November 16th.
The fifteenth day of the Culling Game.
The key to unlocking Gojo Satoru's seal—the Angel—had already reunited with Yuji Itadori and the others inside Tokyo Colony 1.
The remaining highly skilled Sorcerers from Jujutsu High who had been operating in their respective barriers also began to head toward Tokyo Colony 2 to reunite with the main group.
At the center of the Imperial Palace, at the entrance to the Tokyo Colony 2 barrier.
"Let me ask you this... you were prepared to die, weren't you?"
Yuta Okkotsu, the Special Grade Sorcerer representing Jujutsu High, coldly stared at the procession of Hei squad members blocking his way into the colony.
"By order of Clan Head Mirai, anyone who enters or leaves without permission shall be executed!"
Even when facing a Special Grade opponent, even when the gap in strength between them was overwhelmingly clear... the three elite Zenin Sorcerers guarding the entrance showed absolutely no intention of making way.
Fighting a Special Grade enemy might offer a slim, miraculous chance of survival. But disobeying Mirai's orders? That was a 100% certainty of death.
"Rika," Yuta said softly.
A massive surge of Cursed Energy roared forth!
Dozens of seconds later, only the wall at the entrance was left, heavily splattered with thick pools of blood. Yuta walked past the mangled remains.
Sakurajima Colony, the seventh barrier entrance in the Culling Game.
Compared to Yuta's absolute, destructive dominance, Maki Zenin's infiltration was like that of a transparent person. She was completely ignored by the Zenin Sorcerers guarding the place.
In battles between Sorcerers, the perception of Cursed Energy is often far more important than visual observation. Maki Zenin, who possessed a Heavenly Restriction and had absolutely zero Cursed Energy, was as elusive as a ghost.
Following the guidance of the Assistant Manager outside the barrier, Kinji Hakari, Hajime Kashimo, Panda, and the others appeared from an unguarded entrance that Maki had cleared.
...
The rooftop of an abandoned skyscraper—one of the nine random drop points inside Tokyo Colony 2.
Yuji Itadori, Megumi Fushiguro, Nobara Kugisaki, and Hana Kurusu (the Angel) had gathered here.
Even with the addition of Megumi's new rule, there was still the requirement of having Assistant Manager Kiyotaka Ijichi step in as a physical replacement for Megumi's sister.
Tsumiki Fushiguro still needed to physically enter the barrier to fulfill the first rule of the Culling Game (Rule 1: All Players must participate in a colony within 19 days of awakening).
Because the teleportation landing locations were entirely random, there were a total of nine possible locations.
After looking at Tsumiki's photo, Takaba and Higuruma went to two other specific locations to wait and ensure her safety. The Zenin Sorcerers guarding the entrances were handled by Yuta and Maki, who had rushed over.
Smack!
Nobara slapped Megumi hard on the shoulder, teasingly trying to ease the tension. "Your face is already grumpy enough on a normal day. Can't you stop being so tense?"
"Yeah, Fushiguro," Yuji stepped forward, grinning warmly. "Don't worry so much. Your sister will be fine."
Looking at the intensely uneasy expression on Megumi's face, Hana Kurusu—the vessel who coexisted with the Angel—showed a slightly worried expression.
Hana Kurusu had a tragic childhood, having been raised by a Cursed Spirit.
She and several other five- or six-year-old children were used as food reserves by the Curse. They were crammed into a dilapidated, filthy sewer, forced to eat scraps mixed with screws and nails. One by one, her companions disappeared, swallowed alive by her "mother," a Cursed Spirit with six arms and six faces.
As a child, Hana lived a muddled, traumatized life, waiting in absolute despair and numbness for the day she would finally be devoured.
That dark and hopeless period lasted for an entire year.
As her "mother's" last reserve of food, on the very day when Hana was about to be devoured...
A pure white Divine Dog, and a young Megumi Fushiguro—who had just recently been taken in by Gojo Satoru—became a radiant ray of light illuminating her dark life, exorcising the Curse.
Many years later, Megumi no longer remembered the little girl who was covered in tattered clothes in that sewer. But Hana instantly recognized Megumi as an adult at first glance.
Gratitude? Unrequited love? Longing?
Hana Kurusu couldn't fully discern her own feelings for Megumi. All she knew was that he was incredibly special and important to her.
Recalling this point, Hana, who was hovering in mid-air using Angel's wings to observe the surroundings, suddenly looked up.
"They're here."
BANG!
As the two figures fell from the sky, Maki Zenin landed firmly on the rooftop, holding Tsumiki tightly in her arms!
Although the teleportation was supposed to be random upon entry, Maki, who had absolutely zero Cursed Energy, did not receive a Kogane Shikigami, nor was she identified as a Player by the Culling Game barriers. Maki only needed to hug Tsumiki before passing through the barrier to bypass the random teleportation and land in the exact same position as her.
Because besides the bloodthirsty Players, there were also numerous hostile Cursed Spirits within the barrier. Jujutsu High considered the possibility that Tsumiki's physical body had not been taken over by an ancient Sorcerer, which was why Maki appeared as her temporary, Cursed-Energy-less bodyguard.
...
Upon seeing Tsumiki land successfully and safely, Hana Kurusu, who had been watching from high above, also landed on the rooftop.
Tsumiki had a cute black ponytail and exuded a gentle, youthful energy.
Looking at this familiar face... for some reason, Megumi's heart was pounding like a drum against his ribs.
Maki put Tsumiki down and silently walked to the edge of the roof to wait for the next step of the ceremony.
For a Player to escape the Culling Game, they needed to communicate with their Kogane. Megumi needed to transfer 100 points to Tsumiki first, and then Ijichi would step into the barrier as an exchange replacement for her.
"Hello!" Yuji said brightly. "I am Yuji Itadori, nice to meet you."
"I am Nobara Kugisaki."
"I am Hana Kurusu."
Meeting Megumi's older sister for the first time, Yuji and the others greeted her incredibly politely.
Tsumiki blushed slightly and quickly bowed in response. "I already heard about all of you from Ijichi-senpai before I came."
"Our little Megumi has been well taken care of by everyone for so long."
Yes. That's exactly the kind of reaction my older sister would make, Megumi thought.
Fushiguro observed Tsumiki's gentle expression and demeanor, and his tightly wound, tense nerves gradually began to relax.
"Stop talking nonsense and hurry up and release the additional rules," Megumi said softly to his sister.
Megumi didn't waste any time and directly transferred his hard-earned 100 points to Tsumiki's Kogane.
Nobara leaned in. "He's tsundere, isn't it? Such a tsundere."
Hana nodded. "He deliberately puts on a cold and aloof look, like a rebellious teenager."
Yuji chuckled. "Fushiguro's fake serious expression is so cute."
The three of them stood to the side, covering their mouths with their hands and whispering their opinions loudly enough for him to hear.
Megumi turned and glared at the three of them, but did not utter a rebuttal.
The seemingly lively and warm scene shattered entirely in the next second!
"Kogane. Add a rule linking my name with that of Ryomen Sukuna."
"Oh, and don't forget to add a cute little heart in the middle of our names!"
"Ding! Rule 13 successfully added!" Kogane chirped happily.
"WHAT?!!"
Megumi, Yuji, and Nobara snapped their heads around and stared incredulously at the frail girl standing in front of them!
Her black ponytail was whipped around by the strong wind, but the shy, gentle expression on Tsumiki's face had completely vanished.
Instead, a hint of triumphant, wicked amusement lingered in her deep pupils.
Megumi's pupils suddenly shrank to the size of pinpoints. He asked in a trembling voice, "...Who... are you?!"
Tsumiki gently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, her voice soft and mocking. "Megumi, I'm your older sister~"
No, you're not!
Cold sweat trickled down his forehead as Megumi roared with everything he had, "WHO EXACTLY ARE YOU?!"
"Oh dear, don't be so fierce."
Seeing the absolutely stunned students from Jujutsu High, "Tsumiki" couldn't help but burst into maniacal laughter!
"I'm your dear older sister! The kind and gentle Tsumiki Fushiguro!"
"Haha! Hahahaha!"
His worst premonition had come true!
Observing Tsumiki's current, frenzied expression, Megumi finally accepted the horrifying reality...
The soul hidden beneath this exterior did not belong to Tsumiki!
"Okay, okay. Just kidding. Don't take it so seriously."
Playing with a strand of hair by her ear, the ancient Sorcerer possessing Tsumiki raised an eyebrow and looked at the group with arrogance.
"My name is Yorozu. Some of those old guys from a thousand years ago should still remember me."
"I am the bride of Ryomen Sukuna!"
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