Sendai Colony.
One of the most violent battlefields in the entire Culling Game.
The city had long since been reduced to rubble.
Collapsed streets.
Shattered skyscrapers.
The air reeked of burning concrete and cursed energy.
Everywhere were the scars of high-level sorcery.
Four monsters ruled this battlefield.
Each occupying a different corner of the colony.
Each restraining the others.
A fragile equilibrium had formed.
Like four predators circling one another.
Waiting.
Watching.
None willing to strike first.
Those four were:
Yuta Okkotsu — Special Grade sorcerer
• Ryu Ishigori — the sorcerer with the highest cursed-energy output in history
• Takako Uro — the sky manipulator from the Fujiwara assassination squad
• Kurourushi — the cockroach cursed spirit
And lurking beyond them—
Another ancient sorcerer.
Dhruv Lakdawalla.
Four directions.
Four kings.
Like a deadly mahjong table.
But today—
That balance collapsed.
BOOM!!!
A pillar of cursed energy erupted into the sky.
The air distorted from the pressure.
Shockwaves shattered the nearby ruins.
At the center of the battlefield—
Yuta Okkotsu was fighting two opponents simultaneously.
Ryu Ishigori grinned wildly.
His massive pompadour hairstyle pointed forward like a cannon barrel.
Cursed energy gathered at its tip.
The pressure was immense.
"HAHA!"
Ryu roared.
"Now THIS is fun!"
"Let's see how long you last, kid!"
The cursed energy compressed further.
Blazing brighter.
"Granite Blast!!!"
A massive beam of cursed energy fired.
The blast tore across the battlefield like artillery fire.
At the same moment—
Takako Uro floated above the ruins.
Her body wrapped in a thin layer of cloud-like fabric.
Her eyes cold.
Detached.
The sky around her warped.
Literally.
She twisted the space above Yuta like cloth.
Deflecting his attacks.
Redirecting the trajectory of the battlefield itself.
"Stop resisting."
Uro said calmly.
"You're surrounded."
"Just hand over your points."
Yuta breathed heavily.
Blood stained his uniform.
Several wounds crossed his body.
Yet his katana remained steady in his hand.
He could defeat either one of them individually.
But fighting both simultaneously—
While remaining wary of Kurourushi and Dhruv—
Was extremely dangerous.
Then—
A voice descended from the sky.
Calm.
Confident.
"Two against one?"
"That seems unfair."
Everyone froze.
Ryu and Uro both looked upward.
Something fell from the sky.
A black streak.
Like lightning.
BOOM!!!
The ground exploded as the figure landed.
Dust erupted outward.
Shockwaves rolled across the battlefield.
When the smoke cleared—
Someone stood there.
Yagami Sora.
Hands in his coat pockets.
Black trench coat fluttering in the wind.
He stood directly in front of Yuta.
Blocking the attacks.
Yuta blinked.
Then smiled slightly.
Relief visible in his tired expression.
"Sora…"
"You made it."
"Yeah."
Sora replied casually.
"Looks like you found some trouble."
He turned slowly.
Facing the two ancient monsters ahead.
His eyes were calm.
As if he were merely looking at street trash.
"Perfect timing."
"I needed some sparring partners."
He pointed lazily at them.
"These two…"
"Are mine."
Ryu Ishigori narrowed his eyes.
His grin widened.
"Oh?"
"Another challenger?"
"Perfect!"
"I still haven't had my fill!"
His cursed energy flared violently.
"Hope you're tougher than that kid!"
Takako Uro's expression grew cautious.
The sky around her warped even more violently.
"…Strange."
She murmured.
"I can't read your cursed energy."
"Who are you?"
Yagami Sora raised one finger.
Gently wagging it.
"That's not important."
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
Predatory.
Playful.
"What matters is…"
He glanced across the battlefield.
At the four powers.
The delicate balance.
The deadly stalemate.
Then he chuckled.
"Your mahjong game."
"I'm taking the table."
He cracked his neck.
"And today…"
"You're all losing."
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