Shibuya — Inokashira Line, Shibuya Station
The underground tunnel reeked of saltwater.
A heavy, fishy smell lingered in the humid air.
Seawater had already flooded the station floor, rising to ankle height.
"What a disgusting smell."
Naobito Zenin took a long swig from his sake flask.
His eyes looked unfocused.
But the old sorcerer's posture was razor sharp.
Ready to move at any moment.
Beside him stood two others.
Kento Nanami.
And Maki Zenin.
The three stood back-to-back, guarding each other's blind spots.
Blocking their path was a strange cursed spirit.
A red octopus-like creature.
It looked almost comical.
Harmless, even.
But then—
PFFFT.
Its skin split open.
Like a molting insect.
From inside emerged a far more terrifying form.
A massive humanoid body with bulging muscles.
Red skin carved with black curse markings.
Four powerful limbs.
A monstrous face twisted with hatred.
Special-Grade Cursed Spirit — Torgeng, Complete Evolution.
"Humans…"
The curse growled.
"…all deserve to die."
The surrounding seawater began to boil violently.
The cursed energy pressure alone made the air feel heavy.
Even Maki—who possessed no cursed energy—felt her chest tighten.
"Be careful!"
Nanami immediately raised his blunt sword.
His expression turned serious.
"That cursed energy…!"
"It's activating a domain!"
"Domain Expansion — Rippling Horizon."
BUZZ.
A barrier instantly expanded.
Swallowing the station whole.
The world changed.
The dark underground station vanished.
In its place appeared—
A brilliant tropical beach.
Blue skies.
White clouds.
Golden sand.
An endless ocean stretching to the horizon.
Warm sea breeze blew across their faces.
Beautiful.
Peaceful.
But the three sorcerers knew better.
Inside a Domain Expansion—
Beauty meant death.
"This is bad…"
Maki gripped her weapon tightly.
The special-grade cursed tool Playful Cloud.
Without cursed energy—
She could not deploy a Simple Domain.
Which meant she had no protection against a guaranteed-hit attack.
Her instincts screamed danger.
Every muscle in her body tensed.
Torgeng hovered above the ocean.
Like a god ruling its domain.
"Welcome."
It spread its arms.
"To my world."
With a casual gesture—
The sea exploded.
SPLASH!
Gigantic fish-shaped shikigami burst from the water.
Rows of razor-sharp teeth.
Massive jaws.
Dozens.
Hundreds.
Each one radiated cursed energy powerful enough to tear through steel.
"An endless swarm…"
Nanami muttered.
Then the ocean erupted again.
Even more shikigami appeared.
A tidal wave of monsters.
"Falling Blossom Emotion."
Naobito activated the defensive technique of the Zenin clan.
A thin veil of cursed energy wrapped around him.
Automatically countering attacks that touched his body.
But there were too many.
Even the old clan head began to feel overwhelmed.
Especially after losing an arm earlier in the battle.
"Old man!"
Maki shouted.
She swung Playful Cloud with brutal strength.
CRACK!
One fish shikigami exploded.
Then another.
Then another.
But they kept coming.
Endless.
Nanami fought beside her.
His Ratio Technique shattered several shikigami.
But more surged forward immediately.
Blood spread across his suit.
Several bites tore into his body.
Even so—
He stepped forward.
Shielding Maki.
"If I'm going to die…"
Nanami muttered calmly.
"…then I'll finish my overtime first."
The beach filled with monsters.
Every direction was blocked.
Every escape route cut off.
"We can't kill them all!"
Maki gritted her teeth.
"Are we really going to die here…?"
Then—
A new voice echoed across the domain.
"Domain Expansion — Chimera Shadow Garden."
Black shadows spread across the sand.
Like ink spilling across a canvas.
The bright tropical beach darkened instantly.
From the spreading shadows—
A young sorcerer emerged.
Megumi Fushiguro.
His hands formed a hand seal.
Sweat pouring down his face.
"Fushiguro?!"
Maki's eyes widened.
Megumi's domain spread across the ground.
Not overpowering the enemy domain—
But interfering with it.
The guaranteed-hit effect of Torgeng's domain began to destabilize.
"I can't hold it for long!"
Megumi shouted.
Blood ran from his nose.
"This domain is too complete!"
"All I can do is weaken its sure-hit effect!"
"And open a hole in the barrier!"
"A hole?"
Nanami asked.
Megumi pointed at the ground beneath him.
"Right here!"
"Jump into the shadows!"
"It leads outside the domain!"
Megumi's body trembled.
His cursed energy reserves were nearly empty.
Naobito's eyes flashed.
"Well done."
"Just like Toji's kid."
Despite his age—
He moved with incredible speed.
Preparing to seize the opportunity.
But Torgeng suddenly smiled.
"You think you can escape?"
It waved its hand.
The ocean erupted again.
An even larger swarm of shikigami surged forward.
Directly blocking the shadow exit.
Megumi's breathing grew ragged.
His domain flickered.
His cursed energy was almost gone.
The shadow garden began to crumble.
"This…"
Megumi muttered.
"…is bad."
The beach filled with monsters again.
The escape route sealed.
And despair—
Fell heavier than before.
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