Beneath the lead-gray sky, a dusky black barrier membrane spread from the center of Shinjuku like rising stagnant water.
Silent, yet bearing tremendous weight, it swept across Ginza, flowed over Minato Ward, and finally enclosed the entire Tokyo Metropolis.
Wherever the barrier passed, Jujutsu High's sorcerers stood in several rows along its edge, thin beads of sweat seeping from their temples.
This was the largest combat barrier ever deployed, created solely to mark out an undisturbed arena for a fight to the death, with no ordinary lives involved-only the survival of the strongest would be decided.
A jet-black crow gave a harsh caw and swept diagonally across the barrier's dome, its scarlet eyes taking in everything below.
Mei Mei stood before the screens in Jujutsu High's operations room, her fingertips tapping the tabletop, her breathing very light.
The images on the screens shifted slowly with the crow's view, transmitting every detail of the battlefield back to the rear.
Qingxiao suddenly stopped and turned to look at Kinji Hakari behind him.
"Hakari, use Idle Death Gamble on me."
Kinji Hakari froze on the spot. Cold sweat streamed down the back of his neck, and even his voice shook:
"T-Teacher? You really want me to use that?"
"Quit wasting words."
Qingxiao raised an eyebrow, a mischievous, punchable grin tugging at his lips. "Keep rolling until you hit the jackpot.
You don't want us falling a step behind right at the start of the final battle, do you?"
Kinji Hakari gritted his teeth and abruptly raised his hands. "...Domain Expansion! Idle Death Gamble!"
The domain spread with a hum, enclosing Qingxiao squarely in its center.
Everyone around them was stunned. Hajime Kashimo's brows knotted. "What the hell? Using a domain on your own side?"
Except for Satoru Gojo, who could no longer keep