In the shadow of a certain building, Kenjaku, who occupied Itadori Kaori's body, had an ashen face.
He had originally intended to watch from the sidelines, waiting for Toho Hiroshi and Gojo Satoru's group to gravely injure each other, allowing him to reap the benefits.
However, the moment the rules were established, an irresistible binding force descended upon him, firmly marking him as a "Cursed Wielder."
He could feel that if he forcibly broke through the Barrier or showed reluctance to participate, his fate would be no better than that unlucky soul from earlier.
"Forced participation... Toho Hiroshi, you even calculated me into this!"
Kenjaku gnashed his teeth, a venomous light flickering in his eyes. His millennium-long scheme had now become a pawn in someone else's game; how could he not be furious?
But he quickly calmed down, adjusted his glasses, and a strange smile tugged at his lips: "Fine, let me see what kind of monsters your 'Culling Game' can conjure up. Perhaps, this is also my opportunity..."
...On the other side, the core fighting forces of Tokyo Jujutsu High—Gojo Satoru, Yuta Okkotsu, Maki Zen'in, Megumi Fushiguro, Yuji Itadori, and Choso—had gathered at the edge of the Barrier.
They had rushed over without stopping after just finishing emergency incidents across various locations.
"Mandatory participation, survive for twelve hours."
"Hmph, simple and clear rules."
Gojo Satoru stood with his hands in his pockets, showing no sign of tension, but rather a hint of eagerness, "Perfect, it saves us the trouble of finding people."
"There is only one objective: flatten that presumptuous guy within twelve hours!"
"Sensei, don't be careless."
Yuta Okkotsu looked grave, "Since he dared to set such rules and count himself as a Cursed Wielder, he must be confident. Furthermore, we must also face strong individuals from ancient times."
"Ah, I know."
Gojo Satoru interrupted him, his Rikugan seeing through the Barrier, seemingly spotting the figure suspended in the air, "That's why we need to solve this faster."
Without the slightest hesitation, he stepped into the Barrier.
The moment he stepped in, a faint, watermark-like mark flashed and disappeared on the back of his hand.
Cursed Wielder status, confirmed.
Yuta Okkotsu, Itadori, and the others exchanged glances and followed closely without hesitation... "Then, let's begin."
Toho Hiroshi felt the continuously increasing presence of "Cursed Wielders" within the Barrier, several of which were exceptionally powerful, causing his lips to curve slightly.
He formed hand seals, and his Rinnegan erupted with unprecedented light.
"Summoning Technique: Gedo Statue"
Rumble—
The ground trembled violently, and the center plaza of Shinjuku suddenly split open with a massive fissure.
A colossal Gedo Statue, shaped like withered wood and originally having all nine eyes closed, had now opened seven of its eyes.
Toho Hiroshi sat cross-legged atop the Gedo Statue's head. Its mountain-like massive body continuously emitted a low hum, greedily absorbing the immense Cursed Energy generated by battle, fear, and despair, which was converging from all parts of the Culling Game Barrier.
The seven open eyes on the Statue's body gazed indifferently down upon the city that had become a battlefield, seemingly waiting for the final two eyes to open.
He himself sat like an old monk in deep meditation, his Rinnegan half-open and half-closed, appearing to be meditating or perhaps waiting for something.
Yorozu, like the most loyal guard, stood upon the Statue's shoulder, her gaze intently sweeping the surroundings, anticipating the arrival of challengers so she could clear the obstacles for her "husband."
The deadly silence did not last long.
Battle suddenly erupted in every corner within the Barrier.
Skirmishes between ancient and modern Jujutsu Sorcerers, mutual slaughter for survival, and decapitation strikes targeting the core objective.
"Whoosh—"
A deep blue Cursed Energy shockwave, condensed to the extreme and radiating bone-chilling coldness, tore through the air like a railgun, roaring toward them from the top of a distant skyscraper.
Wherever it passed, moisture in the air instantly froze into ice crystals, and the external walls of buildings in its path were easily ripped open with huge fissures by the stray energy aftermath.
The strong individual from four hundred years ago, Ryu Ishiguro, immediately unleashed his signature Cursed Technique, "Ice Sand Shockwave."
This pure, vast release of Cursed Energy demonstrated a terrifying output far exceeding that of ordinary modern Special Grade Sorcerers.
The shockwave was extremely fast, carving a strange arc through the air, precisely locking onto Toho Hiroshi, who was seated atop the Gedo Statue's head.
Facing this attack capable of flattening a mountaintop, Toho Hiroshi did not even change his posture.
He merely raised his right hand slightly, palm facing forward, and a complex, glowing dark blue energy sphere instantly condensed into shape—Asura Path: Asura Attack!
"Buzz—"
The deep blue shockwave violently collided with the dark blue energy sphere, but the anticipated earth-shattering explosion did not occur.
Ryu Ishiguro's torrent of Cursed Energy, powerful enough to destroy cities and split mountains, was completely absorbed and annihilated by the seemingly small energy sphere, like a clay ox sinking into the sea, only generating silent energy ripples that spread outward.
"What!"
Ryu Ishiguro's pupils constricted atop the skyscraper. He was extremely confident in the intensity of his Cursed Energy output, and this casual method of neutralization completely defied his understanding.
"Husband, let me go deal with that noisy insect!"
Killing intent flared in Yorozu's eyes, and deep purple Cursed Energy surged around her as the prototype of the Armor of Insects began to materialize.
Toho Hiroshi slowly stood up, positioned atop the Gedo Statue's head, his robes completely still in the whipping wind.
He glanced at the source of the shockwave that had been neutralized so easily, and spoke calmly to Yorozu, who had requested to fight:
"No need. Guarding the Statue is more important and cannot fail."
His gaze swept over the other powerful presences stirring below, "I will personally 'entertain' these 'challengers' who have come seeking fame."
Before his voice faded, his figure had vanished from the Statue's head.
The next second, Toho Hiroshi appeared like a phantom atop the skyscraper where Ryu Ishiguro was located.
An alarm blared in Ryu Ishiguro's heart. Without thinking, he thrust both palms forward, unleashing an even more violent "Ice Sand Shockwave" that poured out like a breaching glacier, instantly pulverizing Toho Hiroshi's location along with half the rooftop!
However, as the smoke and ice crystals dispersed, Toho Hiroshi was already right beside him.
Without using any Cursed Technique, it was merely a simple, unadorned hand chop, accompanied by a shriek that tore the air, aimed directly at Ryu Ishiguro's neck.
"So fast!"
Ryu Ishiguro was horrified and hastily condensed Cursed Energy for defense.
"Boom—"
However, the next second.
Ryu Ishiguro was struck down hard from the top of the skyscraper as if hit by a meteor, crashing through several floors and embedding himself in the street below, raising a cloud of dust.
He struggled to get up, but felt his bones were about to shatter and his Cursed Energy circulation was sluggish, his eyes filled with disbelief and terror.
Just one blow, pure physical combat, had nearly incapacitated him.
Toho Hiroshi's figure slowly descended from the air, landing on the shattered street. He didn't even spare a glance for Ryu Ishiguro, who was embedded in the crater, as if he had merely swatted a fly.
"Next."
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