The fight had been going strong.
Takeru and the god-guy stood several feet apart, both ready to charge again.
Then the god-guy suddenly froze.
Takeru's smile disappeared.
"…Wait."
The young man's expression changed.
His eyes widened.
His body twitched.
Something was wrong.
Takeru immediately moved.
WHOOSH!
He appeared directly beside him.
One hand pressed firmly against the man's chest.
The god-guy's cursed energy suddenly became chaotic.
Takeru narrowed his eyes.
"I knew it."
Yuji looked over.
"Knew what?"
Takeru didn't answer.
His hand began glowing with cursed energy.
Then—
The god-guy's body jerked violently.
A familiar presence emerged from within him.
Sukuna.
The missing Sukuna.
The one who had vanished from Yuji.
Yuji's eyes widened.
"THAT'S HIM!"
Both Gojo's immediately focused on the god-guy.
"How did he get inside him?"
Takeru's expression remained calm.
"Doesn't matter."
His cursed energy changed.
Something about it felt completely different.
Even the people with Six Eyes couldn't immediately identify what he was doing.
Takeru spoke quietly.
"Idle Transfiguration."
Everyone froze.
Nanami's eyes widened.
"…What?"
One of the Gojo's stared.
"That's Mahito's technique."
Takeru nodded.
"Yep."
Kenjaku's eyes narrowed.
"You copied it?"
"Apparently."
Takeru pressed his palm against the man's chest.
"Sorry."
His cursed energy surged.
FWOOM!
The man's soul and Sukuna's presence were forcibly separated.
The god-guy's body collapsed backward.
Takeru caught him before he hit the ground.
Sukuna was pulled out.
But instead of appearing as his usual enormous form…
he emerged as a tiny, compact version of himself.
Everyone stared.
"…What?"
The miniature Sukuna looked around furiously.
"WHAT DID YOU DO?!"
Takeru stared at him.
Then looked around.
Then back at Sukuna.
"…You're tiny."
"PUT ME BACK!"
Takeru grinned.
"No."
Sukuna started yelling.
"TAKERU!"
Takeru reached into the nearby pile of beach supplies.
He pulled out—
A pickle jar.
Yuji blinked.
"…Why do you have that?"
"I don't know."
Takeru opened it.
Sukuna stared at him.
"…Don't."
Takeru smiled.
"Too late."
He gently grabbed tiny Sukuna and dropped him into the jar.
CLINK.
Sukuna slammed both hands against the glass.
"LET ME OUT!"
Takeru screwed the lid on.
Click.
Everyone stared.
The tiny Sukuna glared through the glass.
Takeru held the jar up.
"…He kind of looks like a pickle."
Yuji covered his mouth.
"Don't say that."
Takeru started laughing.
"PICKLE SUKUNA!"
Sukuna's eye twitched.
"I WILL KILL YOU."
Takeru shook the jar slightly.
"Careful."
Sukuna stumbled.
"STOP THAT!"
The god-guy slowly opened his eyes.
"…What happened?"
Takeru looked at him.
"You got possessed."
He lifted the pickle jar.
"By this guy."
The young man stared at tiny Sukuna.
"…Is that Sukuna?"
Takeru nodded.
"Yep."
Sukuna slammed his fists against the glass again.
"LET ME OUT!"
Takeru smiled.
"Later."
The god-guy sat up and looked at Takeru.
"You saved me."
Takeru shrugged.
"Yeah."
He looked down at the jar.
"Also…"
Sukuna glared upward.
"…I found him."