Sukuna’s speed was simply too fast.
Even with Naobito Zenin’s Cursed Technique, Projection Sorcery, which allows for 24 actions per second, it was the same.
In the original story, Naobito Zenin was easily covered by Jogo’s wide-range flames, which blocked every possible direction of movement and burned him to death instantly.
That was a gap in strength that resulted in an instant kill upon contact.
Sukuna also had a fight with Jogo, even making a vow at the time: Jogo’s win condition was simply to touch Sukuna once.
In the end, it concluded with Jogo’s death.
Jogo, who couldn’t even touch Sukuna, could insta-kill Naobito Zenin.
But at this very moment, with Sukuna personally taking action, his fist smashed into the small of Naobito Zenin’s back, yet the man suddenly transformed into a 2D photograph.
Naobito Zenin realized it too late and leaped backward in terror.
Even though he hadn’t actually counted on Levi’s protection in his heart, he was so startled that his subconscious led him to the side of the man who had just claimed he would protect him.
“S-So fast…
I couldn’t see it at all.”
Naobito Zenin could no longer maintain his cynical facade, watching Sukuna—who had returned to normal from the photograph—with a forehead covered in cold sweat.
The white-haired Sukuna casually clenched his fist and sneered, “A ridiculous Cursed Technique.”
Levi also wiped the cold sweat from his own forehead.
“I almost thought I’d be breaking my word.
Old man, well done.”
“Not at all, it is Mr.
Levi’s ability to talk and laugh with Sukuna that I find truly admirable.”
Naobito Zenin gave a strained smile, sweat beading on his forehead.
Now the address had been upgraded to “Mr.
Levi.”
Naobito Zenin could tell now; Levi definitely knew Sukuna.
And they were enemies, not friends!
To be an enemy of Sukuna and still be alive until now…
Was this man named Levi really that strong?
But wasn’t his Heavenly Restriction a sacrifice of Cursed Energy in exchange for information-related abilities?
At this time, Maki Zenin and Kento Nanami also arrived at Naobito Zenin’s side.
All three of them had incredibly grim expressions.
Regarding Sukuna’s strike just now, if Naobito hadn’t been under the being frozen in place for one second of the technique, and if the attack had targeted the other two instead, they would have lost their lives by now.
Was this the strength of Ryomen Sukuna, the curse crowned with the title of the strongest a thousand years ago?
With Naobito Zenin’s experience, he could naturally tell at a glance that Sukuna didn’t care about the lives of the three of them at all.
The other party wanted to kill him simply because Levi had made a promise to protect him.
This attitude of disregard, contempt, and total indifference naturally left Naobito Zenin with no room to even be angry.
Yet he faced Levi with a kind of equal hatred and hostility.
The contrast was telling.
Levi stepped past the three of them and walked boldly in front of Sukuna.
Because Sukuna’s current body was the one Uraume had used for incarnation, it was short in stature, forcing Levi to look down at Sukuna.
“Lucky, lucky.
Sukuna, you’re currently in Cursed Technique Burnout, aren’t you?”
Otherwise, one slash from Sukuna would have killed Naobito Zenin before he could even react.
Engaging in close-quarters combat just happened to trigger Naobito Zenin’s technique.
[Projection Sorcery]: both the user and whoever they touch must plan their next 24 movements for the next second; if they violate the plan, they are turned into a photograph and subjected to a one-second hard stun.
Naobito Zenin relied on being able to perform 24 actions per second to achieve speed far exceeding that of an average jujutsu sorcerer.
However, this technique is ineffective against continuous long-range attacks, and furthermore, if the opponent can actually manage to plan 24 actions per second themselves, the technique becomes meaningless against them.
Naobito Zenin didn’t dare reveal his technique to Sukuna to increase its efficiency.
He could clearly see that from just that single contact, Sukuna had already perceived the general principle behind his technique.
If he revealed it further, he feared the opponent would adapt to it on the spot.
“You really do know everything, don’t you, brat?”
Sukuna looked at Levi, adjusting his kimono sleeves, and sneered.
“I read Uraume’s memories.
You said your Heavenly Restriction was a curse of ‘Eternal Life’ in exchange for the flames of a ‘Dragon’.”
What the hell?
The three behind Levi immediately looked at his back in shock.
What did he mean, exchanging immortality for dragon flames?
If anyone else had said that, the three of them would have treated it like a load of crap.
What kind of childish nonsense is that?
Don’t insult my intelligence.
But since these words came from Sukuna’s mouth…
their weight was on a completely different level!
Sukuna looked up at Levi and continued.
“I’ll believe that for now.
So, where did the information you possess come from?”
“First of all, it’s definitely not mind-reading.”
Sukuna stroked his delicate chin and narrowed his eyes, forming a deduction.
“After all, you even know about the Vow I made with Yuji Itadori.
We communicated in a mental landscape, and Yuji has already forgotten the contents of that Vow, so you couldn’t have obtained that information through mind-reading.”
Levi smiled slightly, repeating the same line: “Don’t underestimate my intelligence network.”
In this body of Uraume’s, after Sukuna’s incarnation, the original bob cut had turned into a slicked-back style, with only two strands of white bangs hanging over the forehead.
Hearing this, veins popped on his forehead.
“Is that the only damn thing you can say?!”
With a roar, Sukuna punched Levi in the chest.
With a thunderous boom, Levi was sent flying, crashing into a residential building.
But the moment Sukuna’s fist made contact, Levi had already released the explosive attack of the Dragon Talisman from his chest.
Sukuna was also sent flying backward.
The building’s load-bearing pillars were snapped; the entire wall cracked from bottom to top, instantly turning it into a condemned structure.
Levi quickly flew out of the rubble, returning to his previous position.
He made no attempt to soften the landing, brushed off the dust and debris, and laughed loudly while pointing in the direction Sukuna had flown.
“Aha!
Even though my attacks can never catch up to you, I can still manage to counter-attack at the moment I’m hit!”
“Even if you attack me a hundred times and I only catch your fist once to blow you away, forcing you to use a thousandth of your Cursed Energy to recover, it’s still a successful depletion.”
“In that case, there will eventually come a day when you’re completely drained of Cursed Energy!”
“Your defeat is certain, Sukuna!”
Levi shouted arrogantly, leaving the three behind him looking utterly dazed.
How…
how is his defeat certain?!
“Why don’t you just wait for me to die of old age?”
Sukuna stepped out from the smoke of the explosion.
His fist was slowly recovering from its charred state, becoming white and slender once more.
Sukuna raised his hand, showing Levi his undamaged palm, then clenched it into a fist with a sharp glint in his eyes.
“The tiny amount of energy you’re depleting, I can recover just by breathing.”
Levi clicked his tongue.
Then he turned to the trio and asked curiously, “Why haven’t you run yet?
Are you waiting for me to defeat Sukuna?”
“I could win, sure, but like Sukuna said, it would most likely be by letting him die of old age.”
Only then did the three snap out of it!
This Levi—his behavior, his words, and the sheer amount of information in his exchange with Sukuna—was just too much.
The three of them were as if they’d been hit by Unlimited Void; their minds were so busy processing all that information that they had actually forgotten to flee!
Levi picked up Haruta Shigemo, who had been kicked unconscious a long time ago, and tossed him into Naobito Zenin’s arms.
“Protect him; this guy is useful to me.
Plus, his luck is great.
If you take him with you, you probably won’t end up in a certain-death situation.”
Sukuna gave a sinister grin.
“Is that so?”
“But my Cursed Technique Burnout is over.”
In the next instant, the white-haired Sukuna formed a sword finger gesture and pointed forward.
“Dismantle.”
Just then, a firelight suddenly flared in the sky, accompanied by a roar.
Levi looked up to see a white giant with a halo on its head and wings growing from its eyes, falling straight toward them!
Holy crap, Mahoraga!