In the Academy as Sukuna

"Arrogance is an unavoidable truth that leads to the downfall of the greatest men."

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UI, a state in which a person is seemingly perfect. Though being guided by instinct sounds both powerful and animalistic, it is an undeniable fact that sometimes, following instincts is better than following intelligence.

Ren Killes, a prodigy, known well for both his body and mind, was a prime example of this fact.

Though it may seem that UI is only beneficial for short battles, and not for long winded, strategical battles, the one who possesses UI may reinforce or break this statement.

Ren had never been losing, nor had he been using all of the strength he had remaining even as he casted a certain spell underground, which took a huge amount of his mana.

With a graceful flick of his wrist, Ren's casting was complete.

The ground slowly cracked, trembling as if earth itself was being torn apart by a calamity sent by the gods.

It was like an earthquake which traversed all through the battlefield, freezing all the movements of everyone present there as they turned towards the epicenter of it all... fearfully.

Ren, standing there, stared at Sukuna, whom he had marked as the greatest threat out of all present.

Ryogaku, who had been sprinting towards the group, only increased his pace, his footsteps cracking the already rupturing ground.

Finally, the earth couldn't take anymore.

A fissure formed at a certain part of the field, allowing the air underneath to escape into the atmosphere.

A torrent of rocks and chunks of earth flew into the air at unimaginable speeds, sonic booms echoing all around in the scene.

Ren had casted fire and water spells together, creating a huge amount of steam underground. Then he used wind magic to amplify the pressure exerted by the steam. He was also using earth magic to hold the ground in place, allowing the steam to accumulate for more damage.

And he did all this while fighting Sukuna.

The ground burst open, throwing everyone present into the air as the chunks of earth under them rose at a speed no one could have predicted.

It was a massacre, bloodshed in all directions as a storm of rocks attacked each person there, flowing around in the chaos caused by the man known as Ren.

Blood flew in all directions, seemingly painting the sky a deep red.

The group fighting Ren—Eva, Eleanor, Garon, and Liam—were unable to land a single attack before he activated this spell, their eyes collectively widening as they were thrown into the air.

Ryogaku, however, was unlike himself, his face eerily stoic, as if this spell was just a playful attack of a child.

He, too, was thrown up, but he calmly traversed through the storm of rocks, pushing himself towards the group slowly, using both wind and earth magic.

Sukuna was in the same situation, floating in the air with his arms spread out, trying to steady himself.

But, he didn't know that the following events would be forever etched in his mind.

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(POV: Ryomen Sukuna)

My two feet landed on a chunk of rock floating in the air, pushing it away slightly as I looked around, my gaze darting all across the air.

My eyes met Eva's, who was already quite bruised and wounded. It seemed that she had gotten quite unlucky and was hit by many flying rocks.

My eyes turned to Ren, meeting his deep black sclera, which seemed to be staring at me in interest.

That's not right, Ren, the superior holds interest in the inferior, not the other way around.

Suddenly, I felt a pang of pain from my right arm. I turned to it, and what met my eyes was the figure of my arm, split open by a flying rock and bleeding profusely.

Expected.

The wound healed in no time, and so did all the injuries that were being formed continuously due to being hit by rocks.

I tried to dodge most of these flying chunks, hitting some with Dismantle to change their trajectory, but it was impossible to avoid all of them, since there were just too many.

However, the motion of these seemed unnatural...

My eyes suddenly widened, my gaze darting to Ren, who had his arms raised, his fingers twitching, making the rocks move in the air.

He was controlling each individual rock... such control over mana... was it by wind magic, or earth magic?

My mind was in turmoil... does this state of black eyes really make one... this strong?

Before I realized, my teeth were grit, blood flowing out of my gums as I cursed at myself.

Was I doubting my ability to kill this boy?

My eyes met Eva's who was creating spikes of ice tirelessly to defend herself as well as other people of the group from the shards of rock.

With a small gesture, I told her to run away.

Confused, she followed my instruction, relaying the message to the others, who were reluctant, but pushed themselves away using wind magic nonetheless.

Liam seemed to be the most unwilling. He stared at me, his eyes glinting with a bright gleam, one which seemed like... admiration?

I don't have time to think of all this.

With a blast of cursed energy, I flew towards Ren, sending out dozens of Dismantles every second to combat the incoming rocks.

There was no change in Ren's expression, as if he didn't feel anything... his eyes were dead. But, I could feel it... he was enjoying this battle.

I landed on the ground in front of him, the distance between us less than a few meters.

Using the momentum of my fall, I ran towards him, his fist extending in an attempt to hit me.

With much difficulty, I pushed the punch away, my arms wrapping around his waist as my face got buried into his abdomen.

Ren was confused, his elbow coming down to hit me in the spine. But suddenly, he momentarily froze, sensing great danger as he gazed at my figure, my presence sending a jolt of true fear through his whole body.

Behind his back, my hand sign was done.

"Domain Expansion," I chanted, the words making Ren shiver.

He had witnessed the power of this attack, and it was an instinctive fear he felt from me just chanting the move.

I made sure that the effective range was decreased significantly to keep Eva safe, and it would also increase the effectivity of the domain itself... it's a win-win.

"Malevolent Shrine."

A dark energy erupted from under me, capturing both me and Ren in its grasp.

It was weird... I didn't feel excited, but I wanted to defeat him... I wanted to defeat Ren with all my heart.

My eyes rose up, my face still buried into his abdomen as my gaze met his.

The domain was casted.

I could see Ren's body disintegrate into pieces, his face being distorted into countless cubes of flesh and bones which was a sight too gruesome to bear.

Though, even till the last second, he was staring at me with apathetic eyes, as if saying that this wasn't over.

I stood up straight, holding the hand sign in front of my chest as I saw his body being divided into a million pieces.

Everything around me was disintegrated, as if it was never there... an end truly pathetic.

This was the end for Ren, a quite anticlimactic one at that.

In just a few seconds, I closed the domain... the work was already done, there was no need to keep going.

With a silent prayer I turned away, walking towards where Eva was standing, her eyes wide in shock.

The rocks floating in the air shot downwards, now out of Ren's control.

Eva didn't seem too happy, but more panicked, I wonder why.

Suddenly, my whole body froze, my eyes widening in shock as I felt myself get pierced.

My eyes drifted downwards, the bright glint of a blade hitting my eyes.

A blade had pierced me from the back of my neck, going all the way through my body and coming out of my throat.

My vision started to go blurry due to damage to my central nervous system.

With quick, almost desperate movements, I grabbed the blade, the sharp edges digging into my hand.

I pulled the blade out, pouring all my focus into healing the wound caused by it.

However, my eyes widened further as I saw the blood-covered blade in my hand.

This was the one I had broken a little while back during my fight with Ren.

With sluggish movements, I turned around, and what met my eyes was something that would be imprinted on my mind until the day I die.

There... Ren stood, his figure seeming like a mountain... an insurmountable mountain in front of me... ready to crush me.

At that moment, I felt fear... not the fear of daily life, but a primal fear which made desperation rise in my heart.

"How?" I mumbled, my heart thumping hard in my chest. My voice sounded so timid... pathetic, even. I couldn't believe this was me.

Ren didn't answer, but his deep black eyes simply stared at me, as if daring to attack.

Something overtook my mind... was it rage, of something completely different?

Was he looking down on me?

I was Sukuna... I was the strongest, and I won't be defeated by worthless side characters like you.

Emotion fully engulfed my thoughts, my muscles tensing up, my eyes burning with a hate that was trying to destroy Ren just by its intensity.

"Don't get too full of yourself! REN KILLE—" I tried to shout, but suddenly, I was interrupted by myself, my whole body suddenly freezing.

And, before I knew it, my vision was going dark.

Ren was still standing there, unmoving... what just happened?

With much difficulty, I turned my head to the right, my eyes seeing someone that I didn't think I would ever need to think about anymore.

"This is your end," Ryogaku said, his sword impaled through my skull from the right, leaving from the left.

With a silent command, bright red flames formed on his sword, burning my brain from the inside.

I started to fall towards the ground, my vision distorted, as if I was alive and dead at the same time. It felt... ethereal.

Time seemed to slow down, my mind running. I could feel my body get charred, by brain slowly breaking down into ash.

This sensation was... new. It felt both excruciatingly painful and heavenly at the same time.

At that moment, I realized... this is my end.

I lived a good life, I did things I was unable to do in my past one... I was able to enjoy time with family... I was able to love someone, someone who would be my life partner.

I truly was happy.

I was still floating in the air, the fall seemingly endless, or was it just in my mind?

But suddenly, I felt something in my eyes. Were they... tears?

Why was I crying? I was happy, I was satisfied... right?

No.

I lived better than my first life... I enjoyed time with my family... I made a lover I wanted to spend my life with.

It's not enough.

I have these things now... They all are mine... Eva, Nect, dad, mom, they're all MINE, and I won't let them go. Never again, I don't want to relive those moments when I lost my sister.

I want... to live.

I tried to activate my technique, I tried to do anything. Nothing worked.

It was pathetic how desperate I was... but I didn't care. I had to live. I want to live.

With a thud, I landed on the ground, my vision distorting more and more as I tried to get up... I tried to heal.

Ryogaku's blow had somehow affected my soul, and my cursed energy output had decreased so much that healing these injuries would take too... long.

Could I even heal brain injuries... I don't know.

Seeing my body twitch, Ryogaku went for one final blow, raising his sword high up in the air, burning with a deep orange flame as he brought it down to me like divine punishment.

However, before it reached me, Ren's leg connected with his face, sending him flying back at unimaginable speeds.

Ryogaku's eyes widened at this unexpected action, he couldn't react.

A spike of earth rose from the ground behind Ryogaku. He couldn't do anything, and the spike impaled him right in the abdomen, going through all his organs, splitting them painfully as a loud groan escaped his lips.

Ren, beside me, was like an animal, saliva dripping from his mouth as he turned to me, his muscles trembling as his eyes met my droopy vision.

I understand... you're the one who wants to finish me off.

He shot towards me... enhancing his speed with wind magic as he curled his hand up into a fist, aimed right at my skull.

If this hits me... I'll die.

Tears streamed down my face... I can't do anything... I'm powerless. How can I be so weak!?

I was desperate, pitifully so... but I knew. I knew that I will die.

I closed my eyes, accepting my fate, very reluctantly so.

But, there was no hit, there was no pain. It was peaceful, almost too peaceful.

I slowly opened my eyes, my vision still distorted. Though, there was something I could make out... trees. There was a huge number of trees all around me... like a forest.

How was I in a forest?

My brain tried to think, but the pain stopped me. I felt myself slowly going unconscious. Adrenaline, the only think keeping me conscious, faded away from my veins, leaving me to fall into a deep sleep.

But I knew... I was safe.