At this moment, Souma Takiko's voice, filled with sincerity and even desperation, echoed across the entire battlefield, reaching the ears of everyone present.
No one knew what was happening, nor did they understand the situation at hand.
Even Kurahashi Kyouko was bewildered, yet she instinctively sensed that a choice capable of deciding the future was being made right in front of her.
"Akikan..."
Unconsciously, Kyouko turned to look at Rozen.
Under Kyouko's gaze, Rozen's expression remained unchanged from beginning to end.
It was as if he had already anticipated everything Takiko would say, as well as the direction of the conversation.
Thus…
"I have to say, I really admire you," Rozen looked at Takiko, speaking as if genuinely impressed. "Even at this point, you're still willing to go to such lengths to invite me, and through persuasion no less. If we're talking about persistence and kindness, then yes, you certainly have those qualities."
At the very least, Takiko clearly bore no hostility toward Rozen—this much was certain.
In fact, Takiko had a significant degree of fondness for Rozen. If circumstances had been different—if the setting or their respective positions had been changed—perhaps Rozen and Takiko might have even become friends or allies.
Unlike Kurahashi Genji or Yashamaru, who had wholly embraced the darkness of the jujutsu world, Takiko remained innocent and pure.
This was likely due to the Souma family deliberately raising her in such a way to maintain the spiritual purity and sanctity required of a shrine maiden.
Unfortunately, Takiko had already been indoctrinated by the Souma family, treating her mission as the ultimate priority.
As a result, her innocence and purity were ultimately warped.
Despite her current warmth and closeness toward Rozen, he was certain that if fulfilling her mission required his sacrifice, she might feel sorrow and regret, but she would never hesitate.
To this girl, any sacrifice was justified in the name of her mission. She could accept not only the loss of like-minded allies but even the deaths of her own kin.
That was Souma Takiko—a person who seemed easy to get along with, yet was, in truth, incredibly dangerous.
Rozen then spoke decisively.
"Sorry, but I have no interest in what you're saying."
His response was blunt and direct.
"Wai—"
Takiko tried to say something, but Rozen cut her off.
"Even if we really are alike, as you claim, that doesn't mean I have any reason to join you, does it?" Rozen spoke calmly and objectively. "The thing you're trying to accomplish—I've already done it. And I did it better than you ever could. So why should I join you?"
"T-That may be true..." Takiko quickly refuted, "But don't you want to see the jujutsu world progress? Don't you want to see what humanity can gain by stepping into the domain of the gods?"
If the miracle of divine descent could be realized, the jujutsu world would undoubtedly enter a new era, gaining access to unprecedented power and technology. The potential advancements were immeasurable.
This was precisely why Kurahashi Genji had aligned himself with the Souma family—to bring prosperity and progress to the jujutsu world.
"Divine descent is only the first step," Takiko pleaded. "There will still be countless challenges to overcome. At that time, with you and me, two successful cases of divine descent, the jujutsu world will undoubtedly be able to advance even further!"
Of course, by then, the Souma family's role would be largely irrelevant.
Their sole ambition was to achieve divine descent. What would happen afterward remained unknown.
Though it wasn't difficult to predict, the fact remained that once divine descent was complete, Takiko's fate was sealed.
After all, she had been chosen as the shrine maiden to receive the god's descent. Once that happened, her consciousness would most likely be replaced by the god's will.
Yet, Takiko accepted this as a given. Even if it meant sacrificing herself, she would not hesitate. If not, she would not be as warped as she was.
And what was even more twisted—despite the fact that she herself would be lost, Takiko still spoke passionately about the future of the jujutsu world, as if the world would continue turning just fine without her.
One could call this an enlightened perspective.
Or, more bluntly, sheer stupidity.
Rozen stared at Takiko before speaking again.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but I don't have such grand ambitions. Besides, I'm a jujutsu criminal now—what kind of jujutsu criminal cares about the future of the jujutsu world?" Rozen said indifferently. "I have no interest in commenting on your goals. After all, I've done the same thing before, so I don't have the right to criticize. But if you keep trying to impose your self-righteous ideals on me, don't blame me for what happens next."
With that, Rozen clapped his hands, signaling that the conversation was over.
"Wait! Akikan!"
Takiko cried out—
But before she could finish, she was sent flying by an overwhelming surge of jutsuryoku, as if caught in the winds of a raging typhoon, about to be blown off Hokuto's back.
And at that moment—
"Ah...!"
Takiko clutched her body and let out a choked cry.
"——!"
In that instant, an icy chill shot through the hearts of every onmyoji present.
"This is bad!"
Rozen reacted first, immediately grabbing the unprepared Kyouko and vanishing as if merging into space itself.
"Roar!"
At the same time, Hokuto let out a cry, its body dissolving into particles as if forcibly de-materialized.
Amidst it all, Takiko let out a wail.
"Ahhh...! Aaaahhhhhh...!"
A terrifying surge of spiritual energy erupted from her body.
"Boom!"
The atmosphere trembled.
The sheer intensity of the spiritual energy shook heaven and earth, causing the entire world's energy flow to spiral into chaos.
And then, this time—for real—the world was torn open.
A gaping hole appeared behind Takiko.
Within it, an expansive space stretched infinitely into the horizon, as if an entirely new dimension had descended.
In that space, a being beyond human comprehension overlapped with Takiko's figure, manifesting into reality.
"What... what is that...!?"
Amami Daizen, Ohtomo Jin, Kogure Zenjirou, and Kagami Reiji were all frozen in shock, unable to move.
"...!"
Demon lords such as Ootakemaru, Momiji, Suzuka Gozen, and Ibaraki Douji all paled in horror.
"As expected..."
Rozen reappeared on the ground, holding Kyouko in his arms. His expression darkened as he gazed upon the scene.
He understood exactly what was happening.
This was the most primordial, the most fundamental, the most terrifying, and the most dangerous form of jujutsu.
—Divine Descent.