Ryuji had always been curious.

  If he used the Malevolent Shrine Domain in front of Sukuna, how would Suku?

  Now, he finally had the ce to find out.

  "Domain Expansion – Malevolent Shrine!"

  As Ryuji's voice rang out, Sukuna's fastantly darkened.

  Of all the domains Ryuji could have copied, he had to use Sukuna's own domain? This wasn't just an attack—it was mockery. Sukuna's fists ched tightly.

  "..."

  Maki and Nobara, standing behind Ryuji, were momentarily speechless. It was obvious that Ryuji wasn't just fighting Sukuna, he was toying with him.

  "As expected of Ryuji—what a sense of humor!"

  "Right? He's so cool."

  They didn't see anything wrong with Ryuji's behavior. On the trary, they thought it made him even more charismatic.

  Behind Ryuji, the same demon shrine as Sukuna's domain rose from the ground.

  "I don't believe it," Sukuna said, his voice dripping with disdain. "The same domain—you, a mere imitator, think you outdo the inal?"

  But that fidence didn't st long.

  Not even three seds into their csh, Sukuna's domain shattered like fragile gss. The entire Malevolent Shrine Domain now beloo Ryuji.

  "..."

  The authentiain lost to the copy? Sukuna could hardly believe it. His frustration alpable.

  "You bastard!" Sukuna spat, his eyes bzing with fury as he gred at Ryuji.

  Ryuji, however, simply chuckled, clearly unbothered by Sukuna's anger.

  "By the way," Ryuji said casually, "have you ever tried testing the full capabilities of your own domain?"

  "...?"

  Sukuna froze, momentarily fused by the question. Then it hit him, Ryuji was about to demonstrate something Sukuna himself had overlooked.

  "Wait—!" Sukuna started to protest. He uood what was ing, and he k wasn't something he could handle easily.

  But it was too te.

  "Eightfold Cleave."

  As Ryuji's voice echoed through the domain, tless sshing teiques desded upon Sukuna like a relentless storm.

  At this moment, Sukuna only had the power of four fingers—far from his peak strength. But even at his peak, he knew he wouldn't have been able to withstand the sheer force of Ryuji's attack.

  Ssh after ssh nded on Sukuna, leaving deep wounds across his body. In the domain space, every strike was guarao hit, and dodging was impossible.

  Still, Sukuna mao hold on, his body covered in tless scars. His reverse cursed teique kept him from dying ht, and Ryuji seemed to be holding back.

  After all, Sukuna's current body beloo Itadori Yuji, someone Ryuji respected. Killing Yuji to defeat Sukuna would be a waste, and Ryuji wasn't about to do that.

  Besides, Ryuji didn't want to kill Sukuhe so-called "King of Curses" was an iing oppo. If Sukuna died now, Ryuji felt it would make things... less eaining.

  As Ryuji stood there, watg Sukuna struggle, he couldn't help but notiuch his own mi had ged.

  Before, he was cautious and calcuted, stantly watg his back.

  But now, as his strength grew, so did his fidence. He no longer felt the o tread carefully.

  Would Sukuna regain his full power someday? Probably. But Ryuji wasn't worried. In fact, he weled the idea. It would be something to break the monotony.

  Finally, Ryuji dismissed the domain. The shrine faded away, leaving Sukuna half-kneeling on the ground, his body riddled with injuries.

  "How strong!" Maki and Nobara couldn't hide their admiration as they looked at Ryuji.

  The so-called King of Curses seemed like nothing in front of him.

  Thanks to his reversed cursed teique, Sukuna's wounds began to heal, but the process was slow. He was clearly weakened as he struggled to stand.

  "When I return to full strength," Sukuna growled, gring at Ryuji, "I'll kill you."

  A thousand years ago, Sukuna had been invincible. But now, he had suffered a crushi. His pride burned with humiliation, and his mind ed with thoughts of revenge.

  "You couldn't even fight back just now. What makes you think you'll beat him?"

  Maki and Nobara weren't having it. Their voices were filled with pt for Sukuna's bold cim.

  "How could you possibly win against Ryuji?"

  "..."

  Sukuna igheir taunts, his eyes fixed solely on Ryuji. He had no i in arguing with people he deemed insignifit.

  "You," Sukuna started, but Ryuji-san raised a hand, cutting him off.

  Turning to the two women, Ryuji signaled for them to be quiet. Then he looked back at Sukuna with a calm but anding smile.

  "I'll give you time," Ryuji said. "Grow stronger. Do whatever it takes. But in the end, you'll only e to realize the insurmountable gap between us."

  Sukuna's peak strength might have been overwhelming to others, but Ryuji knew his own abilities. His true strength didn't lie in borrowed teiques or copied domains.

  It y in his own foundation, his unique ability, Soul Dev. An ability that allowed for limitless growth.

  For Ryuji, Sukuna was merely a stepping stone.

  "..."

  Sukuna didn't respond. His silence spoke volumes, but his gritted teeth and fiery eyes revealed his thoughts.

  Ryuji's words were arrogance, but they werey. Sukuna could feel the truth in them, and it infuriated him.

  ***

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