"Still got the fingers?"
Finally alone, Sukuna checked on his rare collectible.
"Right here."
Yuji fished the finger from his pocket and rinsed it under Junpei's bathroom tap.
—then knocked it back in one go.
"Ahem-ahem—"
He coughed; even on the fourth take, the scratch-down-the-throat thrill still stung.
"Sukuna, your nails are crazy long…"
Sukuna: […]
…Aaargh, don't say it out loud—he didn't ask for talons, okay?—
Have some mercy on a guy's image!
"Sukuna, feeling sleepy this time?"
After the fourth finger, Yuji asked, worried.
He was afraid Sukuna would nod off again, just like last time.
Sukuna checked—only nausea greeted him.
Maybe the digit had lingered too long in 'Mahito'—they'd learned the Special Grade Curse's name from Junpei—and the thing reeked of Mahito's residual Cursed Energy.
He scoured it with his own Cursed Energy, scrubbing back and forth until the stench vanished.
Whew… better finish the set fast; he wasn't keen on sampling any more gourmet-flavored fingers.
Somewhere else, Mahito suddenly chirped, "Ah."
"It's gone, the Cursed Energy inside that finger~"
He shrugged regretfully at Kenjaku.
Kenjaku ignored him.
What, planning to chase Sukuna down for a playdate?
He produced another finger and handed it over.
"Get to work. Next time pick somewhere farther away—he won't sense it at a distance."
Mahito: "…Fine."
Grumbling, he started sealing the Cursed Energy again… The next day, Nanami found Yuji.
"Where's the finger?"
His face was dead serious.
After questioning Junpei and his mother last night, the 'cosplay prop' came up once.
Nanami recognized it instantly; he hit the school at dawn for answers.
Infected by Nanami's gravity, Yuji straightened up.
"For safety, I swallowed it yesterday!"
Nanami: "…"
Sensing the look, Yuji tensed.
"Was I not supposed to? Sensei Gojo told me to eat any I find…"
…Gojo… Nanami inhaled slowly.
"…No problem. Down the hatch works too."
Yuji exhaled in relief.
After a pause, Nanami still had to ask,
"So… how's Sukuna?"
At that, Yuji's face fell, crestfallen.
"He conked out again."
…Yep, drowsiness—fashionably late as ever.
Sukuna was once more asleep.
And this time, things looked grim—
In his Inner World, Sukuna lay atop a hill of bones, eyes shut, cold sweat soaking his white kimono.
Pain twisted his face; his lashes quivered but his eyes refused to open, pinned by nightmares.
He clenched his teeth, only a faint whistle of breath slipping through.
Agony—searing pain swept through his body.
He felt something inside draining away, leaving him chilled.
His chest seemed split open, heart gnawed bite by bite.
Terror rose; he opened his mouth—no sound—
He sealed his lips again, grinding his teeth against the nightmare.
Long moments later, the dream-terror lifted; he exhaled shakily.
Gasping as though back from the dead.
What… was that… a memory?
What happened a thousand years ago to leave such horror?
He opened his eyes, gaze still unfocused.
The familiar rib-cage ceiling anchored him back to sanity.
He sat up with effort; even awake, he could feel the phantom gnawing ache.
For the first time, he feared his own memories, dreaded the past millennia ago.
Maybe… he didn't want those memories back… He sat still until the last ache faded.
When the pain was gone, he stretched, reflexively scanning the space—
Then froze—
There, atop the usual bone pile in his Innate Domain—
—stood a small building that looked suspiciously like the centerpiece of his Domain Expansion?!
It wasn't large; the style matched his usual shrine, minus the four cardinal mouths and towering ribs, replaced by plain old wooden beams.
Facing him was a sliding latticed door.
Baffled, Sukuna edged closer, hesitating before the door.
After that nightmare, anything linked to memory spooked him… what if a Curse leapt out? He twitched.
Carefully he extended his Spiritual Power—no living thing, no Curse inside.
Only the same thick Cursed Energy he carried—comforting, familiar.
He agonized, then decided to peek; if Yuji wandered in later, any danger had better be cleared first.
Hands on the door, he steeled himself and slid it open—
A soft creak, and the wooden door parted.
When he saw what waited inside, Sukuna's eyes bulged in pure bewilderment!
"…"
…Could anyone explain why the new shack—
—contained… uh… a bed—??
…Sukuna stared, slack-jawed.
He rubbed his eyes, looked again.
Stepped back, shut the door, reopened—shut, open—
The bed stayed put.
Sukuna: "…"
Wait-wait-wait-wait-wait!—
Sure, he'd wished for a bed in his Innate Domain… but granted this fast?!
Had he rubbed some Aladdin-X-lamp or blue-robo-cat wish-device?!
He replayed the moment he'd made the wish.
Then snapped his fingers—
Of course!!
He'd made the wish on his birthday!
…Who knew birthday wishes packed such a punch?!
Delighted yet torn… dammit, he wanted a birthday every single day!
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