Becoming Sukuna

A phantom pain lingered in Hikigaya Hachiman's right shoulder, reminding him that having his arm severed by Sukuna was no mere nightmare but an undeniable reality.

"Regrowing a severed limb... that kind of thing actually exists?"

"My hand... grew back!?" Yukinoshita Yukino gasped inwardly in disbelief.

"Reversed Cursed Technique," Sukuna explained, seemingly reading Hachiman's thoughts, though the clarification was aimed at Yukino. "Cursed energy is a negative force that can strengthen the body but cannot regenerate it. However, by doubling the negative energy, it produces a positive energy to heal oneself."

"As long as your brain isn't destroyed or your head isn't chopped off, you can be saved," Sukuna added with a cheeky grin. "Even if you're cut in half, you'll survive."

"Are you serious...?" Hachiman's eyes widened slightly. Just the fact that his arm had regrown was enough to shock him. But even being bisected could be healed? Were jujutsu sorcerers that hard to kill?

As if reading his mind, Sukuna shrugged. "It's simple to say, but not so easy to execute. Only a handful of sorcerers can pull it off, but for cursed spirits, it's a piece of cake."

"Anyway, enough of that. Yukinoshita is throwing a fit," Sukuna remarked, disappearing abruptly while silencing Yukino's voice.

It was only then that Hachiman noticed the absence of the black markings on Yukino's face, indicating Sukuna's possession. Her face, however, still bore four eyes, a residual mark of his presence.

The moment Sukuna retreated, Yukino's expression softened, her face contorting into a frown of deep displeasure.

What is that guy even thinking!? Doing something so reckless at school—what if someone saw us? And his insane teaching methods! Even if healing is possible, forcing someone to the brink of death to unlock their potential is inhumane!

And after all that, he leaves, dumping the mess on me without responding to my calls.

Unable to yell at him or confront him directly, Yukino felt a wave of helpless frustration.

More concerning was the realization that Sukuna could now seize control of her body without her consent. His assurances that she could reclaim control anytime were nothing but lies to lower her guard!

Without a means to restrain him, who knows what that despicable spirit might do with her body in the future?

Clutching her forehead in exasperation, Yukino eventually sighed and turned toward Hachiman, her face filled with remorse. "I'm so sorry. I didn't expect my strength to increase so suddenly, or that Sukuna would..."

"Uh, it's fine. I mean, I'm still alive, and my severed hand grew back as good as new," Hachiman replied, clearly taken aback by Yukino's apology. "Besides, it's not your fault. You don't need to apologize."

As for asking Sukuna to apologize, Hachiman wouldn't even dare to think about it.

"But even if the wounds healed, the pain you felt when injured wasn't fake, was it?" Yukino murmured softly, recalling the scene of Hachiman's anguished screams when his arm was severed.

"Well, because of that, I think I've successfully learned how to control cursed energy now," Hachiman said, raising his right fist confidently and trying to channel cursed energy into it.

...

Nothing happened.

"Huh? But this is how I did it before..." Hachiman's face flushed with embarrassment. He regretted his earlier boast.

"It seems something went wrong in the process, and Sukuna doesn't seem interested in helping you out," Yukino noted, though she had witnessed Hachiman's earlier success firsthand. "Anyway, let's head back for now."

When they returned to the Service Club room, Yukino realized she had been angry too soon.

The once-pristine room was now a chaotic mess. The window was shattered, glass shards scattered across the floor. Blood stained the floor and walls, and Hachiman's severed arm lay lifeless in the shadows like a grim prop from a horror film.

The pungent scent of blood filled the air. Upon stepping into the room, Yukino nearly vomited, while Hachiman felt similarly nauseous.

His gaze landed on his severed hand with a complicated expression. "So... what do we do with that?"

Even Yukino was at a loss. Despite her vast knowledge, dealing with a severed limb was far beyond her expertise.

Observing their helplessness from within, Sukuna couldn't help but sigh at his own "kindness" as he once again forcibly took control of Yukino's body. With a snap of her fingers, he set the severed arm ablaze, reducing it to ashes.

"Hey! You took control of my body without permission again!" Yukino fumed the moment she regained control.

"I was just helping out, and you're scolding me? Such ingratitude! Yukinoshita, you're a meanie~" Sukuna's voice emerged from a grinning mouth on her cheek, feigning hurt.

"This is all your fault in the first place!" Yukino snapped, the mockingly sweet tone sending shivers down her spine.

Ignoring her outrage, Sukuna addressed Hachiman. "Think more about the essence of cursed energy, and you'll understand why you failed earlier. Mastering cursed energy isn't so simple. Still, you're doing better than Yukinoshita—she hasn't succeeded even once."

With that parting remark, Sukuna vanished again, leaving Yukino red with anger.

Hachiman awkwardly raised his hands in mock surrender, signaling his neutrality.

Yukino sighed deeply. "I don't mind. He's... not wrong."

Really? You looked like you were about to break your molars from how hard you were clenching your teeth.

Hachiman silently thought to himself.

"Let's just clean up this place. As for the broken window, we can use the curtains for now. I'll order a replacement and install it on Saturday," Yukino said, trying to restore some semblance of normalcy.

"Got it."

The two spent a considerable amount of time tidying the room before the school's security guard came to shoo them away.

"Well, I'll head home," Hachiman said, parting ways with Yukino at the school gate and riding his bicycle back.

Standing in front of his house, he felt an inexplicable sense of detachment from reality.

When he entered the house and changed into his slippers, his younger sister, Komachi, peeked her head out from behind the living room wall, wearing an apron.

"Welcome home! Why are you so late today?"

Hachiman froze for a moment, tears of gratitude welling up as he stared at the sight of his adorable little sister.

Ah, my sweet, angelic Komachi!

"I'm back," he murmured, though his tearful demeanor prompted Komachi to make a face of mock disgust. "Crying as soon as you see your sister? Gross, Onii-chan."

Despite her words, Hachiman found her dazzling, angelic presence utterly heartwarming.

"What happened?" Komachi asked.

"Nothing... I'm home."

After surviving curses, Sukuna's taunts, losing an arm, and being thrown out a fourth-floor window, Hachiman finally smiled in relief at his sister's presence.

"Ah~"

Hachiman Hikigaya sank into the bathtub, instinctively letting out a moan.

As the hot water soaked his body, every pore seemed to open up, releasing the fatigue accumulated throughout the day.

Even Komachi, who was studying in the living room, heard the sound and remarked in surprise, "Oh my, that's rare. My brother is making the kind of tired groan you'd only hear after a full day of work."

"Don't mind me," Hachiman muttered, covering his face with a hot towel.

He hadn't actually worked, but he was indeed exhausted—both physically and mentally.

"Think more about the essence of cursed energy, and you'll understand why you failed earlier."

As he relaxed, Hachiman unconsciously started pondering Sukuna's earlier advice.

The essence of cursed energy is energy born from human negative emotions. Was I only able to succeed the first time because my heart was full of negativity at that moment?

Does that mean I have to stay in a constant state of anger or fear to use cursed energy?

The moment this thought surfaced, Hachiman quickly dismissed it.

Just look at Sukuna himself. When he demonstrated the difference between simple cursed energy attacks and techniques, he wasn't filled with negative emotions—in fact, he seemed to be enjoying himself.

Could it be that I have to act like a professional actor, conjuring sad memories to generate cursed energy whenever I need it?

If that's the case, I have an endless supply of embarrassing memories to draw from!

Hachiman pulled the towel off his face and let himself sink into his collection of sealed, unspeakable memories...

I feel it!

This is cursed energy born from my dark past!

Looking at the cursed energy igniting in his hand, Hachiman couldn't help but feel like crying. If using cursed energy always meant revisiting these humiliating moments, forget about fighting—he'd be killed by his own memories first.

When he first learned that this seemingly peaceful world was actually home to supernatural entities like cursed spirits and sorcerers, Hachiman had felt a burst of excitement.

If curses are real, maybe Gods are real too!

But after the initial excitement and experiencing the pain of losing an arm, he had calmed down. Now, in retrospect, he thought, I can't even commit to going to work—how can I possibly dedicate myself to fighting cursed spirits?

Work only puts my dignity and livelihood on the line. Fighting puts my life on the line. Between the two, work seems much less terrifying.

"Hah, if I tell Sukuna tomorrow that I don't want to learn cursed techniques anymore, will he kill me…"

Hachiman gazed at the bathroom ceiling with a face full of melancholy.

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There's no denying it: Yukino Yukinoshita is a truly determined person.

"No matter how much you stare at your hand, you can't do what you can't do," Sukuna quipped.

After some banter earlier, the girl had been at it since dinner, stubbornly refusing to give up, yet still unable to succeed.

If she couldn't control cursed energy even when filled with negative emotions, there was no way she could do it now. Although Sukuna's teasing still annoyed her greatly, her frustration couldn't compare to the despair and regret Hachiman had felt when his arm was suddenly cut off.

It wasn't just a matter of talent—it was also about perception.

"Idiot, you'll never succeed if you keep trying to understand cursed energy through scientific theories," Sukuna teased, watching Yukino frown in deep thought. "It's all about intuition! Feel it!"

With his chatter getting on her nerves, Yukino's irritation only grew, and her distracted state made it even harder to focus. If nothing else, her negative emotions were maxed out.

"If you could, I'd really appreciate some practical advice, instead of sounding like a machine spewing useless words to annoy me."

Yukino pursed her lips and said coldly. She had never encountered such a challenge in her studies before, no matter how much effort she put in.

Sure, I know I can't use existing scientific theories to understand something as arcane as cursed energy. But all I can do is try! Simply saying "feel it" doesn't help at all!

"Tsk, tsk. In the end, you still have to rely on someone else," Sukuna said smugly. "Go on, call me 'Teacher.'"

But for some reason, Yukino's expression suddenly turned cold. She pressed her lips tightly together, refusing to say another word, and continued wrestling with her pale hands. She ignored Sukuna's endless chatter.

Huh? Why's she mad all of a sudden?

Sukuna was a bit puzzled by her sudden change in mood. But, with his supposedly high emotional intelligence, he decided to take action and forcibly took control of Yukino's body.

You!

"Don't talk. Just watch and learn," Sukuna said as he demonstrated how to properly activate and use cursed energy with her body.

"Relying solely on negative emotions to extract cursed energy is too inefficient. The correct approach is to draw on subtle emotions to activate and control cursed energy while avoiding wasting it in moments of heightened emotion."

"Got it?"

…More or less.

Although prone to stubbornness and sulking, Yukino's intelligence was genuine. Her earlier failures were simply due to flawed thinking. After Sukuna forcibly controlled her body and gave her a detailed demonstration, she gradually grasped the key points.

"Now, give it a try," Sukuna said, relinquishing control of her body.

It turned out Yukino wasn't just being stubborn. Though it took some time, she finally managed to ignite a faint cursed energy that wrapped around her like a blue flame.

"Did I… succeed?" Although the process was bumpy, the joy of success still made her unconsciously curl her lips into a smile.

But she quickly remembered she was supposed to be angry. Suppressing her excitement, she expressionlessly washed an apple in the open kitchen's sink and held it in her hand.

Facing the parasite that constantly annoyed her, Yukino found it hard to express her gratitude directly. And with lingering resentment toward Sukuna, the thousand years old scourge, this was the best she could manage.

Soft at heart but hard of mouth.

What's with this girl? Is she a tsundere?

Sukuna couldn't help but laugh to himself while chewing on the apple in her hand, silently accepting her goodwill.