Join the Game? No, I'm Here to Tear It Down.

She secretly glanced at Chen Tian, a hint of anticipation in her eyes.

Her kind nature made her feel that anyone with power ought to help others.

Chen Tian took a sip of coffee and reached out to rub the top of her golden head. "Don't worry about it. Even if I don't step in, there are other 'heroes' in this world who can shoulder the burden."

"Oh! Right!" Kitagawa's eyes lit up at once, like a little lightbulb had just been switched on. She remembered the heroes who had appeared in the city where she used to live.

She nodded vigorously, the worry vanishing from her face as her bright smile returned. "Mm-hmm! Tian Jun is right!"

Chen Tian smiled. He was just about to pinch her cheek again when his gaze casually drifted out the window.

The rain outside seemed to be falling harder.

Tokyo time, November 9, morning.?

The sky was unusually clear, not a cloud in sight. The sunlight was blinding.

Ordinary people went about their routines as usual, crowding onto trains, rushing to clock in, and taking their children to school. The streets were busy and noisy, full of everyday bustle.

No one looked up at the sky.

No one noticed that above the blue canopy, ten enormous, translucent black circular barriers had silently appeared in an instant, like giant bowls turned upside down!

They were separated by vast distances, yet linked by an invisible force, covering the entire Neon Archipelago—except North Road.

An indescribable sense of oppression descended without warning!

Tokyo time, November 9, morning.

The sky was unusually clear, not a cloud in sight. The sunlight was blinding.

Ordinary people went about their routines as usual, crowding onto trains, rushing to clock in, and taking their children to school. The streets were busy and noisy, full of everyday bustle.

No one looked up at the sky.

No one noticed that above the blue canopy, ten enormous, translucent black circular barriers had silently appeared in an instant, like giant bowls turned upside down! They were separated by vast distances, yet linked by an invisible force, covering the entire Neon Archipelago—except North Road.

An indescribable sense of oppression descended without warning!

Osaka, hotel suite.?

Chen Tian paused as he set down his coffee cup. In his eyes, the dazzling sunlight outside reflected a hint of icy gravity.

"Has the Culling Game started?" he murmured.

A deafening explosion tore through the city's clamor, followed by a shrill scream from the street below!

"Ah!" Kitagawa cried out in fright, her little face turning deathly pale. The fork in her hand fell onto her plate with a sharp clink.

"Let's go!" Without a moment's hesitation, Chen Tian scooped Kitagawa into his arms and held her against his chest.

The next second, the two of them vanished from the suite!

Their surroundings changed in an instant!

A bitter wind ruffled their hair. They had appeared on the roof of Osaka Castle!

Kitagawa squeezed her eyes shut, afraid to look down.

"T-Tian Jun?" Her voice trembled.

Chen Tian held her close and steadied himself.

Looking down, they saw thick black smoke rising from multiple parts of Osaka, with explosions flaring one after another! The distant cries of panicked people and the surges of colliding Cursed Energy reached them faintly.

The Culling Game had begun its bloody opening on this land.

"How could this happen..." Kitagawa clutched Chen Tian's arm, her knuckles turning white.

"This place isn't safe." Chen Tian furrowed his brows. "I'll take you somewhere safe."

Before he had finished speaking, he opened his right hand, and the Enma Sword appeared in his palm!

The blade sang sharply as he drew it!

Chen Tian slashed horizontally through the empty air before him without hesitation!

Space parted as easily as a canvas. A rift edged with flickering blue arcs appeared out of nowhere. On the other side was an entirely different cityscape—quiet and peaceful.

"Is that... Sapporo Tower?" Kitagawa recognized the landmark beyond the rift.

"North Road is the only safe haven." Chen Tian explained, then took her hand and stepped through without hesitation!

The Space Rift instantly sealed shut.

Osaka's clamor and smoke were completely cut off.

Chapter 12: Join the Game? No, I'm Here to Tear It Down.

Tokyo time, November 15.?

North Road, Sapporo.

Sunlight streamed through the window. The streets were full of traffic and leisurely pedestrians. On the television, inconsequential entertainment news and idol commercials played, and everything seemed peaceful and prosperous.

The Culling Game? Barriers? Smoke rising over Tokyo? It all felt as though it had happened on another planet.

But the atmosphere in the scenic apartment Chen Tian had specially bought was heavy.

Kitagawa hugged a white cat plushie and curled up on the spacious sofa, her little face scrunched into a frown. The cheerful song playing on television only made her seem more troubled.

"Tian Jun..." Her voice was muffled. "Is everything really okay out there? What happened in Osaka..."

"It's fine." Chen Tian leaned beside her, his tone calm. "The battlefield is confined to areas outside North Road. There are 'heroes' in there now, too. Besides, this incident is mainly targeting those 'heroes.'"

She understood all that.

But the black smoke rising over Osaka that day, along with the faint explosions and screams, had stuck in her mind like a thorn.

She knew Chen Tian was powerful—powerful enough to slice through space with a casual swing.

But she also knew how brutal things were inside the barriers. Chen Tian had briefly explained the "rules of the game" to her.

Her kind instincts urged her to want someone as powerful as her boyfriend to help those suffering inside. But she was also terribly afraid that Chen Tian might get hurt if he went in—or even... not come back.

The conflict left her unable to find the energy to do anything these past few days.

Chen Tian had tried everything to cheer her up: taking her out for good food, going for drives, and even... using intimate moments to take her mind off things. None of it had helped much. A shadow of worry still hung over the smile in her eyes.

Chen Tian turned his head and looked at his girlfriend's troubled face, then sighed softly.

It had been a week, and this Little Sun still hadn't managed to shine.

This lazy fish of a man, who only wanted to lie around, felt that if he didn't do something soon, his happy life would be swallowed by his girlfriend's gloom.

He propped himself up lazily and reached out to rub Kitagawa's golden hair.

"Don't fret." His tone carried a hint of helplessness, and a touch of resignation. "I'll go take a look in Tokyo."

Kitagawa abruptly lifted her head, her eyes widening and lighting up for a moment before a deeper worry overtook them. "Really? But... it's dangerous in there..."

"I'm only going to 'take a look.'" Chen Tian emphasized, the corner of his mouth lifting in a lazy yet confident smile. "Don't worry. Whoever could hurt me probably hasn't been born yet. Wait for me at home."

Without waiting for Kitagawa to say anything else, he casually raised his right hand. The Enma Sword appeared once more. He drew it and lightly slashed the empty space in the living room.

A Space Rift edged with flickering blue arcs opened at once. On the other side, the faint din of chaos and an unfamiliar cityscape could be seen.

Chen Tian stood up, put one hand in his pocket, and strode into the rift without looking back.

The rift sealed shut in an instant, leaving only a stunned Kitagawa in the apartment, with the television's cheerful song still playing.

Chen Tian stepped through the Space Rift, intending to take a stroll around Tokyo first and put on a show for Kitagawa.

After all, his current source of amusement was seeing whether Sukuna's full power would make him go all out.

But his body refused to obey him. Instead, he headed straight for his old home in Suginami Ward.

It was the house he had lived in after coming to this world, and it held memories from his former life. Chen Tian himself wasn't particularly attached to them, but the house was still something to remember.

When he arrived, the sight before him sent his blood surging.

His former home had been reduced to a pile of rubble, with broken bricks and shattered tiles scattered everywhere. A pungent burnt smell hung in the air.

Chen Tian took several deep breaths, trying to calm down, but he couldn't suppress the anger burning inside him. "Calm down? Calm down my ass!"

He couldn't help swearing. "I still fucking underestimated Jogo! He really didn't take me seriously!"

Chen Tian knew he had warned Jogo not to provoke him.

But now, not only had the other party ignored him, he had also destroyed his house.

Chen Tian's gaze turned cold, and the anger in his heart flared to life. "In that case... this lazy fish is damn well going to get up!"

He gritted his teeth and spoke word by word. "You're so proud of your Culling Game, aren't you? Then I'll make you watch as I tear it apart!" His words came through clenched teeth, filled with a ruthlessness he had never shown before.

Chen Tian vanished from above the ruins. The lingering ripples of the Space Rift still trembled in the air.

?Tombs of the Star Corridor.?

Jogo pressed his hands together, his Domain expanding as he spoke in a low voice with a laugh. "Domain Expansion—Vast Myriad Realms?!"

A twisted black tree burst from the ground. Deformed infants' faces were embedded in its trunk, while countless swollen pregnant bellies formed its branches. Three statues at its base held it aloft like an offering.

Gravity shifted within the Domain, and the air grew thick as a mire.

"Ah, now then, let's have another good fight." Jogo grinned and raised a finger.

?Rumble—!?

The Gravity Technique and Cursed Spirit Manipulation erupted at the same time!

The ground collapsed, and countless Cursed Spirits surged out of the shadows.

Tsukumo Yuki crossed her arms to block the attack, but the force still sent her flying dozens of meters and crashing through a stone pillar. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, but she grinned.

"?Star Rage: Garuda?!"

She slapped the ground with one hand. Garuda beat its wings, its mass increasing a thousandfold in an instant as it crashed toward Jogo like a meteor!

Jogo narrowed his eyes. "Oh? Still able to move?" He raised a hand, and gravity warped space. Garuda's trajectory veered off course, piercing through the edge of the Domain.

Tsukumo Yuki seized the opportunity to rush in, her fist wrapped in collapsing mass as she swung it toward Jogo's face—

Jogo dodged with ease. He knew that as long as he avoided being hit by Tsukumo Yuki, he could remain undefeated.

His smile didn't falter. "Too bad. Within my Domain, the power of my Cursed Technique... is doubled."

Tsukumo Yuki's pupils contracted. The next second, an invisible force of gravity slammed her into the ground, nearly breaking her spine.

"Cough...!" She spat out a mouthful of blood, but kept her eyes fixed on Jogo behind her—

A crack spread silently across the top of the Domain.

The sharp snap of the crack splitting open rang out like thunder!

Tsukumo Yuki coughed up blood, but her eyes lit up.

Jogo's smug smile froze on his face as he jerked his head up.

In the shadows, Tengen's calm expression shifted slightly. Choso, lying in wait, tensed as well.

All four of them fixed their eyes on the crack!

?Vmmm—!?

Their vision was suddenly filled with blinding blue-white light!

It wasn't a single beam of light, but a web woven from tens of thousands of cold, sharp rays of death, made purely of slashes!

They silently intersected and cut through everything.

?Rumble, rumble—!?

The entire roof of the Tombs of the Star Corridor—the massive stone ceiling, which had endured for ages and was infused with the power of a mighty barrier—instantly crumbled into the finest gray-white powder!

A gale swept the dust skyward, revealing the clear sky.

The dust poured down like a waterfall, then parted in every direction against an invisible field of force. At the center of the swirling haze, a figure hovered in midair.

White hair whipped wildly, and black clothes fluttered in the wind.

Chen Tian had his left hand in his pants pocket and held the Enma Sword in his right hand. His eyelids were lowered slightly as he looked down at Jogo.

His handsome face showed no trace of anger. There was only an indifference that chilled the soul, like a god looking down on ants.