Two years ago, when Ethan first began learning about different types of barrier techniques, his main focus—of course—was his own innate Domain Expansion.
After asking Tora about his previous master's Domain Expansion, he had been disappointed. It seemed the only reason his predecessor, Atlas Orian, wasn't the undisputed strongest of the Golden Era was because he possessed an incomplete Domain.
And Ethan understood Atlas's dilemma.
In fact, he lived with it for almost a year.
During his initial attempts at opening his Domain, Ethan couldn't close the barrier—no matter how immaculate his cursed energy control was.
He had used his incomplete Domain Expansion on Grade One and weaker Special Grade cursed spirits he encountered during expeditions with the Ancient One over the year. None survived his Domain for more than two seconds once it took hold.
For a time, Ethan resigned himself to having an incomplete Domain.
Then it hit him one day—mid-battle against a group of Grade One cursed spirits—while he was on vacation in Colombia with the Ancient One during winter break in elementary school. A story for another time.
Why was Sukuna initially interested in Megumi?
A plot device? Maybe.
Was it Megumi's powerful Ten Shadows Technique and his potential as a vessel—rather than the prison that was Yuji Itadori?
But at the time, Sukuna didn't know about the existence of the Divine General Mahoraga.
No… Sukuna had been fascinated by Megumi Fushiguro's potential.
His Domain, Chimera Shadow Garden, was also incomplete and barrierless when deployed against the Finger Bearer Special Grade cursed spirit.
Sukuna saw in him the potential to master a technique that only two sorcerers in history—Sukuna and Kenjaku—had ever accomplished: a complete, barrierless Domain.
In Jujutsu Kaisen, Sukuna's Domain Expansion, Malevolent Shrine, is a powerful open-barrier Domain that projects his innate space without a traditional enclosed barrier, allowing for immense range.
Sorcerers in JJK view open-barrier Domains—like Sukuna's or Kenjaku's—as "divine" techniques, representing the pinnacle of jujutsu mastery, akin to painting on air rather than on a canvas. They are considered superior to closed Domains because they lack an external barrier to destroy, allowing for massive range.
All this led Ethan to a conclusion:
The Domain Expansion of the Ten Shadows Technique was never meant to have an enclosed barrier.
Some cursed techniques come with an innate Domain Expansion built in—such as Kinji Hakari's Idle Death Gamble, where he becomes effectively invincible for four minutes and eleven seconds if the jackpot hits.
Or Hiromi Higuruma's Deadly Sentencing, which enforces nonviolence. The most severe sentence Judgeman can issue is the Death Penalty, accompanied by Confiscation. First, Confiscation removes the guilty party's ability to use cursed techniques, then grants Higuruma the Executioner's Sword.
Maybe Chimera Shadow Garden had a naturally open-barrier concept all along. He simply hadn't realized it at the time.
So Ethan began searching for a Binding Vow that would allow him to manifest his Domain completely—and found inspiration from the King of Curses.
About a year ago, in Colombia during winter vacation, Ethan underwent another Binding Vow.
BINDING VOW: OPEN-BARRIER DOMAIN
By permanently relinquishing the ability to deploy a barrier for his Domain Expansion, Ethan provides opponents with a theoretical escape route, which acts as the "sacrifice." In exchange, the effective radius of the sure-hit effect increases dramatically, reaching up to 200 meters.
It functions as a self-imposed heavenly restriction on his Domain, converting the cursed energy that would have formed a barrier into raw range and damage output through his shikigami and shadows.
Now, facing a Special Grade cursed spirit born from the fear of water-based disasters—whose strength was equivalent to at least ten of Sukuna's fingers—while surrounded by ocean on all sides, Ethan felt excited.
The cursed spirit seemed entirely focused on his teacher.
The Ancient One had mentioned that she might have killed a similar spirit approximately 270 years ago, though they hadn't had time to check proper records.
But the intense look in the octopus-like cursed spirit's eyes as it stared at her told Ethan there was more to that story than she was letting on.
In its evolved state, the Special Grade cursed spirit possessed a smaller, more muscular build than Disaster Curse Dagon. Though appearances could be deceiving—Ethan himself was the perfect example of that.
Its head resembled an octopus, marked with black dots on top and blank white eyes similar to Dagon's. Ethan concluded the resemblance stemmed from the fact that they were born from the same concept—though the cursed spirit before him was far stronger than anything he had seen from Dagon.
Maybe it was the universe's way of making sense of itself.
Ethan wanted to see how much trouble it would be for him to defeat a Special Grade at its strongest.
He glanced at the Ancient One and saw her preparing an attack stance.
"I wanna try something!" he interrupted her mid-chant.
She looked annoyed—but used to his behavior.
The Ancient One had not seen his completed open Domain yet. No one had, except Tora. After all, he had perfected it only a year ago, following the Binding Vow.
"This one is slippery," the Ancient One warned. "The moment it realizes it has no chance of victory, it'll try to flee—underwater."
"I'll block its escape route and provide you with a platform to fight it. Do not underestimate it, Ethan."
She began casting a spell for the platform, only for him to interrupt again.
"Don't worry about the platform. After all… I can walk on water."
Not literally, of course.
Ethan could manipulate the shape and density of water using Max Elephant to stand on or move across it, making it appear as though he were walking. He could also use it to catch himself midair or create solid structures—techniques reliant on generating his own leverage.
Tora sank back into Ethan's shadow, allowing his master to enjoy himself against an opponent that wouldn't die after two punches. Lately, all their expeditions had been against Grade Ones, and it had been grating on Ethan's nerves.
Meanwhile, the Special Grade cursed spirit, Delugor, prepared for an incoming attack from the Sorcerer Supreme of Kamar-Taj. From records of their previous battle, he knew how aggressive the sorceress could be.
But to his surprise, the Ancient One and the human child—whom he had nearly forgotten—began talking among themselves.
Now that he thought about it… why had she brought a child with her?
Was this some kind of lesson?
Did she truly not consider him a real threat?
Delugor's rage boiled over.
He would kill that human child first—while she watched.
Then, to his surprise, the little wretch spoke.
"Hey… cursed spirit. Do you have a Domain?"
What?
Without waiting for a reply, the kid added with a smile—a smile Delugor had seen countless times on his fellow Special Grades.
"If you have one, deploy it… unless you wanna die in the next two seconds."
Delugor saw the hand movements.
What was the child doing?
He couldn't sense any cursed energy from the boat.
Wait…
Something was very wrong.
Why hadn't he sensed them earlier?
He had only noticed them after a physical disturbance near his resting place.
That boat… a cursed tool designed to mask presence?
But why?
The moment the child stepped off the boat, Delugor understood.
There had been rumors among lower Special Grades about how the War Curse had died nearly two years ago. Some claimed they had sensed another cursed energy signature at the site—but not that of a cursed spirit.
A human capable of manipulating cursed energy hadn't been born since the Doom.
And now one stood before him.
Delugor wasted no time.
The instant he realized what the young sorcerer was attempting, he deployed his Domain.
Delugor could only deploy his Domain three times a day—even with his immense cursed energy reserves. His control was still lacking, and timing was critical, or the sorceress would escape using her portals.
His Domain resembled a calm, relaxing beach resort—often used as a meeting ground by fellow Special Grade curses.
Its sure-hit effect summoned endless waves of carnivorous, fish-like shikigami that appeared mere moments before biting.
Within this space, Delugor had total control over water and could generate massive, high-speed attacks—such as his ultimate technique, Death Swarm, an unending guaranteed-hit assault.
In the past, despite his early curse-womb-like state, Delugor had been capable of maintaining his Domain for hours, carefully choosing targets for guaranteed hits.
And so—
The cursed spirit and the jujutsu sorcerer deployed their Domains at the same time.
DOMAIN EXPANSION: HORIZON OF THE CAPTIVATING SKANDHA
DOMAIN EXPANSION: CHIMERA SOVEREIGN GARDEN
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