Chapter 122 – Domain Clash: Even the Strong Fall to a Useless Teammate
"Domain Expansion — Stellar Core Hell!"
The moment the Simple Domain shattered, Tsukumo Yuki abandoned all restraint.
She unleashed her Domain directly, forcing it against Kenjaku's.
A titanic surge of cursed energy exploded outward.
Her Domain formed a massive enclosed world, at whose center a tiny black sphere slowly rotated—a miniature singularity.
Its gravitational pull devoured everything within reach.
Living or dead, curse or human, solid or spiritual—
anything not touched by Tsukumo Yuki herself was destined to be swallowed.
This was the ruthless Sure-Hit Effect of her Domain.
Against such overwhelming attraction, only another full-powered Domain could resist.
Even a Simple Domain would be torn apart in seconds.
"BOOM!"
Their Domains slammed into one another, space warping violently.
Whoever's Domain collapsed first would be the loser—no exceptions.
Both sides were Special Grade, both wielded overwhelming power.
But—
Because Tengen had already started to analyze Kenjaku's Domain structure, micro-cracks began to appear.
Tsukumo Yuki's Domain gradually gained the advantage, pressing harder and harder.
Once Kenjaku's Domain broke…
the singularity would swallow him whole.
Victory seemed inches away.
And Then—
"CRACK."
A crisp, unexpected sound echoed—
Both Domains collapsed simultaneously.
Only a gaping void remained where their clash had been.
Tengen's analysis had neutralized Kenjaku's Domain…
but because Tsukumo's Domain actually possessed an external barrier,
the feedback also caused hers to unravel.
In short—
Tengen broke both Domains.
"Pff—HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Kenjaku burst into uncontrollable laughter.
He had been bracing himself to survive Tsukumo's lethal sure-hit effect.
But thanks to Tengen, that danger vanished entirely.
His grin widened.
If that singularity had touched him, even he might have been left half-dead.
"Tch."
Tsukumo Yuki didn't even bother hiding her irritation.
She knew Tengen hadn't done it deliberately, but still—
In her heart, Tengen officially joined the 'useless teammate' list.
Shinsuke had warned her earlier:
"If you run into Kenjaku, just go all-out from the start.
Forget strategy—blast him."
And now she finally understood.
Why trust the plans of a shut-in who hasn't left the house in a thousand years?
Hidden within the void, Tengen wore an awkward expression.
There was nothing she could say—she could only watch as Kenjaku slipped death once again.
"Don't get excited too soon."
Tsukumo Yuki flicked her wrist.
The Garuda instantly shifted shape, becoming a bone-whip coiled in her hand.
Even with both sides' techniques temporarily disabled, she still had Garuda.
And with that alone, she had no doubt she could beat Kenjaku.
In the next instant, Tsukumo blurred forward.
The whip lashed out like a living creature, snapping straight toward Kenjaku.
Kenjaku's expression hardened.
He moved wildly and continuously, dodging every deadly strike.
Suguru Geto's body had not been weak—its martial arts ability allowed Kenjaku to fend her off for now.
But under the combined assault of Tsukumo and the ever-shifting Garuda, he quickly became overwhelmed.
Deep, fresh cuts opened all over his body.
Tsukumo wasn't celebrating.
She could see what Kenjaku was doing—stalling for time.
Once his technique recovered, everything would reset to square one.
"My technique will return any moment now.
Think you can kill me before then?"
Kenjaku taunted as he leapt back.
Tsukumo's expression relaxed.
"Did you forget?
Your opponent isn't just me."
Kenjaku's face stiffened—
and then he heard the sound he had completely forgotten about.
"Piercing Blood!"
Somehow, Choso had returned to his side, hands pressed together, firing a point-blank blood beam toward Kenjaku's forehead.
The crimson bullet grazed Kenjaku's skull—
His head jerked aside, and his entire cranium popped off, spinning wildly through the air.
Blood sprayed.
Kenjaku's exposed brain—teeth embedded grotesquely within—glistened in the air.
Even Tsukumo and Choso froze for a moment, horrified.
Kenjaku's true form was… unsettling, to say the least.
"Close.
But don't be too disappointed—your opponent is me."
Using the spinning momentum of his own detached skull, Kenjaku deflected the impact force, neutralizing what should have been a killing blow.
He mocked them while casually stitching his skull back together with cursed energy.
Only Kenjaku could pull off something that deranged.
But Tsukumo didn't give him time.
Her figure flashed—
"BAM!"
A savage elbow smashed into the freshly repaired skull, blood exploding everywhere as Kenjaku was sent tumbling into the ruins.
He staggered back up immediately, leaping away to widen the gap.
"Almost died," he muttered with a twisted smile.
If her strike had been enhanced with mass, he might've actually been crushed.
Fortunately, her technique hadn't recovered yet.
"Tch."
Tsukumo clicked her tongue.
This cockroach-like man was unbelievably persistent.
Suddenly, Kenjaku's body shivered.
His twisted expression eased into relief.
"My turn again."
The cooldown was over—his technique had returned.
He activated Reverse Cursed Technique, and all his wounds healed instantly.
"Tsukumo Yuki…
And you, failed experiment…
I won't give you another opening."
He no longer planned to drag this out.
He'd end it here.
Tsukumo scowled. "Troublesome."
She swung Garuda and rushed him once more, her technique also restored—
the battle truly reset.
Choso rejoined as well, charging in.
But the moment the two approached—
A crushing gravitational force dropped onto them.
Both Choso and Garuda were slammed into the ground.
The earth caved under the pressure.
Through their earlier attacks, Tsukumo had already deduced Kenjaku's gravity technique:
It only affected a 2–3 meter radius around him
It lasted exactly six seconds
After that, there was a brief cooldown
The moment gravity faded, Tsukumo dashed in again.
Garuda reformed from whip into bone, striking downward.
Kenjaku summoned a massive curse to block.
It lasted less than a heartbeat.
Garuda obliterated it into paste.
Tsukumo followed up with a mass-infused punch, blasting through the cloud of flesh—
"—!"
Her fist hit empty air.
Kenjaku had shifted position by a hair.
His hands snapped around her incoming fist—
And with no hesitation, he unleashed:
"Extreme Art – Vortex."
A tiny whirlpool bloomed before Tsukumo's eyes, radiating killing cold.
Her instincts screamed.
Kenjaku hadn't used the curse to defend.
He used it to hide the vortex's presence.
"KRSH—!"
Cold exploded outward—
Tsukumo froze instantly.
Kenjaku smiled.
He gathered cursed energy in one palm, aiming directly at her abdomen.
"That spot—your core of cursed energy—
A single strike, and you're finished."
Her technique didn't change her internal density.
A direct hit would cripple her permanently.
Kenjaku exhaled, relaxed.
"Time to end this farce."
Just as he prepared to strike—
A voice came from behind him, low and chilling:
"So confident?
You finally… let your guard down."
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