through the air.
"It's truly…"
"A bit irritating."