Ryuji now possessed two open domains:

  The Malevolent Shrine and the Food Space.

  But against this type of domain, using the Food Space didn't feel appropriate. It didn't suit the situation.

  That left only one choice.

  "Domain Expansion—Malevolent Shrine!"

  As Ryuji's voice fell, a shrine burst forth from the ground behind him, imposing and serene.

  "Hmm?"

  The familiar aura of the Domain instantly reached Sukuna, making him aware of something.

  He grinned.

  "There's no mistaking it. That's my domain's aura!"

  As the creator of the domain, there was no way Sukuna could be wrong about it.

  Now, with its presence here, there was only one expnation:

  That person is here!

  "Iing."

  Sukuna smirked. This was the perfect opportunity to properly assess the one who had cimed his domain for their own.

  ---

  Meanwhile, Yuji, Nobara, and Maki, who had been weighed down by the oppressive loneliness moments ago, suddenly felt a shift.

  Their surroundings brightened as the darkness gave way to daylight. The stifling lonelihat had g their hearts vanished like smoke.

  "What just happened?"

  They all looked around, fused by the abrupt ge.

  "Hey! Long time no see!"

  A voiterrupted their thoughts, and they turo see Ryuji standing nearby. He didn't seem surprised by their presend greeted them with an easy smile.

  "Ryuji!"

  Maki was the first to react, reition fshing in her eyes. They had met before, and she hadn't fotten him. She had been impressed by him back then—and seeing him again now was a shock.

  "What happened? Weren't you missing?"

  Yuji and Nobara finally snapped out of their fusion as well. Nobara immediately rushed over and hugged Maki tightly.

  "Thank god! I thought something had happeo you!"

  "It's all fine now," Maki reassured her, gently patting Nobara's back to calm her down.

  "What was that just now? It felt like we were stuck for half a month!" Yuji scratched his head, gng between Nobara, Maki, and finally Ryuji, looking for answers.

  At the same time, Sukuna, residing within Yuji, focused all his attention on Ryuji, silently him.

  "In fact," Ryuji began calmly, "Gojo tacted me three days ago after your disappearance. I came as soon as I could. Three days passed outside while you were in here. It seems the flow of time in this domain differs from the outside world."

  Yuji and the others listened carefully.

  Ryuji's expnation was straightforward, and while the cept of time distortion wasirely unfamiliar, it still left them a bit uled.

  "So, that's it…" Yuji murmured as he scratched the back of his head.

  He let out a sigh of relief. "I really thought I was gonna die in there."

  Even someone as upbeat as Yuji had struggled against the corrosive effects of the loneliness. It had been unbearable.

  With their minds now clear, the trio began notig their surroundings more carefully.

  "What about them?" Yuji asked, pointing to the fallen figures scattered around the area.

  It wasn't just the three of them who had been trapped in this space, there were other humans as well. Unlike sorcerers, however, these ordinary people hadn't been able to endure. Some had colpsed on the ground, lifeless. Others had resorted to more tragids—hanging themselves or succumbing to starvation. The loneliness had ed them.

  "They're… all dead."

  Nobara and Maki moved quickly to check the bodies, but their worst fears were firmed. These people were long gone.

  "Damn that cursed spirit!" Nobara ched her fists, her voice trembling with fury.

  Maki shared her ahough she stayed silent.

  Ryuji, however, remained posed. Anger alone wouldn't solve anything.

  Instead, he sed the area.

  The domain had already beeralized by his Demon-Subduing Chef. But sihis was the cursed spirit's domain, it couldn't be far away.

  "It's ing," Ryuji said quietly, narrowing his eyes.

  "Disperse!"

  With a quick motioivated his cursed speech.

  Invisible cursed energy rippled outward, and in the distance, several dark streaks of cursed energy flying toward them dissolved into nothing under Ryuji's influence.

  "!"

  The sudden a snapped Maki and the others out of their shock. They quickly shifted their focus, now fully on guard.

  "Incredible!" Maki excimed, reizing the teique.

  Although she'd seen Ryuji's abilities before through a live broadcast, witnessing them in person was airely different experience.

  Ryuji gnced around, his expression calm. "Not ing out yet? Or are you just some coward who hides behind sneak attacks?"

  The air around them grew heavier, and an eerie silence fell.

  Then, a strange, forlorn voice echoed in their ears.

  "Loneliness… Loneliness… All humans are destio be alone…"

  The cursed spirit emerged. It looked grotesque—its body like pitch-bck sludge, slimy and shapeless, like mud dredged from a sewer.

  It crawled forward slowly, its form barely two or three meters tall.

  "So, it really is loneliness," Ryuji muttered, his suspi firmed. The spirit was born from humanity's collective fear of isotion.

  "That's right," the spirit answered, its voice rising. "I am a special grade cursed spirit born from the human fear of loneliness! All things—everything in this world—will ultimately end in loneliness!"

  Its voice grew louder, more fervent as it spoke.

  "Damn it, this thing…" Maki ched her fists, seething with anger.

  Nritted her teeth, her fury mirr Maki's. Knowing that this creature had trapped them for so long only made them angrier.

  But before either of them could act, Ryuji stepped forward, his voice steady.

  "Leave it to me."