At the entrance of the tunnel, cursed energy gathered like a dense fog, almost tangible.
Yūta Okkotsu's gaze was fixed on Yūji. His eyes, dull and without the slightest fluctuation, seemed to look beyond the flesh… straight to his destiny.
He leaned his body slightly forward, fingers tense over the cloth bag slung across his shoulder, waiting…
Naoya Zen'in, who remained at his side, immediately raised his hands, forcing a nervous smile onto his face.
"Okkotsu-kun! I'm Naoya Zen'in, the higher-ups sent me to help you."
Yūta's movement halted for a second. His eyes swept over Naoya with a quick glint, and then he nodded briefly. Once his identity was confirmed, there was no further hesitation.
That second was enough: his right hand slid like lightning into the bag.
Shiiing
A cold gleam lit up the gloom as the blade of a katana slid out of its sheath in one fluid motion.
!
The polished, lethal steel reflected the glow of the distant lights as Yūta charged forward without a word, leaving a trail behind him.
The tip of the sword lunged straight at Itadori.
'Yūta Okkotsu!'
Yūji's eyes contracted sharply. He knew all too well the monstrous strength of his special grade senpai. Without thinking, he dug his foot into the ground and launched himself backward with brutal force.
Thump
His body shot out like a projectile, dodging by mere centimeters the edge that cut through the air in front of his face.
"Run!"
Chōsō's gaze was clear. Yūji didn't hesitate a second longer: he spun around and, squeezing every muscle in his body, hurled himself at full speed into the deep darkness of the tunnel.
Yūta pursued him wordlessly.
"You will not pass!"
Chōsō roared, bringing his hands together to unleash his Blood Manipulation. A crimson current began to form…
"Tsk, don't even dream of stopping us."
With a twisted smile, Naoya moved in an instant. His body blurred like an illusion and reappeared in front of Chōsō, disrupting the technique.
"Annoying insect!"
He flicked his hand with disdain. "A piece of trash from the Kamo family? Fine… I'll play with you."
Before his words could fade, Naoya vanished again. His silhouette left behind a distorted trail, and a palm wrapped in cursed energy descended toward Chōsō's face.
…
Deep inside the tunnel.
Yūji ran at his maximum speed, his steps thundering against the concrete while the only thing he could hear was his ragged breathing and the frantic pounding of his heart inside his chest.
Behind him, that murderous intent chased him relentlessly, like a shadow. Yūta's speed was even greater, and with each second the distance between them shrank with brutal swiftness.
Whoosh
The whistle of the blade cutting through the air sounded just inches from his head, as if death itself had brushed against him.
"Yūji Itadori."
Yūta's emotionless voice echoed through the dark tunnel, so cold it sounded like the whisper of Death itself.
"Stop."
Yūji spun around and threw a direct punch, loaded with pure brute force.
Clang
The wind of the strike crashed against the side of the katana, producing a metallic crash.
The overwhelming force of the blow made Yūta's wrist tremble slightly, though his face did not show even a crack in its serenity.
Yūji took advantage of the recoil to push himself backward, trying to create distance. But Yūta's eyes glinted, and his figure closed in again as if he had erased the space between them.
Slash
The katana gleamed in the gloom, fast as lightning, aiming straight at Itadori's neck.
Yūji's pupils contracted, and his body bent backward to its limit to avoid the slash.
Screech
The blade grazed his cheek, opening a thin line of blood that slid down his skin.
He had no time to breathe. Yūta's wrist turned, and the blade swung again in a horizontal slash.
Crash
The strike smashed into the wall as Yūji rolled and slipped away clumsily.
"Damn it!" Yūji muttered, feeling the sting of the cut on his cheek and the pulse burning in his temples.
Facing a special grade in a direct chase was suicide. Every movement of Yūta was a brush with death.
The entire tunnel had turned into a hunting cage, and inside it, Yūji was the prey.
…..
While Yūta and Yūji struggled in a ruthless hunt inside the tunnel, what was our protagonist doing?
Nothing less than enjoying a date.
Damian and Marin walked down a bustling avenue, where the shops lined up one after another, their colorful signs flashing under the sunlight and the display windows showcasing shiny merchandise that caught anyone's eye.
Marin held his hand, pulling him along with enthusiasm while in the other she held an ice cream that was slowly melting.
Her eyes reflected pure curiosity, moving from side to side so as not to miss a single detail. Suddenly, as they passed in front of a doll shop, she let out an excited squeal and pulled Damian harder, dragging him inside without giving him the option to refuse.
The place was a small paradise crowded with plush toys: soft bunnies, teddy bears of all sizes, and anime merchandise with extravagant designs.
Marin dove into that universe like a child, running from shelf to shelf, lifting up one stuffed toy to look at it closely, stroking another, and letting out squeals of amazement that spread energy throughout the entire store.
"Damian-kun, look at this kitty plush, isn't it super cute!?"
She held in her hands a white cat with crescent-shaped eyes, its embroidered smile radiating sweetness.
Damian smiled and nodded. "If you like it, buy it."
Marin hugged the plush against her chest with a smile that lit up her face, and right away threw herself into checking more shelves, as if she wanted to take them all with her.
When they left the store, the two resumed their walk.
A street performer was juggling several balls, surrounded by a small crowd. Marin, fascinated, tugged at Damian again until she stood in the front row. She watched every movement with shining eyes, and at the end, she clapped forcefully.
With a smile, she leaned down and dropped some coins into the performer's hat.
The stroll continued until, suddenly, a fine drizzle began to fall over the city. Damian, without thinking, took her hand and led her toward a nearby café.
The strong aroma of freshly ground coffee enveloped them as they stepped through the door, accompanied by soft music that wrapped around the few customers who sought shelter from the rain.
They chose a table by the window. Marin, still holding the kitty plush in her arms, curled up in her chair as she watched the drops slide down the glass.
Damian ordered two lattes, and for a moment, the world outside the café disappeared.
…
Marin held the steaming cup with both hands, the warmth seeping into her fingers as her eyes wandered through the window.
The light rain painted trails on the glass, and the city outside seemed calmer than usual. Slowly, a smile filled with satisfaction formed on her face.
"Damian-kun, today I'm really happy…" she murmured softly, as if sharing a secret.
Damian, sitting across from her, stretched out his hand and gently pinched her cheek.
"As long as my princess is happy, it's fine."
Marin laughed quietly, though soon her lips pursed slightly.
She lowered her gaze a little, hugging the warmth of the cup. "But… now you're becoming more and more famous, and on top of that you have that 'superhero' identity. I feel like, from here on, you'll be busier and busier…"
"It doesn't matter." Damian let out a warm smile.
"I've already earned enough money, I made all the necessary investments… Even if I stop working tomorrow, I have enough to support us both without worries."
He paused briefly, touching his chin thoughtfully.
"As for being a 'superhero'… it was never something I was really interested in. I just want to live my own life well."
Marin scrunched her face a little in a mix of tenderness and reproach.
"But… you're incredible! Back in Shibuya, with just two moves you were able to cut space itself…"
Her eyes sparkled with a glimmer of expectation, as if she wanted him to confirm it. Her natural kindness made her believe that someone with such power should use it to help others.
Damian, seeing her like that, placed his hand on her head and gently ruffled her golden hair, barely messing it up.
"Don't worry about those things. Even if I don't intervene, there are still other 'superheroes' in this world who carry that responsibility."
"Ah, that's right!" she exclaimed suddenly, her eyes shining. She remembered the heroes of her hometown and nodded with enthusiasm, the spark returning to her face.
Damian was satisfied to see her smiling again. Just as he was about to pinch her cheek once more, his gaze shifted toward the window.
The drops that had been falling softly were now striking more insistently against the glass.
The rain had begun to intensify.
…
November 9, in the morning.
The sky stretched out clear, abnormally cloudless, without a single interruption in the blue. The sun shone with an almost arrogant intensity, bathing the streets in a blinding radiance.
Below, everyday life carried on as if nothing had happened. The crowd packed into crowded trains, office workers ran so they wouldn't be late, mothers rushed their children with backpacks hanging, and shopkeepers lifted metal shutters to open their businesses.
The noise of engines, footsteps, and conversations blended into a chaotic… but ordinary symphony.
No one raised their head.
No one noticed that, in that perfect sky, ten enormous black circular barriers appeared suddenly.
Each one kept a certain distance from the other, but all were bound by an invisible force, forming a colossal network that spread over the entire Japanese archipelago… with the exception of Hokkaido.
Then…
!
An indescribable pressure descended upon the earth, crushing the lungs of everyone who breathed.
…
Hotel, presidential suite.
Damian, who was about to set his coffee cup down on the table, stopped the motion.
"..."
The sunlight streaming through the wide windows illuminated his face, reflecting in his eyes a cold glimmer.
"Has it begun… the Culling Game?"
BOOOOM
The walls trembled and, from the street, piercing screams rose, instantly shattering the normalcy of the morning.
"Kyaaa!" Marin screamed in shock, dropping the fork that clattered against the plate.
Damian did not hesitate.
"Let's go!"
In a single motion he swept her into his arms. The warmth of breakfast was left behind the very instant the space around them distorted and they vanished from the suite.
…
The world changed.
The air shifted temperature, the icy wind struck their hair with violence, and when they opened their eyes they were no longer in the suite.
Now they were high above, standing on the rooftop of the tenshukaku of Ōsaka Castle.
Marin kept her eyes tightly shut, clinging to Damian's chest, not daring to look down.
"Da… Damian?"
Damian held her firmly in his arms, pressed against his chest as if nothing could tear her away from him.
As he lowered his gaze, the district surrounding Ōsaka Castle had become a scene of disaster.
Dense columns of black smoke rose into the sky, mixing with the sunlight until it vanished.
Explosions erupted one after another across different points of the city, shaking rooftops and making the air tremble.
Amid the chaos, the desperate screams of people blended with the shockwaves that ripped through the streets.
The Culling Game had already begun… and it did so by staining the earth with blood and despair.
"How can this be…?" Marin murmured, her voice breaking with fear. Her hands clutched Damian's arm so tightly her knuckles had turned white.
"This isn't safe." Damian frowned, never taking his eyes off the disaster unfolding before them. "I'll take you somewhere safe."
Before he had even finished the sentence, he raised his right hand and, in the blink of an eye, Yamato appeared in his palm.
Clang
The sharp sound of unsheathing cut through the air, and Damian, without hesitation, raised the katana and swung it in a horizontal slash into the emptiness before him.
Zrrraaa
The space gave way as if it were paper. A rift split open in the air, its edges crackling with bluish electric arcs that illuminated their faces.
Beyond that opening, an entirely different landscape was revealed: a peaceful city where there was no smoke, no screams, only the distant sound of everyday life.
"Is that… the Sapporo Tower?" Marin immediately recognized the silhouette of the iconic building rising on the other side.
"Hokkaido is safe," Damian explained. With a motion he guided her toward the rift.
Bzzzzt
The moment they crossed, the space snapped shut behind them with an electric crack.