While Alex was staring at Sukuna after the destruction of the Ten Sacred Treasures, he had no idea that the boisterous, smug dragon in his spiritual space had already been put in his place. Ddraig was now quieter than a shadow, practically invisible, doing everything he could not to provoke the wrath of the furious women around him.

At that moment, Alex was fully focused on his opponent. He watched Sukuna carefully—despite losing his greatest trump card, the King of Curses didn’t look defeated at all. On the contrary, his fighting spirit burned brighter than ever. Alex raised an eyebrow in surprise. He was beginning to understand—this was Sukuna as he had been at the beginning of his path. Almost the same… only now he possessed the techniques of the Gojo clan and others, thanks to the power of Yuta Okkotsu, whose ability Sukuna, it seemed, had also absorbed.

Alex dispelled the flaming sword. There was no point in fighting in that form anymore—the Treasures were destroyed, and there was nothing left to adapt to. The two stood facing each other. Sukuna was analyzing his opponent, trying to figure out what he was dealing with. Alex, on the other hand, took his time lighting a cigarette.

“So, was it worth it, Sukuna? Challenging me?” he said, blowing out a thin stream of smoke. “You’ve lost your ace. What’s next? Your arms, your legs… or your life?”

“Bastard,” Sukuna hissed. “You think I challenged you? You think destroying my Treasures made you stronger? You attacked me from the shadows and took on the power of some dragon. Even without the Treasures, I was the strongest. And you’re just food. I’m actually curious—what does a dragon taste like? I’ll start by tearing off your scales… let’s see how tough they really are.”

“Seems like what I said about killing you with a snap of my fingers went right over your head,” Alex chuckled. “Must be those blows to the skull. You’ve gotten dumber. But you’re not the first idiot I’ve fought. People like you sprout like mushrooms after the rain. They all charge in and talk nonsense. Here’s some advice, Sukuna… don’t blink. Or you won’t even notice when your head flies off your shoulders.”

With that, he flicked away the cigarette butt. The smoke mixed with the fire escaping his mouth. The dragon tail protruding from his back swayed gently and thumped against the ground. At that moment, Sukuna’s eyes narrowed—his instincts screamed of impending death.

Alex took a step forward… and vanished. No flash, no afterimage—just complete disappearance.

Sukuna sensed his presence to the right and immediately swung his hand, using Dismantle. Alex reappeared exactly on that side but tilted his torso in time, letting the deadly slash pass by, carving a trench into the ground and splitting a mountain behind him. Sukuna wasted no time and launched into close combat. He spun into a kick, channeling Dismantle through his leg. Alex swatted it away—lightly, as if brushing off an insect. Sukuna was hurled back, and the bone in his leg cracked with a snap. He instantly healed it using reverse cursed technique.

Alex looked at the grinning Sukuna, visibly surprised.

“I broke your leg with a flick, and you’re smiling because you healed it. Are you a masochist?”

He dismissed the thought and rushed into an attack. Getting in close, Alex threw a punch. Sukuna blocked the blow and simultaneously tried to land one of his own. Without losing momentum, Alex suddenly spat a thin beam of compressed air straight into Sukuna’s center of mass. Sukuna’s punch missed his face entirely, but Alex’s attack hit dead-on in the shoulder. Five fingers pierced into flesh, and blood spilled forth.

With a single motion, Alex swung his arm—and Sukuna lost his. Blood splattered across the ground, and the severed limb fell nearby. Without pausing, Alex followed up with a kick, dragon armor glinting with clawed ferocity. Sukuna barely managed to leap back, but not without consequence—a deep gash tore across his abdomen, nearly spilling his insides.

Alex glanced at the severed arm at his feet and gave it a casual kick back toward its owner.

“Take your trash. No need to leave it lying around.”

“How noble,” Sukuna snorted, picking up the limb and restoring it with reverse cursed technique. “Chop off a limb, then give it back.”

“Unlike you, I’m actually a king—not a pitiful wretch with a god complex. I could’ve killed you from the very start. But I gave you a chance. Be grateful—and get on your knees. You love making others do it, don’t you? Your turn.”

Alex pointed his finger downward.

“We’ll see who kneels…” Sukuna began, but his voice suddenly cut off.

He felt it—a crushing, unimaginable pressure descending on him, as if the very fabric of space was forcing him down. Cracks spread beneath his feet while Alex, still silent, kept pointing, as if delivering a sentence. The ground beneath Sukuna fractured further, unable to withstand the invisible weight. Veins bulged across his cursed body, muscles tearing under the sheer force radiating from Alex.

He used every ounce of strength to resist, but the pressure only grew. Bones began to creak and snap. Bloody tears burst beneath his skin. Blood streamed from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Then, at last—with a thunderous crack—his leg bones gave out, and Sukuna collapsed to his knees.

Alex began walking forward. His steps were slow, heavy, deliberate. Sukuna looked up—first at the crimson greaves adorned with emeralds, then at the massive tail covered in scarlet scales, then at the gauntlets with golden claws and the same green gemstone at their core. As Alex drew close, Sukuna had to lift his head to meet his gaze. Two long horns jutted from Alex’s forehead like a crown, and his face held a look of icy contempt.

“See? You’re on your knees. That’s exactly how you should thank me for not destroying you instantly, for wasting my time on you,” Alex said coldly.

Sukuna sneered and slammed his palms into the ground. A burst—his Dismantle technique spread out like a web. The ground around them shattered, and Sukuna used the opening to retreat and begin healing. Alex let him. He was curious—what else did this opponent have up his sleeve?

Suspended in mid-air, Sukuna used the Limitless technique to support himself not on the ground, but on the very fabric of space. Alex noted how his upper hands formed the Enma-ten seal, while his lower hands formed the seal of Satoru’s Domain. Alex narrowed his eyes with interest.

“He’s going to cast two domains at once?” he muttered, lifting a brow.

“Domain Expansion: Unlimited Malevolent Shrine,” Sukuna declared.

In the next instant, the world changed. Behind him appeared a Buddhist shrine adorned with skulls, and the entire environment twisted and lost its familiar form. Alex stood inside a warped space—where all would begin and where all was meant to end. At the center of this horrific domain stood the temple of death.

He immediately felt the distortion of reality—space around him was slashed into countless ribbons. Alex understood: the Gojo clan’s eyes had significantly empowered Sukuna. Before, with Mahoraga’s adaptation, he could cut through space itself. But now, with the Six Eyes, Sukuna’s potential had multiplied.

One of the spatial slashes sliced right past Alex’s head, leaving behind a warped hole that quickly sealed itself shut. Alex tilted his head slightly to dodge the next slash. The spatial tears were growing fiercer, and Sukuna—at the center of this madness—only smiled wider.

“Why aren’t you striking back, temporary partner?” came Ddraig’s voice from the gauntlet on Alex’s hand. “With your power, you could shatter this domain. What are you waiting for?”

“Just observing,” Alex replied calmly, still dodging. “You don’t see something like this every day. If you watch closely, you can see reality itself being sliced. I’ll admit, it’s a decent trick… for a mutt.”

“Hah, I still want to punch that four-armed showoff. Just looking at his smug face makes me sick,” Ddraig growled, the emerald embedded in Alex’s gauntlet glowing brighter.

“You sure are talkative today. Something bothering you?” Alex asked mockingly, raising an eyebrow as he struck forward.

His fist pierced the air, and the space ahead of him trembled. The slash didn’t come. Alex’s strike distorted the domain, repelled Sukuna’s power, and prevented it from cutting through. Alex started to notice that, despite its strength, the combined domain was unstable. The speed of the attacks was slower than in a typical Malevolent Shrine. That gave him time to analyze—and opportunities to counterattack.

He understood now: even Sukuna had to use this technique cautiously. One misstep and the collapse would destroy not only the domain but Sukuna himself.

“It’s not like I’m chatty,” Ddraig grumbled. “No one ever talks to me. Everyone attacked me!”

“Complaining like a child,” Hlökk sighed within Alex’s consciousness. “My sister just told him to behave like a guest, and now he’s whining to you. What a disgrace of a dragon…”

At that moment, Ddraig started complaining even louder—about how he wasn’t welcomed, wasn’t treated like a guest, and was immediately threatened. The valkyries didn’t let it slide. Hlökk, Alvitr, and Geirölul led the verbal assault, cutting each other off as they tried to outdo one another in sarcasm. Their barrage of taunts quickly drowned out Ddraig’s lone voice. A real debate had erupted in Alex’s spiritual realm, all of it echoing in his head, threatening to overload him.

“For god’s sake, quiet down. Or at least don’t all talk at once. Girls, leave the dragon alone. And you, Ddraig—don’t mess with the valkyries. Or I’ll revive you… just to turn you into steak,” Alex muttered, trying to end the chaos.

“Fine… as long as that dumb lizard doesn’t start screaming again,” Geirölul grumbled, echoing her sisters’ mood.

“You’re the dumb, uneducated valkyrie!” Ddraig snapped, clinging to the last remnants of his pride.

“Did I stutter when I said shut up?” Alex said, his tone now harder.

“No,” Ddraig replied shortly—and immediately fell silent.

Alex sighed heavily and dodged another spatial slash. All the while, he kept watching Sukuna, feeling the cursed king was preparing something big. His instincts were soon proven right. The space around him began cracking—and this time, it didn’t heal. Unlike the usual effects of a domain, these slashes remained, triggering a spatial collapse—dangerous, unstable, and escalating.

Alex realized: the effect was only active around him. Meanwhile, the space near Sukuna was becoming denser and more stable. Everything made sense now. Sukuna was using the Blue technique to pull reality toward himself, reinforcing its stability, while injecting Red into the fractures, preventing space from mending. He was literally weaponizing reality itself against Alex.

“Clever… If you can’t kill your enemy directly, let reality do it for you,” Alex nodded with a faint smirk. “But all this… it’s child’s play.”

He clenched his fist.

“Boost,” came Ddraig’s voice from the gauntlet.

Alex’s arm turned a deep crimson shade. He threw what looked like a simple, straight punch. But to Sukuna, it was anything but ordinary. The space around Alex’s fist warped like molten glass. And when the blow landed—reality itself cracked, like a glass shell shattering under pressure. A wave of force surged forward, tearing through the domain, ripping apart space, erasing everything in its path.

Sukuna felt the impact. The world around him disintegrated. The domain collapsed, and everything within was wiped down to nothing. Half of Sukuna’s body vanished without a trace, as if it had never existed. Only by reacting at the last second did he manage to save part of himself from total annihilation.

Crying out in pain, Sukuna dropped to his knees. His gaze locked on Alex, who was already lowering his fist. He gave a bloodied smirk—his mighty technique destroyed in a single strike.

“You know, Sukuna… you impressed me,” Alex said as he slowly approached, stopping just a few steps away. “Never thought it was possible to combine two domains. It really… opened my eyes.”

“But how…? How were you able to resist Unlimited Void and dodge my slashes that tear through reality itself…?” Sukuna asked, spitting blood, trying to buy a little time to regenerate.

“It’s not that hard. My eyes process information far faster than Gojo’s Six Eyes. And your slashes… I just saw them. Nothing special. I can do the same thing,” Alex answered lazily with a casual wave of his hand.

“Heh… Eyes better than the Gojo Clan… impressive. But this isn’t over yet…” Sukuna rasped, trying to stand.

“No, Sukuna. It is over. I’m bored with this game. Your domain may have caught my interest… but it faded fast. You’ve become a broken, boring toy. And it’s time to throw you away.”

The hair on Sukuna’s neck stood on end. He activated his regeneration at full power, but it was painfully slow. Something was interfering. And then he realized—the souls he had devoured: Yuji, Megumi, Satoru, and Yuta—they were awakening inside him. The souls he had kept imprisoned were now resisting, hindering his recovery, disrupting his regeneration.

“Did you really think you’d get away with it?” Gojo Satoru’s voice echoed in Sukuna’s mind. “For my eyes. For my students. You’re going to pay. Good luck on the other side, King of Curses… if you even make it there.”

“See ya, loser,” added Yuji Itadori’s voice with vengeful mockery.

Sukuna gritted his teeth, cursing the damned ghosts in his head, desperately trying to force their souls back into dormancy. But even partially absorbed, they still had enough power to fight back. Their resistance stalled Sukuna’s regeneration, making healing impossible.

Alex watched him, fully aware of what was happening. He’d seen from the beginning that four souls were trapped within Sukuna—and he knew exactly who they were. Looking at his enemy’s face—twisted by rage and despair—Alex only shook his head. A pathetic end for an even more pathetic creature.

He clenched his fist, preparing for the final blow.

“Boost. Boost. Boost. Boost,” Ddraig’s voice repeated four times from the gauntlet.

Sukuna looked up. His eyes were full of everything—fury, fear, and a desperate refusal to die. And in his mind, Satoru’s mocking voice kept ringing, never missing a chance to torment him.

Alex’s fist was wrapped in a dense crimson aura. He delivered what appeared to be a completely normal punch forward. No thunder, no wind, no shockwave of destruction—just a soft pop, like a soap bubble bursting.

But with that strike, everything in front of Alex vanished. Countless mountains, the landscape, the very earth—all disappeared, leaving only a perfectly flat desert. Alex lowered his fist, and his dragon transformation dissipated. He returned to his normal form.

Surveying the destroyed battlefield, he was about to leave when he noticed soft flickering lights rising from the ground. Looking closer, he realized—they were souls. In a moment, the lights took shape: before him stood Satoru, Megumi, Yuji, and Yuta. Their faces showed calmness and… gratitude.

Alex smiled.

Megumi, as reserved as ever, simply nodded and vanished. Yuta bowed his head in respect and dissolved into the air. Yuji gave a wide toothy grin and gave a thumbs-up before disappearing. Only Satoru remained.

Alex took a strawberry candy from his pocket and casually tossed it. Even in spirit form, Satoru caught the sweet, immediately popped it into his mouth, leaned back with his hands behind his head, turned around, waved goodbye to Alex—and then vanished.

Alex hadn’t expected to see them again—not in a situation like this. He clasped his hands together, praying that Satoru, Yuji, Megumi, and Yuta would find peace in their new lives and live peaceful, happy lives where they would no longer have to fight, sacrificing themselves for the world.

When the prayer was finished, he took a step away. Then came the sound of footsteps—heavy, uneven, as if a giant zombie was approaching. Alex turned around and saw… the Baron of Hell. The demon moved unnaturally, like a puppet controlled by someone else’s will.

“Interesting performance,” came the distorted voice filled with malice from the demon’s dead mouth. “You really surprised me, false savior. Even he wasn’t wrong—you truly are a hero born into this world…”

Alex immediately understood: this was not the demon itself, but only its puppet. Behind the Baron of Hell was the real puppeteer. He knew the name. Davoth. One of those who should never have learned the truth about him.

But thanks to his meeting with Azrak, the Prince of Hell, Alex had managed to strengthen the concealment protective spells on both his body and soul. He had thought of everything. If Davoth realized who he truly was… the time left before this universe’s end could be measured not in days — but in hours. Or minutes.

“Who exactly are you?” Alex asked, playing the part of a simple hero.

“You really don’t know?” Davoth’s voice echoed from somewhere behind the demon. “You killed my warriors. My chosen. And now you ask who I am?”

“So you’re the master they kept talking about, the one they begged me to kneel before…” Alex tilted his head slightly. “Why didn’t you come yourself? Afraid? Or are you nothing without your army?”

“Hahahahaha!” Davoth laughed. “You’re amusing, mortal. I just don’t want to dirty my hands. But if you crave dying by my hand — prove you’re worthy!”

Alex smirked, and for the first time in a long while, a true hero’s expression crossed his face.

“So let it be war. Though it takes the last drop of my blood…” he said quietly, as if commanding the world itself.

“War?” Davoth’s voice dropped, solemn and grand. “So be it. Let’s see if you can protect this world… or fall like all the rest. I’ll be waiting for you where it all began, Hero.”

“Don’t let me down. You’re more interesting than all those worthless creatures who came before. When you fall — I’ll kill everyone you tried to protect. I’ll tear apart everything you hold dear and use their souls as fuel… for my ascension.”

Davoth’s final words dissolved into the air.

After his voice finally faded, the Baron of Hell’s body, which he had controlled, went limp — like a puppet whose strings had been cut. Alex silently watched the fall, lighting a cigarette. He took a deep drag and exhaled smoke, focusing to confirm that Davoth’s presence had truly vanished.

He felt his suspicions were confirmed. Davoth had indeed begun striving toward a new goal. This meant only one thing — he and the Minister of Monoliths had united to ascend to the level of an Outer God. Though the Minister was the avatar of one of the Outer Entities — Nyan-Nyan — that made him no god, but merely a shadow seeking usurpation.

Alex had long realized that Nyan-Nyan deliberately instilled in her avatars the belief they could claim her throne in Chaos. She gave them power — and false hope. Their struggle was part of her game. And now he too had become a player in it. Just one encounter — and he was at the center of her amusement. A woman who wouldn’t relent until she grew bored.

He sighed deeply and shook his head.

“So, how do you like my hero act?” Alex asked lazily, addressing the inhabitants of his spiritual space.

“I’d give you a seven out of ten,” Reginleif replied with a smirk. “Your lines weren’t the best, and you forgot to really anger that ‘dark lord.’ You always try to drive your opponents mad, so they hate you till the end of days.”

“I’ll give you an eight,” Göll said softly. “You almost nailed it, big brother.”

“That was terrible,” Alvitr snorted, “don’t do that again. The hero role doesn’t suit you. Your pompous lines give me goosebumps.”

Alex rolled his eyes without commenting. He took out his phone and sent a signal to GIR, MIMI, Stitch, and Wolf to come over. Then he glanced toward the ruined Salazar castle. What had once been a majestic fortress now looked like a pile of stones after a siege. Alex didn’t even want to know what those four had done while he was busy fighting Sukuna.

While waiting for his teammates to arrive, he decided to talk to the temporary occupant of his spirit.

“Hey, Draig. You still here?”

“Still here. As long as your spell holds, I can’t leave,” the dragon’s voice echoed in Alex’s mind.

“I’ll let you go soon. Just want to know… who’s your partner now? And how much time has passed since the Tripartite War?”

“A long time has passed,” Draig began thoughtfully. “I’ve had more than one master during that time. My current partner is a girl. A human. She goes to a school where demons attend.”

“A girl? Not a guy?”

“Yes, a girl. And incredibly stupid. A walking disaster. I awoke when she was still a child and have been trying to protect her ever since… but I’m afraid her foolishness will get her killed someday.”

Alex raised an eyebrow in surprise. From Draig’s tone, it was clear he hadn’t just protected her — he’d grown attached. And when the dragon mentioned the name Issami Hyodo, Alex understood: this was not the original timeline, but a parallel one.

He just shook his head. Whatever the case, it was uncertain when he could visit that world to see how things would end there.

“I think it’s time to let you go, Draig. Issami won’t last long without you. My advice — start training her as early as possible. You can’t hide her forever. And I think after my summoning, the power of the enhanced gear awakened — which means she’s already being hunted.”

“Damn it…” the dragon grumbled. “This is all your fault, Demon King. If I come back and she’s dead — what am I supposed to do then? I… I’ve already started getting used to this stupid girl.”

“Just train her. You got to dig through my memories. I think you picked up a few useful tricks. She’ll get strong fast if she listens to you.”

“You’re right about that, Demon King…” Draig agreed. “Your methods will definitely help. Alright. Send me back. And… I hope we meet again.”

“Maybe,” Alex nodded. “If I ever want to check on your world… see how you’re holding up.”

Draig laughed, fully aware that Alex was the kind of lazy guy who only gets involved in trouble when absolutely necessary. Alex nodded to himself and released the dragon, sending him back to his world.

Almost immediately, he heard approaching footsteps. Turning around, Alex saw GIR, MIMI, and Stitch casually sitting on Wolf’s back. Judging by their satisfied faces, the battle had given them quite some fun. Alex smirked and waved his hand, urging Wolf to hurry up.

When they got closer, Alex summoned Yamato and with a few swift gestures opened a portal straight to his home — he didn’t want to waste extra time on the road. Stepping through the threshold, he immediately felt the gazes. All the girls in the house were staring only at him — waiting. The room was thick with an atmosphere of anticipation.

“Yo, girls. What are you all gathered here for?” Alex said lazily, raising his hand in greeting and motioning for his companions to enter the house.

“You’re a little late,” Ada said calmly but with clear interest. “But we want to know… who are you going to sacrifice as the second Priest?”

“I told you already,” Alex replied, sitting down on the couch between Sherry and Nobuna, “the second Priest will help me find another ally. We’ll need all the support we can get if we want one of the two… let’s say, troublesome enemies not to escape.”

“And who is this ally that can go toe-to-toe with such monsters?” Nobuna suddenly grabbed him by the collar and started shaking him. “You’re my husband! You have to tell me everything!”

Alex started rocking back and forth like a rag doll. He glanced at the others — all the girls were eagerly waiting, unable to hide their curiosity. Who was this mysterious ally capable of standing next to Alex in such a battle?

Finally detaching Nobuna from himself with some effort, he sighed.

“Alright, alright. I’ll tell you,” he muttered, calming his energetic wife.

“That’s how you should’ve started!” Koko grumbled, tossing a candy at him.

“You should remember how demons are always whining about some monster. Even the Lords of Hell didn’t dare speak his name aloud,” Alex said with a hint, shooting a sly look at the girls.

“Hm… I kind of remember,” Ada pondered. “You once mentioned a guy who slashed demons by the dozens, and even they were afraid of him. Just can’t recall the name…”

“Exactly. I’m going to get Doom Slayer’s support. He’s got a long-standing grudge with the Dark Lord,” Alex said with a wide, almost predatory smile.

Silence fell over the room. Those who had already heard stories about Doom Slayer went quiet — even their breathing became softer. The others, hearing the name for the first time, exchanged surprised looks. They grew curious: who was this Doom Slayer if even Alex considered him a worthy ally?

While the girls were eagerly discussing what they’d just heard, Alex pulled out his phone and sent a message to Chris — wanting to check how things were on their end. Putting his phone back into his pocket, he realized the reply would take some time.

But for now… it was the perfect moment to tell the girls how his battle with Sukuna went. Who knows, maybe they’d be impressed.

To be continued…

+3 Chapters on my Patreon: p*treon.com/GreedHunter

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep