Sukuna stood before his legion, watching as they gathered in the former docking station, now turned Gathering Hall. The space, vast and echoing, had become a symbol of their unity. His Devourers, numbering in the thousands, sat or squatted on the cold metal floor, dressed in simple robes, shirts, or whatever they preferred when they weren't in battle. Their Power Armor, helmets, and weapons lay discarded for now. They had no need for such things in their downtime. This casual, almost relaxed atmosphere was something that set them apart from the other legions, who always seemed so rigid, so dependent on their technology.

Sukuna, with his four arms crossed and his four eyes scanning the crowd, couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. These were his warriors, and unlike the other legions, his Devourers didn't need Power Armor or bolters to conquer worlds. They had done it before - multiple times - relying only on their cursed techniques and raw strength. No other legion could claim that kind of power. They were truly unique.

The journey to Nikaea was going to take at least a week, and there wasn't much to do in the meantime. Captain Loktar Shahid had already updated him on their progress, and things were running smoothly. But Sukuna, always seeking ways to keep things interesting, had overheard something from one of the crew that got him thinking.

And now, standing before his assembled legion, Sukuna decided to address the matter.

"So," he began, his voice carrying through the massive hall, silencing any whispers, "it's come to my attention that there's something we haven't addressed. A question that, looking back, I should have asked a long time ago."

The Devourers, sensing the gravity in his tone, listened intently.

"All of this - " he gestured vaguely, though they knew he meant the Great Crusade, their battles, their conquests. "- is going to end one day. Maybe not soon, but it will. Nothing can stand against us forever, and I'm starting to think we're running out of decent enemies."

A ripple of amusement passed through the crowd, but Sukuna raised a hand, silencing them again.

"So, I want to know," he continued, his voice more focused, his gaze narrowing, "what do you all want to do when the Crusade is over? What comes next for you?"

The question hung in the air. Sukuna could see the curiosity flickering in the eyes of his legionnaires. It wasn't something they had ever thought about, not really. They had always been so focused on the present - on their missions, their battles, their next conquest—that the future had seemed almost irrelevant. But now that Sukuna was asking, they couldn't ignore it.

"Consider it well," he said, letting the weight of his words sink in. "We've been at this for decades. Conquering, fighting, devouring. But after it's done? What then?"

Some of the Devourers exchanged glances. They had never really thought about life beyond the Crusade. They had been forged for war, shaped by their battles, and their very identities were tied to their service under Sukuna. What would they do if there were no more enemies to fight, no more worlds to conquer?

Sukuna continued, pacing slowly before them. "This isn't some trick question, either. I want honest answers. Do you want to settle down somewhere? Carve out a kingdom? Or maybe you want to keep fighting forever, even if there's nothing left to fight? I don't care what your answer is, but I want you to think about it."

He stopped, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. "We're strong. The strongest. But even strength needs a direction, a purpose. So, what will yours be when the Crusade ends?"

The silence was thick as the legionnaires considered his words. Some of the older ones, the veterans who had fought beside Sukuna for decades, furrowed their brows, deep in thought. The newer recruits from Shibuya looked a little lost, unsure of how to answer such a question, which was to be expected as they had been raised their whole lives to worship Sukuna and to obey his every word, to devote themselves utterly to their role as Devourers. The King of Curses had been unable to rectify that little problem, simply because he didn't really spend that much time on Shibuya and, ultimately, it kept the people in line and sustained him with a steady supply of Cursed Energy, which was really what mattered more to him on a personal level.

So, he didn't bother too much.

Sukuna watched them closely, waiting. He wasn't expecting answers immediately, but he knew they would come. His legionnaires were not mindless brutes. They were powerful warriors, thinkers, strategists, and each had their own ambitions, even if they hadn't fully realized them yet. That was precisely why they were stronger than the other legions – their practice of Jujutsu Sorcery notwithstanding.

"Whatever you choose," Sukuna added after a moment, "make sure it's something worthy of your strength."

Surprisingly, it was Yamamoto Genryusai who raised his hand first. Sukuna turned to the First Reaper, recognized as the deadliest of the Devourers, capable of singlehandedly destroying entire worlds. The second strongest, Captain Shor, fell behind by a hair – and mostly because his storms needed some time to truly become mountain-breaking and earth-shattering hurricanes, whereas Yamamoto could burn entire cities to ashes by just walking through it. Sukuna raised a brow. "Yes?"

"Lord Sukuna," Yamamoto began. "I would like to open a bakery. I believe I've developed a great fondness for food and its creation, my lord."

Sukuna huffed and, oddly enough, chuckled. He found no lie or sarcasm in the First Reaper's words. The Devourer genuinely wanted to be a baker. "That sounds nice."

The other Devourers then began raising their hands, one by one. And, Sukuna found, it was nice to just listen to their dreams.

As Sukuna's small fleet emerged from the swirling depths of the Cursed Realm, he was greeted by a sight that took up nearly the entire expanse of space before him. The vast, glittering fleets of his siblings stretched out across the void, their massive ships so numerous that they seemed to outshine the very stars. Their presence was overwhelming – grand, imposing vessels that dwarfed his own fleet in both size and number. Each Legion had brought its full strength to this gathering, it seemed, and they had all arrived well before him.

Sukuna's eyes scanned the scene, quickly picking out the familiar vessels of the Salamanders and the Luna Wolves. He recognized their markings, the colors of their ships, the unmistakable symbols that represented his only real connections among the other Legions. The Salamanders and Luna Wolves were the only two he had ever bothered interacting with, and that was enough for him. He had little interest in the others, though he recognized their fleets as well. Their designs were distinct, their colors bold, but to him, they were simply names on a list.

The other Legions were here too, no doubt. He had studied them briefly, at Malcador's insistence, though only out of necessity. Sukuna never really cared much about the rest. If anything, the only Legion that piqued his curiosity now was the Thousand Sons. He had heard whispers about them, rumors of their strange powers, powers that might even be similar to his own. They were known as Psykers, according to the reading material granted to him by Malcador. And they were apparently what Jujutsu Sorcerers would be, without the Jujutsu Filter, which was apparently a thing.

The Jujutsu Filter was an intriguing concept that no one from his time had ever thought of. According to the scant few details known to Malcador and the Emperor, the Jujutsu Filter was a means for which a person may safely absorb the energies of the Cursed Realm, without suffering its ill-effects, which also had the side effect of severely narrowing down what that person would be capable of, through the existence of Innate Techniques. Said person would also have to be a Psyker for that to work, which meant that all Jujutsu Sorcerers were Psykers, but not all Psykers were Jujutsu Sorcerers. By Malcador's estimation, only 2% of Psykers had the potential to be Jujutsu Sorcerers.

But the way their powers worked was entirely different.

And Sukuna wanted to know if the Thousand Sons were truly more powerful than the Devourers.

The thought intrigued him. Because the truth was that not even the oldest and most studied of Jujutsu Sorcerers, like Kenjaku or Tengen, knew what they were or how they came to be. But now, with the revelation of the Jujutsu Filter and its function, in relation to the Cursed Realm, then things just sort of clicked into place. That said, Sukuna had to wonder how come he hadn't encountered any Psykers during his time. Not even just one.

And Sukuna had even traveled the whole world at some point.

Odd.

Still, he wasn't looking forward to this. The idea of being surrounded by his siblings, all vying for attention or proving themselves, already grated on his nerves. He wasn't here to make friends. Hopefully, they wouldn't be too annoying.

As he stood at the viewport, taking in the scene, Captain Loktar Shahid approached him, his steps confident but measured. The man had served Sukuna faithfully for years, and his presence was always calm, collected.

"Prince Sukuna," Shahid said, standing at attention beside him. "We've received the transport beacon. Shall I prepare your personal vessel immediately? You may be accompanied by a few of your legionnaires if you wish."

Sukuna turned to him with a smile, a rare expression that made the captain uneasy despite his experience.

"No need," Sukuna replied simply, his voice smooth and controlled. He didn't need an escort, and he certainly didn't need to make a grand entrance. He had no desire to show off like some of his other siblings likely would.

Sukuna then turned to his five captains, the strongest and most loyal among his Devourers. They were already standing nearby, waiting for his signal. With a single nod, Sukuna silently communicated his instructions. The five captains immediately bowed, understanding his command without the need for words. They turned and walked away, their footsteps echoing softly in the quiet chamber.

They knew what to do. As always, they were ready to act on his behalf, ensuring everything ran smoothly without his direct involvement. Sukuna trusted them implicitly, and they had never given him reason to doubt their capabilities.

Now, it was time to face whatever awaited him down there. Sukuna entered his personal vessel – one of many – and made his way down. There was no pilot. Instead, a Tech-Priest operated the controls, likely being the only one who could actually trace and decipher the signal that would lead them to wherever it was the Emperor wanted to meet him and the other Primarchs. Nikaea had a very... interesting weather, which was mostly just a perpetual storm that, quite literally, blanketed the entirety of the surface of the planet, shrouding the land in eternal darkness. And, as Sukuna's personal vessel dove into the thick black clouds, it reminded him of the later stages of Captain Shor's Innate Technique, but lacking the infinite lightning bolts and flesh-tearing winds. And beneath those clouds, Sukuna noted, were curious formations of solidified magma, which had taken on curious geometric shapes that seemed almost artificial – if not for the fact that Sukuna had seen such features in other, more distant worlds. Though, he had no real idea how such formations came to be.

And, in the distance, was a gargantuan structure. It was shaped almost akin to an arena – and Sukuna would know, because Shibuya was covered in arenas, where Jujutsu Sorcerers tested and sharpened their skills against each other. It'd obviously been repurposed to serve as another building, seeing as no sane person would willingly live on this planet. The fact that there were numerous other vessels around the building confirmed that it was, indeed, the location of whatever the hell the Emperor brought him here for.

AN: Chapter 41 is out on (Pat)reon!