'What… what is this feeling?' Jogo thought, sweat beading on his head. 'This killing intent… it's immense, far stronger than Gojo Satoru's! It's suffocating… Am I… scared? Of this human?'
This was only the second time in his long life Jogo had felt genuine fear. The first was facing Gojo. The second was right now, under the weight of Madara's raw presence alone.
Meanwhile, Mahito was already reforming his destroyed chest, a manic grin spreading across his face. 'Hahahahaha! Amazing! What is this power? To crush me like that with just a punch… no cursed energy behind it at all!' he thought with excitement.
"Interesting techniques," Madara stated, his voice calm but carrying an edge of disappointment. "They make things a bit more fun, I suppose. But… you're all still far too weak." He sounded like an adult watching children fumble with dangerous toys.
With a thought, the skeletal Susanoo formed again, this time just an arm. The massive blue hand swung down towards Choso, the man with the blood technique.
Geto, who had been watching silently with his octopus-like curse, had already moved out of the way the moment he saw the attack begin. He remained an observer, taking in everything about this mysterious fighter named Madara.
Hearing Madara call them weak snapped Jogo out of his fear-induced paralysis, replacing it with fury. "You bastard!" he roared. The volcano on his head erupted violently, spewing intense heat that warped the air around them.
Jogo lunged forward. Madara watched him come, making no move to defend himself, simply allowing the attack. Jogo slammed a fist blazing with fire into Madara's Susanoo with all his might. The resulting explosion blasted Madara and his Susanoo upwards, smashing clean through the ceiling and disappearing into the floors above.
Jogo stood panting, glaring at the hole in the ceiling. Mahito and Choso looked up as well, but before they could decide whether to pursue, Geto's voice cut in calmly.
"Leave him. Don't chase. He's strong, yes, but it will take him time to get back down here if he even bothers. We need to stick to the plan. I'll try to find out more about him later. He might run into other sorcerers or curses up there, which could delay him further. By the time he returns, if he does, our objective here should be complete."
Jogo reluctantly nodded. "You're right. We stick to the plan." He paused, then added, "But… he is strong. Incredibly strong. That killing intent… it was even heavier than what I felt from Gojo that first time." He wanted to fight Madara again, but getting Sukuna on their side was the priority.
"Good," Choso said, his voice tight with anger. "I just want to find Itadori Yuji and kill him. To avenge my brothers."
"So, what about Sukuna?" Jogo asked, turning to the others.
"Let's just kill Itadori," Mahito chimed in, his reformed chest looking as good as new. He grinned, clearly agreeing with Choso. "It doesn't matter if Sukuna joins us or not… We can win either way!"
"Are you serious?" Jogo asked, annoyed by Mahito's casual dismissal of their potential trump card.
"Dead serious!" Mahito replied cheerfully.
Jogo sighed. "It's true Sukuna might not be a reliable ally. If he's fully revived, he could turn on us too… But his return would guarantee the dawn of the age of curses."
"Well," Mahito said, his playful tone returning, "I don't want to fight you, Jogo. So, let's make a little game out of it, fair and square! First come, first served."
He laid out the rules simply. "If Choso or I find Itadori first, we kill him. But, Jogo, if you find him first, you give him that Sukuna finger you're holding. Let Sukuna regain some power, take over, and see if you can convince him to join our cause."
Mahito tapped his chin thoughtfully, then grinned. "How about this? You and Geto can probably just wait here for that Prison Realm thingy to finish cooking, right? I bet Geto agrees with Jogo's idea anyway," he guessed, glancing playfully towards Geto.
"As you said," Geto replied smoothly, his expression unreadable. "I'll pass on your little game. I need to remain here until the Prison Realm process is complete. Do as you wish. Sukuna was only ever a backup plan in case sealing Gojo failed. So, go ahead, play your game." He quickly made his position clear, showing no interest in their chase.
"But wait," Jogo started, trying to reason with them. "All the sorcerers, including Itadori, will eventually head this way. If we just wait, it's not much of a game. Plus, that red armored guy… Madara, was it? Geto said he'll be back soon, and—"
Before Jogo could finish, Mahito and Choso were already sprinting away, eager to start their hunt. The octopus curse followed close behind.
"Hey! You idiots, wait for me!" Jogo yelled, annoyed, before dashing after them.
Geto watched them go, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "Heh… even cursed spirits are quicker on the uptake than you sometimes," he murmured quietly to himself once they were gone.
His smile faded slightly as he thought. "But that man in red armor… he's a completely unexpected problem in my plans. Hmm… one more thing to deal with."
Just then, two voices cried out from the panicked crowd of ordinary humans nearby.
"Give him back!" shouted one of the two young women Geto recognized.
"We helped you! We killed those monkeys like you asked!" the other added desperately.
"Give back Master Geto's body!"
"Stop playing around with Master Geto's body right now!" they demanded together.
"GIVE IT BACK!" they screamed.
Geto chuckled, a cold, amused sound. "Hahaha, have you two lost your minds? I don't recall messing with your brains." He looked down at them with contempt. "Next time you make a deal with a sorcerer, make sure it's sealed with a Binding Vow. Now, get lost. Or would you rather die by the very body you seem to cherish so much?"
The two girls stumbled back into the crowd, fear mixing with their anger. As they retreated, one glared back and spat, "You'll regret this!"
"Hah! Regret?" Geto scoffed, turning his gaze back to the pulsating Prison Realm. "I've forgotten what that even feels like." He smiled, focusing on his prize.
This whole exchange happened in less than a minute after Madara had been blasted away.