Becoming Sukuna

"Hey, Hikigaya boy."

Yukinoshita Yukino, now with eight additional eyes and a mouth on her face, seemed embarrassed to face people. She lay on the desk, her head buried between her arms like an ostrich, but Sukuna's voice still came from her body.

"Yes!" The moment his name was called, Hikigaya Hachiman immediately stood straight, nearly shouting out an instinctive "Yes, sir!"

"You can see them, can't you? The curses."

So those monsters are called curses?

The dead-eyed boy froze momentarily before quickly responding, "Yes. It was just this morning on my way to school that I suddenly started seeing them. That's what scared me so much I wrote that essay, leading Hiratsuka-sensei to drag me here…"

Just as I thought.

Every person harbors cursed energy within them. For those with the talent to become sorcerers, the amount of cursed energy increases as they age but stops growing after adulthood. A sorcerer's upper limit of cursed energy is essentially set, and further growth can only come through mastering their awakened techniques.

The world of sorcery is fundamentally a world determined by talent.

But in Hikigaya Hachiman's case, this rule seemed to have been broken.

Although faint and easy to overlook, his cursed energy was undoubtedly growing.

From within the domain, Sukuna rested his chin on his hand, frowning as he pondered. A hypothesis had begun to form in his mind, though further examples were needed to confirm it.

After Sukuna finished speaking, silence lingered. Yukinoshita Yukino remained quiet as well, her head still buried. Meanwhile, Hikigaya Hachiman's emotions swung like a roller coaster, leaving him uneasy.

Sukuna stayed silent as he contemplated, while Yukinoshita kept quiet because she didn't know what to say. Beyond that, Hikigaya Hachiman's reason for being forcibly drafted into the club by Hiratsuka-sensei was, as Sukuna described, remarkably similar.

Ever since Sukuna had awakened within her, Yukinoshita Yukino had found herself repeatedly at his mercy. For the proud young woman, this constant defeat brought a profound sense of frustration.

Perhaps it's time I made some changes myself.

The first step would be acknowledging the existence of this parasite residing in my body.

With that thought, Yukinoshita Yukino mustered the courage to overcome her embarrassment, sat upright again, and inadvertently gave Hikigaya Hachiman a clear view of the extra eyes on her face.

Though having four eyes on someone's face should be terrifying, Hikigaya didn't find Yukinoshita Yukino's appearance scary at all. Instead, the extra features added a strange allure to her already cute face.

If Yukinoshita Yukino previously resembled a lotus flower, pristine and untouched by mud, then now she was a black rose glowing with a mysterious, dangerous beauty.

"Though weak, you now undeniably possess the talent to become a sorcerer." Sukuna's voice emerged from Yukinoshita's smooth hand, as if unwilling to mar her face.

"Eh? Me?" Hikigaya Hachiman pointed to himself in surprise.

"Yes. Typically, whether someone can become a sorcerer is determined in childhood, and most awaken their technique around age eight or nine."

"But I'm already seventeen…"

"That's exactly what piques my curiosity. While the exact reason is unclear, I suspect some change in the world of sorcery has triggered awakenings in ordinary people who previously lacked talent, and you're one of them."

"Most ordinary people in this era seem unaware of curses, but perhaps in the near future, that will change," Sukuna speculated before shifting topics. "Coincidentally, I'm bored and enjoy teaching, so I've decided to impart some survival skills to you."

"I'd rather not keep stepping in to save you from danger only to be sent back afterward like a mere tool," Sukuna grumbled, clearly addressing Yukinoshita.

"You're not going to teach us anything villainous, are you?"

"Master! Please accept my bow!"

As Yukinoshita voiced her skepticism, Hikigaya Hachiman was already on the floor bowing, prompting Yukinoshita to glare at him disdainfully. "Your loyalty shifts way too fast, doesn't it, Fence-Sitter-kun?"

Hikigaya Hachiman raised his head indignantly. "What are you talking about? This is every Japanese high school boy's dream scenario! Even I can't refuse!"

You ignorant woman! Do you think high school boys only care about rosy, romantic fantasies? Who would pass up the chance to gain supernatural powers and become a hero?

"Now that's the proper attitude for a student seeking knowledge. Yukinoshita, you could learn a thing or two from him."

The black-haired girl cast a cold glance at her own hand, instinctively wanting to retort. But knowing she'd likely lose to Sukuna's wit, she swallowed her words and reluctantly asked, "So, what exactly are you planning to teach us?"

"Grant me the authority first."

Seeing Yukinoshita hesitate, Sukuna scolded, "You can reclaim control of your body at any time. What are you afraid of? Hesitation leads nowhere!"

The sharp remark reminded Yukinoshita of her mother, who had made similar critiques in the past.

After a brief moment of distraction, the girl silently relinquished control of her body.

In Hikigaya Hachiman's eyes, black markings slowly appeared on Yukinoshita's face. The overwhelming aura of a ferocious beast radiated from her, though Sukuna quickly restrained it, allowing the trembling boy to breathe a sigh of relief.

Phew, I almost dropped to my knees again… Oh wait, I already did earlier. Never mind.

This is a pivotal moment where middle-school fantasies become reality. Whether kneeling or shoe-licking, I won't hesitate for a second!

Hikigaya Hachiman reaffirmed his determination.

"Nice look in your eyes~" Sukuna smirked, one hand on his hip. Using Yukinoshita's body, he struck a playful pose, turning her usual stoic expression into something surprisingly charming—though Yukinoshita herself was clearly displeased.

"Eh?"

Before his brain could process what had happened, his entire right arm was severed cleanly, dropping to the ground like a hunk of useless meat. The smooth cut, as if made by a hot knife through butter, continued to spurt blood in spurts.

What just happened?

Hikigaya Hachiman stared dumbfounded at the severed arm on the ground. Before he could comprehend what had occurred, the delayed, excruciating pain surged through his body like a tidal wave.

"Ah? AHHHHHHH!!!"

Tears uncontrollably streamed down his face. The pain was far beyond what any ordinary high schooler could endure—far worse than the agony he had experienced last year when a black luxury car had fractured his leg. Hikigaya's face twisted in agony as he screamed, clutching his collar with his remaining left hand. The veins on his forehead and the back of his hand bulged grotesquely.

"What did you do!?" Yukinoshita Yukino's face, once marked with black patterns, now returned to normal as if melting ice. For the first time, she wrested back control of her body from Sukuna, her tone a mix of panic and disbelief. She approached him hastily, unprepared for such a bloody scene. Her normally sharp mind now completely blank.

"Right… I need to stop the bleeding…!"

Her trembling hands hovered aimlessly. She looked around frantically, searching for something in the clubroom to use as a makeshift bandage. But even though her mind screamed at her to act, her body refused to comply.

Meanwhile, Hikigaya's anguished wails continued. His lifeless fish-like eyes narrowed sharply, the whites of his eyes reddened with blood vessels as he bit back the urge to writhe in pain on the ground. Slumped against the wall, he could only endure.

"The infirmary! Hikigaya, stay here! Hold on!" Yukino bit her lip, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears.

I shouldn't have trusted that guy! How stupid could I be? Knowing full well that Sukuna was a thousand-year-old menace, I still handed over control of my body.

Back when school first started, our car had sent Hikigaya to the hospital. And now, two years later, it's my fault his hand got severed—because I released Sukuna.

It's all my fault!

Regret, anger, fear, despair—all-consuming negative emotions brewed within the two of them, manifesting as cursed energy coursing through their bodies.

"Not allowed."

Suddenly, a grotesque mouth appeared on Yukino's otherwise smooth forehead. Sukuna's voice, filled with amusement yet tinged with undeniable authority, spoke aloud.

Warning! Warning! The host's body control is being forcibly taken over!

Ignoring the system's barrage of error messages, Sukuna continued, his tone smug and indifferent: "You can feel it, can't you? That cursed energy born from your overwhelming negative emotions. Use your will to control it."

"What nonsense are you spouting right now!?" Yukino couldn't even spare him an insult as she turned to run.

But her legs wouldn't budge. They felt nailed to the floor as if bound by some invisible force.

I can't move? What's going on? Did Sukuna take control of my body again?

Without addressing Yukino's frantic attempts to wrest back control, Sukuna sneered at Hikigaya, who panted and gritted his teeth against the pain. "What's wrong? Didn't you claim you'd risk life and limb? This is just a severed hand—fighting curses means staking your life."

The malicious grin on the mouth adorning her forehead grew wider. "If you can't even control cursed energy, then die here."

The chilling words felt like the whisper of death itself. Hikigaya's body grew cold, the searing pain of his wound seeming to fade into numbness.

He's serious. If I fail, this guy will really leave me to bleed out and die.

The cold wasn't just from Sukuna's terrifying threat. Blood loss had drained the heat from his body, pooling beneath him in a dark crimson puddle. The pungent, metallic scent of blood hung heavily in the small clubroom.

Driven by an overwhelming will to survive, Hikigaya forced himself to calm down. Adrenaline surged through him, soaking his back in cold sweat and dulling the agony in his arm. Slowly, he began to sense the cursed energy Sukuna spoke of coursing within him.

As someone who had never been exposed to curses before, Hikigaya didn't know how to manipulate cursed energy. Relying solely on instinct, he clutched at it in his mind, as naturally as reaching for a water bottle.

In the next moment, cursed energy materialized in his remaining left fist, blazing like fire. Unlike a regular flame, it burned a deeper, bloodier red—like the puddle beneath him.

"Haha, see? You can do it!" Sukuna laughed heartily. "Now, use that cursed energy to attack me!"

Attack? How? Isn't this moving a bit too fast?

Grumbling internally about Sukuna's harsh Spartan teaching methods, Hikigaya braced himself against the wall and staggered to his feet.

Attacking… Well, the only thing I can manage right now is throwing a punch.

After a moment's hesitation, he gritted his teeth and stumbled toward Yukino, aiming his curse-imbued fist at her.

"Wait, what are you—!?" Yukino realized she could move her body again, but it was too late. Hikigaya, his face twisted with desperation, was already upon her.

She instinctively used her family's Aikido techniques, deflecting Hikigaya's punch and flipping him over her shoulder.

But the instant she threw him, she realized something was wrong.

My strength… It's way too much!

Glass shattered as Hikigaya crashed through the window, tumbling out of the clubroom on the fourth floor.

Huh?

Dazed, Hikigaya found himself hurtling through the air. As the world spun around him, he realized he was falling.

Wait… Am I going to die? Not from blood loss but by falling?

He stared at the crimson-streaked sky, his mind blank, unable to grasp the reality of his impending death.

Then, another figure leaped out of the shattered window, rapidly closing the distance between them.

You've got to be kidding me. That's the fourth floor!

Sukuna, now in control of Yukino's body, grabbed the dazed Hikigaya mid-air and landed safely on the ground.

With both hands braced against the ground, Hikigaya felt the firm surface beneath him, the fear of falling replaced by overwhelming relief. From a height of twelve meters, the experience had been too much for a high school student.

Wait, hold on…

"My right hand… It's still here?"

Hikigaya stared blankly at his intact right hand, flexing it instinctively. It was as if the severed arm had been nothing but a nightmare.