Strain.
That is what I felt when I tried to open my domain. My brain was too overloaded by constant domain expansions to use my technique once again. It needed rest.
I needed rest.
But rest wasn't an option. At one moment, everyone seemed at peace, an intense stare-down between all the participants of this deadly game, and the next it all exploded.
Once again Mahoraga and Jogo moved first, and I followed, albeit at a much slower pace. My injuries wouldn't allow me to keep up with them no matter how much I tried to push my body.
It was all a blur. One second the silence was overwhelming, and the next a booming collision sound echoed as Jogo once again collided with Mahoraga.
However, this wasn't just a mere collision of force. Instead of taking it head-on, Jogo used his momentum to hurl himself upward behind Mahoraga after their attacks connected mid-air, at least for Jogo since he was much smaller.
Mahoraga tracked his target, making an arc over him, his Sword of Extermination already swinging towards Jogo, but by then I was there.
"HAAAAAAA"
I rushed with all the momentum I could muster and tackled the giant's leg to slightly destabilise him. Honestly, it didn't even move the Divine General, but that slight destabilisation allowed Jogo to avoid the sword brimming with positive energy.
Mahoraga's attention shifted to me. Still no adaptation. He simply directed that sword in my direction.
Just before the sword could connect though, Jogo was already back with a reverse dash, aiming right at Mahoraga's head and punching him with everything he had.
The pure physical force from him made the monster take a single step back, but that was enough for me to get away in time.
Jogo's attack, besides that, did nothing, but by doing so he was following exactly what I had asked him to do—not to use his technique, only hand-to-hand combat.
He was at a serious disadvantage. We both were.
Mahoraga seemed to contemplate between the two targets he had until he chose to fight the more troublesome one.
The Sword of Extermination attached to his hand lit up with reverse cursed energy, aiming directly at Jogo. That strike could end it all.
Or, it could save the day.
Just as the sword came down, Jogo was ready. With all of his reactive instincts he had developed while fighting me, he shifted sideways.
Unfortunately, he wasn't fast enough. The sword still grazed his arm, but the positive energy did the rest. It outright obliterated the core structure of his arm, which was a pure cursed energy construct, like most cursed spirits are.
The arm didn't cut open like it normally would have. Instead, it just blasted apart and then dissipated.
Jogo's single eye went bloodshot instantly, but still he didn't step back. Instead, he moved in and, with all of his cursed energy reinforcement, punched the Divine General right in the face, jolting him back.
Mahoraga took only one step back before his sword hand was once again raised in the air, ready to make the next strike count.
"NOW!" Jogo shouted.
And I was waiting for this exact moment. I came from behind the Divine General, used his snake-like tail attached to his head like a ladder, and with a sharp and very disrespectful stomp on his head, pushed myself upward—directly at the raised arm.
I clamped tightly around the damn Sword of Extermination and pulled the arm off course the moment Mahoraga brought it down on Jogo.
The ground split open by what little exposed tip of the sword was left behind; the rest was completely hugged tightly by me like I was a koala.
A childish action, but that saved Jogo from exploding just like his arm. Mahoraga, upon this, let out an indignant sound that almost sounded like a snort.
Before his other giant hand could snap at me to forcefully rip me apart from the sword, Jogo was already on top of him once again, delivering a punch directly to the Divine General's face.
The force was similar to before. Mahoraga had to take one step back. That was the extent of what Jogo could do.
And that too only because Mahoraga had adapted himself to be a bit thinner and faster. However, that earlier adaptation let him grab Jogo this time mid-way and throw him away like an annoying bug.
Then he swung his sword hand, trying to make me lose my grip and let go. I held on for dear life until finally he couldn't take it anymore, and the wheel on top of his head spun once again.
I entirely missed the spin due to the unannounced experience, similar to an amusement park ride I was experiencing on his hand.
And then suddenly, the metal of the sword heated up. So hot that even my already insensitive burned skin felt like it was on a frying pan with the stove on.
By instinct, I had to let go of the sword. It couldn't have been at a worse moment since Mahoraga hadn't ended his thrill-seeking ride for me.
I was thrown at the nearest building yet again, stopping only after completely and utterly ruining its outer wall.
By now I had no idea how many times I had experienced being smashed into a building. I wasn't even angry about it anymore.
I smelled smoke. My hands, which had held onto the sword, were smoking with burned flesh, black as charcoal.
Mahoraga turned towards me but then went back to his original target. In his eyes, I was no threat.
Jogo was already on the move though, fully embracing the hit-and-run tactic. But Mahoraga was faster after that one adaptation.
Before he could run away, Mahoraga was already on top of him, Sword of Extermination once again ready to cleave him in half.
Just as Jogo was about to take a permanent leave from this fight, a large destroyed section of a broken building wall was sent flying at Mahoraga, crashing onto him.
Once again, Jogo was spared by the Sword of Extermination.
Mahoraga made a grunting sound, as if annoyed. He turned around, and there I was, standing and smoking like a freshly delivered piece of meat.
However, not all smoke comes from fire. Some came from my healed wounds.
"Thanks for the heal, man. God knows I needed that." I grinned. Yup, it was the Sword of Extermination.
Jogo too sighed in relief at how the crazy plan worked.
It was a rather simple, suicidal idea. Everything depended on Mahoraga using his sword with positive cursed energy output to deal with a curse like Jogo. He did exactly that, and since it was an output-type RCT, known by how Jogo's arm exploded, I knew it would heal too.
The healing wasn't nearly enough, but I could feel my body at least in a somewhat working state. That was enough.
Something seemed to change inside Mahoraga at that moment as the wheel on top of his head rotated once again.
What he adapted to, no one knew but him. Instead of going after Jogo, he rushed directly at me.
'Ah come on, are you serious now.' I gritted my teeth and poured all my cursed energy into reinforcement since there was no outpacing that force of nature.
Mahoraga appeared on top of me in an instant. He was fast, very fast. And the next second his mountain-sized fist came crashing down on my head like a hammer falling from heaven.
With all my might, I blocked.
The impact was bone-shattering, if any were left intact inside me by now to begin with. My legs gave out, and from the sheer might of that blow, the ground beneath me shattered and I dropped to my knees.
The taste of iron pooled into my mouth as blood surged out. I felt like my entire body had been hit by a moving train.
My hands—they were shaking like leaves about to fall. My mind hummed with a buzzing noise. It took me some time to recover from that blow, but Mahoraga wasn't done.
I saw his leg raised right above my kneeling self.
Instincts once again came to the rescue, and by sheer survival threat, cursed energy surged once again around my body.
I swear I'm cutting open Fushiguro's fingers so he isn't summoning anyone ever again if I survive this.
And then the Divine General mercilessly crushed me beneath his foot. The blow was so heavy that even my knees gave out, my stance completely broken as I was driven into the ground.
Only my hands, shielding my chest, held on before giving in and folding inward under the pressure of that foot slam.
Blood poured out of my mouth. My eyes went blank for a second under such a heavy impact. My entire body shook.
But Mahoraga was still not done. He raised his sword this time, ready to end this in one sweeping attack.
My eyes snapped to the sword. I had to move. I knew if I didn't, I was dead. I had to move.
"Move, goddammit."
I twisted my body to the side, missing the Sword of Extermination by a hair's breadth. At least most of it.
A stinging pain rang through me. The sword barely touched my side, but it tore right through. Pain struck like a lightning bolt.
And with pain came anger—so much anger. At myself, at this situation, at freaking Megumi Fushiguro, at that blood-deep mess who dragged Mahoraga onto me.
It needed an outlet, and the best one I knew was to punch it out.
So, eyes bloodshot and hostility fueling my negative emotions, I did just that. Instincts alone were enough to gather my cursed energy into my fist, and just like back when I punched those cursed spirits in the underground floors of Shibuya Station, out of sheer desperation to survive mixed with anger—
I punched. Directly at Mahoraga's face, which was much closer due to him lowering the sword toward me.
A snapping sound rang out. I felt a jolting vibration, very familiar to me. Cursed energy collapsed into itself and then, like a burst, lashed out.
Space itself wrapped around my fist, and in the next moment, black lightning tore out from it.
BLACK FLASH.
Once again, it hit Mahoraga right on the head. For the first time, sending the behemoth flying back.
As if my dead brain cells had awakened, my mind snapped into place, and everything started to make sense.
I lay there, eyes open, fist still in the air with black lightning around it. And for the first time during this fight, I felt like… I can do it.
Both Mahoraga and I simultaneously got up. I supported my bleeding side and looked at the Divine General, who was grinning as usual at me as the wheel on his head spun once.
"Adapting to Black Flash, huh… tch, such a cheater." I couldn't help but scoff. But then a similar kind of grin spread across my face.
Jogo, who was sidelined all this time after being thrown into a building, was finally on the move. He rushed at Mahoraga at lightning speed, ready to deliver the attack.
"JOGO!"
However, I stopped him midway.
He snapped at me like I had lost it. "What!"
I grinned at him and simply said, "DO IT."
He blinked, pursed his lips for a second, and then determination showed on his face.
"Very well. I hope you survive, human."
He replied, and then for the first time during this fight, fire erupted out of him—not for attacking, but from his palms, slamming down on the ground like thrusters to launch him into the air.
Mahoraga, of course, saw this. But he didn't go after Jogo. I was his target now, especially after that Black Flash.
My own eyes snapped to him. Grinning all the way, hands raised up, forming a familiar hand sign.
My brain immediately sent out warning signals; it wasn't ready to handle another Domain Expansion just yet. Not even after a Black Flash.
I knew it.
BUT I DON'T CARE!
Just as Jogo said, I have to give my everything. Find a way. There is always a way. Stay true to your nature.
And I—I'm a trader.
Trade it then.
Trade something for this life-giving grace.
"DOMAIN EXPANSION"
"DEATH TRADE"
xXx
A/N : Hahahaha... I'm having fun writing this man. Its really fun.
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