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Chapter Twenty Seven: Shinjuku Showdown; Part III

Two Victories

The battlefield crackled with tension, the air thick with cursed energy. Sky Girl hovered a few feet off the ground, her wings glowing faintly, their ethereal feathers fluttering despite the absence of wind. Her eyes burned with fury, her hands clenched tightly around her spear. Each movement she made was deliberate, calculated, but the irritation in her expression betrayed her mounting frustration.

Maki Zen'in was a blur—impossibly fast, her movements so swift they seemed almost unreal. One moment she was standing directly in front of Sky Girl, her dark-green ponytail whipping through the air. The next, she was gone, leaving only a faint shimmer where she had been.

Yuta Okkotsu stood a few yards away, his mouth slightly agape. He had seen Maki fight countless times before, but this—this was something else. She was faster than he had ever seen her, her precision sharper, her movements flowing like water.

Sky Girl snarled, her spear glowing with cursed energy as she lunged forward. "Hold still, damn it!" she shouted, thrusting the weapon toward Maki with deadly force.

Maki didn't respond—not with words, anyway. She sidestepped effortlessly, her body moving so fast it seemed to flicker like a mirage. The spear missed her by a hair's breadth, slamming into the ground with a thunderous crack that sent debris flying in all directions.

"Stop running, you coward!" Sky Girl yelled, her wings flaring as she shot upward, spinning mid-air to gain an advantageous position. She hurled the spear with blinding speed, its cursed energy trailing like a comet as it hurtled toward Maki.

Yuta's heart leapt into his throat. "Maki, watch out!" he shouted, his voice cracking slightly in his panic.

But Maki didn't flinch. She darted forward at the last possible moment, her body becoming a streak of motion. The spear slammed into the ground where she had been standing a fraction of a second earlier, carving a deep crater into the battlefield.

"Too slow," Maki said coolly, her voice cutting through the chaos like a blade.

Sky Girl's frustration boiled over, her wings glowing brighter as she summoned her cursed energy. The air around her seemed to vibrate, the pressure building to a nearly unbearable degree. "Fine," she hissed, her voice venomous. "Let's see you outrun this!"

She raised both hands, and the sky itself seemed to respond. A storm of cursed energy coalesced above her, forming jagged, crackling bolts of light. With a scream of rage, she unleashed them all at once, each bolt aimed directly at Maki.

Yuta's breath caught as he watched the storm descend. The sheer volume of the attack was overwhelming; it was as if the sky was falling.

But Maki was undeterred. Her figure flickered, her body twisting and turning as she weaved through the onslaught with breathtaking precision. Each bolt missed her by mere inches, but not one managed to land a hit.

Yuta could hardly believe his eyes. "She's… she's untouchable," he murmured, his voice barely audible over the chaos.

Sky Girl's eyes widened in disbelief as Maki appeared directly in front of her, seemingly out of nowhere. Before she could react, Maki grabbed the spear from her hand with such force that Sky Girl's grip faltered.

"This yours?" Maki asked, her tone dripping with mockery. Without waiting for an answer, she snapped the spear in half as if it were a twig, the shards clattering to the ground.

Sky Girl let out an enraged scream, but before she could retaliate, Maki closed the distance between them in an instant. A powerful kick to the stomach sent Sky Girl flying backward, her wings crumpling as she hit the ground with a sickening thud.

Yuta blinked, his heart racing as he stared at Maki. She stood tall amidst the dust and chaos, her expression calm and composed, her body unscathed.

"That was fun," Maki said, adjusting her grip on her cursed tool. "But if that's all you've got, you should probably stay out of my way."

Sky Girl groaned, struggling to her feet as the realization dawned on her: she wasn't facing a mere opponent. She was facing a force of nature.

Sky Girl, or Takako Uro, was a sorcerer from a thousand years ago, resurrected for the Culling Game. She possessed a unique and powerful cursed technique: Sky Manipulation. This ability allowed her to control the sky by turning it into a tangible surface, manipulating space to her advantage.

As Maki closed in, Takako's eyes narrowed, and she extended her hand, distorting the space around her. With a swift motion, she pulled at the "surface" of the sky, creating an invisible barrier that redirected Maki's attack. Caught off guard, Maki was momentarily overwhelmed, her momentum halted by the unexpected counter.

Yuta's heart raced as he witnessed Maki's brief disadvantage. He knew of Takako's reputation—the former leader of the Sun, Moon, and Stars Squad, an elite group of assassins affiliated with the Fujiwara Clan. Her prowess in manipulating space made her a formidable opponent, even for someone of Maki's caliber.

Takako's technique was not just about defense; she could also use it offensively. By striking the "surface" of the sky, she created a shattering effect, known as Thin Ice Breaker, that bypassed traditional defenses. This move had the potential to deal significant damage, and Yuta feared for Maki's safety.

However, Maki was not one to be easily defeated. Regaining her composure, she adjusted her stance, her eyes locking onto Takako with renewed determination. The brief setback only fueled her resolve to overcome the challenge before her.

Yuta tightened his grip on his weapon, ready to intervene if necessary. He understood the gravity of the situation; Takako Uro's abilities were unlike any they had encountered before. The battle was far from over, and the outcome remained uncertain.

As the two formidable women prepared to clash once more, the air around them seemed to thrum with anticipation. The stakes were high, and the next few moments would be crucial in determining the course of their confrontation.

Õ~Õ

Naruto's Domain Expansion shimmered like a kaleidoscope of reality itself, folding and twisting space into his ultimate playground. Absolute control was his. The rules of the world bent to his will, and anyone caught inside had no chance. Or so he believed.

He stood amidst the surreal landscape of his Scarlet Tsukuyomi, watching Shinko with a hesitant gaze. She stood unmoving, her honey-coloured eyes as blank as ever, completely unfazed by the oppressive atmosphere.

"Shinko," Naruto began, his voice steady but laced with an undercurrent of worry. "This doesn't have to go this way. Just give up. I don't want to hurt you."

The words barely left his mouth before she closed the distance with blinding speed. Her small fist crashed into his face with the force of a wrecking ball. Naruto stumbled back, brushing his cheek as he blinked in disbelief. Shinko stood in front of him, her stance rigid, her expression a cold monotone.

"Shinko never loses," she stated simply, her voice devoid of emotion.

Naruto straightened, his amethyst eyes narrowing. This girl—this child—was nothing like anyone he had ever faced. She wasn't just dangerous; she was his natural counter.

Before he could process the thought further, she moved. Her speed was unreal, each step a blur that left afterimages. Naruto barely raised his arms in time to block a kick aimed at his ribs, but the force sent him skidding across the ground.

"What the hell...?" he muttered, his mind racing. She shouldn't be able to keep up with him, not here.

He retaliated with a burst of cursed energy, attempting to strike her down with the domain's absolute advantage. But Shinko dodged effortlessly, weaving through the onslaught as if she were untouchable. Her small figure seemed to defy every law he had imposed on this space.

Realising the futility, Naruto clenched his fists and undid his Domain Expansion with a sharp exhale. The warped reality faded, leaving them in the dimly lit corridor once more.

"Alright," he muttered, activating his Infinity Barrier. "Let's see you get past this."

No sooner had the barrier shimmered into existence than Shinko's fist connected with his stomach, sending him sprawling backward.

Naruto doubled over, coughing. "What is wrong with you?!" he spat, staring at her in disbelief.

Shinko stood still, her blank eyes fixed on him. "Shinko is perfectly fine," she replied. "You will not be."

Her movements blurred again, and Naruto barely managed to raise his arms to block her strikes. Each blow bypassed his Infinity Barrier like it wasn't even there. His world narrowed to dodging, blocking, and desperately trying to avoid the worst of her hits.

He was on the defensive, his frustration mounting with every second. This wasn't just a battle—it was humiliation.

"No more," he growled, his voice cutting through the tension. He clapped his hands together, and six identical versions of himself appeared in a flash. "Idle Transfiguration: Split!"

The clones moved in perfect unison, each one mirroring his thoughts and intent. They surrounded Shinko, attacking from every angle with seamless coordination. One clone lunged at her from the front, aiming a devastating punch, while another swept low to trip her. A third leapt high, prepared to strike her from above.

Shinko didn't flinch. With terrifying precision, she dodged the first attack, sidestepped the second, and caught the third clone mid-air by the ankle. With a casual flick, she slammed it into the ground, shattering it into cursed energy.

The remaining clones pressed their assault, but it was no use. Shinko moved like a phantom, her small frame a whirlwind of speed and power. She struck with such force and accuracy that each clone dissolved almost instantly upon contact.

Naruto watched, his teeth gritted, as his final clone was dispatched with a bone-crunching blow to the chest. He was alone again, standing amidst the aftermath of his failed strategy.

"This is insane," he muttered, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. He stared at Shinko, who stood unscathed, her expression as unreadable as ever.

To every other Special Grade sorcerer, she was just a strong child, an anomaly in a game full of monsters. But to him?

She was his undoing. She wasn't just an opponent. She had been manufactured to put him down.

Naruto's fists tightened as cursed energy crackled around him like a storm ready to break free. He surged forward, delivering the first Black Flash, his punch ripping through the air with a thunderous boom. The distortion of space reverberated outward, but Shinko merely tilted her head to the side, avoiding it with a fluid grace that was almost mocking.

Naruto didn't stop. He pivoted, his body a blur as he unleashed a second Black Flash, then a third, his punches coming faster and harder with each strike. The sheer precision and timing of his attacks were extraordinary, a testament to his mastery over cursed energy. Each punch seemed to tear through reality itself, leaving aftershocks that rippled through the air.

But Shinko met him blow for blow, her movements almost effortless. She parried each strike with precision, her small hands moving like an extension of the void. There was no hesitation, no wasted motion—just cold, calculated efficiency.

The ground beneath them began to crack from the force of their battle. Naruto's frustration mounted as he pressed forward, his strikes growing more desperate. Yet Shinko remained an enigma, her expression blank, her movements eerily smooth.

Neither noticed how their ferocious exchange had taken them out of the dimly lit Star Corridors and into the open, under a vast, midday sky. The cold wind whipped around them, carrying the scent of destruction. Shadows danced across the landscape as cursed energy clashed, illuminating their surroundings in bursts of light.

Naruto gritted his teeth, his mind racing. This wasn't working. He needed something stronger, something definitive. He leapt back, his amethyst eyes narrowing as he raised his hand. Black flames emerged, their heat distorting the air around them.

"Amaterasu!" he shouted, the cursed flames shooting toward Shinko like a ravenous beast.

Shinko blinked, her honey-coloured eyes reflecting the fire as it enveloped her arm. For a moment, Naruto thought he had finally landed a decisive blow. But then, without hesitation, she raised her other hand and severed her flaming limb at the shoulder. The cursed fire fell away with the dismembered arm, leaving a charred stump.

Naruto's breath caught in his throat. His relief was short-lived. Before his very eyes, her arm began to regenerate, flesh and bone knitting together with an almost grotesque speed. Within seconds, it was as if the injury had never happened.

"Reversed Cursed Technique?" he muttered, his voice laced with disbelief. "Really?"

Shinko's blank gaze met his. She said nothing, her expression as devoid of emotion as ever, but her actions spoke louder than words. She dashed forward, her movements so fast that Naruto barely had time to react.

Their fists collided with a deafening crack, the impact sending shockwaves through the air. Naruto staggered, the force of her blow far greater than anything he had anticipated. He retaliated with a spinning kick, but she ducked under it, her counterpunch slamming into his ribs like a sledgehammer.

"Dammit," he hissed, skidding backward. He adjusted his stance, summoning more cursed energy into his strikes. He charged at her again, their blows meeting in a flurry of power and precision. Each hit echoed like a gunshot, the sheer intensity of their clash shaking the earth beneath them.

Yet no matter how hard he fought, Shinko was relentless. Her small frame belied the monstrous strength she wielded. Her strikes were unyielding, her defense impenetrable. Naruto was forced onto the defensive once more, his mind racing for a way to turn the tide.

"She's a kid," he muttered under his breath, barely ducking under a swing aimed for his head. "Not even ten years old, just like me."

But even as he said it, the truth gnawed at him. Despite her childlike appearance, Shinko's power was terrifyingly real. She wasn't just strong—she was overwhelming. Every attack she launched carried the weight of inevitability, a force that couldn't be stopped or reasoned with.

Naruto gritted his teeth as another punch connected with his shoulder, nearly dislocating it. Pain shot through his body, but he forced himself to stay on his feet. His amethyst eyes narrowed as he recalled the battles he had fought before—against beings far older, far more experienced. Yet even the most formidable hand-to-hand combat opponent from Shibuya— the one he had freed from a spell— paled in comparison to the force of nature standing before him now.

This wasn't just a fight.

This was survival.

Naruto gritted his teeth, his mind racing as Shinko stood before him, unflinching and unyielding. With a deep breath, his amethyst eyes shimmered, the intricate patterns of his Jōrikugan igniting with raw cursed energy. He clapped his hands together, activating a technique he rarely relied upon—a desperate gamble.

"Tsukuyomi!" he declared, his voice echoing with an unnatural authority.

The world around them shifted in an instant. The sky was replaced by an endless sea of crimson, a void where time itself bent to Naruto's will. Shinko stood in the centre of it, her honey-coloured eyes reflecting the blood-red sky. Giant obsidian chains erupted from the ground, binding her arms and legs with unrelenting force.

"This is my world," Naruto said, his voice steady, though his breathing was laboured. "Here, I have absolute control. Just stay down, Shinko. I don't want to hurt you."

Her head tilted slightly, her expression as blank as ever. "Shinko never loses," she said, monotone.

The chains groaned as her muscles flexed. Naruto's eyes widened as cracks began forming along their lengths, the sound sharp and grating. A heartbeat later, the chains shattered like glass, the shards dissolving into the crimson void.

"What?" Naruto whispered, disbelief and frustration lacing his voice.

Shinko took a step forward, her presence unshaken. "Shinko doesn't break," she said, her voice as steady as her stride.

The illusion crumbled, the crimson void collapsing like a dying star. The real world snapped back into focus, and Naruto barely had time to dodge the fist aimed directly at his face. He countered with a sweeping kick, but Shinko ducked, her movements unnervingly fluid.

Their fists and feet blurred as they clashed, each strike carrying the weight of their cursed energy. Naruto twisted and turned, blocking and countering with a speed and precision that rivalled the best. Every punch, kick, and elbow they threw was perfectly timed, the force of their blows splitting the earth beneath them.

Naruto couldn't help but think of Gai-sensei, the legendary taijutsu master. Their ferocity, their rhythm—it would've impressed even him. But Naruto knew he couldn't keep this up for long. His stamina, though immense, was being tested in ways it had never been before.

In a desperate move, Naruto activated his Jōrikugan's predictive ability. The intricate, ever-shifting patterns in his eyes began analysing Shinko's every move—the twitch of her muscles, the angle of her limbs, the flow of her cursed energy. For the first time, he could see her attacks coming before they were even launched.

He ducked under a punch aimed for his jaw, spun to avoid a sweeping kick, and countered with a palm strike that sent her skidding back. He pressed the advantage, weaving through her strikes and landing his own with calculated precision.

"I've got you now," Naruto muttered under his breath, a flicker of confidence returning.

But then Shinko changed. Her stance shifted, her body lowering to all fours like a feral beast. The calculated precision of her previous attacks was replaced with raw, animalistic aggression. She lunged at him, claws raking through the air, her movements wild and unpredictable.

Naruto barely had time to react as she pounced, slamming into him with enough force to knock him off his feet. He rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding her next strike, but her speed and ferocity were overwhelming.

"Are you serious?" Naruto shouted, dodging a swipe aimed for his throat. "You're fighting like a damn animal now?"

Shinko didn't respond. Her blank expression remained unchanged, but her attacks were relentless. She moved like a predator, her limbs a blur as she closed the distance again and again.

Naruto was forced back onto the defensive, his Jōrikugan struggling to keep up with her erratic movements. He blocked a punch, only to be swept off his feet by a low kick. He rolled with the momentum, springing back up, but she was already on him, her fist connecting with his stomach and sending him skidding across the ground.

"This is insane, dattebayo…" Naruto muttered, wiping blood from his mouth as he pushed himself to his feet. "She's not just strong—she's a freakin' monster."

Shinko stood a few feet away, her body still tense and ready to pounce. Her honey-coloured eyes locked onto him, unblinking and unreadable.

Naruto took a deep breath, his amethyst eyes narrowing. "Alright, brat," he said, his voice low and determined. "If you wanna fight like an animal, then I'll treat you like one."

He steadied his stance, his cursed energy flaring around him like a wildfire. The air grew heavy with tension, the ground beneath them cracking from the sheer pressure of their power. This fight was far from over.

Naruto's breathing slowed, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm as he locked eyes with Shinko. Her honey-coloured gaze remained cold, unyielding, and devoid of any hint of hesitation. He clenched his fists, the cursed energy swirling around him with a dangerous intensity.

"This ends now," he whispered, his voice firm but tinged with sorrow.

In an instant, his Jōrikugan flared to life, the intricate, spiralling patterns glowing with raw power. The world around him seemed to warp, bending under the weight of his technique.

"Kotoamatsukami," he muttered.

The world faded as Naruto's consciousness pierced into Shinko's mind. The battlefield, the tension, the chaos—all of it was replaced by a surreal stillness. He found himself standing in a vast, empty void, its oppressive silence broken only by faint echoes of memories.

He could do it.

He could rewrite her mind, make her obey him, force her to abandon this twisted path. She'd stop fighting, stop suffering. He could give her freedom—freedom from pain, from manipulation, from the life that had turned her into this unrelenting force of destruction.

But as he reached for her mind, something stopped him. It wasn't resistance; it wasn't her fighting back. It was her memories, unfurling before him like pages of a book.

The first image hit him like a punch to the gut—a woman with golden eyes and stitches across her forehead. Her smile was cold, calculating, and it sent a shiver down Naruto's spine.

"Kenjaku," Naruto muttered, the name dripping with disdain.

But then he heard Shinko's voice, soft and childlike, calling out to the stitched woman.

"Mom."

Naruto's eyes widened as the memory deepened.

The stitched woman—Kenjaku, no, Kaori Itadori—held a tiny Shinko in her arms. Her voice was eerily calm, devoid of maternal warmth. "You will be perfect, Shinko. My second best art."

As the memories unraveled, Naruto saw a young Shinko, no older than four, being trained relentlessly. Kaori's movements were precise, her instructions cold and mechanical.

"Again," Kaori said as Shinko stumbled, her tiny body drenched in sweat.

Shinko rose without complaint, her expression blank as she executed the technique again and again, even as her limbs trembled with exhaustion.

Meals were replaced with odd, thick drinks that Kaori handed to her each day.

"Drink this," Kaori ordered.

"But—"

"No buts," Kaori snapped. "You need to be strong. You need to be useful—to me, to the family, to your uncle."

Naruto's heart ached as he watched Shinko obey without question, her small hands clutching the glass as she downed the strange liquid.

Then, one day, Kaori was gone. No warning, no explanation. Just gone. In her place stood a man Naruto recognised immediately.

"Uncle Geto," Shinko whispered, her voice still monotone but tinged with something close to longing.

Suguru Geto smiled down at her, his hand resting lightly on her head. "Shinko, will you be by my side?"

Shinko didn't hesitate. "Shinko protected Mother. Now, Shinko will protect Uncle Geto."

Naruto gritted his teeth as the memory faded. He felt an overwhelming wave of anger and sorrow. They had treated her like a machine, like a tool to be used and discarded.

"Tools," Naruto muttered, his voice shaking. "That's what they called us, too."

His mind flashed back to a different time, to a snowy bridge and a man with cold, unfeeling eyes.

"Shinobi are tools," Zabuza had said back then.

Naruto had made him eat those words. And now, it was Shinko's turn.

He withdrew from her mind, his eyes flickering with determination as the battlefield came back into focus. Shinko stood in front of him, her expression as blank as ever. She didn't flinch, didn't waver, didn't question.

Naruto clenched his fists. Kotoamatsukami wasn't enough. Shinko's will, her conditioning—it was too deeply rooted. He needed another way.

His amethyst eyes shifted, their patterns dissolving into a sea of pale lavender as he activated the Byakugan aspect of his Jōrikugan. Veins bulged around his temples as his vision expanded, penetrating through her skin, her muscles, her very being.

Every detail of her body unfolded before him—her nervous system, her cursed energy flow, the intricate pathways that wove through her like rivers of light. And then, he saw it.

"Bingo," Naruto murmured, his lips curling into a determined smirk.

The cursed energy junction point. The key to shutting her down.

This wasn't over. Not yet.

Naruto appeared behind Shinko with the speed of a gale, his hands finding her neck with a firm yet gentle grip. With a calculated motion, he sent a fist-like blow—gentle in force but precise in aim—straight into the junction point of her cursed energy network.

Thud.

Shinko crumpled to the ground, her limbs splayed awkwardly as her body betrayed her. The overwhelming numbness washed over her like a suffocating tide, rendering her completely unresponsive. Yet her eyes remained wide, locked onto Naruto's face with an expression that betrayed an emotion she rarely felt: awe.

"How?" she murmured, her monotone voice slightly broken by confusion.

Naruto scratched the back of his head, suddenly self-conscious. "You see, everybody's got these weird things that connect their cursed energy and physical body—uh, that's too much info, right? Okay, basically, I cut down your cursed energy circulation." He crouched down next to her, his tone soft but firm. "It wasn't natural, you know? Yours was flawed—man-made. So it was easy to break."

Shinko's gaze dropped, her lips trembling ever so slightly. "Now… Shinko will be useless to Uncle Geto. Just like Mom said."

Naruto's brow furrowed, and he sighed, exasperation mixing with the sadness that tugged at his chest. "First of all," he began, "Uncle Geto and your mom? Same person."

Shinko's head tilted slightly, her expression blank but for the faintest flicker of confusion. "Huh?"

Naruto leaned back, gesturing animatedly. "Kenjaku. That's the real name of your so-called mom. The golden-eyed lady with stitches on her forehead? She's Kenjaku. And Geto? Also Kenjaku. Same weirdo hopping between bodies like some kind of ghost freak. Not your real mom, Shinko."

The girl's blank stare remained. "...Doesn't matter. Shinko is now useless. She should be disposed of."

Naruto's patience snapped. With a swift kick—not hard enough to hurt but strong enough to make his point—he sent her sliding a few feet across the ground. "Stop saying that garbage!" he yelled, his voice filled with frustration. "Why the hell would you talk about yourself like that?"

Shinko lay there, still paralysed, her face turned slightly towards him. "Shinko needed a purpose," she replied in her usual monotone. "Now it's gone. Shinko is a broken toy."

Naruto's fists clenched at his sides, his nails digging into his palms. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. "Okay, fine. Let's say you're a broken toy. You can still find a new purpose, right? Maybe finding a purpose can be your purpose, y'know."

Shinko blinked, her golden eyes reflecting the sky above. "Shinko doesn't understand, Weird Boy."

Naruto's eye twitched. "Don't call me that," he muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. Then he knelt down, meeting her gaze directly. "Anyways, you have a brother. Yuji Itadori? Pink hair? Probably yelling his lungs out fighting Kenjaku right now?"

Her brow furrowed slightly, the most emotion she'd shown yet. "Brother?"

"Yeah," Naruto said, nodding enthusiastically. "And that guy with the blood powers? He's your brother too!"

"Shinko… has brothers?"

Naruto sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah! They've been yelling at you this whole time. Didn't you pay any attention?"

Shinko's voice was flat as ever. "Shinko was busy trying to find the quickest way of killing them."

Naruto groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "Right. Of course. Anyways, they're still your family, and Kenjaku—your so-called 'mom'—is going to get her butt kicked because, spoiler alert, villains lose. So… what's your plan?"

"Shinko will think," she replied after a long pause, her tone as monotonous as ever.

"Awesome!" Naruto grinned, suddenly back to his usual cheery self. Without warning, he grabbed her by the shoulders, hoisting her up with surprising ease. He plopped her onto a nearby bench, making sure she was positioned comfortably despite her paralysis.

"Alright, stay here and enjoy the view," he said, patting her shoulder. "I've got some bad guys to take care of."

With that, he disappeared, leaving behind only a faint swirl of air and the echo of his words. Shinko stared up at the sky, her unresponsive body making no move to follow.

The sun was warm on her skin, and the clouds drifted lazily across the horizon. Her golden eyes softened, ever so slightly.

"Shinko likes clouds," she murmured, her voice quieter than before.

Õ~Õ

Sky Girl staggered backward, sweat dripping down her temples as she panted heavily. Her once-confident stance had crumbled; her body trembled as she barely dodged another precise strike from Maki. She was reaching her limit. Desperation flickered in her eyes, and with a sudden surge of determination, she clasped her hands together.

"Domain Expansion: Star Falls!" Sky Girl shouted, her voice trembling yet resolute.

The air around them shifted. Reality itself twisted, and the world was replaced by an infinite, grey void. Inside her domain, everything could be erased by her will. The ground beneath Maki's feet began to disintegrate, the very concept of matter bending to Sky Girl's cursed energy.

But Maki, unbothered and calm, tilted her head as if bored. "This is it? A little void space?" She smirked, raising her katana lazily.

Before Sky Girl could react, Maki surged forward, her speed far outstripping the domain's disintegration effect. With a single, deliberate swing of her katana, she severed the foundation of the domain.

Crack!

The Domain Expansion shattered like fragile glass, splintering into nothingness. Sky Girl's eyes widened in disbelief as her trump card disintegrated before her.

"No way…" she whispered.

Maki didn't wait. With a brutal kick, she sent Sky Girl flying backward. The force was so intense that Sky Girl's body ricocheted off a nearby boulder, sending shards of rock scattering like shrapnel.

Sky Girl coughed, blood staining her lips as she tried to rise. "Y-You… monster!"

Maki laughed, the sound sharp and unrelenting. "Monster? I'll take that as a compliment." She twirled her katana in her hand before advancing on her opponent, her every step purposeful and terrifying.

Sky Girl mustered what strength she had left, conjuring multiple cursed energy projectiles and sending them hurling toward Maki. The air hummed with power as the orbs crackled and roared like miniature storms.

But Maki was unfazed. She weaved through the projectiles with impossible precision, her movements fluid and effortless. A quick slash of her katana dismantled the largest orb, dispersing it into harmless sparks.

Before Sky Girl could react, Maki was upon her.

Slash!

The katana cleaved through Sky Girl's side, blood spraying into the air. Sky Girl screamed, her body spinning from the force of the strike. She barely managed to land on her feet, clutching her wound.

"You're slow," Maki said coldly, her eyes like ice.

Sky Girl lunged in desperation, her remaining strength focused on a flurry of blows. She struck with surprising agility, her fists coated in cursed energy. But Maki was a step ahead. She parried each attack with her katana, her movements sharp and calculated.

A high kick to Sky Girl's chest sent her stumbling back, gasping for air. Maki didn't let up. She closed the distance, slashing diagonally and severing Sky Girl's hand in a clean motion.

Thud.

The hand hit the ground with a sickening sound. Sky Girl screamed in pain, clutching the stump of her arm as blood poured freely.

Yuta, watching from the sidelines, blinked in shock. The detached hand lay near his feet. Absentmindedly, he picked it up and tossed it to Rika, who floated nearby.

"Here," he muttered, still mesmerised by Maki's overwhelming performance.

Rika caught the hand and devoured it in a single bite, licking her lips. "She's… mediocre, Yu~ta~!"

Yuta didn't respond. His gaze was locked on Maki, admiration and awe evident on his face.

Maki continued her assault, unrelenting. Sky Girl tried to summon more cursed energy, but her movements were sluggish, her power waning. Maki's katana cut through the air with a deadly whistle, landing strike after strike. Each blow was precise, aimed at disabling rather than killing.

Sky Girl attempted a desperate counter, leaping into the air and forming a massive energy blade in her remaining hand. She swung it downward with all her might.

Maki sidestepped, her movements almost lazy, and brought her katana upward in a fluid arc. The cursed energy blade shattered on impact, fragments dispersing harmlessly.

"You're done," Maki said, her tone final.

With a powerful roundhouse kick, she sent Sky Girl crashing into the ground. Dust and debris exploded from the impact, obscuring the fallen girl from view. Maki stood over her, breathing heavily but otherwise unscathed. Her katana dripped with blood, the blade gleaming in the sunlight.

Sky Girl groaned, barely able to move. Her body was battered, her spirit broken.

Maki turned to Yuta, wiping sweat from her brow. "So, how w-was I?" she asked, her voice slightly breathless but carrying a playful undertone.

Yuta gulped, his heart pounding in his chest. "It was… truly a sight to see," he said, his voice faint.

Maki grinned, her sharp teeth flashing as she sheathed her katana.

Yuta, still watching her, felt a bead of sweat roll down his temple. A single thought crossed his mind, unbidden but impossible to ignore.

'I shouldn't marry her. I hardly have enough stamina to satisfy her…'

Õ~Õ

Author's Note:

Exactly a year ago, on this very day, I had published this story. Throughout this year, I have learned a lot. Really. My writing style is vastly different and stable now, unlike before. Although, I am still improving. I also wrote quite a lot of stories from different fandoms and learned a lot. It would be awesome if you checked out some of my other works, I highly recommend:

Branching Out.

Shinobi Who Slays.

The Crystal Sage.

An Honored One (A sequel to this story)

Thousands Of Spells Away.

Thanks for your support and all the motivations you gave me. Thanks a ton for sticking with this chapter! Your reviews and feedback keep me motivated to write with more depth, more detail, and more enthusiasm.

So, don't forget to drop your thoughts in the review section. They mean the world to me as your words motivate me to write better, larger and with more depth

Till next time!