Chapter 83 (Patreon)

Ragnar Kagenou looked down at the Cursed Spirit inside the juvenile detention center.

“So it really was born as a Special Grade.”

His eyes narrowed slightly.

“Megumi, Yuji, Nobara… running into a Special Grade on your first real mission.”

A faint sigh escaped him.

“Your luck is almost impressive.”

Then, without another word, Ragnar stepped through the broken roof of the juvenile detention center.

Somewhere inside the detention center, Nobara Kugisaki was caught in the grip of a Cursed Spirit.

The mushroom-like Cursed Spirits on both sides let out shrill, mocking laughter.

Nobara’s hammer had snapped in two and fallen to the floor, proof of how rough the fight had been.

Even with death right in front of her, Nobara did not tremble.

She glared at the Cursed Spirit holding her.

“I’ll remember your face.”

Her voice was calm.

“I’ll curse you to death no matter what.”

The Cursed Spirit only opened its mouth wider, revealing a moss-covered maw as it prepared to swallow her whole.

Swoosh!

A silver chain shot through the darkness and wrapped around Nobara’s waist.

Before the Cursed Spirit could react, the chain pulled back sharply and dragged her out of its grasp.

“What—?!”

Boom!

Golden Noble Phantasms pierced through the four Cursed Spirits in an instant.

They did not even have time to scream before their bodies crumbled into dust and disappeared.

“Honestly…”

A golden radiance lit up the darkness.

Ragnar Kagenou stood there, surrounded by ripples of light.

“You first-years are making this way too stressful.”

Nobara stared at him in surprise.

“Ragnar-sensei!”

After wiping out the Cursed Spirits, Ragnar gently set Nobara down.

“This is supposed to be your first mission.”

Nobara lowered her gaze slightly.

“S-sorry…”

Ragnar glanced at her, then let out a small sigh.

“Don’t apologize. Running into a Special Grade incident on your first mission isn’t something anyone could plan for.”

His tone sharpened.

“Where are Yuji and Megumi?”

Nobara quickly moved to the map on the wall and pointed toward a more open area they had passed through earlier.

“I think that thing grabbed me around here.”

Ragnar looked at the location.

“Got it.”

The next moment, he grabbed Nobara and charged forward.

Instead of taking the corridors, he smashed straight through the walls in their path.

Nobara’s eyes widened.

This was ridiculous.

The shortest distance between two points was a straight line.

And Ragnar had apparently decided walls did not matter.

At that moment, Yuji Itadori and Megumi Fushiguro were giving everything they had just to survive against the Special Grade Cursed Spirit in front of them.

Yuji raised his hand to strike back.

But before he could move, his palm was severed.

“Gah—!”

Megumi’s expression darkened.

The pressure coming from the Special Grade’s Cursed Energy was overwhelming.

It was on a completely different level.

Yuji froze for a moment, gritting his teeth as he called out to Sukuna inside him.

Megumi forced himself to move.

“Divine Dogs!”

The white Divine Dog lunged forward.

But against a Special Grade, even Megumi’s shikigami was powerless.

The Cursed Spirit crushed it without effort.

“Divine Dog…!”

The next instant, Megumi was blasted away by a wave of Cursed Energy.

“Megumi!”

Yuji’s body slammed into the ground, his head ringing.

Megumi’s vision blurred, darkness crawling in from the edges.

He forced out the last of his strength and placed a trembling hand on Yuji’s shoulder.

“Run…”

His voice was barely a whisper.

“Yuji… run…”

“Megumi!”

Yuji turned back toward the Special Grade.

His eyes burned with rage.

“You bastard!”

He threw himself forward and punched with everything he had.

This time, Cursed Energy wrapped around his fist.

But it still was not enough.

The Special Grade Cursed Spirit let out a distorted laugh.

“Hee… hee…”

Then it casually flung Yuji aside.

Yuji crashed into the ground, while the Cursed Spirit grabbed the half-conscious Megumi with one hand.

It lifted him up like prey.

Then it opened its mouth, ready to twist off his head and devour him.

Yuji ignored the pain from his severed hand and rushed forward again.

The moment the Special Grade blocked his attack—

Yuji gave Sukuna control.

A vicious grin spread across his face.

“You brat…”

Sukuna’s voice came out low and irritated.

“You’re getting more annoying every time.”

The Special Grade flinched at the sudden surge of Cursed Energy.

Then it reacted on instinct and kicked him away.

Sukuna flew back and crashed into the wall.

For a moment, silence filled the room.

Then Sukuna slowly lifted his head.

His smile vanished.

A vein seemed to twitch at his temple.

“A mere Special Grade…”

His voice dropped.

“Just kicked me?”

Megumi was no longer in his thoughts.

Right now, Sukuna only wanted to tear the thing in front of him apart.

The Special Grade gathered Cursed Energy in its hand and smashed down.

Sukuna blocked it without even looking serious.

At the same time, he used Reverse Cursed Technique and restored Yuji’s severed left hand.

“Tch.”

He clicked his tongue.

“I healed the brat’s hand by reflex.”

The Special Grade threw Megumi aside and roared at Sukuna.

Sukuna’s eyes narrowed.

“Die.”

In the next instant, he appeared in front of the Cursed Spirit.

His hand slammed down on its head and crushed it into the floor, dragging it across the ground with brutal force.

“What’s wrong?”

Sukuna’s voice was mocking.

“You were acting pretty proud a second ago.”

The four eyes on the Special Grade’s head widened as it struggled to rise.

“Trash.”

Sukuna raised his foot and stomped it down, shattering the ground beneath them.

The Cursed Spirit tried to resist, but its arm was ripped off in the blink of an eye.

Sukuna held the severed limb and looked at it with disgust.

“Do Cursed Spirits even care when they lose an arm?”

“Hahahaha!”

The Special Grade trembled so badly it could not even form a proper sound.

Meanwhile, Ragnar and Nobara arrived at the area where she had been taken.

Ahead of them was a large hole in the ground.

Megumi Fushiguro lay there, covered in blood.

“Megumi!”

Nobara rushed over and checked his injuries.

Megumi forced his eyes open.

“Nobara…”

His voice shook.

“Run… there’s… a Special Grade…”

Then his strength gave out, and he completely lost consciousness.

“Ragnar-sensei! Megumi, he—”

“I know.”

Ragnar’s expression remained calm, but his gaze sharpened.

“Most of his injuries are external. Take him and get out. Find Ijichi.”

Nobara clenched her teeth, then nodded.

“Understood.”

She lifted Megumi and ran toward the exit of the juvenile detention center.

Ragnar looked down into the hole.

“Cursed Spirits killing each other?”

Below, Sukuna slammed the Special Grade into the wall.

Its limbs were torn apart.

Sukuna looked down at it with a cold smile.

“Hey.”

His voice carried through the ruined space.

“Do you understand now?”

The Special Grade struggled weakly.

Sukuna’s smile widened.

“Even among Special Grades…”

His eyes turned cruel.

“There are levels.”

The Special Grade’s limbs rapidly regenerated.

Even after being beaten into that state, it still tried to fight.

Sukuna watched it with open contempt.

“Idiot.”

He raised one hand.

“You and that brat know nothing about curses.”

His grin sharpened.

“This is a good chance.”

“Watch closely.”

“What a real Cursed Technique looks like.”

Swoosh!

Dozens of golden Noble Phantasms flashed through the darkness.

Sukuna reacted first and stepped back instantly.

The Special Grade was not so lucky.

The moment it came off the wall, the golden weapons pierced through it and pinned it back in place.

Sukuna looked up.

“Who’s there?”

Golden light spilled down from above.

Ragnar Kagenou landed quietly in the ruined chamber, dozens of golden ripples spreading behind him.

He looked at Sukuna without blinking.

“It hasn’t been that long.”

His voice was calm.

“Don’t tell me you’ve already forgotten me.”

Sukuna’s smile slowly returned.

Ragnar’s gaze remained fixed on him.

“Ryomen Sukuna.”