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At the tunnel entrance, the cold Cursed Energy pressed down like a physical weight.
Yuta Okkotsu's gaze was firmly locked on Itadori. There was no fluctuation in his lifeless eyes. He leaned forward slightly, his finger resting on the slung cloth bag.
Naoya Zenin immediately raised his hands, forcing a false smile onto his face: "Okkotsu-kun! I'm Naoya Zenin. The higher-ups sent me to assist you."
Yuta paused, his gaze sweeping over Naoya, giving a barely perceptible nod.
After confirming the identity, he hesitated no further. His right hand shot into the cloth bag like lightning!
Clang—!
The blade light was cold and sharp! A long katana was instantly drawn!
Without any superfluous words, Yuta's figure left an afterimage in place, the tip of his blade stabbing directly toward Itadori!
"It's Yuta Okkotsu!" Itadori's pupils contracted violently! He knew the strength of this Special Grade senior too well! Without thinking, he pushed off the ground. His body shot backward like a cannonball, narrowly avoiding the lethal blade!
"Run!" Itadori saw Choso give him a meaningful look. He turned without hesitation, bursting into maximum speed, and sprinted toward the dark, deep tunnel!
Yuta Okkotsu chased after him immediately, without a word.
"You won't get past!" Choso roared, his hands clapping together, ready to release his Blood Manipulation Cursed Technique!
"Tsk! Don't think you can stop me." Naoya's face held a malicious grin. His body instantly shifted sideways with a bizarre speed, appearing like a phantom in front of Choso, his kick disrupting Choso's technique.
"Annoying little fish!" Naoya Zenin shook his hand, looking dismissively at Choso blocking his path. "A flaw from the Kamo clan? Fine, I'll play with you."
Before he finished speaking, Naoya's figure blurred again, leaving an afterimage. A palm strike, wrapped in fierce Cursed Energy, slammed viciously toward Choso's face! The wind pressure from the high-speed movement rushed at him!
Itadori pushed his speed to the limit. All he could hear was his own heavy breathing and frantic heartbeat.
Behind him, that bone-chilling killing intent clung to him like a parasite, relentlessly pursuing him! Yuta Okkotsu's speed was faster than his! The distance between them was rapidly closing!
The subtle hiss of the blade slicing the air seemed to be right at the back of his head!
"Itadori Yuji." Yuta's emotionless voice sounded in the gloomy tunnel, like the whisper of the Grim Reaper. "Stop."
Itadori's response to Yuta was an abrupt turn and a heavy punch! The punch whistled through the air, slamming viciously into the side of the blade!
Bang! The fist collided with the blade, making a dull, loud thud! The immense force made Yuta's wrist tremble slightly!
Itadori used the impact to spring backward again, trying to create distance. But Yuta's eyes turned cold, and his figure instantly closed the gap again as if teleporting!
The blade light erupted once more! Fast as lightning! Ruthless and absolute! Aiming straight for Itadori's neck!
Itadori's pupils contracted violently. His body instinctively leaned back to the absolute limit!
Screech—!
The blade grazed his cheek, drawing a thin line of blood!
Itadori didn't even have time to counterattack. Yuta flipped his wrist, and the blade light, like a parasite, slashed horizontally again! Fast! Ruthless! Accurate! Leaving no chance to breathe!
Itadori tumbled and shifted awkwardly. The solid concrete wall was carved with deep cracks by the blade's energy! Rubble flew!
"Damn it!" Itadori gritted his teeth, feeling the burning pain on his neck. Faced with the Special Grade's full-power pursuit, he could only desperately run for his life. Every evasion was terrifyingly close!
The tunnel seemed to have become a giant trap cage, with the hunter closing in step by step!
While Yuta Okkotsu and Itadori were locked in combat, what was our protagonist doing?
Dating in Osaka!
Chen Tian and Kitagawa Marin strolled down the street. Shops lined the street, their colorful signs twinkling in the sunlight.
Kitagawa Marin held Chen Tian with one hand and an ice cream cone with the other, taking occasional bites, a little cream smudging her mouth, looking playful and cute.
Her eyes were bright and curious as she looked around at everything. Passing a doll shop, she excitedly pulled Chen Tian and rushed inside.
The shop was filled with all sorts of dolls: soft, cute bunnies, clumsy little bears, and bizarrely shaped anime merchandise.
Kitagawa Marin weaved through the store, picking up one item to look at, then touching another, occasionally letting out exclamations.
"Ten-kun, look at this cat doll. Isn't it super cute?" She held up a white cat doll, her eyes curved into crescents of laughter.
Chen Tian smiled and nodded. "If you like it, buy it." Kitagawa Marin happily hugged the doll, then continued to browse.
Leaving the doll shop, the two continued their stroll.
A street performer was juggling, attracting a crowd.
Kitagawa Marin pulled Chen Tian over to join the onlookers, watching the artist effortlessly toss and catch several balls in the air. She couldn't help but clap and cheer.
After the performance, Kitagawa Marin even dropped some change into the artist's hat, expressing her appreciation for the show.
As they walked, a light rain suddenly began to fall.
Chen Tian quickly pulled Kitagawa Marin into a coffee shop on the side of the street.
The store was filled with the rich aroma of coffee. Soothing music flowed through the air.
They found a seat by the window and ordered two lattes.
Kitagawa Marin cupped the steaming coffee mug in both hands, watching the street in the light rain through the window, her face glowing with happiness.
"Ten-kun, today is so much fun," she said softly. Chen Tian reached out and gently pinched her cheek. "As long as you're happy."
"But, you're becoming more and more famous, and you also have that 'superhero' identity. I feel like you're going to get busier and busier," Kitagawa Marin's small face looked conflicted.
Chen Tian smiled, his smile warm.
"It doesn't matter. I've already earned enough money now, and I've made all the investments I need. Even if I do nothing from now on, I have enough to support both of us. As for the so-called 'superhero' part..."
Chen Tian rubbed his chin. "I'm not that interested. I just want to live my own life well."
Kitagawa Marin's small face was wrinkled. She hugged the white cat doll. "But... Ten-kun, you're clearly so amazing! Earlier in Shibuya, you could slice space open with a couple of swishes..."
She secretly glanced at Chen Tian, her eyes holding a faint, small hope.
Her kind nature made her feel that people with power should help others.
Chen Tian took a sip of coffee and reached out to rub the top of her golden hair. "Don't worry yourself over nothing. Even if I don't step in, there are other 'heroes' carrying the burden in this world."
"Ah! You're right!" Kitagawa Marin's eyes instantly lit up, like a small lightbulb being switched on. She recalled the city she once lived in, where heroes appeared.
She nodded vigorously, the conflict on her face instantly swept away, and her energetic smile returned. "Mmm-hmm! Ten-kun is right!"
Chen Tian smiled. Just as he was about to pinch her cheek again, his gaze casually flickered toward the window.
The rain outside seemed to be falling more densely.
Tokyo time, November 9th, morning.
The sky was exceptionally clear, not a cloud in sight. The sun was glaring.
Ordinary people, as usual, squeezed into trains, rushed to clock in, and took their children to school. The streets were busy and noisy, filled with everyday life.
No one looked up at the sky.
No one noticed that high up in the azure sky, ten gigantic, translucent black circular barriers, like inverted giant bowls, had silently and instantly formed!
They were spaced far apart but connected by an invisible force, covering the entire Japanese archipelago—except for Hokkaido.
An indescribable sense of oppression suddenly descended!
Osaka, hotel suite.
Chen Tian's motion of setting down his coffee cup paused. The glaring sunlight outside the window reflected a trace of cold solemnity in his eyes.
"Has the Culling Game begun?" His whisper had just ended.
A deafening explosion tore through the city's noise, immediately followed by shrill screams from the street below!
"Ah!" Kitagawa Marin screamed in fright, her small face instantly turning pale. The dessert fork in her hand clattered onto the plate.
"Let's go!" Chen Tian didn't hesitate, scooping Kitagawa Marin up into a princess carry.
The next second, their figures vanished directly from the suite!
Their vision instantly switched!
A biting wind tousled their hair. They had abruptly appeared on the rooftop of Osaka Castle's tenshukaku (main tower)!
Kitagawa Marin tightly closed her eyes, afraid to look down.
"Ten... Ten-kun?" Her voice trembled.
Chen Tian held her securely and stabilized himself.
Looking down, thick black smoke rose from multiple areas in the Osaka city center. Explosions flared one after another! Confused screaming and the oscillation of clashing Cursed Energy faintly drifted up.
The bloody opening ceremony of the Culling Game had begun on this land.
"How could this be..." Kitagawa Marin gripped Chen Tian's arm, her knuckles white.
"It's not safe here," Chen Tian frowned. "I'm taking you somewhere safe."
Before he finished speaking, his right hand loosely grasped the air, and the Yamato instantly appeared in his palm!
The blade drew forth a clear, ringing chime as it was unsheathed!
Chen Tian didn't hesitate, slashing horizontally at the air in front of him!
Space was easily sliced open like a canvas. A spatial rift, its edges flickering with blue electric arcs, appeared out of nowhere. On the other side of the rift was a completely different street scene—quiet and peaceful.
"Is that... Tsuttenkaku Tower?" Kitagawa Marin recognized the iconic landmark on the other side of the rift.
"Hokkaido is the only safe haven," Chen Tian explained, then pulled her hand and stepped into the rift without hesitation!
The spatial rift instantly closed.
The chaos and smoke of Osaka City were completely isolated outside.
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