[ Continuation of Chapter 15 Flashback ]
"Stretch the fabric of Infinity to its absolute limit," he commanded himself. "Then, crush that entire reality back into a single speck, where everything becomes nothing and infinite potentiality."
For the concept of Infinity, he used his Cursed Energy. For the concept of Nihility, he utilized two different dimensional energies he has been researching for the past two months that, with its nature, he deemed compatible.
The air in the room didn't just vibrate; it vanished. The laws of physics; gravity, friction and time, it all began to fray at the edges.
It wasn't just Infinity anymore; he was manifesting a paradox.
"Unlimited Void (Muryōkūsho)," Satoru murmured, his voice echoing from a place that no longer existed. "Nihility (Kyomu)."
The moment the words left his lips, the sub-basement ceased to be a room.
The reinforced runes, etched into stone by masters centuries ago to withstand the much more potent practices of the Masters of the Mystic Arts, didn't just crack; they unraveled like loose threads.
The stone floor, the flames of the lamp on the walls, even the shadows of the room were being systematically undone, replaced by a swirling infinitely consuming vortex.
Satoru had intended to contain the technique within these four walls, believing his control over Limitless and his Domain Expansion would suffice.
But, he was wrong. He underestimated the power of adding the concept of Nihility into his Unlimited Void and the nature that was being born.
The domain began to expand at an accelerated and uncontrollable rate.
Satoru's eyes went wide as he felt the Domain clawing its way outward than intended.
He tried to pull the Cursed Energy and two other dimensional energies he had used to make this domain happen and collapse the barrier. But, a white-hot spike of agony lanced through his brain — it was the first backlash of using a technique not solely powered by Cursed Energy.
He couldn't close it.
'Shit...' Satoru thought, a cold shiver running down his spine as he gritted his teeth against the mounting pressure. 'I'm in big trouble…'
…
The domain surged upward through the sub-basement and bedrock. It first swallowed the Inner Archives, where scrolls containing forbidden secrets simply vanished into potentiality. Then, it surges through the library, swallowing the thousands of books. Finally, it burst into the open air of the training grounds.
In an instant, the courtyard was gone. The stone archways, the prayer flags, and the very ground beneath the students' feet were replaced by a kaleidoscopic sky circling a pitch-black core.
Panic ensued.
"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!" an apprentice screamed, his voice barely audible over the pressurized zone.
The massive bronze gong of the temple was slammed by someone, its deep and vibrating ring echoing across the compound as a reminder of an attack from the unknown.
Disciples fell to their knees, staring in dazed horror at the 'eye' that had opened in the hearts of their home.
Several Masters, including Mordo and Hamir, reacted instinctively. They didn't know what this was, but they knew it was consuming reality.
"Form the perimeter!" Mordo roared, his face pale as he conjured a shield. "Shield the compound! Do not let it spread further!"
Nearly a few dozen Masters appeared from the three different Sanctums through multiple portals outside where the expanding domain hasn't reached yet.
They poured every ounce of their combined magical energy to form a collective Shield of the Seraphim around Kamar-Taj through their Tao Mandala — a barrier designed to repel the strongest of sorceries and the most violent of physical intrusions.
But as the orange light of their shields touched the edge of Satoru's expanding domain, the magic didn't bounce off. It didn't hold.
The eldritch energy began to fray at the edges, being pulled into the domain like water down a drain.
The Masters strained as they gritted their teeth and sweat poured down their faces, realizing with mounting terror that their efforts to stop it are useless.
And in the center of it all, deep beneath the ground, Satoru Gojo clutched his head in agonizing pain.
The Ancient One appeared beside the Masters, providing a presence of calm when the panicking Masters were on the verge of exhaustion.
She swept a piercing gaze over the group, her brow furrowing when she realized one presence was missing.
"Where is Master Gojo?" she demanded.
The Masters turned to her, their faces pale. They shook their heads in unison, one of them shouting over the roar of the vacuum, "We haven't seen him since before the breach began!"
The Ancient One's eyes narrowed as she focused on the heart of the expanding zone.
'Don't tell me…' she thought, a rare flicker of dread crossing her features.
With a decisive motion, she performed a complex series of mudras, causing the Eye of Agamotto to click open upon her chest. An emerald radiance spilled out from it.
She wove a dense layer of protective seals around her form, and without a word to the others, she launched herself directly toward the domain.
The Unlimited Void: Nihility's effects lashed out. Her protective spells began to flicker and disintegrate the moment they touched the void. However, she had utilized the Time Stone by anchoring her personal timeline; every time a shield fractured, it instantly reverted to its peak condition in a shimmering, green loop of self-repair.
She reached the sky above the epicentre and looked down. With a sharp gesture, using the energy of the Mirror Dimension, the ground began to shift and unravel, revealing the sub-basement below.
There, she saw Satoru. He was on his knees, clutching his head and was screaming in agonizing pain.
She narrowed her eyes as she saw a smoldering black smog swirling around his frame, and on his forehead, a dark crackling symbol like brand shone with crimson light.
"SATORU, STOP!"
When Satoru didn't respond, her frown deepened.
She felt whatever spell or technique he had casted beginning to adapt to her presence, nearly overwhelming the self-repairing loop of the Time Stone.
Sensing the masters outside were seconds from collapsing, she stopped hesitating and summoned a concentrated sphere of emerald light. Runic symbols swirled rapidly between her palms as she channeled one of the Eye of Agamotto's main spells.
She thrust her hands outward, releasing the energy. Then, she uttered an invocation.
"Through the Eye that sees all, may the Vishanti guide my hand! Time Reversal!"
…
[ Present Day ]
Satoru's eyes slowly opened as a ray of sunlight woke him up from his sleep.
The sun sat low on the horizon, casting long, golden shadows across the meditation garden of Kamar-Taj.
He stayed still for a moment, letting the morning air hit him from all sides as he leaned his back on the bark of the bodhi tree he slept on.
"Master Gojo?"
A soft voice broke his reverie. Satoru tilted his head back against the bark, looking up. An asian apprentice he didn't recognize — likely a recent transfer from the Hong Kong Sanctum — stood a few paces away and bowed.
"Your presence has been requested by Master Wong," the boy said, his voice steady but respectful.
Satoru sighed. He closed one eye, squinting at the morning light with the other.
"I just woke up and there's work to do already?" he muttered, more to himself than the boy. He glanced at the apprentice. "What does he want? Can't it wait after a coffee run?"
The apprentice didn't falter, speaking as if he had memorized a specific script provided by Wong himself. "Master Wong says your disciples are now ready to be taught in the training ground. Apprentice Wanda and Apprentice Illyana have also been readied and prepared."
Satoru's brows shot up, his interest finally piqued. He shifted his weight, the lethargy of his sleep vanishing instantly. "Wanda's here? When did she arrive, do you know?"
'She appeared much earlier than I expected, was she too excited by the prospects of her learning and mastering her magic?' Satoru thought.
He stood up slowly, stretching his limbs until his joints popped.
As he rose, he gently nudged a pair of sleeping birds off his shoulders, whom had likely appeared and slept with him on his shoulders through the night, all the while he rested under the bodhi tree. The small creatures fluttered away in indignant chirps.
He then brushed a few stray leaves from his shoulders and body.
"Apprentice Wanda arrived in Kamar-Taj last night, Master Gojo," the boy replied.
Satoru offered a lazy, one-handed shooing gesture. "Alright, thanks. You can go now. Tell Wong I'm on my way."
The apprentice bowed again and hurried off toward the main halls.
Satoru began the long walk toward the training grounds, his gait a leisurely and arrogant saunter. He looked down at his clothes, realizing that he was still wearing the same attire as yesterday.
With a casual snap of his fingers, a ripple of eldritch energy washed over his body. The heavy fabric shifted and transformed, replaced by his sleek, black designer attire and high-collared jacket.
"Much better," he whispered, a smirk playing on his lips.
...
[Author's Notes]:
Daily chapter drop (One each): Monday → Sunday.
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