"Boring!"
Suddenly, Sukuna spoke, his voice dripping with disinterest.
His tone was utterly calm, his fascination with Yuta completely gone.
His eyes brimmed with disdain—this brat's strength had disappointed him greatly.
"A domain isn't used like this."
Sukuna's face was cold as he sneered and raised his hands.
"Let me teach you—what a real domain looks like!"
He clasped his hands together, middle and ring fingers standing like a shrine, while his thumbs, index fingers, and pinkies bent to form a base—the esoteric Yamantaka hand seal.
"——Domain Expansion: Malevolent Shrine!"
In an instant, cursed energy erupted like a volcano, surging outward in all directions. It pierced through Yuta's airtight domain like a whirlwind, condensing outside to form a vast, invisible net.
"What's happening?!"
Yuta had just expanded his domain and hadn't even launched an attack when Sukuna also unleashed his. Instantly on high alert, his gaze darted around frantically, trying to decipher Sukuna's domain.
But as he scanned his surroundings, he couldn't see any sign of Sukuna's domain clashing with his own. All he saw was a massive bone shrine towering behind Sukuna—nothing else, not even the slightest indication of a domain expansion.
What had happened?
Where was Sukuna's domain?
Yuta couldn't comprehend what was going on.
"Engrave this sight deep into your heart!" Sukuna sneered.
The next moment, without any visible movement from Sukuna, the dark world shattered like a crushed spiderweb. The shell of Yuta's domain was as fragile as an eggshell, breaking apart with the slightest pressure.
A storm of shock and confusion raged in Yuta's mind.
Only when he returned to the outside world and saw the slashes filling the air did he finally understand.
Sukuna's immense, formless domain hadn't clashed with his—it had enveloped his domain from the outside.
That domain had no boundaries. It stretched beyond imagination, merging seamlessly with the world itself.
This was Sukuna's true domain expansion!
Sukuna's boundless domain was terrifyingly vast, completely encasing Yuta's like a larger circle swallowing a smaller one. From the outside, it crushed the shell of Yuta's domain, effortlessly dismantling it.
"How can a domain like this exist?!"
Even with Yuta's knowledge, this scene seemed like something out of a myth.
Domains had to have shells—their essence was a barrier infused with cursed techniques, and barriers inherently had boundaries. A domain had to be enclosed; an open one was impossible!
Yet Sukuna's domain defied all logic. It had no boundaries. It merged with the world itself. It was completely open!
This was unheard of!
Even Satoru Gojo's domain had boundaries!
Could Sukuna's power surpass even Gojo-sensei's?!
"Die."
Sukuna launched his attack without hesitation.
Within the domain, countless slashes materialized out of thin air. Empowered by the guaranteed-hit effect, they instantly closed in on Yuta, swarming him like a storm of invisible blades.
"Yuta!" Rika screamed, lunging toward him.
Though shaken to his core, Yuta's reflexes didn't falter. Without hesitation, he severed his connection with Rika, sending her back into the ring on his finger, then channeled all his cursed energy into defense.
"Shhhhk—shhk—shhk—!!!"
The slashes came in an endless barrage, slicing toward him from every angle, leaving no room to evade.
The moment they struck, countless fine cuts erupted across his skin. His clothes, flesh, and hair were shredded in an instant.
He frantically activated Reverse Cursed Technique to heal, only to be sliced apart again—over and over.
As he struggled against the onslaught, Yuta turned and sprinted toward the domain's edge.
Infinite guaranteed-hit slashes—each one inflicted damage. Healing drained his cursed energy, and defending against the attacks drained it even faster. At this rate, he'd be depleted in no time!
Staying here meant certain death!
"If only I'd learned Simple Domain before this!"
Yuta was filled with regret. He had been too busy lately, focusing on other forms of training, and hadn't had time to practice the three secret techniques at all!
"After a Domain Expansion, there's a period of technique burnout. As long as I escape this domain, there's still a chance!"
A Domain was a finishing move, equivalent to an overloaded burst of cursed techniques. After the domain ended, the sorcerer's techniques would temporarily become unusable due to overheating. He was currently in a state where he couldn't use his techniques, and Sukuna would surely enter a technique burnout period afterward!
The Slashing Technique would definitely burn out. The Shadow Technique was less certain, but Sukuna's strength would undoubtedly drop significantly!
This way, other sorcerers would have a chance to stall him until either Maki Zenin or Professor Roy arrived—
Suddenly, Yuta froze.
Contrary to his expectations, the boundless domain rapidly dissipated, and the endless slashes surrounding him vanished.
Had he escaped Sukuna's domain?
No, something felt off.
If he had escaped the domain, the slashes should have disappeared instantly. But this felt more like they were gradually fading away!
It was more like... Sukuna had voluntarily deactivated the domain?
"Yuta, behind you!"
A loud warning came from Maki in the distance.
Yuta instinctively turned around to look behind him.
"Whoosh!"
In the blink of an eye, Sukuna appeared right in front of him.
Wearing Fushiguro Megumi's skin, he grinned viciously and threw a punch straight at Yuta's chest.
Technique burnout period!
Whatever the reason, the domain had ended, and Sukuna was now in the midst of technique burnout!
Yuta curled up, crossing his arms in front of him to block Sukuna's attack.
If it was just hand-to-hand combat, he could still hold his ground with full defense!
But—
"Dismantle!"
In an instant, a massive slash cut through the air.
Like raindrops merging into the ocean, it vanished into the distant night.
"How disappointing, brat. You're still far from ready!"
Arrogant words rang in Yuta's ears.
His eyes widened in shock before he could even process what had happened.
A loss of control surged from his lower body, and his torso plummeted to the ground below, severed in two.
He had been bisected?
Sukuna's technique... hadn't burned out?
Why?
"Yuta! Yuta! Aaahhh!!"
Rika leaped out from the ring, her piercing scream echoing.
"Lord Sukuna!"
Uraume's voice called from afar.
Sukuna's ears twitched, and he sidestepped slightly.
A naginata descended from above, missing him by a hair's breadth.
"I've already killed someone like you once today."
Sukuna lifted his gaze, his eyes devoid of emotion, locking onto the furious Maki Zenin charging toward him.
"Eating the same dish twice in one day gets boring. Get lost!"
Sukuna flicked his fingers, and an invisible slash tore through the air.
Maki dodged swiftly, her nimble body evading the attack, but her naginata shattered with a metallic clang.
Sukuna closed the distance in an instant, driving a fist toward Maki's abdomen.
Maki's expression tightened. Caught between the exhaustion of her previous move and the inability to muster new strength, she could only brace herself, crossing her arms to block Sukuna's punch.
"Whoosh!"
Suddenly, Sukuna's fist met empty air.
He paused, his eyes narrowing like a predator spotting its prey.
"Hahaha! I thought you had already run away, but you finally showed up, Roy!"
He turned around, his delighted gaze landing on the fourth figure that had suddenly appeared in the arena.
The dullness in his heart was instantly replaced by wild joy, his eyes brimming with murderous intent that sought to devour anyone in sight.
"Don't shout, I can hear you."
Roy ignored Sukuna and gently set down Maki, whom he had been carrying with one arm.
"Have you all been this restless just because I haven't shown up for a while? And you even went after Sukuna—a near-fully restored Sukuna. Did you really think you could take him on?"
"Roy-sensei!"
Maki steadied herself, her eyes filled with delight as she looked at Roy.
"By the way, Yuta—"
"Leave it to me."
Roy stepped forward, stopping in front of Yuta Okkotsu.
His body was torn apart, his organs spilled out, his breathing weak, and the light in his eyes nearly extinguished.
He looked like he was hanging on by a thread.
"Give it up!"
Sukuna's irritated voice came from behind.
"That brat is beyond saving. Hurry up and come here—let's settle this!"
"Don't rush. You're about to witness things you haven't seen in over a thousand years."
Roy shot Sukuna a cold, menacing glare.
He crouched down, piecing Yuta's body back together before placing a hand on him.
"You won't admit defeat until you're staring at your own coffin!"
Sukuna sneered, his voice dripping with mockery.
"Even if your Reverse Cursed Technique is impressive, there's no way you can heal injuries of that severity—"
In less than three seconds.
"I'm… healed?!"
Yuta suddenly sat up from the ground, staring in disbelief at his body—now as flawless as a newborn's, with not even the slightest scar remaining, let alone the fatal wound that had cleaved him in half.
"You two, get out of here first."
Roy stood up, his gaze briefly sweeping over Yuta and Maki.
Then, he turned to face Sukuna, who stood frozen in shock.
"Leave the rest to me!"