Chapter 135 (Patreon)

“Dodge, Choso!”

Jogo sensed the invisible slash an instant before it arrived.

Choso immediately threw himself aside, narrowly escaping the path of Dismantle. However, before he could regain his footing, Yuji Itadori appeared behind him.

Cursed energy surged around Yuji’s leg as he drove a powerful kick into Choso’s back.

The impact sent Choso crashing into the wall.

Jogo narrowed his single eye.

“That brat… He can actually use Sukuna’s Cursed Technique. Not bad.”

Flames gathered at his fingertips before erupting toward Yuji’s lower legs.

Jogo intended to cripple him. That way, he could capture Sukuna’s vessel without accidentally killing him.

“If I were you, Jogo, I wouldn’t do that.”

Jogo’s entire body went rigid.

Ragnar Kagenou was suddenly standing beside him.

Jogo had not sensed his approach.

No… That’s impossible. How did he find me?

The flames flickering across Jogo’s fingers vanished involuntarily. A chill pierced him to the core as Ragnar’s presence settled over him.

At the same time, Choso pulled himself free from the shattered wall.

The moment he saw Ragnar, the hatred in his eyes intensified.

Ragnar barely spared him a glance.

“I’m not interested in dealing with you right now. Get lost.”

Choso’s expression darkened.

“Kagenou-sensei.”

Yuji stepped forward, keeping his eyes fixed on Choso.

“I’ll handle him.”

Ragnar studied Yuji for a moment before answering calmly.

“Since you’re that confident, I’ll leave him to you. Exorcise him, and I’ll recommend you for promotion to special grade.”

“Special grade…”

Yuji grinned despite the situation.

“Looks like I’m getting ahead of you this time, Fushiguro, Kugisaki.”

After speaking to Yuji, Ragnar turned his attention back to Jogo.

Jogo stared at him with clenched teeth.

“The fact that you’re here means… Dagon is dead.”

“Dagon?”

Ragnar’s expression remained indifferent.

“If the scenery inside his Domain hadn’t been so pleasant, I would have killed him much sooner.”

Jogo’s fists tightened.

An intense fury burned within him.

“I want to kill you from the bottom of my heart.”

“What a coincidence.”

Ragnar looked down at him coldly.

“I feel the same way. Cursed spirits have no reason to exist in this world.”

His gaze sharpened.

“You’re far too hideous.”

Blazing flames suddenly swallowed the entrance to the subway station.

From within the inferno, Jogo tossed a bag containing Sukuna’s fingers toward Choso.

“Take these.”

Choso reluctantly caught the bag.

He had no interest in Sukuna’s vessel or Jogo’s plans.

His attention remained fixed entirely on Yuji.

“Kechizu. Eso.”

Blood began gathering around Choso’s body.

“Watch closely. Your big brother will show you his strength.”

He did not care whether Yuji was Sukuna’s vessel.

He only wanted to kill Yuji now—and then kill Ragnar Kagenou afterward.

“Itadori Yuji…”

Choso’s voice trembled with murderous hatred.

“I’m going to kill you.”

Yuji raised his fists.

“Choso…”

Cursed energy surged around his body.

“I’m going to exorcise you.”

Bang!

The two charged simultaneously.

Their fists collided with enough force to shake the surrounding walls. Neither yielded even a single step.

“You’re dead.”

Choso drove a kick into Yuji’s body, knocking him backward.

He immediately brought his hands together and aimed at him.

“Piercing Blood!”

A compressed beam of blood tore through the air.

Yuji twisted his head aside at the last possible moment. The attack grazed his cheek, leaving a thin trail of blood behind.

He had barely avoided a fatal wound.

“Supernova!”

The blood scattered around Yuji suddenly detonated.

Countless hardened droplets erupted outward like a storm of shotgun pellets.

“Ghk!”

Yuji endured the barrage and retaliated with Dismantle.

Invisible slashes crossed the distance between them.

Choso failed to react in time.

A deep wound was instantly carved across his abdomen.

“It cut through my cursed energy…”

Choso pressed one hand against his wounded stomach and stared at Yuji, whose entire body was now stained with blood.

“There’s no way to block it normally.”

Blood Manipulation immediately circulated through his body.

“Flowing Red Scale: Stack!”

The muscles throughout Choso’s body tightened as his physical abilities rose dramatically.

If defending against Dismantle was impossible, then there was no reason to waste time trying.

Yuji could not use Reverse Cursed Technique.

That meant the advantage still belonged to Choso.

“I’ll finish you right now.”

Yuji wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.

“Being able to heal your own wounds is unfair.”

Despite his injuries, Yuji forced his body forward and resumed the fight.

However, against Choso while Flowing Red Scale: Stack was active, Yuji’s chances of victory were rapidly approaching zero.

Do I have to use that move?

Yuji had been forced entirely onto the defensive, but he still possessed one final trump card.

Sukuna’s Domain Expansion.

“Hey, brat.”

A mouth suddenly opened on Yuji’s cheek.

“Getting beaten this badly by a piece of trash is embarrassing. Let me handle him.”

Yuji’s eyes widened.

“Sukuna?”

“Let me out already.”

Sukuna’s voice carried open contempt.

“Watching you struggle against a mere Death Painting is unbearable.”

“No.”

Yuji rejected him without the slightest hesitation.

If he allowed Sukuna to take control, there was no telling how many people would die.

Sukuna was restrained by neither compassion nor morality.

“Are you certain, Yuji Itadori?”

Sukuna’s voice echoed continuously inside his mind.

“Your chances of surviving against him are almost nonexistent.”

Perhaps Sukuna was right.

Even so, Yuji could not release him.

Otherwise, he knew he would regret it.

“Is that so?”

After hearing Yuji’s refusal, Sukuna did not become angry.

Instead, he answered with unsettling calm.

“Then it won’t be your decision, brat.”

He gave up that easily? That’s unusual.

Yuji found Sukuna’s reaction strange, but at least he had stopped insisting.

Now Yuji could focus entirely on Choso.

“Losing focus during a battle is a death sentence.”

Choso brought his hands together.

Flowing blood compressed between his palms before forming hardened projectiles.

They shot forward and pierced Yuji’s arm.

“This is only the beginning.”

Choso’s gaze remained cold.

“Don’t think I’ll allow you to die so easily.”

I need to close the distance.

Yuji gritted his teeth.

Otherwise, my chances of winning are too low.

He acted immediately.

Yuji burst forward and appeared directly in front of Choso.

Invisible slashes erupted across Choso’s body.

Dozens of wounds appeared across his arms, chest, and shoulders.

As I thought, the slashes are completely invisible.

Choso’s eyes narrowed.

I have to end this quickly.

“Wing King!”

Blood burst from Choso’s back and spread outward.

A moment later, it formed a pair of enormous wings.

“Wings?”

Yuji stared in confusion.

Choso’s speed increased again.

Countless afterimages appeared around Yuji as Choso circled him at tremendous speed.

He’s too fast… My eyes can’t follow him.

An opening suddenly appeared.

There!

The instant Choso moved to attack, Yuji reacted.

However, it was merely a feint.

As expected.

Choso’s eyes sharpened.

He took the bait.

Yuji unleashed Dismantle, only to discover that he had struck nothing but an afterimage.

The real Choso was already behind him.

“Blood Manipulation: Blood Edge!”

Pfft!

A blade of hardened blood tore across Yuji’s chest.

“Ghk…”

Blood sprayed from the wound as Yuji staggered forward and clutched his chest.

The difference in combat experience is too great.

Choso walked toward him as Yuji collapsed into a pool of his own blood.

“It seems I’ve won.”

He looked down at Yuji.

“You were troublesome. Especially those slashes of yours that can cut through cursed energy.”

Choso’s expression remained grim.

“If I had been careless, I truly might have died.”

Yuji said nothing.

Even while lying in his own blood, he continued trying to force his body to move.

Choso reached into his clothes and removed the bag containing Sukuna’s fingers.

He held it in front of Yuji.

“They all say you’re Sukuna’s vessel.”

His voice grew colder.

“They say I’m not allowed to let you die.”

Choso stared down at him with overwhelming hatred.

“But you killed my brothers.”

His fingers tightened around the bag.

“Why should being Sukuna’s vessel matter in the face of that hatred?”

Thud.

Choso dropped the bag onto the ground.

He grabbed Yuji by the hair and pulled his head upward.

“I’m going to kill you and avenge my brothers.”

The Blood Edge pressed against Yuji’s neck.

A thin stream of blood slowly trickled down his skin.

Inside Yuji’s innate domain, Sukuna opened his eyes.

“Time to switch, brat.”

“No…”

Yuji’s consciousness began to fade.

Sukuna raised his head and looked directly at Choso.

His expression twisted into one of absolute contempt.

“Get lost.”