November 2nd.
The sudden appearance of ten towering, dark barriers plunged the entire nation of Japan into sheer panic.
In the world of Jujutsu, barrier techniques operate on the principle of equivalent exchange. The stronger the barrier, the stricter the conditions required to establish it.
Barrier techniques are generally classified into three tiers:
* Ordinary Barriers: These are common veils that can be cast even by low-level Assistant Managers.
* Brahma Realm Barriers: Massive, complex structures that are incredibly difficult to break from the outside.
* Pure Realm Barriers: The absolute highest tier, established by Master Tengen, spread throughout Japan to maintain the operation of all other barriers and optimize Cursed Energy.
To create the ten massive barriers (known as "Colonies") for the Culling Game, Kenjaku utilized Tengen's Pure Realm architecture as a foundation. Because the scale was so enormous, Kenjaku had to establish incredibly strict, absolute rules to sustain the ritual.
Excluding the ancient Sorcerers from a thousand years ago (who had already willingly entered into Binding Vows with Kenjaku in exchange for resurrection), every other participant had a crucial choice to make.
Modern Sorcerers and awakened individuals would be given exactly one chance to either participate in the game or leave the game once and for all. If someone willingly entered the barrier area, despite already knowing the rules of the death match, they were essentially binding themselves to the game.
Once bound by the barrier, they could not actively violate the rules governing the cycle of death and rebirth without facing the ultimate penalty: Cursed Technique Removal (which, for a Sorcerer, effectively meant death).
...
Three Days Later.
The Sorcerers from Tokyo Jujutsu High had waited within the Tomb of the Star for a long time. In the end, they realized they could not simply wait and see. They had to act.
Megumi Fushiguro successfully obtained the back of the Prison Realm from Master Tengen, learning the exact conditions required to unseal Satoru Gojo. However, the cursed tool required to force the box open—the Inverted Spear of Heaven or the Black Rope—had both been destroyed by Gojo himself years ago. Their only hope was to find a specific player inside the Culling Game whose Cursed Technique could extinguish other techniques.
The students and staff from Jujutsu High eventually split into three groups and headed to their respective destinations:
* The Guard Team: Yuki Tsukumo, Nanami Kento, Takuma Ino, Principal Yaga, and Choso. One Special Grade and four Grade 1 Sorcerers were assigned to stay in the Tomb of the Star to protect Master Tengen from Kenjaku.
* The Recruitment Team: Yuji Itadori, Nobara Kugisaki, Panda, and Toge Inumaki headed out to track down Kinji Hakari—a suspended third-year student whose strength was comparable to Yuta Okkotsu's. They needed his help.
* The Medical Escort Team: Yuta Okkotsu and Atsuya Kusakabe went to the Gojo family's private residence to act as bodyguards for Shoko Ieiri.
Yuta had originally intended to stay in the Tomb of the Star to protect Tengen, or to immediately enter the Culling Game to seize points. However, after careful analysis by Tengen and Principal Yaga, Yuta was assigned to guard Shoko.
Neither of the two Special Grade Sorcerers (Yuki and Yuta) appeared in public. Attempting to delay the Culling Game's process by throwing their strongest fighters directly into the meat grinder was detrimental to Jujutsu High's long-term survival.
Besides guarding against Kenjaku, there was another reason for this caution. Having learned the rules of the Culling Game from Tengen, Yuta knew that once he stepped inside a barrier, he might not be able to leave for a long time. Therefore, accompanying the school's only Reverse Cursed Technique healer to the safety of the Gojo estate was the best tactical option. In case of a catastrophic emergency, Yuta could still deploy from the estate as quickly as possible.
...
At the entrance to the Sendai Barrier.
"It's been three days, and that old bastard still hasn't shown up!" White Zetsu complained. "He can't be found anywhere in Japan!"
Over the past three days, Mirai had deployed hundreds of thousands of microscopic mechanical flying insects (courtesy of Zetsu's Kokichi abilities) to roam throughout Japan, trying to find Kenjaku's hiding place. They had found nothing.
Mirai showed no surprise. His expression remained perfectly calm.
"That guy is waiting," Mirai deduced. "He's waiting for the students from Jujutsu High to disperse, and he's specifically waiting for me to step into the barrier first."
"As the initiator of the Culling Game, Kenjaku naturally has Cursed Spirits monitoring the inside of the barriers to transmit information to the outside world. He won't make his move until he knows exactly where I am."
"If he can't see you, he knows he's doomed!" Zetsu spat unhappily. "That old brain-in-a-jar is really too cautious!"
"Just proceed according to plan," Mirai said. "Everything is still under control."
Having said that, Mirai took a step forward and crossed the threshold into the dark barrier.
Zetsu smiled wickedly and followed closely behind.
"Hi! I'm Kogane!"
The moment Mirai stepped into the barrier, a golden flying Shikigami appeared out of nowhere beside him.
The unique Shikigami was about the size of a palm and resembled a mechanical beetle or bee.
Sorcerers and ordinary humans who stepped into the Culling Game barriers were collectively called "Players." Each Player was assigned their own unique Shikigami guide, the Kogane. The Kogane provided real-time prompts regarding the rules, announced newly added rules, and served as an intelligent communication interface, allowing Players to check their scores at any time. It was essentially a game system menu.
However, Mirai's Kogane was somewhat different from the others. Its mechanical eyes were blood-red, looking extremely similar to Mirai's own Sharingan.
"What about me?" Zetsu looked around, swiping at the air. After a long moment, no Kogane appeared for him. "Where did President Zetsu's Shikigami go?!"
"Don't forget, you're currently just an avatar attached to me," Mirai casually reminded him.
Mirai turned to his golden beetle. "Kogane, read out the existing rules."
"Rule 1: After awakening a Cursed Technique, Players must declare their participation in the Culling Game at a colony of their choice within 19 days."
"Rule 2: Any Player who breaks the previous rule shall be subject to Cursed Technique Removal." (Which results in death).
"Rule 3: Non-Players who enter the colony become Players at the moment of entry and shall be considered to have declared participation in the Culling Game."
"Rule 4: Players score points by killing other Players."
"Rule 5: Points are determined by the game master. As a general rule, Sorcerers are worth 5 points and non-Sorcerers are worth 1 point."
"Rule 6: Excluding the point value of a Player's own life, Players may expend 100 points to negotiate with the game master to add one new rule to the Culling Game."
"Rule 7: In accordance with Rule 6, the game master must accept any proposed new rule unless it has a marked and long-lasting effect on the Culling Game."
"Rule 8: If a Player's score remains the same for 19 days, that Player shall be subject to Cursed Technique Removal."
The above eight rules were the initial foundation of the Culling Game.
However, Kogane continued reading. There was a ninth rule, newly added by a Player who had already amassed 100 points.
"Rule 9: Players shall have access to information on other Players, such as their name, number of points, number of rules added, and current colony."
"Rule 9 added by Player: Hajime Kashimo."
"This guy is really energetic," Zetsu smiled, blowing a smoke ring. "Adding this rule is entirely for the purpose of killing more efficiently."
Players with higher scores were undeniably stronger. By tracking their scores and knowing which colony they were in, it was a direct invitation to murder. It specifically targeted the strong.
Because of Hajime Kashimo's new rule, Mirai was immediately able to ask Kogane to identify the four Players with the highest scores currently residing within the Sendai Colony.
"Dhruv Lakdawala (Incarnated Sorcerer): 91 Points."
"Ryu Ishigori (Incarnated Sorcerer): 77 Points."
"Takako Uro (Incarnated Sorcerer): 70 Points."
"Kurourushi (Special Grade Cursed Spirit): 54 Points."
The battles within the Sendai Colony were far more intense than those within the other nine barriers from the very beginning. After three days of chaotic slaughter, these four powerhouses had completely dominated Sendai.
All four were absolute monsters capable of crushing entire city blocks on their own. Because they were so evenly matched, a delicate, four-way deadlock had formed within the barrier, where there were no allies and everyone was an enemy.
"Then let's start with the one with the highest score," Mirai said softly.
Mirai dispelled Kamui's intangibility, grounding himself fully in the physical world.
The moment the ethereal effect dropped, Mirai's soaring, god-like Cursed Energy instantly surged outward, flooding the entire Sendai Colony like a tidal wave!
At the exact same moment, miles apart in their respective territories, the four powerful figures guarding Sendai suddenly snapped their heads toward the barrier entrance!
A terrifying sense of oppression, a power dense enough to distort the void itself, caused a primal feeling of panic to rise in all four of them simultaneously.
It felt like being watched by an unknown, cosmic terror. A chill ran straight up to the top of their heads.
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