"!"
A chill shot from the base of his skull straight down his spine. There wasn't even time to process what was happening before Sukuna's figure exploded backward in retreat.
A blood-red light detonated instantly within the domain.
When Sukuna regained his senses, he found himself in a pitch-black space, countless crimson shadows swimming through the void, seeming poised to launch a fatal assault at any moment.
"A domain, huh? I see. So you want to oppose my domain with your own? But with a domain like yours, do you really think it can affect me?"
After grasping the situation, Sukuna's initially tense demeanor relaxed considerably. In a domain battle, he held an absolute advantage.
He smirked, looking towards the distant girl whose form was obscured by darkness and shadows, and willed his slashes to recklessly carve into the outer shell of her domain. But…
They didn't connect?
The complete lack of feedback, the absence of any tactile sensation from his strikes, left Sukuna rooted to the spot in confusion.
"Heh heh heh… Is this all you've got?"
If the girl's voice had been clear and gentle before, now it was low and sinister.
Sukuna narrowed his eyes as she slowly walked towards him, noticing for the first time that her eyes were glowing with a wine-red light.
Her aura had completely changed. A mocking smile played on her lips, as if she were looking at a toy struggling in the palm of her hand.
This blatant contempt pricked at Sukuna's pride, yet he smiled in return. "Not attacking? As a nameless curse, I'll permit you to show me what you can do."
He could tell, of course, that the one in control had switched. Honestly, this feeling of 'can't win so swap players' gave him a strange sense of looking in a mirror, which only irritated him more.
As the King of Curses, he was the strongest Curse User of all time and also the most powerful Curse. Just what was this thing, to dare be so similar to him?
Dark Amber remained completely unshaken by his provocation.
Though Sukuna was a curse now, no matter how monstrous he'd been, he was originally human. In fact, beings like Sukuna were part of the very reason Lahmus came into existence.
Besides, so-called curses were born from humans. To Dark Amber, whose essence was that of a Lahmu, curses were even lower than humans.
So, she laughed. It was the kind of laugh a human might give upon seeing a hedgehog bristle its spines—not anger, but amusement.
"As a toy, you should watch your tongue. It's better for both of us. If I break you too easily, I might not find another toy as interesting."
No sooner had she spoken, before Sukuna could retort, a massive, squid-like tentacle materialized out of thin air, coiled around his body, and slammed him down hard.
Noticing the forest of black-and-red blades that had sprouted from the ground beneath him, Sukuna immediately used his own slashes to shear them flat.
But…
'Another miss!?'
His face instantly darkened. He adjusted his posture to dodge, only to be crushed back down onto the bed of blades by another sudden tentacle.
Squelch—
The blades pierced through his body without resistance. Both of his slashes had missed in ways he couldn't comprehend. Sukuna turned his head to look at the tentacle pinning him and launched another slash aimed at severing it at the root. Yet again, it cut nothing but air.
What the hell was going on? What kind of technique was this?
Even Ryomen Sukuna wore an expression of utter bewilderment.
His body was still riddled with grievous piercing wounds, the blades even remaining lodged within.
Though he was already healing himself with Reverse Cursed Technique, he had no taste for being pinned down and beaten like this.
Understanding the fundamental nature of jujutsu, Sukuna devised a countermeasure in an instant.
He enveloped his entire body with a Domain Amplification, a neutral domain that could nullify techniques.
This bypassed his opponent's domain's guaranteed-hit effect, allowing him to easily knock the restraining tentacle aside. He rose to his feet, using Reverse Cursed Technique to repair his body.
Dark Amber was genuinely surprised by this move. Domain Amplification?
That was an anti-technique maneuver even Satoru Gojo couldn't use.
Not that Gojo couldn't use a Simple Domain, mind you. The two weren't strictly better or worse than each other.
Domain Amplification prevented the use of one's own innate technique but could neutralize others' techniques and allowed free movement.
A Simple Domain didn't allow free movement and couldn't neutralize techniques, but one's own technique could still be used normally inside it.
So, Sukuna had realized his techniques were ineffective and decided to just resort to a brawl, huh? A 'Fist-Jutsu Kaisen,' as it were.
Without Mahoraga, this was about all he could do.
Having devised a solution in mere seconds, Sukuna expected to see disbelief, or at least surprise, on his opponent's face. Instead, he was met with sheer disdain.
His pride, always a raw nerve, made his previous satisfaction vanish instantly. "Fine! Let's see how long that arrogant look stays on your face, woman!"
Cursed energy surged, wildly enhancing his body.
Although he had broken free from her domain's suppression, Sukuna was acutely aware that he only had the power of three fingers' worth. This state couldn't be maintained for long; he had to end this quickly.
"Are you here to die?"
Seeing him charge forward with clenched fists, Dark Amber almost laughed aloud.
A pair of claws, sheathed in black gauntlets and tipped with crimson nails, materialized beside her.
Before Sukuna could react, they smashed into him, sending him flying back faster than he had arrived. Simultaneously, dark red tentacles reappeared, slamming him back towards her.
"You'll pass for a ping-pong ball, I suppose."
Dark Amber seated herself on one of the floating claws, while the other swatted Sukuna away again.
Now, even an idiot could see the gap between them. Just as this damned woman had said, he was being played with like a toy.
However reluctantly, Sukuna knew killing her was off the table.
This curse, residing within the girl, was like a loyal guard dog. It possessed such immense power, yet chose to engage in this 'harmonious coexistence' nonsense.
Aren't you a damn curse!?
If not for the pure, unmistakable cursed energy radiating from Dark Amber, Sukuna would have doubted she was a curse at all.
"For a curse, you certainly have a peculiar hobby—playing attendant to a fragile little girl. How amusing."
Even knowing he was outmatched, he couldn't let his pride take the full hit.
Adjusting his landing posture, Sukuna managed to avoid being batted around like a ball again and touched down on the ground, sneering, "Let's end this game here. It served as a decent warm-up before I eventually kill you all. Don't worry. Once I'm free, the first one I'll kill is your host."
Having delivered his threat, Sukuna immediately withdrew, returning to Yuji's body.
The principle remained: he had no interest in being a punching bag.
But he had noted these two down in his mental ledger. This damned woman, and that so-called 'strongest' ordinary human—both were targets he would definitely kill later.
The King of Curses seethed with towering rage, but with no outlet, he could only contort his features and wait for his opportunity.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
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If you guys wanna check it out.