After the Shibuya Incident

"Ding-dong, ding-dong!"

After Yuji punched a cursed spirit flying, the little Kogane bug beside him popped out again like it was haunting him.

"A player has added a new Culling Game rule. Rule Ten: Players may view information on other players, including their names, scores, number of added rules, and the locations of the barriers where they are staying!"

Bang!

Yuji threw a punch at Kogane, but it evaded him by dispersing itself.

"What's with this cursed spirit!? It just won't go away!"

Yuji and Choso had been stuck in Shibuya for quite some time. Constantly exorcising cursed spirits had left Yuji exhausted, while Choso seemed deep in thought.

"Yuji."

"Yeah?"

"Do you remember that thing Noritoshi Kamo mentioned—the one called the Culling Game?"

Kogane had appeared twice already, and both times Choso had heard it mention the Culling Game Noritoshi Kamo had spoken of.

"Was that cursed spirit just now connected to it?"

"I think it might be."

As Choso spoke, he casually punched a cursed spirit that had not quite died and was trying to approach him, blasting it into ash.

"Yuji, can you call that cursed spirit out?"

"I'll try..."

Choso watched Yuji Itadori before Yuji waved his hand.

"Hey? Phone bug? Little white worm? Toad Sage? If you're there, answer me?"

He called out several names in a row, but Kogane never appeared. Yuji dejectedly lowered his head.

"...Can't call it out?"

"Maybe it's like a Soul Reaper's Zanpakuto—you can't summon it unless you know its name."

"What's that?"

"A hugely popular serialized manga from Jump back in the day."

Yuji seemed barely able to let out a breath beneath the crushing pressure, but Sukuna's oppressive weight still pressed on his chest, leaving him unable to breathe.

Even if he could joke around, once the joke was over, Yuji was still the same... wrapped in guilt and self-blame.

"It can't be that the all-white thing is called Kogane, can it?"

Bang!

Yuji and Choso stared at the suddenly appeared, silent Kogane.

"The detected player has not yet made their declaration. Please proceed to the nearest barrier to make your declaration and participate in the Culling Game. Failure to comply with Rule One will result in the removal of your cursed technique under Rule Two."

"The all-white thing?"

Caw—caw—caw—

A crow flew by at just the right moment, its cries perfectly conveying the speechless atmosphere.

At this moment, Yuji still clung to a trace of hope.

"It can't be that one?"

Choso silently turned his face away, fixed his eyes on the distance, brought his hands together, and fired a Piercing Blood that blew apart the crow cursed spirit that had just flown past.

Yuji froze for a moment before speaking again.

"Kogane?"

"The detected player has not yet made their declaration. This is a second reminder: please proceed to the nearest barrier to make your declaration and participate in the Culling Game. Failure to comply with Rule One will result in the removal of your cursed technique under Rule Two."

"Your name really is Kogane!!!!"

Yuji shouted in exasperation. Choso walked over and looked at Kogane before them.

"That's enough, Yuji... Our goal now is to understand what Noritoshi Kamo is trying to do. Kogane, can you explain the rules of the Culling Game to us?"

"Yes."

Kogane flapped its wings and explained the rules in its somewhat childish voice.

"Rule One: Players must make their declaration at any barrier within nineteen days of awakening."

"Rule Two: If a player violates Rule One, all of their cursed techniques will be removed."

"Rule Three: If a non-player human enters a barrier, they will be considered a player who has declared participation and will be subject to Rules One and Two."

"Rule Four: Players gain points by taking the lives of other players."

Yuji's expression gradually darkened as Kogane spoke. Choso turned his head toward his younger brother, whose mood had sunk to rock bottom, and silently patted his shoulder.

"Rule Five: Points refer to the value assigned to each player by the administrator. In principle, sorcerers are worth five points, while non-sorcerers are worth one point."

"Even ordinary people are worth points?!"

Yuji raised his head, flames seeming to surge and dance in his eyes.

"Yes. In principle, non-sorcerers are only worth one point. If you want more points, you still have to kill other players."

"That's not what I'm talking about!!"

"Enough, Yuji."

Choso patted Yuji on the back.

"This cursed spirit can't decide the game... The one behind the game is Noritoshi Kamo. Kogane, continue the explanation."

"Rule Six: A player may spend 100 points, excluding the points assigned to them at the start, to negotiate with the administrator and add a new rule."

"Rule Seven: Any rule added by a player must be accepted, provided it does not affect the Culling Game's continued existence."

"Rule Eight: If a player's points do not change within 19 days of entering the game or earning points, their cursed technique will be confiscated."

"Rule Nine: Players may move from the boundary of one barrier to the boundary of any other barrier."

"Rule Ten: Players may view information on other players."

"That guy... He turned human lives into a game..."

The person Yuji meant was, of course, Noritoshi Kamo—he clenched his teeth as rage surged from his heart to his head.

If I'd taken care of Mahito sooner... If I hadn't been beaten so easily by him... If I hadn't lost consciousness then... If...

"Hey, Yuji."

Just as Yuji was about to sink into self-condemnation, Choso gave his back another firm slap.

"I'm... fine."

Yuji leaned silently against the wall, staring blankly into the distance. After taking several deep breaths, he seemed even more convinced that he was merely a "cog." Then he straightened up once more.

Meanwhile, Choso looked at the only two people in the player information list who had added rules.

Xuan, score: 20 points. Added rules: once. Located in Tokyo Colony No. 2.

Hajime Kashimo, score: 5 points. Added rules: once. Located in Tokyo Colony No. 2.

Though he did not know which of them had added the first rule, there was no doubt that these two were the people about to begin a duel.

"Choso, let's go. We can't stop."

Their silence was broken by the cursed spirits' roars and Yuji's voice as he raised his head—then Yuji and Choso began clearing out the cursed spirits remaining in Shibuya once more.

They had just received a great deal of information, but they still had to deal with what was right in front of them first.

At Yuji's call, Choso quickly followed after him.

"I'm coming!"

Tokyo Colony No. 2

With lightning erupting around them, Xuan stood before Hajime Kashimo. Their gazes collided, and Kashimo's voice rang out first.

"Hey! Judging by your cursed energy... you're 'Xuan,' aren't you?"

Across from Kashimo, Xuan pulled out the Merchant God's Scepter, which had already transformed into a massive scythe, and lifted his head.

"Hey, you look kind of gender-ambiguous. Are you a man or a woman?"