Shibuya Underground Level 5, Fukutoshin Line Platform.
The air was nauseatingly heavy, with the thick scent of blood mixing with the stench of Cursed Spirits.
In the center of the platform, the Prison Realm lay quietly on the concrete floor, looking like a huge, closed single eye.
Because of Satoru's intense resistance from within, this special grade cursed object was now incredibly heavy, making it impossible to move.
Kenjaku stood beside the Prison Realm. Cold sweat seeped slightly from the stitches on his forehead.
His closed eyes suddenly snapped open, his gaze churning with undisguised shock and alarm.
Just now, the last scouting Cursed Spirit he had placed at the edge of the surface ruins was crushed by a violent aura of lightning.
But in the final second before his vision was cut off, he clearly saw everything that had happened on the surface.
Jogo was pierced by a single sword strike and instantly reduced to ashes.
Sukuna, who had swallowed fifteen fingers and recovered his power, had his pride and joy, the Malevolent Shrine, burned through by black flames before a hundred-meter purple construct, and was ultimately forced back into Yuji's body.
"That man... just what kind of monster is he?"
Kenjaku's fingernails dug deep into his palms, piercing the skin.
Having lived for over a thousand years, he prided himself on being a master strategist, manipulating the entire Jujutsu World and the Cursed Spirit camp like puppets.
But Yamada's appearance was like a meteorite suddenly crashing onto a chessboard, not only smashing his pieces but nearly flipping the entire board over.
He couldn't wait any longer.
Kenjaku turned his head toward the pitch-black staircase leading to the fourth basement level.
With that man's speed, it wouldn't even take half a minute for him to break through the underground defenses and descend here.
The Prison Realm still needed some time to stabilize. If he were caught by Yamada now, let alone taking Satoru away, his hard-won special grade vessel would definitely be burned to ash by those black flames.
The plan had to be moved forward.
Tap... Tap...
Light footsteps sounded from the other end of the tunnel.
A young man with long hair held together by stitches walked over with a grin, stepping through the blood and the remains of transfigured humans on the floor.
Mahito.
As a Cursed Spirit born from the hatred humans feel for one another, he had been in his element during the chaos just now.
"Yo, Geto. The commotion up there sounds pretty crazy. Did Jogo blow up the whole street?"
Mahito toyed with a transfigured human in his hand that had been kneaded into a meatball by 'Idle Transfiguration,' his tone as relaxed as if he were discussing a fireworks display.
He looked around, his eyes lighting up when they landed on the Prison Realm on the floor.
"Is this the box that sealed Gojo? Awesome! The biggest obstacle is gone. Next, it's time for us Cursed Spirits to party... eh?"
Before Mahito could finish, his voice cut off abruptly.
Because he saw the look in Kenjaku's eyes as he turned around. That was not the gaze one should have for a comrade. It was a cold and greedy stare, the way one looks at prey.
"Geto, what's with that look?" Mahito instinctively sensed danger.
The smile on his face vanished bit by bit as he took a half-step back, the Cursed Energy within him rapidly mobilizing.
"Mahito."
Kenjaku kept his hands tucked into his wide sleeves, his tone flat yet carrying an undeniable chill.
"You were born from human malice, and your growth rate is astonishing. My original plan was to let you further temper your soul in your fight with Itadori, and then I would take you once you reached a truly perfect form."
Kenjaku took a step forward. "But unfortunately, a variable has appeared, and I've run out of time."
"What do you mean?!" Mahito's pupils shrank.
He finally realized that this Curse User, who had been acting like a brother to them, had intended to harvest them like crops from the very beginning.
"It means your mission has ended early."
Boom!
Kenjaku's hands suddenly formed a seal, and the aura of Maximum: Uzumaki erupted behind him.
Countless low-grade Cursed Spirits swept toward Mahito like a black tide, covering the sky and earth.
"You dare betray us! Die!"
Mahito let out a shrill roar and slammed his hands onto the ground.
"Domain Expansion: Self-Embodiment of Perfection!"
Countless pale arms reached out from the void, attempting to weave a giant net to drag Kenjaku into a soul-grinding machine.
But Kenjaku's reaction was even more ruthless.
"Simple Domain."
A visible barrier of Cursed Energy instantly expanded, forcibly neutralizing the sure-hit effect of Mahito's domain.
At the same time, Kenjaku's figure pierced through those pale arms, appearing directly in front of Mahito.
Cursed Spirit Manipulation!
Vast Cursed Energy transformed into an invisible giant hand, firmly clutching Mahito's throat.
Mahito desperately tried to activate 'Idle Transfiguration' to change his soul's shape and escape, but in front of this body belonging to Suguru, the absolute rule suppression of Cursed Spirit Manipulation made the Cursed Energy in his body feel as if it had fallen into a quagmire.
"No... don't! I've only just touched the essence of the soul!"
Mahito's body began to twist and compress uncontrollably, making the sound of cracking bones.
He struggled in extreme terror, but his resistance was futile against the methods of a thousand-year-old Sorcerer.
"Become the cornerstone of my evolution." Kenjaku coldly tightened his fingers.
Mahito's scream was cut off abruptly. His body, which possessed infinite potential, was forcibly extracted by Cursed Spirit Manipulation and turned into a pitch-black sphere emitting a nauseating stench.
Kenjaku did not hesitate to shove this Cursed Spirit ball, which condensed all of Mahito's techniques and soul, into his mouth and swallow it whole.
His Adam's apple bobbed.
The moment he swallowed, Kenjaku's body trembled violently. He closed his eyes, feeling the Cursed Technique known as 'Idle Transfiguration' take root and sprout within him.
"This is the feeling..."
Kenjaku snapped his eyes open, and the stitches on his forehead seemed to throb with excitement.
He knelt on one knee, placing his hands on the cold platform floor.
Since the monster above wanted to break the chessboard, he would simply turn all of Japan into an inescapable meat grinder of flesh and blood.
Using Tengen's barriers as an amplifier, Kenjaku transmitted the 'Idle Transfiguration' he had just plundered through the earth's veins, performing an unprecedented long-distance release across all of Japan.
"Wake up."
"Those ordinary people I fed cursed objects to, and those non-sorcerers whose bodies harbor latent techniques that have yet to awaken."
"The Culling Game has officially begun."
Vroom!
At this moment, hundreds of barriers rose simultaneously across Japan.
Thousands of people in deep sleep had their brain structures forcibly modified by Idle Transfiguration, and Cursed Energy was revived within their bodies.
Ancient spirits and modern newborn sorcerers were forced into a killing game where points were the stakes and death was the only end.
Having done all this, Kenjaku's lips split into a maniacal grin.
"Now, the stage is set. Even if you possess the power of a god, can you kill every single rampaging sorcerer in Japan?"
He turned around. The Prison Realm on the ground had finally stabilized, and its weight had returned to normal.
Kenjaku grabbed the Prison Realm, preparing to summon a Cursed Spirit to tear through space and escape.
However...
Crack!
Boom!!!