Chapter 116 — The Plan to Gang Up on Sukuna
Kashimo Hajime and Yorozu's duel raged on.
On one side thunder-fisted strikes that could shear flesh; on the other, blows amplified a thousandfold. Both were close-quarters titans—their clashes would have shattered a normal First-Grade sorcerer without even trying.
Thunder rolled, power surged.
Just as those two forces were about to collide, Zen'in Shinsuke stepped between them and caught both of their fists in his hands.
Boom—!
The two titanic energies detonated around him, the shockwave pulverizing the ground beneath their feet. Dust and shredded metal rained outward in a wide, violent circle.
Shinsuke felt the clash of lightning and raw force and, to anyone watching, wore a small, almost amused smile. "That's enough fighting for now."
"Who are you?!" Kashimo darted back on instinct, brow furrowed and every sense on alert.
He hadn't detected the man's arrival at all; someone who could neutralize both of their attacks with raw, physical contact was no ordinary opponent. Scanning him more closely, Kashimo realized why—Shinsuke gave off no cursed-energy signature whatsoever. That explained why his approach had been invisible.
"Tch, found so fast? I was just getting started," Yorozu muttered, retracting her armor. Her true visage returned, and she shot Shinsuke a sharp glare.
Shinsuke spread his hands like a showman. "Don't be disappointed. I've got something fun in mind. You both want to find Sukuna, right? Well—how about I take you to him? All of you together. Let's gang up on him."
"You know where Sukuna is?" Kashimo's skepticism was obvious.
He didn't know what to make of this sudden interloper, though it seemed the man and the woman were at least temporarily allied. If this stranger could actually lead him to Sukuna, there was no need to continue the fight.
"My target has always been the strongest in history—Ryomen Sukuna," Kashimo added. "If you can take me to him, I'll stop fighting."
Shinsuke's grin sharpened. "Of course I know where he is. I'm… acquainted." He glanced at Yorozu, then back to Kashimo. "You two want to challenge Sukuna—great. But instead of each of you running in solo, why don't we gather everyone who wants a piece of him and go at him together? Beat him up until he questions his life choices. Make him feel what the world's like."
Yorozu's face twisted with disdain. "I want to beat him properly—one on one. Not by mobbing him."
Her voice was cold and proud; she wanted an honorable victory, not a circus. But Shinsuke only shrugged, the smile never leaving his face.
"Whether you like it or not, a little chaos might be the fastest way to get results," he said. "Imagine Sukuna surrounded by top-tier opponents—how fun would that be? If he's so confident, let's see if he'll accept a challenge from a crowd."
Kashimo's eyes glittered at the thought, and even Yorozu, despite her contempt, couldn't hide the tiny crease of curiosity. Around them, the ruined container yard seemed to hold its breath—two ancient fighters and a man with a plan standing in the eye of an approaching storm.
Shinsuke's mind was already racing: gather challengers, coordinate strikes, force an encounter. Whether Sukuna would fight back, or how the King of Curses would react, was an open question—but the image of him hemmed in by a dozen opponents made Shinsuke's grin grow wider.
"Fine," Kashimo finally said, the lightning in his veins steadying into a grin. "Call them. If Sukuna shows up, I'll make sure he remembers this."
Yorozu's lips curled in something that might have been a smile—reluctant, dangerous. "Then let's see if your little party is worth the trouble."
Kashimo Hajime's face remained calm. He had no interest in teaming up with anyone.
As a pure martial artist, he lived only for one purpose — to prove his path through combat. To challenge the strongest. That was his creed.
"What about you? You think you can beat Sukuna fair and square?"
Zen'in Shinsuke gave Kashimo a thoughtful look, then grinned. "Fine. When the time comes, you can have the first move."
"Hey, hey, hey — what about my opinion?!" Yorozu snapped, irritation written all over her face. "Sukuna can only lose to me!"
Shinsuke gave her a look that said he had long since lost patience. "Sure. You can land the finishing blow. Happy now?"
"That's not what I—!"
Yorozu's words caught in her throat as she clenched her fists in frustration. Shinsuke's smug, unserious expression made her want to punch him through a wall.
"Tsumiki," Shinsuke said lazily, waving a hand, "switch this lovesick fool off."
A faint ripple of cursed energy stirred — and in the next instant, Yorozu's consciousness was forcibly suppressed. Tsumiki's calm, bright presence took control again.
"Uncle," Tsumiki said, excitement lighting her face, "Yorozu's amazing! I learned so much watching her fight."
That was the advantage of sharing a body with an ancient sorcerer. She could absorb battle instincts and technique through shared experience — a shortcut to mastery.
"She's… decent," Shinsuke said bluntly. "But her technique's interesting. I'll set you up with something similar later."
"Really? I can have a technique like hers?" Tsumiki asked eagerly.
"Of course," Shinsuke replied smoothly. "All it takes is letting her stay inside your body a little longer."
After all, if Yorozu was going to squat in someone else's body, she might as well pay "rent." And when she eventually switched vessels, she'd naturally leave a trace of her technique imprinted in Tsumiki's system.
"…"
Deep within, Yorozu finally realized — the "binding vow" she had signed with Shinsuke was an absolute joke.
Not only could she not restrict him, but somehow she was the one being milked dry! A free labor contract in all but name.
"Anyway," Kashimo interrupted awkwardly, "can we get back to the part where you take me to Sukuna?"
"Sure," Shinsuke said cheerfully, "but first, you'll need to use your points to add a new rule: players can freely enter and leave any barrier."
That had been part of his original plan from the beginning — one of the four rules they'd discussed adding once inside.
Because if players could move freely between barriers… then all the remaining powerhouses — monsters like Kashimo — could converge in a single area.
And that, Shinsuke thought, was where the fun would begin.
"I see," Kashimo nodded, calling out to his golden beetle. "Then let's make it happen."
Moments later, every player in the Culling Game received the broadcast:
Rule Added — All players may freely enter and exit any barrier.
With that, two major new rules had been added. Together, they were enough to effectively dismantle the Culling Game — assuming, of course, the players chose to stop fighting.
---
Meanwhile, outside the barriers—
Maki Zen'in slung a massive bag full of cursed tools over her shoulder, scowling. "Why the hell am I stuck being the communications runner? I want to fight too."
"Because you don't have cursed energy, remember?" her twin sister Mai teased with a smug grin. "Only people without cursed energy can move in and out of the barriers freely."
Maki pouted. "Yeah? Then how come Sensei can come and go as he pleases?"
Inside the barriers, communication signals were completely cut off. No one inside could contact the outside world, and vice versa.
That was why Maki's role was so crucial — with her immunity to cursed energy interference, she could enter and exit barriers at will. Combined with Yū Yū's communication-based technique, they could establish a working relay network between the inside and outside.
Mai smirked. "You joking? You think our brother should be the messenger? His time's worth way more than yours."
Maki glared daggers at her. "Oh, please. Like you are doing anything useful right now."
Before Mai could retort, a familiar voice called out.
"What are you two arguing about this time?"
They both turned to see Nishimiya Momo descending gracefully on her broom.
"Momo?!" Mai blinked in surprise. "How did you get out? The barrier shouldn't let you through!"
"Oh, right," Nishimiya said, landing softly. "I was about to tell you. A player named Kashimo Hajime just added a new rule — everyone can freely enter or leave the barriers now."
"Wait—seriously?!" Maki's eyes widened. "Then that means… I don't have to play messenger anymore?!"
Her frustration evaporated in an instant, replaced by an almost childlike grin. "Finally! I can fight again!"
Without another word, she charged straight into the nearest barrier.
"Hey! Wait for me!" Mai shouted, scrambling to follow.
Watching them disappear, Nishimiya just sighed and shook her head.
"Well, that didn't take long," she murmured, hopping back onto her broom. "Time to spread the word."
She took off toward the horizon, wind trailing in her wake — carrying news of the new rule to every corner of the Culling Game.