The world held its breath. The date—December 24th—etched itself into history as the day the unseen world revealed its fangs to humanity.
In the command room of the National Cursed Division Headquarters, dozens of massive holographic screens illuminated the faces of the highest-ranking sorcerers and officers. Each screen flickered with live footage from Shinjuku and Kyoto, where the sky itself was beginning to warp under the pressure of overwhelming cursed energy.
Reports screamed through comm lines.
"Division 2—reporting heavy curse presence near Shinjuku Station!""Kyoto sensors reading exponential spike—unknown readings beyond Special Grade!""Broadcast systems active. Global feed is stable!"
Every word painted the same picture—war.
Yuta Okkotsu stood beside Maki, his katana trembling slightly. "Ten thousand curses…?" he muttered, disbelief clouding his expression. "That's not even possible…"
Maki gritted her teeth, tightening her grip on her weapon. "Possible or not, they're here. We fight."
Nanami adjusted his tie with deliberate calm. "We'll hold them as long as we can. Stay sharp."
On the other side, Gojo Satoru, standing tall on the front lines of Shinjuku, his blindfold fluttering in the icy air, smiled faintly.
"Well… looks like it's gonna be a fun Christmas Eve."
Even in the midst of chaos, his words carried a weight only he and one other could bear.
Kyoto Command Post — 9:45 A.M.
"Status on Division Two?"
"They're engaging multiple Grade 2s, sir! Losses minimal, thanks to the cursed-tech rifles!"
The camera drones—developed by Tenkai's company—broadcasted the impossible. Curses of every shape and size poured from the shadows like a demonic tide, and the soldiers of the National Cursed Division fought back in perfect formation, their cursed-infused weapons gleaming with divine light.
Around the world, millions watched the live broadcast.
"Oh my god, are those… real monsters?""Japan's under attack by demons?!""No, the broadcast says they're called Cursed Spirits! This is insane!""Where's that Kurotsuki guy? Didn't he build all this?"
Twitter, Reddit, and every news platform were flooded with frantic posts. Hashtags like #CursedWar, #ShinjukuCollapse, and #KurotsukiDivisionZero trended worldwide.
Inside the Kurotsuki mansion, Akane clutched her husband's hand tightly.
"Masaru… will Tenkai be okay?"
Masaru looked at the TV, where the screen showed an aerial view of Shinjuku—a hellscape of writhing black mist and screams.
"He… always keeps his word," he said quietly.
Next to them, Alice sat frozen, tears in her eyes. "Why… why does he always have to carry everything?"
A faint hum echoed. The sound of footsteps.
When Tenkai descended the stairs, the entire room fell silent.
He wore a simple black combat suit—minimalistic, practical, and terrifyingly perfect. His long dark hair framed a face devoid of emotion, his silver eyes glowing faintly with restrained divinity.
Even without cursed energy leaking out, his presence alone made the air heavier.
Masaru couldn't speak. Akane felt her breath catch. Alice's heart pounded.
"Tenkai…" Alice whispered, stepping forward, "don't you dare—"
He smiled gently. The world seemed to calm.
"I'll be back before dinner," he said softly."You're lying," she muttered, eyes glistening.
He leaned in, kissed her forehead. "Then… save me some dessert."
And with a shimmer of light—he vanished.
Kyoto — Battlefield
The ground was scorched, the sky blood-red. Division 2 troops were fighting tooth and nail.
"Reload! Keep firing!""Grade 2 on the left! Move, move!""Medic! We're losing too many—"
Suddenly, shadows stretched unnaturally long. From them emerged something grotesque—a Grade 1 curse with hundreds of limbs and a face stitched backward. It screeched, its distorted cry echoing across the battlefield.
"Fall back! That's not a normal curse!""AI confirms Grade 1—repeat, Grade 1!"
The broadcast team's camera zoomed in as the curse lunged toward the nearest soldier. People across the world gasped.
"No… no, they're gonna die!""Where's Gojo? Where's anyone?""This is over—"
A flicker of motion.
The curse froze midair.
In less than a second, its head imploded—blood and cursed fragments scattering like petals in the wind.
The camera caught a blur of black standing amidst the carnage.
Then came the voice of the commentator—shaking, but awe-filled.
"D–Division 0… Kurotsuki Tenkai has entered the battlefield."
The world went silent.
Then the internet erupted.
"HE'S HERE! THE GENIUS IS HERE!""Kurotsuki just killed a Grade 1 in a blink—without even using energy?!""That was… beautiful and terrifying.""This guy is on Gojo's level… what the hell are these people?"
Alice's parents, watching the broadcast, gripped each other's hands in fear. Akane cried silently, pride and terror mixed in her heart.
Back in Shinjuku, Gojo sensed the shift in energy. He grinned.
"He finally showed up. Took you long enough, Tenkai."
Through the AI-linked comms, Tenkai's calm voice replied,
"I wanted to make an entrance."
"Oh, you did," Gojo chuckled. "Try not to break the island this time."
"No promises."
In Kyoto, Tenkai slowly raised his hand. A subtle hum rippled through the air—the resonance of Perfect Synchronization between his soul and cursed energy.
"All units," his voice echoed through the AI network, "focus on evacuation. From here on…"
His eyes glowed with divine light.
"…I'll handle the extermination."
The entire battlefield went still as he took one step forward—each movement tearing through the air like a sonic boom. The cursed spirits screamed, trying to flee, but space itself warped around them.
A single whisper escaped Tenkai's lips.
"Zero Expansion: Oblivion Field."
The feed glitched, static bursting across every global screen. When the image stabilized, thousands of curses had vanished—erased, not destroyed.
The commentator could barely speak.
"He… he just erased them… they're gone!"
Twitter exploded.
"#DivisionZero is trending in every country!""That wasn't human. That was godlike.""Japan has actual living weapons… and one of them just smiled."
Back in the Kyoto Command Room, the AI relayed new data.
"Curse presence in Kyoto reduced by 82%. Special Grade readings now active. Estimated: five targets remaining."
Tenkai raised his head toward the crimson horizon.
"Five left, huh… Guess dinner might be a bit late."
Somewhere across the comms, Gojo laughed.
"Then I'll keep it warm for you."
Outside, the people of the world continued to watch, torn between awe and terror, their screens filled with the image of one man standing alone against the darkness.
"Mom… is he human?""He's the one saving us, sweetie."
And as the last camera drone focused on him—Kurotsuki Tenkai looked up, eyes calm, posture unshaken, surrounded by the corpses of curses.
The world's greatest defense stood alone.
And the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons… had only just begun.