The newly formed alliance between Gojo and Sukuna was tenuous at best. Neither trusted the other, but both understood the gravity of their situation. The monstrous amalgamation of Tengen's immortality and the battle's cursed residue, now absorbed into Kenjaku's sinister creation, loomed as a threat far beyond their individual capacities.
As they stood amidst the devastation, Gojo broke the silence. "We'll need a strategy. You're strong, but your approach is reckless."
Sukuna scoffed, his crimson eyes narrowing. "And you, with your endless sermons, think you're the perfect tactician?" He smirked, baring sharp teeth. "I didn't agree to this alliance to be lectured."
Gojo ignored the barb, already analyzing the creature's movements from their earlier exchange. "It feeds on cursed energy, which means brute force won't work. We'll need precision."
Sukuna tapped his claws together, seemingly disinterested, though his mind churned. Despite his disdain for Gojo, he couldn't deny the sorcerer's insight. "Precision or not, that thing doesn't die unless we sever its core."
Their conversation was interrupted by the creature's guttural roar. It had already begun its rampage, its massive form tearing through the battlefield, absorbing cursed remnants from fallen players. Each surge of energy made it grow stronger, its grotesque form pulsing with unnatural vitality.
Kenjaku, now an unwilling prisoner within the beast, screamed incoherently as his consciousness fused with the monstrosity. His distorted cries echoed, a chilling reminder of the creature's potency.
"Enough talk," Sukuna growled, stepping forward. His cursed energy flared, forming jagged slashes in the air. "I'll carve a path. Keep up if you can."
Gojo sighed, adjusting his blindfold. "Teamwork, huh? This should be fun."
---
As they engaged the creature, the clash was unlike anything either had faced before. Sukuna's Dismantle and Cleave tore through its grotesque appendages, but the wounds closed almost instantly, the energy fueling the regeneration.
Gojo, meanwhile, utilized Infinity to halt the creature's attacks. His Domain Expansion flickered in and out as he sought openings, his energy reserves already strained from the earlier battle.
"It's adapting," Gojo observed, dodging a swing from the creature's massive arm. "If we don't end this quickly, it'll overwhelm us."
Sukuna snarled, his frustration mounting. "Then stop talking and find the damn core!"
As the battle intensified, the creature's body began to change. Its limbs split into smaller, faster appendages, each one targeting a specific weak point in their defenses. Sukuna growled as one of the limbs pierced his shoulder, while Gojo winced as a tendril lashed his side.
Despite the injuries, their unspoken synergy began to surface. Gojo's calculated strikes created openings for Sukuna's relentless assault, and Sukuna's sheer power kept the creature on the defensive, allowing Gojo moments to analyze its movements.
"It's in the chest," Gojo finally announced, his eyes narrowing as he traced the creature's cursed energy flow. "The core. That's where it's pulling all the energy."
"About time," Sukuna muttered, his grin returning. "Stay out of my way."
Before Gojo could retort, Sukuna unleashed his full power, activating his Domain Expansion. The ground quaked as Malevolent Shrine materialized, its cursed energy warping the battlefield. The creature howled, its body writhing under the onslaught of countless slashes.
Gojo used the opportunity to strike, hurling a concentrated blast of reversed cursed energy toward the core. The combined attack sent shockwaves across the landscape, the sheer force reducing the surrounding terrain to rubble.
When the dust settled, the creature lay motionless, its massive form disintegrating into blackened ash.
---
Breathing heavily, Sukuna and Gojo stood amidst the wreckage. The alliance had worked, but the victory felt hollow.
"Don't think this means anything," Sukuna said, his voice low and dangerous. "Once this is over, you're next."
Gojo smirked, despite his exhaustion. "Looking forward to it."
From the distance, faint screams echoed—players still alive but terrified. The creature was gone, but the damage left behind hinted that this was only the beginning.
Kenjaku's voice, now barely audible, whispered through the ashes. "You think this is over? The game has just begun..."