Chapter 53: The Mechanism Monster
"The Cursed Technique disappeared?"
Todo Aoi, who was hanging in the air with five fingers jammed deep into the rock wall like nails, was extremely surprised.
The flash generated by Hikigaya Hachiman's Cursed Energy Cannon had previously illuminated the entire underground tunnel, suggesting an intent to blast them all to dust. How could it end so anticlimactically?
Hikigaya Hachiman, standing perfectly straight on the rock wall as if violating gravity using his psycho-kinetic Spiritual Energy, was not surprised; he had anticipated this outcome.
The previous attack was merely a test.
Through two attempts, Hikigaya Hachiman had basically confirmed that the individual locked in the coffin below possessed some Cursed Technique that could nullify the effects of other Cursed Techniques.
Hikigaya Hachiman warned everyone, "Be careful, the thing in the coffin below seems to be alive."
From the dark, bottomless abyss below, a faint golden light could be seen shimmering. That light was not the result of Hikigaya Hachiman's technique.
One of Hikigaya Hachiman's original plans was to completely purify the accumulated resentment and Cursed Energy of a thousand years, which was a deadly poison even for Sorcerers.
However, those things had now been swept clean without Hikigaya Hachiman's intervention, replaced by a completely unfamiliar Cursed Energy.
Mei Mei, standing on her axe, had strong spirit vision and also noticed that the deadly poison accumulated over a millennium, which she had seen through Hachiman's technique earlier, was gone. "This looks a bit tricky."
Only brainless creatures like low-grade Cursed Spirits would release Cursed Energy in a way that resembled showing off their muscles.
The completely contained Cursed Energy indicated that the opponent had most likely recovered consciousness.
Dealing with an ancient artifact that had been incarnated and resurrected from the most feudal era a thousand years ago would be difficult, let alone communicating with it.
But that was not a problem; the fist is always the most effective tool for communication.
"Sister!"
Ui Ui suddenly cried out.
Because Ui Ui suddenly noticed that a man in a white robe, whose face was unclear, had appeared next to his sister at some point.
Hikigaya Hachiman had already condensed four crimson arrows before hearing the cry.
Almost instantly, the phantom figure that appeared beside Mei Mei was completely pierced by the four crimson arrows.
Upon being pierced, the white-robed shadow vanished quite decisively.
A countdown sounded in Hikigaya Hachiman's ear:
"One time."
Hikigaya Hachiman immediately realized something was wrong. After the broadcast of "one time," he felt that his [Crimson Blood Manipulation] was acting strangely.
Recalling the Fujiwara family's Cursed Technique nullification method below, Hikigaya Hachiman had a vague suspicion.
And soon, a white-robed phantom similar to the one next to Mei Mei appeared next to Todo Aoi, except this time there were two.
"Wait, Todo."
Hikigaya Hachiman was about to warn him.
"Black Flash!"
But Todo Aoi acted extremely fast, instantly performing a Black Flash, successfully eliminating the white-robed puppets.
When a third white-robed puppet appeared on the field, Todo Aoi, who was used to the motion, tried to pull off a three-hit combo, but he suddenly found that he couldn't use his Black Flash.
It was as if it had completely frozen. Todo Aoi could not use [Black Flash], even with his rigorously trained muscle memory.
When Todo Aoi's [Black Flash] became unusable, the puppet gave him a surprise instead.
Its seemingly paper-thin fist condensed dense Cursed Energy, producing a red flash—the destructive power of spatial distortion caused by instantaneous Cursed Energy impact.
If this wasn't Todo Aoi's [Black Flash], what was it?
How did the enemy manage to use Black Flash?
After Hikigaya Hachiman saved her, Mei Mei saw that Todo was in trouble. She immediately manipulated a crow, [Bird Manipulation: Simple], to crash into the white-robed phantom.
After Mei Mei's [Bird Manipulation: Simple] completely tore the white-robed phantom to shreds, she also heard, "One time," in her ear.
"Don't use Cursed Techniques."
Hikigaya Hachiman cautioned Mei Mei and Todo Aoi; he already had a guess about the enemy's mechanism.
These white-robed phantoms were all bait. They would actively attack and lure sorcerers into attacking them. They were inherently fragile.
However, once a sorcerer used a Cursed Technique to destroy a white-robed phantom, the enemy's Cursed Technique would mark them once.
Hikigaya Hachiman's [Crimson Blood Manipulation] was marked once, and he could clearly feel that the strength of his Cursed Technique had dropped by at least 30%.
Todo Aoi used the same method to continuously kill two white-robed phantoms. When he was about to perform the third attack, his [Black Flash] was immediately Cursed Technique-shutdown, preventing its use.
Furthermore, the Cursed Technique forcibly shut down on the sorcerer would be inherited by the white-robed phantom, which would then be used against the original user.
It would be amusing if that unknown entity absorbed Mei Mei's [Bird Manipulation: Simple]. Then, the white-robed phantom would possess the speed of [Bird Manipulation: Simple] and the destructive power of [Black Flash].
The enemy's Cursed Technique was quite disgusting.
Sorcerers generally have no mental burden when using their power. They can easily fall into the trap, especially if they are killing too smoothly, which will directly meet the conditions and result in a shutdown.
At the same time, when one phantom is annihilated, a plural number of puppets will revive on the field.
Mei Mei destroyed one, Hikigaya Hachiman destroyed one, and Todo Aoi destroyed two.
Eight white-robed phantoms immediately appeared on the field. Four of them could use Black Flash, two could use low-level [Crimson Blood Manipulation], and the last two could use [Black Bird Manipulation: Simple].
If Hikigaya Hachiman were to use [Crimson Blood Manipulation] to destroy these eight, not only would the number double to sixteen, but his [Crimson Blood Manipulation] would also be instantly shut down and become unusable.
A sorcerer generally has only one [Innate Technique] as their means of attack, and their primary offensive relies on that technique.
It's impossible to anticipate that merely destroying two of the enemy's Cursed Technique puppets would result in their own technique entering a shutdown state.
In other words, "the bullet I fire will eventually be used to shoot me."
It's simply an unsolvable mechanism.
Fortunately, this Cursed Technique was facing Hikigaya Hachiman, who could use Spiritual Energy—a power that does not belong to this world.
Spiritual Energy itself has a strong suppressive ability against Cursed Energy.
Hikigaya Hachiman merely stared at these creatures, and the eight white phantoms on the field were instantly annihilated without multiplying further.
Although the white-robed phantoms did not reappear, the lost intensity of Hikigaya Hachiman's Cursed Technique did not return.
Hikigaya Hachiman's [Crimson Blood Manipulation] was not the pure blood version; it was only 70% of the original.
Mei Mei let out a dissatisfied "Tch."
"We've been had."
She realized this was the enemy's way of weakening them. The enemy's disgusting Cursed Technique primarily targeted [Innate Techniques].
Hikigaya Hachiman realized that the opponent was likely using this method to test him.
Just as Hikigaya Hachiman used his Cursed Energy Cannon to test the opponent's ability to nullify Cursed Techniques, the Cursed Technique just now was also testing whether Hikigaya Hachiman was using Cursed Techniques.
After all, any Cursed Technique must adhere to the mechanisms established by the user of this technique. The condition was met: during the transition from two to three, the Cursed Technique would instantly shut down and become unusable.
"As expected, you are not using a Cursed Technique."
A floating figure appeared in front of Hikigaya Hachiman. It was still the white-robed phantom, but it started speaking.
"Living a long time truly has its advantages. I've lived to see a lot."
The speaker clicked his tongue in wonder. Even in his era, there were no geniuses like Hikigaya Hachiman.
"Your talent is simply astonishing."
Mei Mei and Todo Aoi were still angry that they, as Grade 1 Sorcerers, had so easily fallen for the opponent's scheme. But suddenly, several clear and pleasant sounds of bells jingling reached their ears.
Immediately afterward, four clearly articulated words were transmitted to everyone present, making their hearts sink.
It was "Domain Expansion"!
"Shi-on Cultivation Platform."
In an instant, a purple-gold halo erupted from the hole Hikigaya Hachiman had blasted at the very bottom. A terrifying wave of Cursed Energy, surging and overlapping like a tide, swept over Hikigaya Hachiman and the others, engulfing them instantly.
When they opened their eyes again, it felt like a world away.
The surrounding broken black rock walls had all disappeared, replaced by a purple sea of flowers dotted with broken stone pillars.
The fragrance of the flowers and the sunlight were perfect, and a gentle breeze brushed against their faces. Everything was so beautiful.
However, the expressions of Mei Mei and Todo Aoi in the middle of the flower sea became extremely serious.
Because this was a Domain, and they were in trouble.
[Domain Expansion] is the pinnacle of Jujutsu. Unlike the flourishing of Cursed Techniques a thousand years ago, modern Jujutsu is in decline. Domain Expansion is a technique that only the genius of geniuses can master.
Including the Sorcerers Association, the general public, and the Big Three Families, there are only three Special Grade Sorcerers in total today.
No matter how strong a Grade 1 Sorcerer is, encountering a Special Grade Sorcerer means certain death.
This is also the reason why Suguru Geto was able to remain at large.
The only thing that can counter a Domain is another Domain!
Everything constructed within the opponent's Domain felt real.
If they looked closely, they would find that in the gorgeous purple sea of asters (Shi-on) covering the mountains, there were an abnormally large number of skeletons.
There was a skull near Hikigaya Hachiman's feet with the back of the head hollowed out. The mandible was missing, leaving only the maxilla.
Seeing this, Hikigaya Hachiman merely shook his head.
"Fortunately, it's not just the skull."
Because Hikigaya Hachiman saw three perfectly preserved white skeletons near Mei Mei's and Ui Ui's feet. He had already counted over twenty skeletons in this area less than five meters square.
Ui Ui swallowed hard. He couldn't imagine how many skeletons were buried in the boundless flower sea before them.
It's not wrong to say that a Domain is an enhanced version of an Innate Technique. [Crimson Blood Manipulation], which was originally suppressed by thirty percent, was now directly shut down within the Domain—an absurd outcome.
Mei Mei's [Black Bird Manipulation] also suffered the same fate and entered a shutdown state.
The suppression effect was even more outrageous than outside the Domain, changing the transition rule from two to three to direct shutdown after being marked even once.
The three crows that were caught in the Domain's effect all completely broke free from Mei Mei's control.
But as these three crows soared into the sky, they all simultaneously bled from their mouths, crashed to the ground, and lost their lives.
"Here he comes."
Mei Mei, whose Cursed Technique was forcibly shut down, gripped her axe tightly. She sensed a white figure gradually appearing within the sea of flowers.
The first thing they saw was the simple, pure white kariginu (court robes), a common attire for Onmyoji of that era.
The Fujiwara family crest adorned his clothes, basically confirming that he was a member of the Fujiwara clan.
The unfamiliar black-haired man had dot-like eyebrows similar to a fox's. His appearance was handsome and dignified, completely unlike his previous mummy-like state, except that his skin was so pale it looked like he had been soaking in water for days after death.
Hikigaya Hachiman recognized the man's appearance instantly: this was the Onmyoji who drove that skeletal Cursed Spirit to excavate the mountain.
No wonder he desperately drove the skeletal Cursed Spirit to dig down; he was preparing a mausoleum for himself.
"How is it? Is my Cursed Technique alright?"
The squinty-eyed man didn't even look at Todo Aoi or Mei Mei. His entire attention was focused on Hikigaya Hachiman, his eyes burning with fervor.
"As long as a Cursed Technique is used to destroy the spirit I summon, the Cursed Technique used by the sorcerer will be marked by the spirit and the count broadcasted.
When the destruction count reaches two, and there is a possibility of destroying the third spirit (the transition from two to three), the Cursed Technique will immediately enter a shutdown state.
In my Domain, this is changed to: even if the spirit marks you once, the Cursed Technique will immediately enter a shutdown state and become unusable."
The damned Mechanism Monster, no wonder he was so repulsive.
The fox-eyebrowed man wasn't introducing his Cursed Technique out of kindness. This was Cursed Technique Disclosure, where announcing the effect of one's technique to the enemy strengthens its intensity.
"I don't know what that power of yours is, but I believe that once I obtain your body as my vessel, I will become the new god of this world."
Fujiwara no Yoshifusa's breathing quickened. It had been over a thousand years since he last drew a breath.
He truly couldn't understand why the Cursed Energy in the air was clearly more active than a thousand years ago, yet the sorcerers before him, besides the young man who arrived first, were all pitifully weak.
Fujiwara no Yoshifusa was the previous head of the Fujiwara family during the Heian-kyo era, the greatest contributor who truly established the Fujiwara clan as second only to the Emperor.
Under his leadership, the Fujiwara family's power reached its zenith.
Even the ruler at the time dared not ignore Fujiwara no Yoshifusa's opinions.
But once someone possesses monstrous power, they fear death, and without life, everything is meaningless.
Fujiwara no Yoshifusa was no exception.
When Fujiwara no Michito took over the Fujiwara family, Fujiwara no Yoshifusa was still alive but no longer involved in affairs.
He didn't even care about Ryomen Sukuna, who was causing the greatest uproar outside.
Yoshifusa learned that the Fujiwara family performed a ritual to foretell the future, and the prophecy explicitly stated that the Fujiwara family would decline after flourishing for a thousand years.
The former family head proactively reversed yin and yang, performed a fate-altering ritual, and put his own body into a deep sleep, planning to spend a thousand years repairing and
reconstituting his body, intending to reappear after a millennium to restore the Fujiwara family's glory.
However, due to the joint development project by the Shinomya and Yukinoshita families, Fujiwara no Yoshifusa's awakening date was brought forward by nearly 100 years.
As a premature "birth," Fujiwara no Yoshifusa's body had many issues and urgently required a new vessel.
"Die for me!"
The entire Domain began to boil. The fragrance of these flowers was naturally poisonous and accompanied by strong hallucinatory effects.
The Domain's ability wasn't as simple as he described.
Fujiwara no Yoshifusa arrogantly believed that a man so young surely hadn't fully developed his unknown powerful ability.
The only thing that can counter a Domain is another Domain!
But since their Cursed Techniques were already shut down, how could they use a Domain to counter a Domain?
The moment Fujiwara no Yoshifusa activated his Domain, the scale of victory had completely tipped to his side.
"Who told you my power is limited to that?"
Hikigaya Hachiman heard the opponent's tone, which clearly assumed he had been defeated.
No [Crimson Blood Manipulation] meant no Domain. Did this guy really think Hikigaya Hachiman's only means of countering a Domain was another Domain?
"How ridiculous. You have no idea what immense power you are facing."
Fujiwara no Yoshifusa was about to speak, but it was as if fate had grasped his throat, rendering him speechless. He could clearly see that his connection to the Domain was suddenly ripped away in a massive chunk, as if some terrifying power had directly consumed the Domain. He couldn't even put up a fight.
A hundred-meter long bloody line was forcibly torn open in the azure sky. Continuous, crimson, foul blood poured out from the wound. Finally, the writhing bloody line opened, revealing a colossal, terrifyingly oppressive red vertical eye.
The moment the Eye of Baal, which seemed to possess life, opened, the Domain was already on the verge of collapse.
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