Tombs of the Star Corridor

Four long tongues shot out of Kaneki's shadow.

They wrapped around Uro's arms and legs, one for each limb.

He stopped releasing [Soul Dismantle] and switched to the [Projection] technique.

Kaneki divided one second into twenty-four frames, relentlessly punching Uro in front of him.

Until the final frame.

He landed his first [Black Flash]!

Right in Uro's chest.

This was the method he had learned from Yuki Tsukumo's notes to awaken Tsumiki Fushiguro's soul!

Then...

He successfully met Tsumiki Fushiguro.

It was a dim sea of consciousness, its darkness brightened somewhat by his series of attacks.

Tsumiki sat on the ground, hugging her knees.

Her face was full of terror.

When she saw Ken Kaneki standing in a beam of light, the terror on her face gradually turned to confusion.

After all this time.

This was the first time she had seen anyone else here.

Kaneki got straight to the point. "I'm Fushiguro's friend. Stay lucid."

"Fushiguro is still waiting for you at home."

With that said.

He was forced out of Tsumiki's sea of consciousness.

Before he left, he saw Tsumiki regain her spirits and her will to live.

Back in reality.

He saw Tsumiki spit out something shriveled.

It looked like a heart.

There was an eye and a mouth on it, too.

"No!"

Uro roared in defiance, "Sukuna should be the only one who can take my life!!!"

Kaneki ignored the slowly dying Uro and unleashed [Dismantle] from [Malevolent Shrine] on Shaoyuan and the others nearby!

Several slashes shot through the air.

Those who reacted too slowly were struck.

Among them was Yuriko, who was forced to use [True Body Restart] to heal her physical injuries.

Then...

He brought the gravely injured Tsumiki over to Angel.

After that.

He had Round Deer heal Tsumiki, then said to Hana Kurusu, whose severed arm had regrown, "This is Fushiguro's sister..."

"I'll leave her in your care."

"Megumi."

Hana Kurusu murmured softly.

Then she looked at Tsumiki Fushiguro with determination in her eyes, along with a trace of shyness.

Did this count as meeting his family ahead of time?

"Thank you."

Tsumiki thanked him as her condition gradually improved.

"You're welcome."

Kaneki recalled Mahoraga, and the Dharma Wheel reappeared above his head.

After saying goodbye to everyone, he used Angel's cursed technique to leave the Sendai Colony. Once he received word that Tsumiki was more or less recovered, he recalled Round Deer.

The timeline returned to before Kenjaku's arrival.

Tombs of the Star Corridor.

"Hey!"

Kenjaku invaded the Emptiness Barrier. Seeing only three people, he smiled. "Just the three of you...?"

Behind him.

Uraume followed, wearing an icy expression.

Yuki Tsukumo and the other two ignored him.

As Choso fired two bursts of [Piercing Blood], Yuki Tsukumo summoned [Garuda] and charged straight at him.

"Not even going to chat for a bit...?"

Still smiling as he spoke, Kenjaku released a mass of low-grade cursed spirits strengthened with cursed energy, sending them toward Yuki Tsukumo.

Then.

Uraume entered the Emptiness Barrier.

The [Piercing Blood] Choso had fired was frozen by Uraume.

"You actually dare to use such a dull move?" Uraume sneered.

His [Ice Formation] naturally countered [Blood Manipulation].

The only thing he needed to watch out for was Choso's poisonous blood.

That detail.

Kenjaku had told him about it.

As long as he avoided being wounded by Choso, Choso could do nothing to him.

Clap!

A crisp clap rang out.

Uraume and Aoi Todo switched places.

Already prepared, Choso fired a [Bloodstone] at Uraume at high speed.

Caught off guard.

Uraume blocked with his hand, which the [Bloodstone] pierced.

"Damn it!"

Uraume's expression darkened.

He tilted his head to dodge the [Bloodstone], but just as he tried to retreat and put some distance between them, he heard another clap.

Clap!

Uraume stiffened.

But it was not him who switched places. It was Kenjaku, who could be targeted!

With [Flowing Red Scale] active, Choso punched toward his face.

Bam!

Uraume failed to dodge in time and was sent flying.

From the moment Uraume had been switched.

Kenjaku had already been on guard.

The instant he heard the clap, he used [Cursed Technique Reversal-Gravity]!

Gravity spread out from him over a three-meter radius.

Crushing everything indiscriminately!

In an instant!

Yuki Tsukumo's ongoing attack slowed at a rate visible to the naked eye.

"Hmm?"

Kenjaku noticed something he had overlooked.

Yuki Tsukumo looked more at ease now than when they had last met.

Her cursed energy output had increased significantly.

Faced with the "long whip" Yuki Tsukumo swung at him.

Kenjaku neither ducked nor retreated. Instead, he stepped diagonally inward, closing in on her whip-wielding side.

That way.

He would not only minimize the damage.

He could also counterattack.

Yuki Tsukumo saw through his intent as well. She kept swinging with her left hand while clenching her right into a fist and punching at Kenjaku.

Because she was being suppressed by gravity.

Kenjaku moved faster!

Clap!

A clap rang out.

Kenjaku kept smiling, not believing Yuki Tsukumo would be switched.

The next instant!

His pupils contracted.

Yuki Tsukumo really had switched places.

What appeared before him was the shikigami transformed into a cursed tool by her technique-[Garuda]!

"Don't forget."

Yuki Tsukumo's voice rang out behind him. "Todo is my student!"

With that said.

She punched Kenjaku square in the face, ignoring the arms he raised to block.

Crack!

Unable to withstand the crushing force, both arms broke.

The punch also sent Kenjaku flying backward over a hundred meters.

Clap!

A clap rang out.

Kenjaku's expression changed drastically.

Still flying backward, he could sense Yuki Tsukumo's cursed energy appearing behind him.

He looked back.

And saw Yuki Tsukumo waiting in a fighting stance directly in his path.

However.

Kenjaku did not fly toward Yuki Tsukumo.

Using Kaori's [Anti-Gravity System], he quickly steadied himself.

By then.

Yuki Tsukumo had already charged at him.

She punched straight at his face!

The next instant!

An immense gravitational force bore down on her, slowing her movements.

Clap!

Another clap rang out.

Kenjaku and Choso switched places, and the gravity applied to the surrounding area slammed Uraume to the ground.

"Bastard!"

Uraume cursed angrily.

It was unclear whether he was cursing Todo or Kenjaku.

Crack!

His right hand, which he had deliberately frozen solid, shattered completely under the crushing gravity.

Now.

That also took care of his lingering concern.

He no longer had to worry about Choso's blood poison.

Kenjaku stopped supplying power to Gravity, and his hands gradually returned to normal under the effects of Reverse Cursed Technique.

Kenjaku looked at everyone. "Since you're so eager to make me use my domain..."

"Then..."

As he spoke.

He turned his hands, pressing their backs together. "Domain Expansion-Womb Profusion!"

As his words fell.

Grotesque faces that seemed to be wailing sprouted behind him.

They formed a bizarre tree.

"Todo!"

The instant Yuki Tsukumo shouted, Todo clapped his hands.

Clap!

Choso was switched out.

Yuki Tsukumo activated [Simple Domain] to resist.

Uraume paid little mind to Kenjaku's domain expansion, silently healing his injuries as his severed arm regenerated.