Domain Extension...
It's no new form of jujutsu. Not a new technique or another interesting facet of an ever-branching, cursed technique like Death Trade.
No.
It's an attempt to intentionally weaken or simplify a complex and costly technique like Domain Expansion into something far more accessible and much less demanding.
No sorcerer would willingly try to make a weaker version of their power, especially a technique like Domain Expansion, arguably the ace in the variety of cards a sorcerer holds in their deck.
As the name suggests, it extends one's domain instead of simply expanding it, meaning manifesting certain advantageous parts of a domain instead of completely bringing forth its full might.
So it's no doubt that, besides me, people might not even be able to tell this from an intentional choice apart from an unsuccessful attempt at Domain Expansion itself.
An incomplete domain. No doubt they will think it's that.
And I understand why someone would think like that. This thing has no domain barrier, no sure-hit, and it doesn't even cover the area with one's cursed energy.
However, that is its advantage.
I can't deploy my domain every time I have to kill a small fry, especially after how costly my domain has become after Mahoraga became a stable element in it.
In terms of back-to-back deployment, I can expand my domain about three times before I start to feel my technique going into cooldown. Earlier, this would have happened on the very first Domain Expansion, all thanks to Mahoraga taking over the majority of the execution load from my brain.
Or at least, that is my current estimation. I was never able to check that theory out because the Cursed Energy expenditure itself is so costly that I lose around 40% of my reserves in a single expansion.
Two Domain Expansions and I'm literally out of the fight. And it's not like we always have my tank full while fighting.
And yes, I get that if I'm expanding my domain, then I most likely will get the opponent's cursed energy by the end of it, assuming that I don't die.
But it's still very inefficient.
40% of cursed energy to open the domain, summoning Mahoraga, all so that I can get someone's cursed energy and technique, whom I could handle without even using my technique.
That's such a waste.
So while I had no way to immediately reduce the expenditure cost of using my technique with Mahoraga comfortably sitting in my domain, and increasing my reserves had to wait unless I'm ready to go farm some, I had to figure out a more efficient way.
Thus… Domain Extension.
I got the idea from when I was fighting Mahoraga back then in Shibuya with that incomplete domain to save Cursed Energy, stop Mahoraga from adapting to the sure-hit effect of my domain for later, and most importantly, not have any barrier in the way for when Jogo actually threw down his giant fireball.
With the activation code being "Domain Extension," I underwent a Self Trade with specific conditions to remove everything unnecessary outside the core functionality of my technique.
Meaning no barriers, no sure-hit, no Mahoraga… not even the 120% boost in one's output a domain provides.
And in exchange, I get a very efficient extension to bring the functionality to impose a Death Trade and inherit others' powers upon their death without a complete Domain Expansion.
Of course, since there was no sure-hit effect here, I had to be in contact with them if I wished to get their power.
I felt cursed energy surging inside me. The reserves from the Hair-Copter man weren't much, but it was still good to see my reserves getting bigger.
"Now…" I sighed to myself and turned towards the still unconscious woman with rocket hair.
"To complete what I have started."
I still didn't like killing, at least killing humans. But if I don't, then she might kill more innocents later. Gotta go through it.
My gaze roamed around and eventually found a piece of broken glass nearby. That should do it.
Just as I was about to end her in the most peaceful and painless way I could think of, suddenly I sensed someone moving towards us.
I was still in the zone. I picked it up much faster; otherwise, my sensing wasn't that great. I had been jumped many times because of that.
Recalling how this woman sent me flying because I sensed her a little too late was convincing enough that I couldn't deny that allegation.
"Who's there?" I shouted, the piece of glass slowly getting infused with cursed energy to use it as a makeshift weapon.
-x-
Rin Amai stood frozen in the middle of the deserted street, his eyes lingering on the silent building ahead as unease steadily settled deeper into his stomach with every passing second.
It had already been far too long since Hanyu and Aiko had rushed off to deal with the newcomer, and despite waiting anxiously for either of them to return or at least make enough noise to signal that the battle was still ongoing, nothing had happened.
The silence itself had become terrifying. Truthfully, Rin did not care whether either of them lived or died, because both had made it painfully clear that his usefulness ended the moment he stopped obeying them. Even so, surviving inside the Culling Games without someone stronger protecting him was practically impossible, and as much as he despised serving them like an errand boy, the arrangement had kept him alive until now.
Swallowing nervously, Rin finally forced his trembling legs forward. He had no intention of joining the fight or confronting whoever had won. All he wanted was confirmation. If Hanyu and Aiko had survived, then he would continue following them until another opportunity to escape presented itself. If they had lost… then he would run as far away from this district as his legs could carry him before the victor ever noticed he existed.
The closer he approached the abandoned building, the more destruction revealed itself. Entire walls had been torn open as though struck by artillery fire, shattered concrete covered the ground in enormous piles, broken windows littered the streets, and streaks of fresh blood stained the cracked floor leading into the ruined entrance. Every instinct screamed at him to turn around, yet he somehow found enough courage to take another cautious step inside.
By the time he actually went inside, he finally saw what had really happened. Standing quietly amidst the rubble was a young man, roughly his own age, holding a jagged shard of broken glass in one hand while calmly surveying the destruction around him. Not far behind him lay the unconscious bodies of Hanyu and Aiko, battered beyond recognition and completely motionless.
Rin's heart nearly stopped.
Were they dead?
He could not tell. But the broken wall and the blood on the floor looked convincing enough to think they were dead.
Before he could even consider retreating, the young man's eyes shifted toward him.
"Who is there!"
Rin froze on the spot.
He was discovered.
Should he make a run for it? Or should he try to act innocent? His heart rate spiked in that second as the boy in front of him looked directly into his eyes with that intense gaze, which made him almost lose his footing.
This was a different feeling than what he had experienced when dealing with both Hanyu and Aiko. This heart-palpitating feeling was completely different. He couldn't even feel like he could reply for a second.
"…Are you with them?" the stranger asked calmly, tilting his head toward the unconscious pair, Aiko and Hanyu.
Rin's entire body stiffened under the weight of that gaze.
"N-No!" he blurted out, shaking his head so violently it almost hurt. "I mean… yes… kind of… but not really!"
The stranger remained silent.
Which made him even more panicked.
Realizing how suspicious he sounded, Rin hurriedly raised both hands.
"P-Please don't misunderstand! My name is Rin Amai! I'm not their friend, I swear! They forced me to work for them because my technique isn't useful in combat, and if I refused, they threatened to kill me!"
The silence stretched for several agonizing seconds.
"I only cooked for them… ran errands… carried supplies…" Rin continued nervously, his voice growing quieter with every word. "I never wanted any part of what they were doing."
The young man studied him carefully before finally asking another question.
"So you never killed innocents like them?"
Rin immediately shook his head again.
"Never. I can't fight people like you. I'd lose instantly. And I'll never kill. I just eventually acted as their lookout, telling them when newcomers were around this area, that's it." He hurriedly explained.
For a brief moment, there was no reply from the boy until he asked again.
"…Then why come here?"
Rin lowered his eyes.
"I needed to know what happened. If they won… I would've kept following them until I found a chance to escape. If they lost…" He forced out a bitter smile. "…I planned on running before whoever defeated them decided to come looking for me."
-x-
[Yami's POV]
I just observed the newcomer with intense focus. From his cursed energy to how he behaved.
I actually knew he was telling the truth. Aiko's memories explained that enough. I just needed some time to go through them.
So I reviewed the memories of the last 10 days or so, and while I did that, the boy, Rin, started to squirm under my gaze.
"What are you planning on doing now?" I, after a long pause, finally asked after knowing he was telling the truth.
"Huh… you believe me?" Rin asked with clear surprise on his face.
I just shrugged.
"Yeah, you look like a good person. But just in case, I would have to ask you to show me your cursed technique. To know you were telling the truth earlier." I asked.
"Huh… hmm, sure, sure. Here, look." He quickly, rather flusteredly, brought both his hands together, and suddenly a candy formed into his palm.
He showed the candy with a bit of embarrassment lingering on his face.
"I can manipulate sugar in my body to make food items like this. It also helps heal others with it to some degree."
"I see…" I nodded.
"Yeah… it's not anything amazing or…"
"It's a nice technique." Before he could complete it, I broke his sentence.
"Huh…"
"A lot of people are dying, Amai. I don't think I have to tell you this. You have seen firsthand how bad the situation has become.
In this situation, to have someone like you, it's a blessing." I smiled at the nervous boy, who looked shaken by my words.
"Y-you really think that?"
"Yeah… I came here to stop these kinds of lawless cursed users. But no matter how many of them I take down, I can't do it all alone. I know how to heal, but even I can't be in two places at once.
So, tell me what you are planning on doing after this. If you're willing, then why not help me save the innocent? I could use some help." I asked.
"But… I don't know how to fight." He looked flustered at the sudden offer.
I shook my head at this reaction. "Don't worry, leave the fighting to me. All you have to do is heal and manage the survivors."
I wouldn't have asked otherwise, but his technique was useful. From making food to healing someone, he could be a really good support.
Even though his healing won't be like RCT, like Shoko's or anything, something is better than nothing, I guess.
Rin stayed rooted to his place for a long time, struggling to make a decision.
Perhaps I gotta give him a little push.
"Remember, while you never took part in killing others directly, you were indirectly involved. You knew what they were doing, right?" I said with amusement, seeing him visibly deflate at the words.
"Don't you think that for someone who was involved in this matter, even indirectly, it falls on you to make things right…" I said offhandedly.
And he squirmed even harder under that condemning tone, but ultimately he seemed to find his resolve.
"I'll… I'll do it. I will help you." He declared, whether it was the guilt talking or he just folded under pressure, I wasn't certain.
"Excellent… then let's get moving." I grinned but halfway paused.
"I almost forgot." I turned back around to his confusion and, with the piece of glass still in hand, drove it right down into the unconscious Hanyu's chest.
Rin visibly stiffened at the sudden act of violence.
"Sorry that you have to watch this, but I can't let her go. If I did, then she'll just go after more innocent people."
And I'll almost lose a good chunk of Cursed Energy reserves I could have gotten from her. But I didn't mention that.
"Oh… O-okay." He warily replied.
I tossed the bloodied glass piece away, the surging, cursed energy inside me proof enough that it had completed its intended purpose, and then walked up to Rin and offered my bloodied hand in a handshake.
He looked at the blood on my hands, which was partly mine, Aiko's, and Hanyu's, and felt like his scalp was tingling.
"Anyways, name's Yami Akindo."
xXx
A/N : What ya all think, like the concept of Domain Extension. I thought about it honestly and this seems like the best idea, he shouldn't need to open his domain every time he fight someone, either to fight or to take their power itself. This is much more efficient.
Would appreciate stones if you can spare any. Thank you.
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