Chapter 11: Chapter 10: Nino Nakano Pulled into Magano
Subaru Mitejima's call about coming to Tokyo didn't faze Gojo Satoru much.
After all, they'd spent plenty of time together before.
The more pressing matter on his mind was something far more important—Shibuya's Kikufu.
Evening.
Gojo Satoru sat on a park bench, savoring the Kikufu he had just purchased.
From the empty paper bags beside him and the one in his hand, it was clear this was already his second serving.
"Ah, I'm full!"
Having eaten the last Kikufu, Gojo patted his stomach contentedly.
If someone were to ask him about his happiest moments, he'd earnestly answer: It's when I'm eating Kikufu.
"Time to head home."
After cleaning up the trash and bags, Gojo glanced at the pitch-black sky and murmured softly.
The time? 10:30 PM.
Three hours earlier, Umaru had called to ask where he was and when he'd be back. He told her to order delivery for dinner since he planned to explore Shibuya for more dessert shops.
Her response had been one of exaggerated disappointment, even issuing him a stern order: "You better be back by one o'clock!"
Jeez, are you my sister or my mom?
Stretching lazily to loosen up his body, Gojo prepared to use his Limitless Technique to teleport back to Chiba.
With a sudden shift, Gojo appeared on a deserted street.
"A nice hot bath at home sounds great. Skipping one day just doesn't feel right."
Walking along the empty road, he mumbled to himself.
"Should I ask Umaru-chan to join me? Nah, she'd just scold me again…"
Mid-sentence, Gojo's voice cut off, and his steps came to a halt as his right foot finished its stride.
Silence.
For several seconds, he stood there, unmoving.
"Tch. What a hassle," he muttered, clicking his tongue in annoyance.
Standing under the pale white light of a streetlamp, Gojo turned his head toward the darkness behind him, his gaze piercing through the shadows.
Two kilometers away, the ominous presence of a Kegare pulsed in the air.
What was worse, an ordinary person had been pulled into Magano.
In Magano.
Where am I? What are these monsters?
Running through a decayed, broken cityscape, Nino Nakano was overwhelmed with terror. Her fear felt almost tangible, pressing down on her.
Ten minutes earlier, she had realized she was out of lettuce for tomorrow's breakfast sandwiches. Deciding to make a quick trip to the nearby 24-hour convenience store, she told her sisters before heading out.
Ichika had offered to accompany her, worried about running into trouble late at night, but Nino assured her it was unnecessary. "It'll only take a few minutes," she had said.
But as soon as Nino left the apartment complex, she began hearing faint roars echoing around her.
The sound wasn't human, nor was it animalistic.
As it grew louder, it seemed to circle her, whispering in her ears and clawing at her composure.
Fear creeping in, Nino wrapped her coat tightly around herself and broke into a run toward the convenience store. She planned to grab the lettuce quickly and call Ichika to come and pick her up.
But before she could reach the store, a rift opened in the air before her.
Through the rift lay a crimson, otherworldly landscape.
Before she could react, she was pulled into Magano.
What… what is this place?
Nino's breath came in sharp gasps, her chest heaving as she ran through the nightmarish world.
Behind her came a guttural, ravenous sound—like a starving predator spotting prey.
Her body stiffened, and she swallowed hard, trying to suppress her mounting panic.
Slowly, she turned her head to look behind her.
There it stood: a towering, 3-meter-tall humanoid creature. Its jet-black body radiated an ominous glow, encircled by rings of unknown energy.
A monster.
Nino's blood ran cold, and her heart seemed to stop for a moment.
Run!
Her brain screamed at her to move, and she obeyed, bolting down the ruined streets.
I have to get out of here alive!
The Kegare let out a chilling laugh, watching its prey flee.
It didn't rush to catch her, savoring the thrill of the hunt. A sinister grin spread across its face, filled with malice.
The predator's game had begun.
If any Onmyoji had been present, they would have instantly recognized this Kegare as a Shinja(True Snake) Class—its overwhelming cursed energy and intelligent behavior left no doubt.
Where is this place? What's happening?
As she ran, Nino's peripheral vision caught glimpses of her surroundings.
The more she saw, the more despair consumed her.
This was no longer the world she knew.
Rotting buildings, decaying air, and the foul stench of corruption made it clear—this was another realm entirely.
Wiping her tear-streaked face, Nino forced herself to press on.
I have to survive this. I have to go back.
Back to the real world.
Back to her sisters.
Ichika, Miku, Yotsuba, Itsuki… wait for me!
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