IGNITE | Sukuna

Chapter 26: Rebirth

The first time Sukuna saw him, the beast was a blur of motion, a streak of red and black flashing through the forest.

The young prince had ventured past the palace grounds and into the wilderness where he felt most alive.

It was then, standing at the edge of a mist-covered clearing, that he saw the horse.

It was unlike any steed he had ever encountered—taller, wilder, its coat a deep chestnut that shimmered like embers in the fading sunlight. A mane of black, streaked with burning gold, whipped through the wind as the creature reared up on its hind legs, pawing at the air like a dragon about to take flight. The sight alone sent a thrill through the boy’s chest.

He knew, without question, that this horse was meant to be his.

The elders in the stables warned him against it. They called the horse Hinotori, the Firebird, named after the mythical phoenix, and said it was cursed—untamable, violent, a demon in the shape of a beast. It had thrown every rider who had ever dared mount it. Some never walked again.

But Sukuna had never been one to listen to warnings.

So, he did what no one else dared.

He entered the forest alone.

For three days, he tracked Hinotori, watching from the shadows as the stallion roamed through the trees, drinking from hidden streams, galloping freely with no reins to bind him.

On the fourth day, he stood before him.

The air was thick with tension as the beast stared him down, muscles coiled, nostrils flaring. There was a primal understanding between them—Sukuna knew the stallion would never submit to anything weak. There would be no coaxing, no gentle taming. If he wanted this horse, he would have to earn him.

So, he challenged him.

The first blow was a blur—Hinotori lunged forward, hooves striking the ground like thunder. He dodged, rolling into the dirt as the beast’s teeth snapped where his shoulder had been. The fight began in earnest, wild and relentless. Hooves and fists clashed, dirt flew, and blood was drawn.

Sukuna took a kick to the ribs that rattled his bones, but he grinned through the pain, exhilarated.
Again and again, he met the beast’s fury with his own.

He laughed when Hinotori sent him crashing into the underbrush. He grinned through the taste of blood in his mouth.

And when the beast charged once more, he didn’t move. He stood his ground.

The stallion stopped.

They stared at each other. Sukuna reached out, fingers brushing against the stallion’s muzzle.

For the first time, Hinotori did not pull away.

The beast had recognized him—not as a master, but as an equal.

From that moment on, they were bound.

When Sukuna rode back to the palace, bloody and bruised but victorious, the elders were left speechless. No one dared question how the untamable beast now followed the wild prince, the disgraced one like a shadow, moving at his command without the need for reins or whips.
They did not understand.

But Hinotori and Sukuna understood each other.

And that was all that mattered.

It was unexpected, intrusive even. Of all things, why did he suddenly recall his first meeting with Hinotori? The memory was distant yet vivid, lingering just beneath the surface of his thoughts. But now was not the time to dwell on the past.