"Sukuna?!"
Kiyotaka Ijichi collapsed to the ground in shock.
His face turned pale as his phone slipped from his trembling hands.
"H-How is this possible?!"
"Didn't Itadori suppress him already?!"
"Why is the cursed energy… even stronger than before?!"
"Suppress?"
Ryomen Sukuna cracked his neck slowly.
The sound echoed like breaking bones awakening after centuries of sleep.
His crimson eyes burned with ferocious excitement.
"That's because I simply wasn't interested in moving before."
Sukuna stepped forward.
Each step sank deeply into the ground beneath Yuji Itadori's body, leaving clear footprints in the soil.
The surrounding air grew heavy under the pressure of his cursed energy.
Then his gaze locked onto Yagami Sora.
A wide grin spread across his face.
Sharp fangs glinted under the fading sunlight.
"You said I was weak."
"You said I wasn't worthy to fight you."
Sukuna's grin widened.
"Then let's test that."
"Let's see if you can still talk like that once I crush every bone in your body."
Before the final word finished—
Sukuna vanished.
Too fast.
Several times faster than the Special Grade curse they had just fought.
Even Megumi Fushiguro couldn't see his movement.
The next moment—
Sukuna appeared directly behind Yagami Sora.
Sora's eyes narrowed slightly.
"So this is the power of two fingers…"
He analyzed instantly.
The increase in speed and explosive strength was dramatic.
This level already surpassed most ordinary Special Grade cursed spirits.
"Dismantle."
Sukuna's fingers twitched.
Invisible slashes erupted instantly.
A dense storm of cutting attacks filled the air.
The surrounding trees were shredded into splinters.
The ground cracked open.
Even the air itself seemed to scream under the cutting force.
"Yagami! Move!" Megumi shouted desperately.
But Yagami Sora didn't move.
He even yawned.
"I already told you."
"Attacks like this are meaningless against me."
The storm of slashes descended.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Countless metallic impacts echoed in rapid succession.
Every slash collided with the invisible vector reflection layer surrounding Sora.
Sparks exploded in all directions.
Not a single blade reached him.
Instead—
Several slashes changed direction.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
Blood erupted from Sukuna's body.
Deep wounds appeared across Yuji's shoulders, thighs, and cheek.
They were Sukuna's own attacks—
Reflected back at him.
"Is that your 'serious' effort?"
Sora waved his hand casually, clearing the dust around him.
His gaze toward Sukuna was mocking.
"If that's everything…"
"You should go back to sleep."
"Don't embarrass yourself."
Sukuna stared at the wounds covering his body.
Then—
He licked the blood from the corner of his mouth.
Instead of anger, his expression became even more excited.
"Hahahahaha!"
"Excellent!"
"Reflection… absolute defense…"
"And now this?"
Sukuna formed a hand sign.
The cursed energy around him surged violently.
The air trembled.
Something dangerous was forming.
"Cleave."
Unlike Dismantle, which indiscriminately cuts objects—
Cleave automatically adjusts its power according to the toughness and cursed energy of the target.
A technique designed specifically to kill powerful opponents.
A massive invisible slash formed instantly.
It tore through the air with terrifying force.
Even space seemed to distort along its path.
The slash descended directly toward Sora's head.
"This time…"
Sukuna grinned.
"Let's see you reflect this."
For the first time—
Yagami Sora removed his hand from his pocket.
His expression became slightly more serious.
But his confidence never wavered.
"Interesting."
He raised his right hand.
Palm upward.
As if holding up the sky.
"But anything that contains force…"
"…still follows vector laws."
"Reflection."
"Full power."
BOOM—!!!
The massive slash collided with Sora's palm.
A blinding flash erupted instantly.
The ground collapsed beneath them.
A crater several meters deep formed from the impact.
The shockwave blasted outward.
Ijichi scrambled behind the car in panic.
Megumi and Nobara were forced to lie flat on the ground to avoid being thrown away.
Several seconds passed.
Then—
The light faded.
Yagami Sora still stood in the center of the crater.
The ground beneath him had turned to powder.
But he himself was completely unharmed.
Even his hair remained perfectly in place.
Sukuna's Cleave had been completely decomposed by vector calculations—
Its destructive force split into countless microscopic air blades that scattered harmlessly into the wind.
Sora dusted his hands calmly.
"Got anything else?"
Sukuna's expression finally changed.
For the first time—
His arrogant smile froze.
Even Cleave had been stopped.
What exactly was this technique?
This wasn't simple defense.
It was as if the laws of combat themselves were being overwritten.
"If that's everything…"
Yagami Sora vanished.
In the next instant—
He appeared directly in front of Sukuna.
Their faces were only centimeters apart.
His crimson eyes stared straight into Sukuna's.
"Then it's my turn."
Sora's voice was calm.
Cold.
"Since you call yourself the King…"
"I'll show you what a king's day of suffering looks like."