Chapter 5.

Chapter 5: The Sukuna Bot and the Shadow of the Past

The dust from the last battle still hung heavy in the air, but Clara and her team had no time to catch their breath. The mechanical war machine had been reduced to nothing more than a heap of twisted metal and scorched gears, its once-powerful engine now a smoking ruin. But before they could even celebrate their victory, a new threat emerged—one far more sinister.

The ground trembled again, but this time it wasn't the tremors of a falling war machine. No, this felt different. The air grew colder, and the sky above darkened, as if the very atmosphere was shifting in response to some malevolent force.

"That's… not good," Rick Sanchez muttered, his eyes darting around suspiciously. His portal gun was already in hand, ready to make a quick escape—if necessary.

Clara looked around, her heart racing. "Something's coming. I can feel it."

Hikari, ever the optimist (and yet somehow always the first to sense a fight), grinned. "Finally! I was starting to miss the excitement."

Gojo, however, remained eerily calm, his hands in his pockets as he surveyed the area. "It's not just anything. This feels… personal."

Before anyone could react further, the ground in front of them cracked open with a violent BOOM, sending debris flying. The rubble settled to reveal a massive, looming figure—an imposing, humanoid robot, its body crafted from a mixture of black metal and glowing red circuitry. Its face, though robotic, had a haunting familiarity.

The mechanical being's eyes flickered with ominous energy. A cold, unnatural laugh echoed through the air.

"I am Sukuna. I have been recreated to destroy," the robot growled, its voice like nails on a chalkboard, mechanical and cruel.

Clara's eyes widened in shock. "Sukuna? You mean, the actual Sukuna from—"

"Not the original Sukuna," Gojo interrupted, his voice darkening. "But this one… this one's been made to mimic him."

The Sukuna Bot, or "Sukuna," stepped forward, its every movement filled with a terrifying grace and strength. The red glow of its eyes flickered as it assessed the group, its metal fingers curling into fists.

"You think you can defeat me?" Sukuna's voice reverberated through the air, almost mocking. "I have all of Sukuna's power… and none of his mercy."

Hikari grinned, spinning his roulette wheel. "Sounds like fun. Let's see how this one plays out!"

But Gojo didn't move. His eyes were locked on the Sukuna Bot with an expression that was almost… calculating. He seemed unfazed by the threat standing before him.

"Gojo," Clara said, narrowing her eyes. "What is this thing? How did it get here?"

Gojo's smile was tight, though it was hard to tell if he was amused or frustrated. "A long time ago, I thought Sukuna's power was… untouchable. But now, someone has figured out how to replicate it. This robot's power is based on the curses Sukuna once wielded… only, it doesn't have a heartbeat, or the will behind it. It's just a machine trying to be something it isn't."

The Sukuna Bot roared, its massive fists slamming into the ground, sending shockwaves through the earth. "You are nothing, Satoru Gojo. You and your puny team. Let's see how you handle my power!"

Without warning, the Sukuna Bot unleashed a flurry of strikes, its mechanical arms moving with blinding speed, sending bolts of destructive energy into the ground.

"Watch out!" Clara shouted as she dove for cover, narrowly avoiding a blast of cursed energy that tore through the workshop.

Gojo's eyes were still locked on the Sukuna Bot, but now there was a faint hint of something else in his gaze—nostalgia? Or perhaps a deeper regret.

"Gojo!" Rick snapped. "Are you gonna do something? Or are we just gonna let this thing walk all over us?"

Gojo's expression shifted, and with a lazy movement of his hand, the Infinity technique activated. The space around the Sukuna Bot warped, the flow of time and distance slowing down as Gojo's technique shielded him from the robot's attacks. The Sukuna Bot's blows, though powerful, were rendered useless against the seemingly unbreakable barrier.

"Relax, Sanchez," Gojo said, the corners of his mouth twitching. "I've got it covered. I just wanted to see what this thing could do first. Get a feel for it."

The Sukuna Bot, furious at being unable to land a blow, let out another screech. "I will break you! All of you!"

Clara's eyes flicked between Gojo and the bot. Something was off. It was like Gojo knew this would happen, or had seen something like it before. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Gojo's past with Sukuna and this robot than he was letting on.

"Gojo," Clara said slowly, her voice cautious. "What aren't you telling us?"

Gojo's gaze didn't leave the Sukuna Bot, but his expression hardened. "This isn't the first time I've seen something like this. The people who created this thing were trying to harness the power of curses, trying to make an artificial vessel. They studied Sukuna's techniques... but they're missing the one thing that makes him dangerous."

"And what's that?" Rick asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he fiddled with his portal gun.

Gojo's grin grew wider, his eyes glowing blue. "Sukuna has something no robot can replicate—a soul."

He waved his hand, and suddenly the air around the Sukuna Bot shimmered. The robot paused mid-attack, confusion filling its red-lit eyes as Gojo's Infinity technique wrapped around it like a vice. "This thing is just a puppet. A mimic. It doesn't have Sukuna's heart."

The Sukuna Bot hissed, its circuits flashing with fury as it tried to fight the gravitational pull of Gojo's power. "I am Sukuna! I will destroy you!"

"I've fought Sukuna before," Gojo said calmly, his voice carrying the weight of someone who had experienced more than his fair share of chaos. "But this version of Sukuna? It's nothing. It's a shadow without a body. And shadows can only be destroyed in one way."

In an instant, Gojo's hands moved in a blur. He snapped his fingers.

Boom.

A massive surge of energy erupted from his fingertips, and the Sukuna Bot was torn apart in a flash of light and static. Its mechanical body crumbled into pieces, the red glow of its eyes dimming to nothing.

The battle was over.

But as the dust settled, the silence was almost deafening.

Hikari, who had been spinning his roulette wheel for good luck, sighed. "Well, that was anticlimactic."

Rick adjusted his portal gun, eyes still narrowed. "That was too easy. What's the real story here, Gojo?"

The others, too, were looking at Gojo—waiting for him to explain. Sans cocked his head to one side, his expression more serious than usual. "Yeah, pal. You've been quiet about this Sukuna thing for a while. And now we're fighting some robot version of him?"

Gojo's eyes flickered for a moment, and for the first time since the battle began, he looked genuinely conflicted. "You want to know the truth? You really want to know?"

Clara took a step forward, her brow furrowed. "Yes, Gojo. What's going on with you and Sukuna? What's your connection?"

Gojo hesitated, his face hardening as he glanced at each of them. The weight of the question seemed to hang in the air for a moment.

"…It's not what you think," Gojo finally said, his voice quieter, more serious. "Sukuna and I—we have a history. But that's a story for another time."

He turned away from them, his hands in his pockets as he looked at the wreckage of the Sukuna Bot.

"Right now," Gojo said, his voice steady once more, "we've got more pressing problems than my past. And we need to prepare for the next one."

Rick, clearly unsatisfied with the answer, muttered under his breath, "This guy is a walking mystery."

Clara, still processing the encounter, nodded. "Fine. But the next time a killer robot shows up, we get the full story."

The team exchanged looks, uncertain but ready for whatever came next.

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