At the tunnel entrance, a chilling wave of cursed energy pressed down like a physical force.
Yuta Okkotsu's gaze locked onto Yuji Itadori, his lifeless eyes devoid of any emotion. He leaned forward slightly, fingers resting on the strap of his crossbody bag.
Naoya Zen'in immediately raised his hands, flashing a fake smile. "Okkotsu-kun! I'm Naoya Zen'in, sent by the higher-ups to assist you."
Yuta paused, his eyes flicking over Naoya, giving a barely perceptible nod.
With his identity confirmed, Yuta didn't hesitate. His right hand shot into the bag like lightning.
Clang—!
A cold gleam of steel! A long katana slid from its sheath in an instant.
Without a single wasted word, Yuta's figure blurred, leaving an afterimage as his blade thrust straight at Yuji!
"It's Yuta Okkotsu!" Yuji's pupils shrank. He knew all too well the strength of this special-grade senior. Without thinking, he kicked off the ground, his body rocketing backward, narrowly dodging the deadly blade.
"Run!" Yuji caught Choso's glance, signaling him. Without hesitation, he turned and sprinted at breakneck speed into the dark, endless tunnel.
Yuta pursued without a word.
"You're not getting past!" Choso growled, clapping his hands together to unleash his Blood Manipulation technique.
"Tch. Don't even try to stop me." Naoya's face twisted into a wicked grin. His body shifted with eerie speed, appearing like a phantom in front of Choso, a single kick disrupting his technique.
"Annoying pest!" Naoya shook his hand dismissively, his eyes dripping with disdain as he looked at Choso blocking his path. "A defective Kamo? Fine, I'll play with you."
Before his words even settled, Naoya's form blurred again, leaving an afterimage. His palm, wrapped in sharp cursed energy, shot toward Choso's face, the wind from his high-speed movement roaring forward.
Deep in the tunnel, Yuji pushed his speed to the limit, his ears filled with his own ragged breathing and pounding heartbeat.
Behind him, that bone-chilling killing intent clung like a leech, relentless. Yuta was faster—way faster. The distance between them was shrinking rapidly.
The faint hiss of a blade slicing through the air felt like it was right behind his head.
"Yuji Itadori." Yuta's emotionless voice echoed in the dim tunnel, like the whisper of a reaper. "Stop."
Yuji's response was a sudden pivot, throwing a heavy punch. The fist roared through the air, slamming into the side of Yuta's blade.
Boom! The collision of fist and steel rang out with a dull thud, the force causing Yuta's wrist to tremble slightly.
Yuji used the momentum to leap back, trying to gain distance. But Yuta's eyes turned colder, his figure closing in again like a teleport.
The blade flashed once more—lightning-fast, ruthless, aimed straight for Yuji's neck.
Yuji's pupils contracted, his body instinctively bending backward to its limit.
Rip—!
The blade grazed his cheek, drawing a thin line of blood.
Yuji had no time to counter. Yuta's wrist flicked, the blade slicing horizontally again—swift, brutal, precise, leaving no room to breathe.
Yuji tumbled and dodged desperately, the solid concrete walls cracking deeply under the blade's cursed energy. Shards of stone flew everywhere.
"Damn it!" Yuji gritted his teeth, feeling the stinging pain on his neck. Against a special-grade sorcerer's full-force pursuit, he was barely keeping up, every dodge a hair's breadth from death.
The tunnel felt like a massive trap, the hunter closing in step by step.
While Yuta Okkotsu and Yuji Itadori clashed, what was our protagonist up to?
In Osaka, falling in love!
Gaio and Marin Kitagawa strolled down the street, surrounded by shops with colorful signs glinting in the sunlight.
Marin held Gaio's hand with one of hers, the other clutching an ice cream cone. She took a bite, a dab of cream sticking to her lips, looking playful and adorable.
Her eyes sparkled as she took in everything around her. Passing a plushie shop, she squealed with excitement and dragged Gaio inside.
The store was packed with all kinds of stuffed toys—cute bunnies, chubby bears, and quirky anime merch.
Marin darted around, picking up one plushie, then touching another, letting out little gasps of delight.
"Gaio-kun, look at this cat plushie! Isn't it super cute?" She held up a white cat plush, her eyes curving into happy crescents.
Gaio smiled and nodded. "If you like it, let's get it." Marin hugged the plushie tightly, then kept browsing.
After leaving the shop, they continued their leisurely walk.
A street performer was juggling, drawing a small crowd.
Marin tugged Gaio over to watch, clapping and cheering as the performer deftly tossed balls in the air.
When the show ended, Marin tossed some coins into the performer's hat as a token of appreciation.
As they walked on, a light rain began to fall.
Gaio quickly pulled Marin into a nearby coffee shop.
The rich aroma of coffee filled the air, soft music floating around them.
They grabbed a window seat and ordered two lattes.
Marin cupped her steaming coffee mug, gazing out at the rainy street, her face glowing with contentment.
"Gaio-kun, today's been so much fun," she said softly. Gaio reached over, gently pinching her cheek. "As long as you're happy, that's all that matters."
"But you're getting more and more famous, and with your 'superhero' identity, I feel like you're gonna get super busy soon," Marin said, her face scrunching up with a mix of worry and pout.
Gaio chuckled, his smile warm.
"Doesn't matter. I've already made enough money, and my investments are set. Even if I don't do anything else, I can take care of both of us. As for the whole 'superhero' thing…" He rubbed his chin. "Not really my vibe. I just wanna live my life."
Marin's face wrinkled as she hugged the white cat plushie. "But… Gaio-kun, you're so amazing! Back in Shibuya, you went whoosh-whoosh and sliced open space…"
She sneaked a glance at him, her eyes holding a tiny spark of expectation.
Her kind nature made her believe that someone with power should help others.
Gaio sipped his coffee and ruffled her blonde hair. "Don't overthink it. Even if I don't step in, this world's got plenty of other 'heroes' to carry the load."
"Oh! Right!" Marin's eyes lit up like a lightbulb flicking on. She remembered the city she used to live in, where heroes had appeared.
She nodded vigorously, her worries melting away, her bright, energetic smile returning. "Yeah, yeah! Gaio-kun's right!"
Gaio grinned, about to pinch her cheek again, when his gaze casually drifted to the window.
The rain outside seemed to be picking up.
Osaka time, November 9, morning.
The sky was unusually clear, not a cloud in sight. The sun blazed brightly.
Ordinary people went about their day—cramming into trains, rushing to clock in, dropping kids off at school. The streets buzzed with the lively chaos of daily life.
No one looked up at the sky.
No one noticed that above the clear blue expanse, ten massive, translucent black circular barriers, like overturned bowls, had silently formed. Spaced far apart yet linked by an invisible force, they covered the entire Japanese archipelago—except Hokkaido.
An indescribable sense of oppression descended abruptly.
Osaka time, November 9, morning.
The sky was clear, cloudless, the sunlight dazzling.
People went about their routines—squeezing into trains, hurrying to work, taking kids to school. The streets hummed with life.
No one looked up.
No one saw the ten giant, translucent black barriers forming silently in the sky, covering Japan—except Hokkaido.
A heavy, oppressive feeling hit without warning.
Osaka, hotel suite.
Gaio's hand paused as he set down his coffee cup. The glaring sunlight outside reflected a trace of cold focus in his eyes.
"The Culling Game's started?" he murmured.
Boom—!
A deafening explosion tore through the city's clamor, followed by piercing screams from the streets below.
"Ah!" Marin yelped, her face paling instantly, her fork clattering onto her plate.
"Let's go!" Gaio didn't hesitate, scooping Marin up into his arms.
In the next second, their figures vanished from the suite.
Their vision shifted instantly.
A sharp wind whipped through their hair as they appeared atop the roof of Osaka Castle's keep.
Marin squeezed her eyes shut, too scared to look down.
G-Gaio-kun?" Her voice trembled.
Gaio steadied her in his arms.
Looking down, they saw thick black smoke rising from multiple spots in Osaka's cityscape, punctuated by flashes of explosions. Faint screams and the ripples of clashing cursed energy drifted up.
The Culling Game had begun its bloody opening act on this land.
"How…" Marin gripped Gaio's arm, her knuckles white.
"This place isn't safe." Gaio's brows furrowed. "I'm taking you somewhere secure."
Before his words fully landed, his right hand grasped at the air, and Yama appeared in his palm.
Clang—!
The blade slid from its sheath with a clear, resonant hum.
Gaio swung it horizontally at the empty air without hesitation.
Rip—!
Space tore open like canvas, a crackling blue-edged rift appearing. On the other side was a completely different scene—calm, peaceful.
"That's… Sapporo Clock Tower?" Marin recognized the landmark on the other side.
"Hokkaido's the only safe zone," Gaio explained briefly, grabbing her hand and stepping into the rift without pause.
Hum!
The spatial rift sealed shut instantly.
Osaka's chaos and smoke were completely cut off.