Yuki Tsukumo had previously provided intelligence containing information on Open Domains.
Master Tengen and the others also had corresponding solutions prepared for this exact scenario.
The void barrier of the Tomb of the Star was Tengen's main battleground.
Because Tengen's physical constitution had evolved over the last eleven years to resemble a Cursed Spirit, he could not simply appear inside Kenjaku's Domain. But as the master of barriers, Tengen could merge his Cursed Energy with the Tomb's barrier to slowly dismantle Kenjaku's Domain from the outside without risking his own life.
Tengen could do this; it just took time.
Meanwhile, the three Sorcerers—Yuki, Choso, and Ino—were tasked with one objective: stalling for time!
BOOM!
The outer shell of the void barrier shattered completely.
Nanami Kento's Ratio Technique and Yaga's strategy had paid off. The pressure from the outside finally broke through!
As Yuki stood up, grasping her Shikigami, Garuda, in her hands, a genuinely mocking smile appeared on her blood-stained face.
"Loser, you're the next to die...!"
Kenjaku's Open Domain was successfully dismantled by Tengen. The structure was completely destroyed.
Lacking the talent to perform Reverse Cursed Technique while simultaneously suffering from Cursed Technique Burnout, Kenjaku's condition deteriorated significantly.
At the exact same time...
In a dark, neglected corner of the Tomb of the Star, a barely audible footstep could be heard.
Tap, tap...
...
Inside the Sendai Colony barrier.
Under the gaze of those cold, blood-red eyes from Zenin Mirai, Takako Uro's exposed body trembled incessantly.
Despite possessing the exceptional strength of an incarnated Sorcerer, Takako appeared as a frail girl with absolutely no power whatsoever. She was so terrified that she could hardly speak.
BOOM!
The outer shell of White Zetsu's Domain shattered.
The massive Special Grade Cursed Spirit, Kurourushi, had already been reduced to pools of thick blood on the ground.
Long antennae, curved insect eyes. Amidst the large pools of bright purple blood, only fragments of unidentified organs and rotting flesh remained.
Kurourushi was a terrifying Cursed Spirit that could reproduce by endlessly consuming other creatures. Because of its identity as a Culling Game Player, its body did not dissipate immediately after death like normal Curses.
Logically speaking, even in just one minute, it would be difficult for White Zetsu to completely eliminate a powerful Special Grade enemy. However, Kurourushi's abilities were perfectly countered by White Zetsu.
The nearly endless swarm of cockroach offspring was annihilated by the even more numerous, razor-sharp white ribbons within Zetsu's Domain. The several overlapping and intertwined genetic viruses carried by the *Festering Life Sword* were completely ignored by Zetsu's unique, immortal Cursed Spirit constitution.
Zetsu took out a cigar and lit it.
He tossed his spiky white hair, looking utterly desolate. Looking down at the gory mess on the ground, a boastful remark came from behind the swirling smoke.
"Invincible... it's so lonely."
Upon witnessing this scene, Takako Uro's heart pounded even harder in her chest.
A thousand years ago, during the Heian Era, Takako was the captain of the "Sun, Moon, and Stars Assassination Squad," a covert assassination unit directly under the Fujiwara clan.
Adhering to the strict principle of "eliminating selfishness and serving the public good," she had lived in the shadows her entire life. As the name suggested, the assassination squad was a group of people who didn't even deserve to have names. The only reason Takako had a name was because the hypocritical, sanctimonious men in the master's household needed a scapegoat to take the blame for a crime.
For Takako, being incarnated into a physical vessel in this era was another kind of rebirth. It was another kind of opportunity—the only one she would ever get to truly choose her own life!
Surrender, or die?
Initially, Takako's mindset was the same as Ryu Ishigori's: she wanted to kill the powerful figure standing in front of her. The reason she didn't act immediately alongside Ryu was because her innate technique was more inclined toward passive offense.
Her innate technique was *Sky Manipulation*. It allowed her to pull and manipulate the sky like a tangible curtain, transforming three-dimensional space into a two-dimensional plane. It was a flawless technique that could deflect and reflect almost all physical attacks launched by an enemy.
She just didn't expect the gap in raw power to be so unfathomably large.
Sensing the growing impatience in Mirai's eyes, Takako knelt shakily on one knee, bowing her head.
"I submit."
...
The rooftop of the underground casino.
Kinji Hakari stared at Yuji Itadori, whose face was still bruised and covered in dried blood. Hakari finally decided to help them quell the Culling Game.
It wasn't just the conditions for legalizing casinos set forth by Principal Yaga and Gakuganji. Even looking into Yuji's normally numb pupils, one could see a burning passion called 'fever'—a passion called 'the gamble'!
It was this extraordinary fervor burning in Yuji's eyes that made Hakari make the final decision.
"Let's make this clear first," Hakari turned to look at everyone, stating his final condition. "I can participate in the Culling Game, and you can also decide how to use my points."
"But I won't fight that monster. I'll just help you unseal Gojo Satoru."
In Hakari's view, their greatest fighting force was Yuta Okkotsu and himself. But even the two of them combined were no match for Zenin Mirai. Unsealing Gojo Satoru was the best bet Hakari could make to help.
"No problem," Panda stepped forward as the representative, agreeing to all the conditions. "We were planning to avoid that guy anyway."
"Whether we fight Mirai or retreat... let Gojo-sensei decide for himself after he gets out."
Just as everyone had reached an agreement, a golden flying insect Shikigami suddenly appeared above Yuji's head.
BZZT!
Kogane: "Breaking news! A new rule has been added to the Culling Game!"
Kogane: "Rule 10: Players may freely enter and exit other Culling Game Colonies!"
Because of the restrictions imposed by Rule 8 (if points remain unchanged for 19 days, the Player is subject to Cursed Technique Removal), this new rule did not fundamentally affect the execution of the Culling Game. Therefore, the Game Master deemed it passed.
As everyone looked surprised, Yuji spoke calmly.
"This is the Kogane assigned to Sukuna within me. That guy must have made a Binding Vow with Kenjaku a thousand years ago!"
Even though he hadn't physically entered a barrier's range yet, Yuji Itadori was already considered a Player because of the Cursed Object (Sukuna) inside him.
By virtue of the 9th Rule added by Hajime Kashimo, the group immediately asked Kogane to identify the Player who had spent 100 points to propose the new rule.
Upon seeing the name that popped up on the holographic panel, everyone's faces darkened instantly.
"Zenin Mirai."
...
Killing a Sorcerer earns 5 points. Killing an ordinary person earns 1 point.
Within the Sendai Colony, besides the four powerful figures occupying their positions, there were also a large number of ordinary humans who had remained inside the barrier.
Some people thought the dark sky was just a dream. Or perhaps they felt like they had become the protagonist of an anime, embarking on a cool new life blessed with a cheat code. They always had various stupid reasons for remaining in this hellish place instead of fleeing when they had the chance.
For Mirai, with just a flick of his finger and a wave of Kamui, his score began to surge as he effortlessly slaughtered the remaining non-Sorcerers and weak Players hiding in the ruins.
"Stand guard at the entrance of the barrier," Mirai instructed Takako Uro. "Allow entry, but not exit."
These were Mirai's requirements for her. To put it nicely, she was a guard. To put it bluntly, she was a watchdog.
With the addition of Rule 10, there would always be Players who were afraid of death attempting to flee the barriers. Even knowing that if their score remained unchanged for 19 days they would die, there were always some people who would rather die outside, choosing to enjoy their last 19 days of peace, rather than stay inside and kill each other.
Mirai didn't care about their lives, their deaths, or their futures. But if a Player died outside the barriers, the Cursed Energy from their death would dissipate into the atmosphere instead of fueling Kenjaku's ritual.
Mirai had already mobilized all the Sorcerers of the Zenin clan, setting them up as guards at the gates of the various colonies throughout Japan.
Entry permitted. Escapees killed.
Reaching the top rank in Sendai meant Takako Uro was qualified to be a goalkeeper.
"How's it going over there?" Mirai asked.
Mirai had the raw power to simply break through the barrier's outer shell if he wanted to. However, since he entered the game knowing the rules, he essentially imposed a Binding Vow upon himself. Therefore, Mirai chose to follow the rules of the game, effortlessly farming 100 points to buy his way in and out.
Upon hearing the question, White Zetsu grinned.
"Going there now is just right."
"Yeah..."
Mirai's gaze sharpened, as if piercing through the thick, black barrier and gazing into distant time and space.
Straight to the Tomb of the Star.
"Let's go," Mirai said coldly. "It's harvest time."
The words fell.
An overwhelming surge of Cursed Energy stirred Mirai's cascading black hair. His figure vanished from the Sendai Colony in an instant, twisting into a Kamui vortex alongside White Zetsu.
Takako swallowed hard, her face full of surprise and uncertainty.
The sudden, casual outburst of Cursed Energy she just felt before he vanished... it was somehow even more terrifying than when he first arrived!
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