(The Serpent and the Raven)

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The air was thick with cursed energy, so intense it was almost suffocating. The ground beneath their feet trembled as Mahoraga, the mighty shikigami of the Ten Shadows Technique, roared, its monstrous form towering above everything. Its spinning wheel of adaptation, the Eight-Handled Sword Divergent Sila Divine General, shimmered ominously, adjusting to the cursed techniques it faced. Its target was clear—Sukuna.

Sukuna, in control of Yuji's body, had consumed a total of sixteen fingers. His power radiated across the battlefield, warping the very reality around him as his malevolent grin widened. The King of Curses relished the chaos, watching the destruction unfold as Mahoraga relentlessly attacked, its blade slicing through the air with lethal precision. Sukuna's confidence was unwavering, but even he knew that Mahoraga was a formidable adversary. Its ability to adapt to any cursed technique made it a unique challenge, one that even Sukuna could not take lightly.

"Come on, then!" Sukuna roared, his voice filled with sadistic glee as he dodged another of Mahoraga's massive swings. "Let's see how long you can survive!"

Meanwhile, Yuji's friends—Megumi, Nobara, and Gojo, who had recovered from his injuries—stood helpless on the sidelines. They were torn between stopping Mahoraga and trying to find a way to bring Yuji back from Sukuna's control. The weight of the battle was bearing down on them, and they knew the stakes had never been higher.

Megumi gritted his teeth, clutching his hands into fists. "If Mahoraga adapts to Sukuna, it could mean the end of everything…"

Nobara, holding her hammer tightly, looked at the chaos around them. "We need to stop Mahoraga, but if we do, Sukuna could go unchecked. We have to get Yuji back in control before it's too late!"

Gojo, standing behind them, was more serious than usual, his eyes focused on the escalating fight between Mahoraga and Sukuna. "Mahoraga's spinning wheel is already adapting to Sukuna's techniques. We need to intervene, but with Sukuna in control, there's no telling what could happen if we get too close."

As the situation spiraled further out of control, a sudden presence made itself known, a pressure so immense that it silenced the battlefield for a brief moment. The oppressive cursed energy paused, and all eyes turned toward the source.

Itachi Uchiha walked through the rubble, his crimson Mangekyō Sharingan glowing in the dim light of the moon, his black cloak billowing in the wind. His expression was calm, but his eyes held a deadly focus as he took in the scene before him. The immense cursed energy radiating from both Mahoraga and Sukuna was palpable, but Itachi remained unfazed.

"Itachi?" Megumi muttered in disbelief. "What's he doing here?"

Gojo's eyes widened slightly in recognition. "Looks like Itachi's chosen to step in."

Without a word, Itachi moved forward, positioning himself between the rampaging Mahoraga and Sukuna. The sheer presence of the raven-eyed shinobi caused even Sukuna to pause for a moment, his sadistic grin fading as he regarded Itachi with interest.

"You again," Sukuna said, his voice echoing with amusement. "You think you can interfere in this fight? This is a battle of gods. Stay out of it, Uchiha, or I'll tear you apart."

Itachi's gaze flickered toward Sukuna but remained focused on Mahoraga, the shikigami's wheel spinning rapidly as it continued to adapt to Sukuna's techniques. "You're right. This is a battle of monsters," Itachi said, his voice steady. "And I've faced more than my share."

Sukuna laughed, but it wasn't the crazed laughter of someone underestimating his opponent—it was one of acknowledgment. "Fine, then! Let's see what you can do, shinobi!"

Mahoraga, sensing a new threat, let out a deafening roar and charged at Itachi, its massive blade slashing through the air with terrifying speed. The shikigami's adaptability was almost complete, having already adjusted to much of Sukuna's cursed techniques.

But Itachi was no ordinary fighter.

As Mahoraga's blade came crashing down, Itachi's Mangekyō Sharingan flared, and in an instant, the Susano'o erupted around him, its crimson form towering over the battlefield. The ethereal warrior raised its blade, meeting Mahoraga's strike head-on. The impact shook the earth, but Itachi stood firm, his Susano'o pushing back against the overwhelming force of Mahoraga's attack.

The shikigami's spinning wheel whirred faster, adapting once more to the new threat before it. But Itachi, ever the tactician, had anticipated this. He wasn't relying on brute force to win this fight.

"I know what you are," Itachi said, his voice quiet but filled with a steely resolve. "You adapt to everything thrown at you. But you can't adapt to what you cannot escape."

Mahoraga roared again, swinging its blade wildly, but Itachi had already begun his next move. His Mangekyō Sharingan shifted, the flames of Amaterasu springing to life. The black flames ignited on Mahoraga's body, spreading like wildfire across the massive shikigami.

The adaptation wheel on Mahoraga's head spun violently as the cursed spirit tried to adjust to the inextinguishable black flames. But even Mahoraga, with its ability to adapt to cursed techniques, couldn't fully counter the power of Amaterasu. The flames clung to the shikigami, consuming its body as it thrashed in a futile attempt to rid itself of the cursed fire.

In the midst of Mahoraga's struggle, Itachi raised his hand. "You cannot adapt to the inevitable."

He activated the final piece of his plan. His Susano'o raised its Totsuka Blade, the sword that seals anything it pierces into an eternal genjutsu. As Mahoraga continued to burn under the relentless assault of Amaterasu, Itachi's Susano'o thrust the Totsuka Blade forward, piercing Mahoraga's body with a decisive strike.

Mahoraga let out one final, ear-piercing roar as the sealing power of the Totsuka Blade took effect. The massive shikigami began to dissolve, its body vanishing into the blade as it was sealed away for eternity. The adaptation wheel on its head spun one last time before shattering, the energy dissipating into nothingness.

The battlefield fell silent as the overwhelming presence of Mahoraga was erased. Itachi stood amidst the ruins, his Susano'o slowly fading as he returned to his normal form. The black flames of Amaterasu flickered out, leaving no trace of Mahoraga's existence.

Sukuna, who had been watching the fight with a mixture of amusement and mild curiosity, let out a slow, impressed whistle. "Well, well. You actually did it."

But Itachi wasn't done. He turned his gaze toward Sukuna, his Sharingan locking onto the King of Curses with deadly intent. "Now," Itachi said, his voice calm but filled with a quiet fury, "let's settle this."

For the first time in the battle, Sukuna's grin faltered ever so slightly, a flicker of recognition crossing his face. He could sense the power radiating from Itachi, the same power that had just taken down Mahoraga. This was no ordinary sorcerer.

But before Sukuna could act, a faint, desperate voice echoed from within his own mind.

Yuji.

Yuji was fighting back, trying to wrest control of his body from Sukuna. It was subtle, but Itachi could sense the struggle. He didn't need to end this with force—not yet.

"You'll return," Itachi said, his Sharingan still fixed on Sukuna, but his words meant for Yuji. "You're stronger than him."

Sukuna let out a low growl, his grin twisting into something darker. "You think you can—"

But before he could finish, Yuji's willpower surged, and for a brief moment, Sukuna's control faltered. The cursed energy around him wavered, and Yuji's voice broke through, gasping as he regained control.

"Itachi… I'm… back…" Yuji panted, collapsing to his knees as Sukuna's presence receded.

Itachi nodded once, his eyes softening slightly. "You did well."

As Yuji's friends rushed to his side, Gojo watched Itachi with a knowing smile, despite the tension that had hung in the air. "You're really something, Itachi. Taking down Mahoraga and helping Yuji regain control? I guess I'll have to thank you again."

Itachi turned to Gojo, his expression neutral. "We aren't done yet. Sukuna's still in there."

Gojo nodded, his usual laid-back demeanor returning. "I know. But for now, we've bought ourselves a little more time."

As the night settled over the battlefield, the threat of Sukuna and Mahoraga had been temporarily quelled. But Itachi knew there would be more battles ahead—both in this world and beyond. For now, however, they had won the fight.

And Itachi, ever the silent protector.