Chapter 152: Prison Realm, Open Gate
In contrast to Tanjiro, Sukuna also remained standing.
But the head on his neck was gone.
Only a headless corpse stood in place, bloodless and still.
At that moment, the battle was decided.
Tanjiro calmly sheathed his sword.
The arena changed with his movement. The sunken battlefield dissolved, returning once more to the endless boundary between sky and sea.
Sukuna, who had clearly been killed moments ago, stood there again with his body intact, as if the entire battle had only been a dream.
Yet his hand still rose subconsciously to his neck.
That final strike remained vivid.
Too vivid.
When Asuramaru's gem-like crimson eyes turned toward him, Sukuna's expression showed no obvious fear or anger.
Then the system prompt rang in Asuramaru's mind.
[Ding! Negative emotions detected from Sukuna. Gained 2,000 emotion points!]
Only two thousand.
Pitiful.
Asuramaru was not surprised.
Sukuna had clearly held back many of his trump cards this time. He had been on guard from the beginning, perhaps because of Asuramaru's private conversation with Satoru Gojo, or perhaps because he was still testing Tanjiro's abilities.
The King of Curses was not the sort to reveal his full hand before he was certain he could win.
Asuramaru's evaluation of Ryomen Sukuna was simple.
On the surface, he was arrogant, flamboyant, and tyrannical.
In truth, he calculated more deeply than almost anyone.
But that only made things more interesting.
The more confident someone was, the more thoroughly they would break when the right moment came.
Asuramaru's expression remained calm.
"Do you want to continue?"
Sukuna snapped back to himself.
He looked at Asuramaru, at that proud and faintly mocking gaze, then smiled wickedly.
"No need."
He lowered his hand from his neck.
"Send me out first."
But in his heart, another thought echoed.
Next time.
When I come next time, you will submit to me.
Asuramaru snapped his fingers.
Sukuna's consciousness was pulled out of the mental world and returned to his body.
To the outside world, that fierce battle had lasted less than a minute.
On the subway train, Sukuna opened his eyes.
Kenjaku noticed immediately and stepped closer.
"What was the result?"
Sukuna's answer was indifferent.
"The Taming failed."
The atmosphere inside the train sank.
Everyone present felt the weight of those words.
Only Kenjaku narrowed his eyes slightly as he studied Sukuna's expression and tone.
He could tell.
Sukuna was planning something.
They were both monsters who had lived for a thousand years. That much was impossible to hide.
In that case, they could only proceed according to the original plan, though the focus would have to shift.
Mahito's death had been completely outside Kenjaku's expectations.
Because of Cursed Technique burnout and the suddenness of Yuji's final attack, there had been no way to save him.
Now, Kenjaku could only place more hope on Sukuna successfully taming Asuramaru in the future.
At the same time, on the fifth basement level of Shibuya Station, Fukutoshin Line platform, the battle had reached another stage.
A large number of corpses already littered the area.
They were all victims of Jogo and the others.
No matter how confused the ordinary people trapped near the platform were, they had finally realized that something was terribly wrong. One by one, they began keeping as much distance from Satoru Gojo as possible.
Gojo stood on the tracks.
His gaze swept toward Choso, who had ambushed him earlier.
A bit annoying.
I'll deal with him later.
The thought had barely formed when Jogo moved behind him.
The Volcanic Calamity leaped forward and threw a punch wrapped in Domain Amplification. On the other side, the heavily injured Hanami also struck with Domain Amplification active.
The two attacked from both sides.
Their fists slammed into Limitless, producing a dazzling burst of white light.
Gojo's voice remained indifferent.
"Is this really okay?"
His tone was almost conversational.
"The more you try to use Amplification to neutralize my technique, the more I have to maintain it."
He turned slightly toward Hanami.
"And this herb probably won't last much longer."
As he spoke, Gojo walked straight toward Hanami.
A somewhat crazed smile curled across his lips.
The repelling force of Limitless pinned Hanami against the tunnel wall.
Gojo ignored Jogo's threat from behind and kept advancing.
The pressure mounted.
The wall cracked.
Then Hanami's body exploded.
Flesh and blood splattered across the tunnel.
Without even a moment to mourn Hanami's death, Jogo turned and fled the instant he saw it happen. He dashed onto the platform, grabbed the civilians nearby, and threw them toward Gojo.
Anything to stall for time.
Gojo also reached the platform.
His eyes scanned the surroundings and locked onto the two remaining enemies.
Even though ordinary people can't see Cursed Spirits, they've started avoiding me.
Sorry.
I can't save everyone.
His expression darkened.
But in exchange...
I will definitely exorcise them.
Jogo sprinted across the platform, cursing inwardly.
Not ready yet?
It's already been twenty-five minutes.
Then, a station announcement rang out.
[This train is an eight-car train. Please wait behind the yellow line...]
The civilians on the platform were overjoyed.
Only Gojo's expression shifted slightly.
He had already guessed what was coming.
Jogo laughed with open excitement.
The train entered the station.
The moment the doors opened, countless Cursed Spirits poured out and began slaughtering the humans on the platform without discrimination.
Gojo stood still.
He did not act immediately.
Then, in the next moment, the atrium that had been sealed above suddenly opened.
A large number of humans fell from above, crashing into the already chaotic station.
Gojo lowered his head slightly.
His face was dark.
He had fallen into a dilemma.
He could accept a certain level of sacrifice if it meant exorcising the Cursed Spirits.
But now life and death continued pouring in around him, one after another, without end.
The scales in his heart began to tilt.
Jogo and the others watched, smug and certain that their plan had trapped him.
Then Gojo raised his hand.
His expression was grim.
"Domain Expansion: Unlimited Void."
A 0.2-second Domain Expansion.
That was the maximum limit ordinary humans could endure without lasting aftereffects.
For a brief instant, everyone in the station froze in a state of stunned paralysis.
Gojo moved.
His figure flashed across the station, beginning a slaughter of his own.
In 299 seconds, he exorcised the thousands of Cursed Spirits that had flooded the platform.
When it was over, even Gojo was slightly exhausted.
He stood near the edge of the station, breathing heavily.
Then he saw it.
The Prison Realm had been placed on the ground before him.
And from behind, a voice he knew far too well sounded.
"Prison Realm, open gate."
.....
[If you don't want to wait for the next update, read 50 chapters ahead on P@treon.]
[[email protected]/FanficLord03]