*Vrrr—*
Darkness.
Boundless, infinite darkness.
The moment Mahito expanded his Domain, the massive mecha felt as if it had plunged into the deep sea. Walls composed of countless pale palms completely sealed off this corner of the world.
This was a space of certain death, where every hit was guaranteed.
"Simple Domain!!!"
Inside the cockpit, Muta Kokichi roared as four pre-prepared special sealing tubes ejected simultaneously.
'I have to make it in time!'
At the critical moment when Mahito was about to activate his cursed technique, the neutralizing effect of the Simple Domain carved out a small pocket of safety.
"Got you!"
Seizing the moment of Mahito's surprise, Muta operated the mecha's remaining arm, driving a specialized drill infused with all his Simple Domain's cursed energy deep into Mahito's chest.
"Die!!!"
*BOOM!!!*
A massive explosion surged within the Domain.
Under the impact of this targeted cursed energy, Mahito's body instantly shattered, causing the nauseating barrier of the Domain to collapse along with it.
Sunlight spilled over the scene once more.
Having lost its power, the massive mecha crashed heavily into the ruins of the dam, kicking up a massive cloud of dust.
"Ha... ha... ha..."
Inside the cockpit, Muta Kokichi slumped in his seat, drenched in cold sweat.
Though the mecha was scrapped and his cursed energy exhausted, he had won.
Looking at the blue sky displayed on the screen, the image of a girl with long blue hair surfaced in his mind.
"Miwa..."
"I did it... I can finally go see everyone..."
The joy of surviving against all odds finally allowed his frayed nerves to relax.
However.
That joy lasted for less than three seconds.
"Going to see everyone already? How touching."
A flippant, mocking voice, like a demon's whisper, abruptly rang out inside the cockpit.
Muta Kokichi's pupils shrank to the size of pinpricks.
He stiffly turned his head.
In the blind spot behind him, a grotesque face had appeared on the cockpit's previously intact armor plating.
Mahito.
He wasn't dead. In that split second, taking advantage of Muta's lapse in focus, he had not only faked his death but also infiltrated the cockpit by reshaping his body!
*Bang!*
The reinforced glass of the cockpit was effortlessly shattered.
Mahito leaned in from behind, a childish yet cruel smile on his face as his stitched palm slowly reached for Muta's despair-filled face.
"But I'm afraid not."
"Because you're going to die right here."
It was too fast.
At this range, and in his extremely weakened state, Muta had no way to dodge.
Time seemed to stretch at that moment.
Muta watched helplessly as the hand drew closer. He could clearly see the ridges of Mahito's fingerprints—the patterns of death itself.
'Am I... going to die here?'
'I was... so close...'
'I was almost ready to stand in the sunlight... to stand before her...'
Mahito's finger was less than a centimeter from the tip of his nose.
"Idle Transfig—"
Before Mahito could finish the incantation.
*KABOOM!!!*
A roar even more deafening than the earlier Great Exorcism Cannon erupted without warning from above.
It wasn't a bombardment of cursed techniques.
It was the sonic boom generated by a pure, high-velocity physical impact!
In an instant, the specialized alloy armor above the cockpit—capable of withstanding tank shells—was crushed like a fragile wafer by a terrifying external force!
A black blur, trailing violent air currents, plummeted like a meteorite and precisely intercepted the space between Mahito and Muta Kokichi.
*Clap.*
It was a hand wearing a white glove.
Steadily, like a steel vise, it seized Mahito's wrist just as he was about to touch Muta.
Silence.
The entire world seemed to have hit the pause button.
The smile on Mahito's face froze. He felt his wrist clamped as if by a hydraulic press; no matter how much strength he applied, it wouldn't budge.
"Who—"
*Crack!*
The crisp sound of bone shattering rang out.
The newcomer had grabbed Mahito's arm precisely at the 7:3 ratio point.
With a squeeze, Mahito's wrist bones splintered into a comminuted fracture, twisting into a grotesque angle.
"Aaaagh!!"
Mahito screamed in pain, instinctively trying to retreat.
*Thwack!*
Before he could move, a leather-shod foot slammed ruthlessly into his face.
The immense force caved in Mahito's face, sending him flying like a cannonball. He crashed through the side of the mecha and soared dozens of meters before slamming into the distant rock wall.
*Whew...*
Hayashi En withdrew his foot, adjusted the collar of his windbreaker, and pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses.
Then, he turned around and looked at the utterly stunned Muta Kokichi slumped in the chair, offering a warm, professional smile.
"Apologies. I'm a little late."
"Mr... Mr. Hayashi En?"
Looking at the man who had descended like a god from the heavens, Muta's tears welled up uncontrollably.
He knew that now this man was here, he wouldn't die.
"You..."
"Shh."
Hayashi En raised an index finger and pointed outside.
"We can catch up later. First, let's deal with that rude guest."
Rubble exploded outward from the ruins.
Mahito crawled out from the rock wall.
His face was rapidly writhing and repairing itself. His heterochromatic eyes glared at Hayashi En standing atop the mecha's wreckage, his killing intent boiling over.
"You again..."
"The sewers, and now this... You damned merchant!!"
"Gojo Satoru isn't here this time, and I'm not injured. Do you really think a paper tiger like you can stand against me just because you were riding on Gojo's coattails?"
Old and new grudges surged to the surface.
"Unforgivable... Unforgivable!!"
"If you want to save him, then die along with him!!"
Mahito's body began to swell violently as black cursed energy surged into the sky.
Holding nothing back, he prepared to expand his Domain again to completely slaughter the man in his way.
Facing the berserk Special Grade curse, Hayashi En didn't show the slightest hint of panic.
He simply raised his right hand, forming a unique hand sign that no one had ever seen before.
"Heh..."
Standing on the edge of the shattered cockpit, Hayashi En looked down at Mahito with a cold gaze.
Cursed energy began to burn.
A massive pressure—golden, solemn, and thick with the scent of money and law—descended.
"Domain Expansion—"
Just as the black curtain of Mahito's Self-Embodiment of Perfection was about to take form.
Hayashi En's voice echoed clearly throughout the underground cavern.
"Ten Realms Condemnation."
*BOOM!!!*
Two massive amounts of cursed energy erupted simultaneously within the cramped underground space.
Black and gold. Two completely different barrier forces collided violently in the void.
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