threads of infinity. sukuna (28)
The oppressive hum of cursed energy reverberated through the darkened Shibuya subway station, where chaos reigned supreme. Dim, flickering lights bathed the platform in an eerie glow, and the acrid smell of smoke mingled with the metallic scent of blood. Shadows danced along the walls, distorted by the cracks that spidered across the station's infrastructure.
Jogo stood near an unconscious Yuji, the cursed box in his molten hand radiating malice. The train cars on the track behind them were battered and twisted, remnants of the ongoing havoc in Shibuya. The distant cries of panicked civilians and the muffled thuds of combat echoed faintly, a symphony of destruction.
Yuji lay crumpled against a pillar, his chest rising and falling in shallow, uneven breaths. Blood smeared his temple, a stark contrast to the pale pallor of his face. He was utterly vulnerable—a rare sight for someone so often in the thick of battle.
Jogo's fiery eyes burned with purpose as he approached, the box clutched tightly. "You, vessel, were always destined for this," he said, his voice low but crackling like embers in a dying fire. He knelt, opening the box to reveal the gruesome contents. Twelve of Sukuna's fingers rested within, their energy pulsating like a malevolent heartbeat.
"This world is a rotting corpse," Jogo muttered as he lifted the first finger. "And only Sukuna can carve the path to its rightful end."
One by one, he began feeding the fingers to Yuji. Each time, Yuji's body jerked involuntarily, as if rejecting the intrusion. By the fourth finger, cursed energy rippled violently across the room, causing cracks to deepen in the station's walls. The air grew heavier, suffused with a suffocating presence that made even Jogo falter for a moment.
"Good," Jogo murmured, more to himself than anyone else. "The King of Curses stirs."
As the ninth finger slipped past Yuji's lips, a sinister laugh echoed faintly through the cursed energy-infused atmosphere—a sound not from Jogo, but from deep within Yuji. Sukuna's presence began to take root, his malevolent glee seeping through the cracks in Yuji's consciousness.
Jogo paused before offering the final fingers, a flicker of anticipation in his molten features. "Fifteen," he whispered. "Fifteen pieces of the king."
With a decisive motion, the last of the cursed fingers disappeared, and Yuji's body convulsed violently. His muscles tensed, veins darkened, and the cursed markings of Sukuna briefly flickered across his skin.
The station fell silent for a moment, the oppressive energy hanging like a guillotine. Then, a deep, guttural laugh rumbled from Yuji's lips—no longer his own. Jogo stepped back as Sukuna's influence surged, his grin wide and terrible.
And yet, as Sukuna's power swelled, the air outside the subway began to shift. Other presences approached, sensing the spike in cursed energy. The battle for Shibuya was far from over, and Jogo knew it.
The air in the subway station grew heavier as cursed energy swirled chaotically, thick like a storm. Jogo stood transfixed, watching Sukuna's power begin to awaken within Yuji's body. The oppressive aura suffused the space, choking and primal, as if the King of Curses himself was ready to take form.
The rhythmic clack of footsteps echoed down the shadowed hallway leading to the station. Slow, deliberate, and steady, they cut through the chaos like a knife. Jogo turned his molten gaze toward the sound, his expression shifting into wary curiosity.
Emerging from the darkness was Tsukasa. His tall, lean frame was silhouetted against the faint, flickering lights. His mismatched hair—brown streaked with white—gleamed under the dull illumination. His icy blue eyes, cold and calculating, locked onto the scene before him.
For a moment, he paused at the top of the stairs, surveying the destruction. The twisted metal of the train cars, the shattered tiles, and Yuji's convulsing form told him everything he needed to know. His lips curled slightly—not quite a smirk, but close enough to show his disdain.
"Feeding him like a child in a high chair, Jogo?" Tsukasa's voice was low, sharp, and mocking. "Do you think Sukuna will thank you for this?"
Jogo straightened, his molten energy flaring in annoyance. "Tsukasa," he growled. "You shouldn't be here."
"Neither should you," Tsukasa shot back, descending the stairs slowly. "But I guess desperation makes fools of us all."
The air between them crackled with tension as Tsukasa came to a stop just meters away, his gaze shifting briefly to Yuji. His expression remained unreadable as he studied the cursed marks flickering across Yuji's body and the faint smirk beginning to form on Sukuna's lips.
"You're risking quite a lot, reviving him now," Tsukasa remarked, his tone as detached as ever. "What's your plan when he decides you're expendable?"
Jogo snarled, stepping closer to Yuji's unconscious form. "This is for the future. Sukuna will—"
"Save your speeches," Tsukasa interrupted, a faint hint of irritation creeping into his voice. "They're as empty as the station. You don't even know if you can control him."
Jogo flared with anger, his molten form hissing. "You underestimate the King of Curses. He will reshape this world."
Tsukasa's eyes narrowed, his aura darkening. "The world doesn't need reshaping. It needs erasing."
The charged silence was broken by a low, sinister chuckle emanating from Yuji. Sukuna's voice seeped through like a toxin, laced with amusement. "And here I thought I was the dramatic one."
Both Tsukasa and Jogo turned their attention to Yuji, who was beginning to stir, Sukuna's presence radiating more clearly now. The King of Curses' cruel grin was unmistakable as he flexed his fingers experimentally, relishing the power coursing through him.
"Two little pests bickering over me," Sukuna said, his voice dripping with mockery. "This day just keeps getting better."
The dimly lit subway station reeked of cursed energy. Sukuna stood over Yuji's body, his aura an intoxicating mix of raw malice and power, as twelve of his fingers had just been forced down Yuji's throat. The transformation into a vessel of terrifying strength was palpable—air thick with his overwhelming dominance.
"Fifteen fingers," Sukuna mused aloud, his voice a low rumble that echoed off the tiled walls. "A king among ants. No one here can stop me now." His lips curved into a predatory smirk.
A slow clap broke through the tension. From the shadows of the station, Tsukasa emerged. His brown and white hair caught the faint flicker of a broken light, the strands of white gleaming like silver under moonlight. His expression was unreadable, but the piercing intensity of his gaze revealed his intent.
"You're a real comedian, Sukuna," Tsukasa said, his voice steady, dripping with mockery. Then he laughed—a sharp, dismissive sound that echoed in the eerie silence of the station.
Sukuna's crimson eyes narrowed. "And what's so funny, brat?" His voice darkened, though his grin remained intact.
Tsukasa tilted his head, his hands slipping casually into his coat pockets as his cursed energy swirled faintly around him like a predatory aura. "You're parading around like you've already won. But here you are... in someone else's body, playing catch-up with me." His laugh deepened, filled with genuine amusement. "Fifteen fingers, and you're still a shadow of your former self. Some King of Curses."
The air crackled with tension as Sukuna's smirk faded, replaced by a subtle twitch in his jaw. Tsukasa took a step closer, the hum of his power growing sharper, each step deliberately slow and taunting.
"You think fifteen fingers will scare me?" Tsukasa sneered, his own energy flaring momentarily. "Get all twenty. Then maybe you'll have my attention. Until then, you're just loud noise in a world full of failures."
Tsukasa strode forward, the dim, flickering lights of the Shibuya subway station casting his features in sharp relief. His steps were slow, deliberate, his white-and-brown hair catching the faint glow as he moved closer to Sukuna.
Sukuna's crimson gaze flicked toward him, a twisted smirk tugging at his lips. "Well, if it isn't the little prodigy. What's the matter, boy? Come to worship me?"
Tsukasa let out a sharp laugh, the sound echoing through the eerily quiet station. His icy eyes locked with Sukuna's, utterly unflinching. "Worship you?" he said, his voice laced with mockery. "Don't flatter yourself, Sukuna. Fifteen fingers or not, you're still leagues beneath me."
The King of Curses' grin widened, but there was a flicker of irritation beneath his façade. "Careful, child. Words like that tend to get people killed."
Unfazed, Tsukasa closed the gap between them, his cursed energy surging in waves, filling the station with an oppressive weight. He stopped mere steps away from Sukuna
"You talk a lot for someone who's still borrowing a body," Tsukasa said coldly. His expression darkened, disgust evident in his features. "It's pathetic, really."
Sukuna's smirk twitched, his hands flexing at his sides as he resisted the urge to lash out. But there was something in Tsukasa's energy—an unshakable confidence, an indomitable strength—that made him pause, if only for a moment.
Behind them, the faint sounds of chaos from the Shibuya incident rumbled like distant thunder.
The air in the subway station was suffocating, heavy with the clash of cursed energy radiating from the two figures. Tsukasa's icy blue eyes narrowed, his expression one of absolute disdain as he took another step toward Sukuna. His hand flexed, fingers curling into a tight fist.
Sukuna's grin widened, his posture shifting ever so slightly, prepared for whatever this bold sorcerer might do next. "Go on," Sukuna said, his voice a low growl. "Show me what you've got."
Without a word, Tsukasa surged forward, his speed blinding as his fist lashed out toward Sukuna's face. The air cracked with the force of the blow, the cursed energy surrounding it distorting the space between them. The ground beneath their feet buckled, cracks spidering outward from the sheer pressure of his attack.
Sukuna tilted his head back just in time to avoid the strike, but the sheer force of the blow sent a shockwave through the station, debris raining from the ceiling. The grin on Sukuna's face didn't falter, but his crimson eyes glinted with something darker—a mix of annoyance and intrigue.
"You've got guts, kid," Sukuna sneered, swiping his clawed hand toward Tsukasa in retaliation. "But guts alone won't save you."
Tsukasa twisted on his heel, avoiding the swipe with ease, and immediately countered with a blast of cursed energy from his palm, aimed directly at Sukuna's chest. The explosion rocked the station, sending tremors through the structure. Dust and smoke filled the air, obscuring the two figures momentarily.
When the smoke cleared, Sukuna stood at the edge of the blast zone, his torso slightly scorched but otherwise unscathed. He wiped at his mouth, smirking as though he'd just been given a taste of something tantalizing. "Not bad. You've got power, I'll give you that," Sukuna said, his voice echoing through the station. "But power without fear? That's what gets you killed."
Tsukasa straightened, his expression as cold and unyielding as ever. "Fear?" he repeated, his voice dripping with scorn. "The only thing you should fear, Sukuna, is me."
Tsukasa's eyes glinted with icy determination as Sukuna's taunting smirk persisted. Without hesitation, Tsukasa extended his hand, and the air around them began to warp. A deafening hum filled the subway station, and the ground beneath their feet cracked violently as the pull of Blue intensified.
Sukuna's grin faltered for the briefest moment, sensing the raw gravitational force pulling toward the epicenter of Tsukasa's attack. "Oh?" he muttered, his tone still laced with mockery, though his stance shifted slightly, preparing for impact.
"Disappear," Tsukasa growled, his voice cold and unrelenting. The vacuum of Blue erupted, drawing in everything in its vicinity—the rubble, the shattered subway walls, even the cursed energy lingering in the air. The destructive force slammed into Sukuna, the pressure compacting with enough power to warp space itself.
The explosion of cursed energy sent shockwaves through the station, shaking the very foundation. A blinding flash enveloped the space, forcing even the most stalwart sorcerers nearby to shield their eyes. When the light subsided, Sukuna stood amidst the destruction, his body battered but upright, cracks spidering across his skin. His expression was no longer amused but dangerously calm.
"Impressive," Sukuna admitted, his voice quieter now, though no less menacing. He rolled his shoulders, the faint sound of bones cracking echoing in the silence. "But you'll need more than that to kill me."
Tsukasa didn't respond, his icy blue gaze fixed firmly on Sukuna, unflinching. The air was thick with tension, both fighters poised for the next move. Around them, the subway station was in ruins, the once-bustling hub now reduced to a battlefield of raw power and resolve.
The space between them exploded with cursed energy as Tsukasa and Sukuna lunged at each other, each move more precise and devastating than the last. Tsukasa's Blue surged again, the gravitational force ripping through the air, dragging debris and energy toward its core. Sukuna dodged with uncanny speed, leaping into the air and retaliating with a sharp swipe of his claws, infused with cursed energy.
Tsukasa pivoted effortlessly, the force of Sukuna's attack grazing his shoulder but missing a fatal mark. He countered with a crushing wave of cursed energy, the sheer density of his technique forcing Sukuna to brace himself as the ground beneath him cracked and caved in.
"You think you're a god?" Sukuna taunted, his voice sharp despite the pressure. "You're just a child playing with power."
Tsukasa smirked coldly, his eyes glowing with focused rage. "And yet here you are—pushed back by a child."
Sukuna roared, summoning a barrage of cursed energy slashes that arced through the air like jagged blades. Tsukasa extended his hand, manipulating Blue to distort the attacks' trajectory, sending them veering off course. The subway trembled with each missed strike, walls crumbling and ceiling lights flickering.
Tsukasa wasted no time. With a flick of his wrist, he condensed Blue into a concentrated sphere and hurled it directly at Sukuna. The cursed spirit raised his arms to block, but the attack struck with immense force, sending him skidding backward.
Sukuna grinned through the impact, his body crackling with residual energy. "Not bad, brat. But I wonder—how much longer can you keep this up?"
The tension grew thicker as Sukuna began to channel more of his cursed energy, his aura expanding like an inferno. Tsukasa remained unshaken, his own energy radiating in waves, ice-cold and razor-sharp.
They charged at each other again, the clash of their powers sending shockwaves that tore through the wreckage of the station. Sukuna's strikes were brutal and precise, his claws leaving deep gashes in the walls, while Tsukasa's movements were a deadly dance, weaving through the onslaught with an agility that defied logic.
As they fought, the air grew heavy with the clash of wills, the battle threatening to tear apart the very foundation of the subway station.
The subway trembled under the weight of cursed energy, each crack in the walls echoing the impending storm. Tsukasa stood amidst the chaos, his gaze locked on Sukuna, who loomed across the station. Sukuna's grin was feral, his cursed energy coiling around him like a predator poised to strike.
"You're persistent for someone so fragile," Sukuna sneered, his voice carrying a cruel edge.
"Fragile?" Tsukasa smirked, wiping blood from his previous wound. "You've only managed to scratch me. Let's see how long you can keep this up."
Sukuna raised his hand, a faint shimmer of cursed energy gathering at his fingertips. In an instant, he unleashed Dismantle, the attack slicing through the air with a shrill whistle. Tsukasa didn't flinch; the attack halted a hair's breadth away, dissipating against the barrier of Infinity.
"Still playing with knives, I see," Tsukasa taunted. "Try harder."
Without hesitation, Sukuna raised his other hand, sending out Cleave, a precise, adaptive strike designed to slice through defenses. The energy collided with Infinity, rippling harmlessly against its unyielding surface.
Sukuna's eyes narrowed, and his grin widened. "Interesting... So this is Infinity," he murmured, almost to himself. "Let's see how it fares against true technique."
The air grew thick, and a suffocating pressure filled the station. Tsukasa's sharp gaze remained locked on Sukuna as the cursed energy condensed around him, forming the unmistakable outline of a Domain Expansion.
"Malevolent Shrine," Sukuna intoned, his voice resonating with power.
The subway station transformed instantly. The walls dissolved into endless, jagged landscapes of crimson and black, cursed energy flowing freely through the space. The oppressive atmosphere weighed heavily on everything within the domain, and the floor seemed to hum with malevolence.
Tsukasa's composure faltered for the briefest moment as Sukuna's voice echoed. "Within my shrine, Infinity means nothing."
The first strike came swiftly—Cleave targeting Tsukasa with precision. He sidestepped instinctively, but the attack grazed his shoulder, tearing through his clothing and skin. Blood dripped onto the ground as Tsukasa scowled, his cursed energy flaring in defiance.
"So, you can bypass Infinity here," Tsukasa muttered, his voice steady despite the sting of the wound. "Not bad."
Sukuna didn't respond. He moved like a storm, launching consecutive strikes of Cleave and Dismantle. Each attack carved through the air, relentless in its pursuit. Tsukasa wove between them, his movements fluid and calculated, but the relentless barrage forced him to focus entirely on evasion.
"You can dodge, but you won't escape," Sukuna growled, his strikes coming faster, sharper, fueled by a manic glee.
Tsukasa's cursed energy erupted around him, forming a concentrated burst of Blue. The vacuum force countered Sukuna's attacks momentarily, creating a brief lull in the onslaught. The subway trembled under the clash of energies, debris floating as the cursed domain shook.
"Is that all?" Sukuna taunted, licking blood from his fingers as he prepared for another strike.
"No," Tsukasa said simply, his voice calm yet brimming with determination. "It's just the beginning."
The clash escalated once more, the battle within the Malevolent Shrine a deadly dance of power and precision. Sukuna's strikes were relentless, and Tsukasa, though wounded, refused to yield.
The oppressive weight of Sukuna's Malevolent Shrine bore down on Tsukasa, the crimson air suffocating with malice. Dismantle and Cleave carved through the domain like twin scythes, aiming to end him before he could act. Yet, Tsukasa stood firm, his mismatched eyes narrowing as Sukuna's attacks sliced through the space around him.
"Is this all the great Sukuna can do?" Tsukasa taunted, a cold grin spreading across his face. Blood trickled from a cut on his cheek, but his gaze burned with defiance.
Sukuna sneered. "Your bravado will be your end, boy."
Cursed energy coiled around Tsukasa, crackling with raw intensity. He raised his hand, cursed energy condensing into a singularity at his palm. The swirling energy deepened in color, shifting from gold to an ominous crimson—a harbinger of destruction. The air around him warped violently as the force of Red built, drawing everything toward it with suffocating pressure.
The ground beneath Tsukasa's feet shattered, and the entire domain seemed to strain under the escalating energy. Sukuna's amused grin faltered as he realized the danger. His fingers twitched, preparing another attack, but Tsukasa's voice cut through the tension.
"Let's see how your Shrine holds up to this."
Tsukasa thrust his palm forward, unleashing Red with a deafening roar. The shockwave exploded outward, an unstoppable wave of cursed energy that tore through the domain with catastrophic force. The crimson landscape of Sukuna's Shrine twisted and buckled under the impact. Pillars crumbled, the ground split open, and the oppressive aura shattered like glass.
Sukuna crossed his arms in defense, his body braced against the overwhelming surge. The sheer force of Red sent him sliding back, leaving deep gouges in the ground beneath his feet.
The once-dominant Malevolent Shrine flickered and collapsed entirely, the cursed energy dissipating into the air. The subway station reemerged from the void, its dim lights flickering to life as the oppressive darkness receded. The echoes of the destruction lingered, the shattered remnants of Sukuna's domain dissipating like smoke.
Tsukasa straightened, his breath heavy but triumphant. His gaze locked onto Sukuna, whose body stood amidst the wreckage, smoldering with residual cursed energy. The King of Curses looked at Tsukasa with something unfamiliar—acknowledgment, tinged with annoyance.
"Destroying my domain..." Sukuna muttered, his voice low and dangerous. "You're more trouble than I expected."
Tsukasa smirked, wiping blood from his mouth. "Don't worry—I'm just getting started."