AN: I'm currently sheltering in place because of a weather event so safe to say I won't be writing today that means no chapter tomorrow to keep the release rate consistant. Thank you for understanding.
"Domain Expansion: Seven Sinful Curses of Corruption and Salvation"
As Kiniro's incantation echoed throughout the cavern, the very air itself began to shake as it was forced to bear the weight of a second domain manifesting.
With the sound of tearing flesh, the top of the cavern was ripped off, revealing Kiniro's domain, the obsidian walls drenched in hellfire, and the seven slumbering eyes looming down from above, emitting a tangible pressure even while dormant. At the same time, the bile curses lost their form and collapsed as the technique supporting them was pushed back.
Staring up at Kiniro's domain, Suguru could feel that they were at a standstill, with neither domain proving more refined than the other and being capable of canceling the other out, 'How terrifying…less than a year and he's already managed to progress this far.'
In an instant, Suguru's goals changed as he realized the threat Kiniro posed should he be left to flourish, 'Today…one of us will fall.'
Meanwhile, Yuta felt a pang of relief as he felt Suguru's technique being canceled out, meaning that he could now summon Rika without risk. However, before Yuta could even gesture his next move, Kiniro's hand suddenly grabbed his sleeve, "Sorry, but you've overstayed your welcome. And don't try to come back in."
"Eh?"
Before Yuta could say a word, Kiniro gave him a firm shove as an opening appeared behind Yuta, swallowing him whole. For a moment, Yuta lost all awareness of his surroundings as he passed through liminal space, before gravity suddenly took hold and he fell to the ground with a thud.
Sitting up with a groan, Yuta's eyes widened as he stared at the perfect black sphere floating a few feet in front of him, 'Did I just get thrown out?'
---
"Hmm, finally, some alone time, with just the two-"
Kiniro's taunt was interrupted as, in a flash, Suguru appeared in front of him, Playful Cloud in his hands already swinging.
Kiniro's lips reflexively twisted into a grin as Lust retracted back into his hands with a crisp smack. With the blades resting against his forearms, Kiniro parried Suguru's swing with the sound of screeching metal as sparks flew through the air.
But even with his perfectly timed parry, Kiniro was still forced to backpedal as the amplifying effect of Playful Cloud overwhelmed his defenses, 'What a unique curse tool, exchanging utility for pure destructive output.'
Borrowing force from the recoil, Kiniro jumped into the air and, in quick succession, sent both of his knives flying at Suguru.
Grabbing the middle section of his staff, the Curse manipulator spun his cursed tool around and around until it was a solid red blur. Lust rang like a tuning fork as its knives were deflected and sent flying off in random directions, opening a path for Suguru, who launched himself up at Kiniro, his hand outstretched, and fingers curled like talons.
With a muted thud, Suguru slammed into Kiniro and sent them flying up out of the cavern and into his domain above, letting the pink light of the hellfire wash over them.
"I was wrong to assume you to be an inconsequential variable," Suguru admitted with his outstretched hand attempting to reach Kiniro's throat, only to be held off with both hands, "Now I see that you're far too troublesome to be left unaccounted for!"
"How flattering," Kiniro muttered as a surge of cursed energy rolled off his body, slowing Suguru for a second and allowing him to push away as Lust anchored itself into the walls and pulled him through the air.
Landing on the steep walls of the hellish pit, Kiniro watched as Suguru started to free-fall, only to stick out his hand and summon a curse that bore a strong resemblance to a stingray that treated the air like water.
'So he has a few cursed spirits in his inventory, though it's probably the bottom of the barrel after his earlier attack,' Kiniro quickly summarized as Lust shot back into his hands just as Suguru raised his.
Without a second of hesitation, Kiniro turned on his feet and ran along the wall just as a serpent-like curse spirit launched itself at him, slamming into the cliff with enough force to crack the hardened stone.
Following Kiniro with his hand, Suguru launched curse after curse reinforced with his own cursed energy, giving them more power than they could achieve on their own. Most splattered apart on contact, sending their blood flying into the air. But instead of staining the walls, the blood ignited upon contact, spreading the hellfire far and wide and lighting up the arena.
Unwilling to find out what would run out first, Suguru's supply of curses or his luck, Kiniro turned and launched himself off the wall, flying directly at Suguru.
Seeing Kiniro's attack coming, Suguru aimed his hand against it, but before he could, Kiniro's voice echoed through the air.
"Satan"
Faster than Suguru could react, a portal opened below him, and a ram-horned spear shot forth and pierced through his hand, sending a bolt of scorching hot pain running up his arm and throughout his entire body.
Gritting his teeth, Suguru was stunned for a moment before he realized there wasn't a drop of blood, 'It's not my body that's in pain… Physically, I'm fine, but mentally and spiritually, the agony is disrupting my ability to think clearly and even my output of cursed energy. And even worse…'
Suguru briefly glanced at the sky and watched as one of the slumbering eyes opened, revealing an otherworldly pupil that seemed to harbor an unending hatred for everything that entered its gaze. And with it, Suguru felt his mind become even more addled as pain lit up his body, sinking into his every pore.
Still with a notable effort, Suguru managed to turn his attention back to Kiniro, who was nearly upon him, 'Is this the effect of your domain…to overwhelm and debilitate your enemies with sensation-'
Suguru's thoughts froze as he suddenly noticed the tension across Kiniro's body, 'No, not just your enemies… you're subjected to it as well. You're a victim of your own technique?!'
Before Suguru could recover, Kiniro tackled him off the back of a flying curse, sending them into a free fall.
"Tell me, how does it feel?" Kiniro asked with a grin as he bore down on Suguru, driving his knives into the curse manipulator's shoulders, "Isn't the agony exquisite; doesn't it open your eyes?!"
Ignoring Kiniro's insane babble, Suguru held out his hand and summoned a purple worm-like curse that, instead of emerging from his inventory, regurgitated the handle of a dagger that Suguru drove into the side of Kiniro's neck.
But instead of flinching, Kiniro just grinned and twisted his knives that were still embedded in Suguru's shoulders while his cursed energy quickly gathered around Suguru's knife.
Seeing Kiniro's efforts, Suguru flooded his cursed energy through the knife as he twisted, disrupting Kiniro's own output and sending his blood flying through the air.
"Blgh!"
Kiniro coughed, decorating his lips with blood, but that only served to stain his smile as he grinned, "Been a while since someone has managed to make me bleed! Looks like the party's really getting started.
Suguru ignored Kiniro's taunts and, with a grunt, punched Kiniro in the stomach, loosening his hold before throwing the crazed boy off him.
Gritting his teeth, Suguru reached up and tore the knives out of his shoulders just in time to orient himself and land on his cursed manta that swooped down to catch him out of the air.
Hunched over, Suguru struggled to think clearly with the dual agony of his physical injuries and the torturous agony that seeped into his soul. But Suguru's willpower held strong, and he started to search the air for Kiniro, but before he could locate his opponent, another incantation shook the air.
"Asmodeus"
Suguru's eyes opened wide as, in addition to the pain, a heat filled his body, and he watched as smoke rose from his shoulders as the pain vanished, 'I'm being healed…what is this absurd technique?!'
Suguru's question was answered by the agonizing screech of his curse, as two knives erupted through its back
Faster than Suguru could react, the curse was torn apart, and before gravity could even take hold, Kiniro was already there, launching himself back up from below with smoke pouring off of his already healed neck.
'What is this ridiculous domain?!' Suguru demanded, even as he was slammed into the side of the cavern, ignoring the flare of pain that was quickly soothed by a wave of heat that was then replaced by the ongoing mental agony in his head, 'The various techniques he imbues are universal, affecting everyone within reach, including himself. Your domain is supposed to be a sorcerer's most powerful tool, so why allow it to cripple yourself?! How can you expect to win when you're spending cursed energy to heal your enemies?!'
"There is no winning."
Suguru's thoughts suddenly stilled as Kiniro spoke without prompting, and his eyes ignited with hellfire, "There is only sensation. My domain will allow you to feel everything that the human mind and body can experience. But the real question is…what will happen to your soul when the line between emptiness and form is erased?"