Threads of infinity Fractured Divinity 29
The battle continued as fragments of the Malevolent Shrine dissipated into nothingness, the overwhelming pressure of Sukuna's domain now broken. The air was heavy with the weight of clashing cursed energies, crackling like an electric storm. For the first time in centuries, Sukuna—King of Curses—stood exposed, his invincible veneer shattered.
Tsukasa's form radiated power, the vibrant energy of Red still fading from his outstretched hand. His silver-and-white hair was slightly tousled, and his icy eyes locked onto Sukuna's with a cool, unyielding resolve.
"You thought your throne was untouchable," Tsukasa said, his voice low but sharp, reverberating through the debris-strewn subway station. "Turns out, even gods can bleed."
Sukuna's crimson gaze narrowed, his smirk twisting into something darker, edged with genuine fury. "You dare to speak of gods in my presence?" he sneered, his tone venomous. "You've yet to grasp the depths of what you challenge, child."
Without warning, Sukuna's cursed energy surged again. Though weakened, his presence remained suffocating. He raised his hand, the cursed technique Dismantle activating with a vicious hum. A sharp arc of energy slashed toward Tsukasa, cutting through the wreckage in its path.
Tsukasa moved like a blur, sidestepping the attack with an almost casual grace. The ground beneath him cracked as he countered, sending a pulse of cursed energy rippling outward. With a swift flick of his wrist, he summoned Amber, his golden aura swirling like a storm. A radiant sphere of energy erupted in his palm, growing brighter with each passing moment.
"This ends here," Tsukasa declared, launching the technique directly at Sukuna.
Sukuna's instincts screamed at him to avoid the attack, but there was no time. The amber sphere struck with devastating force, detonating on impact and engulfing the cursed spirit in a torrent of blinding light and crushing energy. The entire subway station trembled, walls fracturing and collapsing under the pressure.
When the light finally subsided, Sukuna stood amidst the destruction, his form battered but still standing. His once-pristine robes were tattered, and blood seeped from the corners of his mouth. Yet his expression wasn't one of defeat—it was one of exhilaration.
"Good," Sukuna growled, a twisted grin splitting his face. "It's been too long since I've faced a challenge worth savoring."
Tsukasa's eyes narrowed, his stance unwavering. "Then savor this," he said coldly, preparing to unleash another attack.
The ground cracked beneath Sukuna's feet as the pressure in the subway station mounted. Tsukasa stood unwavering, his cursed energy swirling violently around him like a raging storm. The remnants of Sukuna's previous attempt at Malevolent Shrine lay in ruin, but the King of Curses wasn't done yet.
"You destroyed my shrine," Sukuna growled, the faintest hint of amusement in his voice. "Do you think you've earned the right to face it again?"
Tsukasa didn't answer. His icy gaze locked onto Sukuna, his Six Eyes pulsing with cursed energy. He was scanning every flicker of power Sukuna emitted, focusing on how the cursed energy moved and shifted in the moments before a domain was constructed.
With a guttural laugh, Sukuna raised his arm, a malicious grin spreading across his face.
"Fine, brat. Let me show you why I'm king."
The air ignited with cursed energy as Sukuna extended his hand. The space around them shifted, bending to his will. Tsukasa's Six Eyes picked up on the precise patterns: cursed energy converging into a central point, expanding outward, and forcing the environment into submission. The process was intricate, like threads weaving together to form an unbreakable tapestry.
As Sukuna activated Malevolent Shrine, Tsukasa allowed the cursed energy to wash over him, his senses stretching to their absolute limit. He traced the flow of power, noting every fluctuation, every pulse that solidified the open domain's deadly range.
The shrine materialized once more, an oppressive space of carnage and death. The subway station was consumed, the walls giving way to endless jagged pathways lined with grotesque statues. Blood dripped from the cursed architecture, and the air itself felt like blades slicing against the skin.
"You're focusing too much on the details," Sukuna taunted, his voice echoing through the shrine. "You should be thinking about how to survive."
Tsukasa smirked, his confidence undeterred. "And you should be thinking about how I'm learning everything about you right now."
With a flick of his hand, Sukuna unleashed Cleave, the razor-sharp slash aimed to bisect Tsukasa cleanly. But this time, Tsukasa moved with precision. His Six Eyes had locked onto the exact moment Sukuna's cursed energy built to execute the attack.
The blade of energy screamed toward him, but Tsukasa sidestepped effortlessly, releasing a burst of Blue to neutralize the surrounding space.
Sukuna's eyes widened briefly. "You're faster."
"No," Tsukasa corrected, his voice calm yet cold. "I'm smarter."
While dodging and countering Sukuna's relentless onslaught, Tsukasa's mind remained fixed on the mechanics of the domain. He observed how Sukuna's cursed energy expanded, filling the area with his rules and intent. The Six Eyes illuminated every layer of cursed energy manipulation, from the initial surge to the intricate web that stabilized the shrine's boundaries.
"This is how you construct a domain," Tsukasa muttered to himself, his voice nearly lost in the chaos.
Sukuna overheard him, chuckling darkly. "Trying to copy me, are you? A cheap imitation won't save you."
"Who said anything about imitation?" Tsukasa shot back, his cursed energy spiking. "I'll surpass you in every way."
The oppressive energy of Sukuna's Malevolent Shrine pressed down like an iron weight. The cursed space was alive with deadly intent, every inch of it threatening to carve Tsukasa into nothingness. But Tsukasa stood firm, his Six Eyes glowing with fierce determination, the threads of cursed energy dancing vividly before him.
"I see it now," Tsukasa muttered, his voice low but resolute. His hands flexed as cursed energy coiled around him, pooling at his feet and spreading outward in a swirling spiral.
Sukuna, towering over him, sneered. "What do you think you're doing, brat? Do you honestly think you can construct a domain in my shrine? Laughable."
Tsukasa ignored him. His focus was absolute, every ounce of his cursed energy flowing with precision. The Six Eyes had shown him everything: the subtle fluctuations, the layers of cursed energy interwoven to form a domain. Now, it was his turn to create.
He raised a hand, his fingers curling as if grasping invisible threads. Slowly, deliberately, Tsukasa began weaving his cursed energy into a form, his mind envisioning the perfect space.
The subway station trembled as the two domains clashed. Sukuna's shrine flickered momentarily, the cursed king narrowing his eyes at the disruption.
"You're serious?" Sukuna said, his tone now tinged with genuine intrigue.
The air around Tsukasa thickened as his cursed energy surged outward, wrapping the shattered remnants of the station in an unrelenting grip. The space around him darkened, the oppressive aura of Malevolent Shrine replaced by something colder, sharper—Tsukasa's power taking shape.
The shadows coalesced into massive, crystalline formations, glowing faintly with an ethereal amber light. The subway station was gone, replaced by a barren, endless field of jagged crystalline shards stretching as far as the eye could see.
Domain Expansion: Eternal Refrain.
The crystalline shards pulsed with cursed energy, each one amplifying and reflecting the immense power flowing through the domain. Tsukasa stood at the center, his expression calm but lethal.
Sukuna tilted his head, a curious smile spreading across his face. "So, you can do it. Impressive."
As the domain stabilized, the true terror of Eternal Refrain became evident. The crystalline shards began to hum, their surfaces vibrating as they reflected every bit of cursed energy within the space. Sukuna's Malevolent Shrine, still active, was mirrored in countless fragments, its power refracted and scattered, weakening its deadly reach.
"Your shrine may be 'open,'" Tsukasa said, his voice cutting through the chaos, "but in here, I control everything."
He extended his hand, and one of the crystalline shards erupted, sending a wave of destructive energy hurtling toward Sukuna. The King of Curses deflected it with a swipe of Dismantle, but the shard instantly reformed, its energy doubling in strength.
The reflective nature of Tsukasa's domain meant that any attack Sukuna unleashed was turned back against him, amplified and redirected with ruthless precision.
Sukuna's grin widened, the challenge igniting a savage thrill in him. "So, this is what you've been hiding. But let me teach you something, boy. Domains don't matter if you can't control the fight."
He raised his hand, unleashing a devastating Cleave. The attack shattered several of the crystalline shards, but as Tsukasa focused, the shards reassembled almost instantly, their reflections now shimmering with even more power.
Sukuna lunged, his speed blinding, but Tsukasa anticipated the move. A massive crystalline wall erupted between them, halting Sukuna's advance.
"You're not the only one who's fast," Tsukasa said, his voice calm but laced with defiance.
The crystalline walls of Tsukasa's Eternal Refrain shimmered under the weight of Sukuna's Malevolent Shrine. Each second felt like an eternity as the two domains clashed for dominance, their cursed energies crackling in a chaotic dance. The reflective shards of Tsukasa's domain pulsed with power, amplifying and redirecting Sukuna's attacks.
But cracks were beginning to show.
Outside the domain, cursed energy surged violently, pressing against the fragile boundary of Eternal Refrain. The feedback was immediate—jagged fractures snaked along the crystalline structures, their glow dimming as the external pressure mounted.
Sukuna noticed it instantly, a savage grin splitting his face. "Your domain is impressive, brat," he said, his voice carrying a mocking edge. "But the strong don't just build—they endure."
Tsukasa's jaw tightened, sweat beading on his forehead as he struggled to maintain control. His Six Eyes processed every fluctuation, every fragment of cursed energy within and outside his domain. He could feel the strain, the inevitable collapse as the external pressure of Sukuna's shrine grew too overwhelming.
The crystalline shards began to crumble, their reflective surfaces shattering one by one. The endless field of jagged crystals distorted, shrinking, as the walls of Eternal Refrain started to give way.
"I know how domains work," Sukuna continued, his tone almost casual. "Yours is collapsing under pressure because it's closed off. Weak on the outside, as all flawed techniques are."
Tsukasa's hand clenched into a fist, the cursed energy around him flaring as he poured everything he had into stabilizing the domain. The cracks slowed, but they didn't stop. Sukuna's shrine bore down with unrelenting force, a testament to the sheer power of an open domain.
"You talk too much," Tsukasa snapped, his voice strained but defiant.
Sukuna's laugh echoed through the space, dark and cruel. "I don't need to talk. Your failure speaks for itself."
With a deafening crack, Eternal Refrain shattered. The crystalline shards exploded outward, dissolving into motes of light as the space reverted back to the decaying subway station. Tsukasa staggered, his breathing heavy as he felt the backlash of his domain's destruction rip through him.
Sukuna's Malevolent Shrine remained intact, the oppressive aura of the cursed king's power now fully dominating the space. He loomed over Tsukasa, his presence an overwhelming force.
"You're not ready to play with the big leagues," Sukuna sneered, stepping forward. "Your ambition is admirable, but ambition without strength is nothing more than a death sentence."
Despite the overwhelming odds, Tsukasa stood tall, his icy gaze fixed on Sukuna. "Maybe," he said, his voice steady despite his exhaustion. "But I'll learn. And when I do, you'll regret underestimating me."
Sukuna chuckled darkly, his grin widening. "If you survive long enough, that is."