The Culling Game had ended.
Amid the spectacle of the black pillars that had seemed as though they would stand forever shattering into pieces and collapsing, the sorcerers embraced one another and shared their joy.
"Waaaaah!"
"It’s over...."
Eight long days of a journey.
For some, it had been three days, but even that was not so shallow a span that one could call it short.
How could they not be happy?
"....."
Even at a moment like this, there were people who could not simply rejoice.
They were the three-person escort team who had made a direct bargain with the "Angel."
'Itadori....'
'So...it’s really over.'
The terms of the contract were to help settle the Culling Game and free Gojo Satoru in exchange for eliminating the "Fallen."
And the "Fallen" was Sukuna inside Yuji’s body.
Now that the "Angel" had kept her promise, the time had come to fulfill the contract.
"Yuji, what’s wrong?"
"Nothing...I’m just happy."
Junpei, who knew nothing, asked, but Yuji only gave a small laugh and brushed it off.
As for him...he would tell him later.
He didn’t want to break the mood right now.
'Sorry, Junpei.'
He had said they would fight together, and yet he had been no help until now.
He had smugly said there was no one who had to die for him, and then left first.
"You’re really okay, right?"
"I said I’m fine. I’m just thinking about a lot of things."
"Hmm.....doesn’t seem like it."
He really was quick on the uptake.
He couldn’t hide it forever.
He felt a little afraid of how Junpei would react once he learned the truth.
"......"
He could see his two friends watching him from afar.
Each of them had a gloomy face, biting their lips and swallowing their words.
I chose this myself, so why are they more worried than I am?
Out of pity for his hesitant friends, if nothing else, he should leave with a smile.
'It’ll be over soon.'
Once this was done, Junpei and Fushiguro would have nothing left to worry about.
He didn’t know what Sukuna was plotting behind their backs, but there was no way he could withstand the Angel’s technique.
He would die with that evil thing before it could ever spill out.
'It’ll be fine.'
Once Kenjaku was dealt with too, he would ask the Angel to erase him along with Sukuna.
And then free Gojo-sensei from the Prison Realm.
Everything would work out fine for everyone except him.
"Thanks. For giving me a role."
"Huh?"
"......"
He gave Junpei, who tilted his head in confusion, a faint smile, then turned away.
He could see Fushiguro’s shoulders trembling slightly as he held back.
He thought it was very like him to remain honest to the end.
'I was happy to meet you all.'
Only now did he truly feel why he had been born.
Born to carry a curse, and die carrying a curse.
Even if he had not been born of his own will, he thought he had become strong enough to decide the end with his own hands.
Any further than this was now—
"Yo."
A voice that shattered his thoughts pierced his ears.
Everyone present sensed the newly appeared presence and turned their eyes toward one place.
"Did you enjoy your reunion enough?"
Kenjaku.
The source of all this, and the parent who had given birth to him.
"Ugh...."
"Hey, what are you doing! You want to show something ugly in front of the audience?"
And beside him, Takaba Fumihiko, grimacing and clutching his head.
"Ah, right...hello, we are—"
"Pinch and—"
"Takaba Fumihiko."
Snap!
"It’s Pinch and Chance! Short for Pinchan!"
"No, no matter how I think about it, it’s Takaba and Kenjaku, isn’t it?!"
The evil force that would truly put an end to the Culling Game had appeared.
Takaba and Kenjaku, meeting at the very end.
Despite the overwhelming numerical disadvantage of two against ten, Kenjaku’s attitude was absurdly carefree.
"So...it really was as Tengen said."
"Whatever that guy said, you’d better not believe it too much. He’s a sly old man with a lot to hide."
"At least he’s more trustworthy than you. You psycho."
As Kusakabe grumbled his reply, Kenjaku chuckled.
"Then can he explain why I showed up here?"
"....."
"Aren’t you curious? Why I, who had been hiding without even showing my face, would bother to reveal myself to welcome you?"
Kenjaku’s outstretched finger pointed once at Junpei, then shifted toward Kurusu.
"If you’ve become the game master, then you should start the 'settlement.' That’s how games work, after all."
"Say it in a way we can understand."
"It’s the 'binding vow' I made when I hosted the Culling Game. The actual game master is the system of the Culling Game itself, but I’m the host."
Well, to be honest, being the host isn’t all that special anyway.
I started as a player on the same level as you all.
"But why have I been holding onto this completely useless title of 'host' until now?"
The answer lies in the hidden rule of the Culling Game.
A secret only the one who reaches the summit can obtain as a reward.
That is—
"When the one with game master authority becomes the 'host,' they can decide whether the Culling Game continues."
"!!"
"Why? Because the Culling Game system belongs to the 'host.' The barrier may be Tengen’s domain, but I’m the one who made the system. And although you neutralized the compulsion caused by the barrier, you never eliminated the system itself."
The game master can change the rules however he likes, but he cannot interfere with "continuance" itself.
The host has no authority to interfere with the rules, but once the conditions are met, they can intervene in matters related to the Culling Game’s "continuance."
When those two are combined into one, only then is a true
[administrator]
born.
"So what? You’re saying you’ll beat us and take the game master authority away?"
"I told you. It’s a 'binding vow.' Under heaven, two suns cannot coexist. To prevent an error, when the two meet, one side must either transfer its rights or die."
That was the true nature of the "settlement."
Even spilling all this information was part of the "settlement" formed by the "binding vow."
"Then hand over the 'host' authority already."
"Well? I don’t exactly want to let myself be beaten so easily."
It’s fun, after all.
To see what the world will become from here on out.
It’s the first enjoyment I’ve felt in centuries, so don’t take it from me so carelessly.
"Are we supposed to keep listening to this?"
The first to move was Junpei.
He glared at Kenjaku with burning eyes and, without further discussion, drew out [Akasha Yurayura].
In an instant, cursed energy filled, and a vortex at maximum output was aimed at Kenjaku.
"If we kill you now, then whether you’re an administrator or whatever, it’s all over anyway, right?"
"Maybe."
"The barrier’s gone too, so even if Tengen goes berserk it won’t matter. I don’t know what you’re relying on to act so cocky, but I’m done humoring your bullshit."
I told you.
I’d definitely find you and kill you.
"Senior! Kurusu-san!"
"Mm."
"Yes!"
At Junpei’s shout, Okkotsu and Kurusu also finished preparing their techniques.
'Erase the comedian’s technique, and sweep him away together.'
[Jacob’s Ladder] that can erase techniques.
Okkotsu had already copied her technique long ago.
Break him from both sides and break through at a single point.
"Full Moon, Eternal Exhaustion, the Wave of Resonance."
I’m sick of this now.
Goodbye.
Vortex
Jacob’s Ladder x 2
Two pillars of light falling from the sky.
Through the gap between them, a blue beam shot out and targeted Takaba and Kenjaku at the same time.
"Too stronggg~!!"
"If you want to get stronger, then eat it all up!"
"Roger!"
In response, Takaba also extended his hand and created something.
Its name, famous throughout the world!
"Holy Barrier - The Power of Mirrors!"
Ziiing
A translucent barrier that reflected everything unfolded and wrapped around all directions.
Before long, all three attacks slammed into Takaba—
Boom!
—and light burst forth.
Rustle...
When the dust cleared, Takaba looked fine on the surface.
"Whew~!"
Among the techniques of Kyokushin karate, there is one called Sanchin.
A legendary, invincible defensive stance handed down from old times.
Once you master this posture, perfected through control of the breath, you can withstand any attack.
'Damn it. He even blocked [Jacob’s Ladder]...'
He had clearly felt it pierce through.
What was the problem? Timing? Or the hierarchy between techniques?
Was there really no way to bring down Takaba Fumihiko..!!
"This is already a road our Chinese martial arts passed 3,000 years ago..!"
"Sanchin is a Japanese karate technique, you idiot!"
"What belongs to a small nation belongs to a great nation. That’s how the world works."
Takaba, deploying a Northeast Project-style argument that karate belonged to China, laughed, "Mwahahahaha—"
"Hey...that jellyfish thing. How strong is it? Tell me...."
Seeing that he was still spouting nonsense, it really must not have worked.
Just as everyone was sinking into frustration,
Cough
"Huh?"
Takaba suddenly coughed up blood and collapsed.
"Huh? Huh...?"
"What happened...?"
Takaba, and the sorcerers who had attacked him, were all thrown into confusion by the unexpected turn of events.
They wondered if this was some kind of gag too, but seeing the twisted, bewildered expression on Takaba’s face, it seemed genuine.
Which meant that was damage from the attack just now.
'[Jacob’s Ladder] works!'
As expected.
No matter how strong a technique is, it is powerless before an absolute law.
Now that they knew it landed properly, it was time to press the attack.
"Ha."
It was so easily broken that he could only let out a dry laugh.
He had thought it would be much harder.
"Now!"
With Takaba down, this was their chance.
Faces bright with hope, the sorcerers charged at Kenjaku and Takaba.
Takaba, trembling as he barely managed to lift his head, met Kenjaku’s eyes.
"Tch."
"Partner...?"
It was the first time.
Kenjaku, who had always been composed and sometimes even angry, directly...
showed the emotion of "sorrow."
"I’m sorry."
Before anyone could even ask what he meant, Kenjaku’s hand covered Takaba’s head.
"What are you do—"
"I didn’t want to do this to you of all people."
Cursed energy poured in through his head, and the suggestion he had planted in advance went berserk.
In an instant, Takaba’s vision was dyed pure white.
'Ah.'
I.
I...?
What was I trying to do?
"With this, even Okkotsu or the Angel won’t be able to do anything."
Takaba’s technique, [Superhuman], cannot oppose [Jacob’s Ladder].
But if its range and power are amplified without limit, it won’t be easy to neutralize.
He couldn’t strip away even the last shred of the man’s conscience, but this was more than enough.
Kenjaku’s final trump card prepared for the last stepping stone.
It was to induce an artificial rampage in his technique.
To strip away the reason, emotion, and everything else that had been restraining Takaba’s potential, and turn him into a human bomb.
And the price of that was Takaba’s "life."
"Ah...?"
Whoosh!
As a vicious aura began to rise from Takaba’s body, Kenjaku hurled him into the middle of the charging sorcerers.
Before burning away his life, Takaba took in one last sight as a "human."
Throb
My head hurts. My head hurts, huh?
Yeah. It’s painful.
Ow. Yeah. Ah, hmm. Oh. It hurts. It hurts.
"What the hell is this...!"
When it hurts,
the best thing is for everyone to laugh together!
Kugooooong!
Consciousness was severed,
and an uncontrollable rampage began.
Wasn’t life a comedy when seen from afar, and a tragedy when seen up close?
My lot is just like that.
Ah.
All of you who struggle against fate.
Do not think you are different.
So that the arrogant gods looking down on us from far away can laugh to their hearts’ content.
Become puppets of fate,
and
all
to
geth
er
dan
ce
and
laugh
to
geth
er
.
come
on
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