"Aren't you gonna say hello to me, Tengen?"
"This isn't the first time we have met, Tsukumo Yuki."
"Why did you close off the Tombs of the Star Corridor? Are you working with Kenjaku?"
Tengen shook her head.
"I was afraid that you might be in alignment with Kenjaku. I can't see into human heart—"
She suddenly stopped and looked at me.
"I have blocked the Cursed Spirit Kogane, but it seems that someone has added two new rules to the Culling Game."
I frowned. Aside from Kashimo, the more powerful players were the ones Yuta fought in the original timeline. And since they can come and go from the barriers as they please, I guess getting more points more quickly wouldn't be difficult.
"What are the new rules?"
"First, no civilians can exit the colony if they have entered after November 4th, 13:37 O'clock."
I froze as I heard that.
Shit! I only included players in the rule that I added!
"But why would someone try to trap civilians, when everyone would have exited the colonies anyway because they were given the chance...?"
Tsukumo said, "Civilians don't know anything about what is happening. Most would have chosen to exit, but many would have chosen to stay, out of curiosity about the supernatural, thrill, or just pure stupidity."
"And the player who added must be someone who likes to kill harmless civilians..."
There is no shortage of people like that, especially from WW2 and the era before it.
Tengen continued, "The next rule is even more concerning. Rule no. 11, which is the rule trapping civilians, is now invisible and will not be announced.
This must be the doing of Kenjaku. He is most likely tricking a large amount of civilians into the barriers.
Because of the rule allowing players freedom to go out of the barriers, Kenjaku will not be able to fill the barriers with Cursed Energy."
"Military invasion..."
I muttered in realisation.
"What!?"
"Kenjaku wouldn't be able to trick a large number of Japanese people to go into the barriers. Since not only no one knows him, but also because of the state of Japan.
But, if other countries know about the supernatural, they will do almost anything to get their hands on it!"
And since Teruhashi isn't returning...
...Has she been caught for experimentation!?
I can accept death. But...
"Yuta! Go to Tokyo Colony no. 2! Around Ikuta Hotel! Teruhashi might have gotten captured by US military stationed in Japan!
After freeing Gojo, I will head to—"
Tengen interrupted me, "He can't leave. Kenjaku is trying to fill the barriers with Cursed Energy to start a ritual of merging me with Japan.
And I can't trust you, so both Tsukumo and Okkutsu will need to supervise you as you open the Prison Realm."
Maki said, "Then I will go and inform the Jujutsu Headquarters to prepare for military invasions, and stopping US troops, ships and planes from leaving Japan."
"But—"
Miyako-chan grabbed my hand, and I calmed down.
...It's the current best thing to do.
First, Gojo Satarou needs to be freed as a deterrent against other countries.
I nodded.
"Take this."
Tengen gave Maki a Cursed Tool, a sword, and Maki left.
I held out my hand to Tengen for the back of Prison Realm, but Tsukumo interrupted.
"Why are you lying?
How can you merge with anyone else other than Star Plasma Vessel?"
"Eleven years ago, after failing to merge with a Star Plasma Vessel, my aging accelerated and my awareness diminished.
The very world became my self.
The way I was before, I could only merge with a Star Plasma Vessel. But now I have evolved past that, and merging with someone other than a Star Plasma Vessel isn't impossible."
"But you are just one person? How can you merge with everyone?"
Miyako-chan asked, and Tengen repeated the reason.
"The very world has become my self. What you are seeing is just a projection with my barrier techniques."
Tsukumo frowned and asked, "But this still doesn't explain some things. Are you really not working with Kenjaku? Why wouldn't you just refuse to merge?"
"Because now that I have evolved, I am more Cursed Spirit than a human. And that makes me a target of Cursed Spirit Manipulation. That's why, I need bodyguards—"
"I can make it so that you are no longer a Cursed Spirit. Then Yuta can go and save Teruhashi, right?"
Adapting to Angel's technique and replicating it to free Gojo will take a long time. On the other hand...
"How?"
"With the reversal of my Cursed Technique Reversal, [Reversion]—"
"That wouldn't work. I will return to my past life, right? But that's probably just for my soul, not body.
Moreover, I am Tengen in a single lifetime. Before past mergers, it wouldn't count as a previous life, but a single, continuous life."
Yuta interjected, "There is another way. Directly reincarnate Tengen-sama into a human body fit for her. Amanai Riko's body should still be preserved here, right? Tachibana-san can reincarnate her."
"I am against that! What about the her then!?"
Tsukumo disagreed.
As more of my memory of past life is becoming clear due to adaptation, I now remember the moment Riko, a Star Plasma Vessel, was shot by Toji.
So...
"Instead of making Tengen Amanai, I can make Amanai Tengen."
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