Deep beneath Tokyo Jujutsu High, in the Tombs of the Star Corridor that held the highest secrets of Japan's jujutsu world, a "ghost" arrived today whom even the gods could not perceive!
This place was the core of all barrier techniques across Japan, and the ultimate fortress supporting every jujutsu sorcerer against cursed spirits.
Layer upon layer of intricate barriers protected this sanctum like an interwoven spiderweb, leaving no gap untouched.
If an ordinary special grade jujutsu sorcerer—even someone like Satoru Gojo—tried to force their way inside, it would instantly trigger countless maximum-level alarms, perhaps even drawing a frenzied backlash from the barrier's full might.
Yet Yoru strolled in leisurely, as if taking a casual walk through his own back garden.
Bolstered by the Transparent World: Complete Form, he clearly perceived every delicate node of cursed energy across the barrier, while his consummate Selfless State allowed his entire being to blend seamlessly into the very principles of heaven and earth.
The moment the barrier runes capable of shredding special grade cursed spirits touched Yoru's body, it was like a breeze brushing over water—not a single ripple stirred.
For in the judgment of these barriers, what passed by was neither a living person nor a bundle of cursed energy, but a wisp of wind, a speck of dust.
Tap.
Yoru's faint, imperceptible footstep failed to produce even the slightest echo within the deathly quiet, pure-white expanse of the Tombs of the Star Corridor.
Though he had just endured a bitter battle in the Osaka Colony, under the protection of the Selfless State and the newly awakened Transparent World: Complete Form, his breathing had settled completely, and every wound on his body had fully healed.
He lifted his head, his deep crimson eyes calmly observing the deepest reaches of the space.
There, an immense ancient tree, seeming to anchor the very foundations of heaven and earth, radiated a faint glow.
And beneath this ancient tree rested the spiritual leader of Japan's jujutsu world who had lived for over a millennium—Master Tengen.
At this moment, however, Tengen presented a bizarre, twisted, and utterly revolting form.
It was an inhuman creature with four eyes, resembling an ugly cursed spirit, suspended in midair with thick chains of black cursed energy tightly bound around its entire body.
Before Tengen stood a man bearing a hideous line of stitches across his forehead.
None other than the mastermind behind the Culling Game—Kenjaku!
"How truly pathetic, Tengen."
Kenjaku let out a mocking sneer in his grim, low voice.
"To maintain your so-called barriers, you rejected merger with a Star Plasma Vessel and chose to evolve."
"In the end, your evolution only diverged further from humanity, leaving you closer to a cursed spirit instead."
Kenjaku slowly raised his right hand, a mass of inky black cursed energy swirling violently in his palm.
"And as long as you're a cursed spirit, you cannot escape absolute domination under the technique I wield—Cursed Spirit Manipulation!"
Accompanying Kenjaku's arrogant laughter, the black chains wrapped around Tengen violently tightened!
"Aaaaargh—!"
Tengen's inhuman visage contorted in extreme agony, releasing a beast-like screech.
"Stop struggling, Tengen."
The smile on Kenjaku's face grew increasingly manic, his eyes gleaming with the feverish obsession of a thousand-year ambition on the verge of fulfillment.
"Become the most flawless piece of my grand design!"
"Once I bring you completely under my control, I can use your barrier network to forcibly trigger the Merger!"
"When that time comes, the consciousnesses of over a hundred million people across Japan will fuse into one with you!"
Kenjaku threw his arms wide, as if embracing a brand-new world.
"The limits of humanity will be shattered entirely! An ultimate monstrosity born from the cursed energy of a hundred million people will emerge into this world!"
"That is the true Great Cause! That is the ultimate evolution of jujutsu!"
While this lunatic who had lived for a millennium went on and on about his world-ending design,
he failed completely to notice that less than ten paces away,
Yoru stood motionless within the shadow of a colossal white stone pillar.
The Selfless State rendered him devoid of breath, heartbeat, bloodlust, and presence.
Meanwhile, the Transparent World: Complete Form enabled him to anticipate every slight inclination of Kenjaku's forthcoming movements.
Like an eternal statue, he coldly observed this absurd one-man show.
Under the layering of both states, Yoru had no need to deliberately hide; he was nothingness itself.
As long as he did not strike, not even the keenest Six Eyes in this world could catch the slightest trace of him.
Yet perhaps due to the near-pathological instinct for danger belonging to an old fox who had lived for a thousand years,
Kenjaku, immersed in his feverish fantasies, abruptly fell silent.
His brow furrowed sharply, the stitches across his forehead twitching twice in sudden alarm.
"Something's wrong..."
Kenjaku spun around abruptly, his narrow eyes glaring into the empty, pristine white space around him.
He detected no anomaly, sensing not a single fluctuation of cursed energy.
Even so, a sickening chill—as if he were being locked onto by a predator at the very pinnacle of the food chain—crawled madly up his spine like maggots clinging to bone!
"Who's there?!"
Kenjaku barked in fury, weaving a hand seal without hesitation.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
In an instant, over a dozen Grade 1 cursed spirits exuding terrifying auras—and even two special grade imaginary cursed spirits—surged out from his shadow like a tidal wave!
Emitting piercing shrieks, these monsters served as living radar, conducting a frenzied, dead-end-free sweep across the entire space of the Tombs of the Star Corridor!
One special grade imaginary cursed spirit bristling with countless mouths opened its gaping, bloody maw and snapped viciously toward the stone pillar where Yoru stood!
Right at this critical juncture,
not a shred of panic flickered in Yoru's deep crimson eyes.
He remained in that motionless stance, as if he were truly nothing more than stone.
Whoosh—!
The special grade cursed spirit's fang-lined maw actually passed straight through Yoru's body!
No, it had not phased through him!
Rather, the moment it neared Yoru's form, the cursed spirit's instincts subconsciously judged that no obstacle existed there, causing its trajectory to naturally undergo a minute deviation.
Like flowing water meeting a smooth boulder, it drifted smoothly around him, giving rise to neither collision nor discord.
From Kenjaku's perspective, those dozen-odd cursed spirits had scoured virtually every corner of the Tombs of the Star Corridor, yet came away empty-handed.
"An illusion?"
Rubbing his temples in irritation, Kenjaku drew the cursed spirits back into his shadow.
"Are my nerves strung too tight from evading that monster named Yoru lately?"
Recalling that terrifying existence who had suppressed the Twelve Heavenly Generals single-handedly in the Osaka Colony, a flash of deep apprehension crossed Kenjaku's eyes.
"No matter. Once the merger ritual is complete, no matter how strong he is, he won't be able to stop the ultimate monster born from the malice of a hundred million people!"
Kenjaku drew a deep breath, forcing down the irritation in his heart, and turned once more to face the agonizingly struggling Tengen.
"Only a few key nodes remain for the ritual. I can't delay any longer."
His hands rapidly wove complex seals as runes of black cursed energy began imprinting wildly upon Tengen's colossal body.
Meanwhile, Yoru, standing within the shadows, slowly rested his hand on Shiranui's hilt.
His eyes, clear as water, reflected Kenjaku's manic silhouette and Tengen's agonizing struggle.
'An aggregate of a hundred million people's cursed energy, is it?'
Yoru murmured softly in his mind, the corner of his lips curling into a faint smile.
He could have drawn his blade right then and there. At this distance, even if Kenjaku had ten lives, Beneficent Radiance would have slashed him to ash in an instant.
Yet Yoru held back.
Through his Transparent World, he clearly perceived that although Tengen was controlled by Kenjaku, the deepest core of Tengen's soul still retained a final shred of lucidity.
If he forcibly slew Kenjaku now, the rampant Cursed Spirit Manipulation would very likely trigger a catastrophic collapse of the barriers, perhaps causing the half-finished merger ritual to go berserk on the spot!
'It seems resolving this trouble once and for all will take a little patience.'
Yoru slowly eased his grip on the hilt.
Since Kenjaku wanted to play for such high stakes, Yoru would naturally prepare an even grander gift in return.
He only wondered what kind of despairing expression that thousand-year schemer would wear when, believing he held control over all things, he realized he was merely a doll dancing in someone else's palm.
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