Hakari's fist collided with Kashimo's face, sending the Sorcerer flying through several shipping containers. The force of the impact caused the metal to groan and bend as Kashimo was hurled through the containers, crashing into a pile of scattered debris.
The containers rattled and clanged as Kashimo skidded to a halt on the ground. Despite the brutal force of the blow, a surprised smirk remained on his face.
"Not bad!" Kashimo exclaimed, pulling himself to his feet and brushing off the dust and debris. He cracked his knuckles, his eyes gleaming with excitement as electricity began to emanate from him.
A fierce exchange ensued. Hakari shrugged off the numbing effects of Kashimo's Cursed Energy, his resolve unwavering as he swung a powerful left hook, causing Kashimo to reel backward. Hakari then transitioned smoothly into a full-body kick, propelling Kashimo through the air.
Kashimo gathered himself, a smirk still playing on his lips as he saw Hakari's confident grin. "Feels a little bit numb, huh?" Hakari taunted.
Kashimo licked the blood from his lips, recognizing the hint of overconfidence in Hakari's demeanor. "He's ignoring the special properties of my Cursed Energy," he thought to himself, intrigued. "You… What's your name?" he asked, eyes narrowing in anticipation.
"Hakari Kinji. You can call me Kin-chan," Hakari replied with a grin, his hands casually tucked into his pockets as he stood confidently.
"INTERESTING!!!!" Kashimo thought to himself, exhilarated by the challenge. "My name's Hajime Kashimo," he said, his excitement growing. He noted the faint, rhythmic music emanating from Hakari but chose to ignore it for now.
"So, he's the Kashimo with 100 points," Hakari thought, recognizing his opponent's formidable status. "Hey, if I win, do you mind if I use your 100 points?" he asked with a cheeky smile.
"Sure," Kashimo said, intrigued by the proposition. "But tell me everything you know about the Strongest Sorcerer. Is it Sukuna or is it Senju?"
"If you're talking about the Strongest, then it's the God of Sorcerers, Senju Hiroshi," Hakari said, feeling the heat of battle intensify. "Ah… there it is, the surging Cursed Energy pulses within me!"
Hakari entered his Fever State, his Cursed Energy surging with vigor.
Kashimo gave Hakari a high kick, catching his opponent off guard. The moment Hakari was hit, he used his neck to grab hold of Kashimo's hand. Seeing the expression and posture of his opponent, Kashimo thought, Did he lose the will to fight?
However, just as Kashimo contemplated this, Hakari unleashed a powerful right hook. "Don't you disappoint me!" he shouted as he sent Kashimo flying through the air, performing a few dance moves mid-flight.
Kashimo hit the ground but quickly recovered as Hakari gave chase. While Kashimo was in mid-air, Hakari delivered a devastating knee strike. Kashimo took the hit but managed to grab hold of Hakari, attempting to grapple him. "Not bad," Kashimo said with a grin.
"Huh?" Hakari replied, slightly taken aback by Kashimo's words.
As Kashimo was about to complete the grapple, Hakari broke free and circled around him. However, Kashimo retaliated with a powerful back elbow strike to Hakari's face. Simultaneously, Hakari locked his right leg around Kashimo's waist, and together they crashed down, creating a massive crater in the pavement.
Both sorcerers distanced themselves, taking a moment to recover from the impact.
Haibara and Nanami watched the fight unfold from a distance.
"Nanamin, aren't we going to help?" Haibara asked, his eyes focused on the intense battle.
"No, Hakari-kun can handle this one. Our objective has been met—no more curses or curse users, and the foreign soldiers are eliminated," Nanami said, casually swinging his blunt blade to scatter the blood on the floor around them corpses of their opponents.
"Although we cleared the Colony, our points aren't even there yet," Haibara remarked, relaxing as he put his hands behind his head.
"Hakari-kun will take care of this one. Let me make a report," Nanami said as he pulled out a phone from his coat.
As Nanami and Haibara observed, the fight between Kashimo and Hakari raged on.
Hakari smirked confidently. "Domain Expansion: Idle Death Gamble!"
Instantly, Kashimo and Hakari found themselves in a train station.
Kashimo was about to use Hollow Wicker Basket, but he realized that Hakari's Domain Expansion was not harmful. He soon understood that if Hakari hit the jackpot, he would gain infinite Cursed Energy.
"Enter Probability Change," Hakari said as he took off his jacket and tossed it aside.
"Looks like you're in good shape," Kashimo commented, surveying Hakari's condition.
"I sure am. How about you?" Hakari replied, his smirk widening.
"No shit… I just have to kill you before you become immortal," Kashimo said, preparing for the next round of combat.
"Gambling responsibly or whatever that is impossible," Hakari said as he squared up for the fight.
"Fine words to die by!" Kashimo shouted, mirroring Hakari's stance.
A fierce melee ensued between the two sorcerers. Within seconds, Hakari performed two pseudo-rolls, and then the moment came.
A train appeared in the station, but Hakari smirked as he saw that Yume missed the train. His Domain Expansion's effects began to dissipate.
"START THE MUSIC!" Hakari exclaimed.
TUCA DUNCA Intensifies
Kashimo watched Hakari and thought, "There it is, the immortality state after winning a Jackpot, and with Unlimited Cursed Energy, it automatically becomes a Reversed Cursed Technique... 4 minutes and 11 seconds. If I last through that, I will win... but that's what small fries would think."
Kashimo blazed with his Cursed Energy, electricity crackling the air. "TURN UP THE MUSIC AND PREPARE YOUR LIVING FUNERAL!!" Kashimo exclaimed with a crazed look on his face.
"Within these 4 minutes and 11 seconds, I will slaughter an immortal like you," Kashimo thought as he charged towards Hakari.
---
**Flashback 400 Years:**
Kashimo sat, watching the sun go down, when he heard footsteps from behind. "Kenjaku?" he asked.
"Yes. Did you have fun?" Kenjaku replied.
"Not at all. I really should've challenged you back then," Kashimo said.
"Spare me. I'm not in the mood to fight right now, but I heard that in Mutsu province, in the Date Domain, there is a sorcerer with the greatest output in history," Kenjaku said.
"Mutsu? That's too far," Kashimo replied, spitting out blood. "There's no time... Kenjaku, who is the strongest sorcerer you know?"
"Senju Hashirama. A close second is Sukuna, but that was 600 years ago. The current Senju Patriarch is simply a shell of their ancestor," Kenjaku explained. "But you won't be seeing Hashirama soon. He did not accept my offer... but there is something interesting that will happen in the future. 400 years later, another sorcerer will emerge from the Senju Clan, rivaling Hashirama Senju." Kenjaku continued, "Amongst the big sorcerer families, the Senju are an interesting case. They boast large amounts of cursed energy reserves but will have a mediocre cursed technique or none at all, and almost every time, the Patriarch will be the one to have the Spell of the Divine Tree but not the reserves to support it. This has gone on for 600 years, and if my theory is right, another God of Sorcerers will emerge."
An aged Kashimo stood up and turned to Kenjaku. "I accept your offer. This way, I get to challenge either Sukuna or the new God of Sorcerers."
*End of Flashback*
---
Kashimo and Hakari duked it out. As Kashimo charged, Hakari used his force to redirect him and threw Kashimo backwards.
Hakari gave chase as Kashimo slid behind the containers. Hakari struck the container above him and fell down towards Kashimo. Kashimo retaliated by hitting the container back towards Hakari. This back-and-forth continued until both sorcerers began punching the container simultaneously, turning it into rubble and twisted metal. Hakari broke through first by smashing the thin layer separating them, but Kashimo immediately dodged the fist and tore the barrier apart, delivering a full-body kick that sent Hakari flying. This time, Kashimo gave chase, grabbed a piece of metal debris from the container, and smashed it into Hakari's face, revealing muscle and bone.
"No matter the cursed technique, if you go for the head, it will always kill," Kashimo thought as he concentrated his lightning on Hakari's head.
Hakari took the lightning and thought, "This is bad." He felt the lightning coursing through his brain but then resolved, "Then I'll start healing from where it is destroyed!"
Hakari expelled Kashimo's cursed energy outwards through his nose and laughed, "That almost got me, Kashimo!" he exclaimed.
Hakari and Kashimo continued their fierce hand-to-hand combat. Hakari swung a left hook, but Kashimo parried it at an upward angle and threw a fist towards Hakari's rib. Hakari slid to the side to avoid the blow, but Kashimo smirked, and from behind Hakari, a Ruyi Staff came crashing down, tearing a chunk from his left torso.
"I've accumulated charges in another place. I've got you right where I want you, Hakari!" Kashimo thought, his smirk widening. "It's over," Kashimo said to the flabbergasted Hakari, who was now missing a chunk of himself.
Hakari's immortality had just ended…
But Kashimo's expression hardened as he saw Hakari put his hands together.
"Domain Expansion: Idle Death Gamble!"
"WHAT? HE CAN STILL—" Kashimo thought as he was suddenly drawn into Hakari's domain.
Even after taking a fatal blow, Hakari was still gambling in a desperate gambit!
As Hakari rolled the dice, Kashimo muttered, "How futile. Even if the spins are faster, the chances are 1/239." But then, the moment Hakari rolled, the Three Sayuri Amanogawa appeared.
A SUDDEN JACKPOT HIDDEN IN THE TIME REDUCTION!
Kashimo was flabbergasted as he watched Hakari regenerate every wound he had sustained.
"Truly, your luck is overwhelming, Hakari Kinji," Kashimo thought.
Hakari spat out the blood in his mouth and said, "Well done, Kashimo. I have never felt this close to death, except when gambling with the Strongest. It was a feverish but hellish experience, I tell ya. No matter how infinite my cursed energy is, that man seemed to always absorb it all."
However, contrary to his belief, Hiroshi not only inherited Senju Hashirama's strength but also his Shit gambling skills.
Hakari gestured to his head, thinking about Kashimo's special property of Cursed Energy. "Electricity, huh… Speaking of electricity, is it something like this?" The moment Hakari said that, Kashimo found himself surrounded by countless train doors extending infinitely, and at the same time, he realized he was falling into the ocean.
"This Realm? It's ABOVE THE OCEAN! HE MUST'VE MOVED THE BARRIER COORDINATES!" Kashimo thought as he exclaimed, "That cheeky bastard!"
Kashimo realized that if he fell into the ocean, the special property of his Cursed Energy—electricity—would get discharged until nothing was left. This meant he had to cut off his Cursed Energy and reach the shore to use it again.
"But Tokyo Colony 2 is an ocean barrier, so something like this can happen!" Kashimo exclaimed as large aquatic Cursed Spirits tried to devour both sorcerers. Hakari smashed and tore them apart as Kashimo stood on their backs, preventing him from falling into the water. However, as Kashimo stood on top of a Cursed Spirit, he was lunged at by a frog-like Cursed Spirit. In that moment of distraction, Hakari eliminated the frog Cursed Spirit and delivered a heavy knee strike to Kashimo at the same time.
Kashimo was kicked into the ocean, and to protect himself, he was forced to use his Cursed Energy. However, the moment he hit the water, his Cursed Energy began to dissipate rapidly.
"DAMN IT, IN ORDER TO PROTECT MYSELF, I HAD TO USE MY CURSED ENERGY! I MUST SUPPRESS IT!" Kashimo thought as he sank into the water, with the surface crackling with electricity.
Hakari, who was holding onto a large fly head, suddenly found it hard to breathe. "What's this… this smell?" Hakari thought as he was suffocated by the chlorine gas.
Kashimo was using electrolysis to create chlorine gas, the first deadly poison known to man, while simultaneously suppressing his Cursed Energy.
"The ways to kill a Reverse Cursed Technique user are to aim for the head or use poison. To treat poison, one must have an advanced skill in Reverse Cursed Technique to separate it from the system," Kashimo thought as he watched Hakari sink.
Kashimo looked at the unconscious Hakari. "It was fun," he thought, only for Hakari to open his eyes, startling Kashimo and punching him in the face.
"LET'S GO!" Hakari said, feeling the water heat up.
"HELL YEAH!" Kashimo replied, though their words were merely bubbles underwater.
A fierce exchange occurred underwater as Hakari realized that Kashimo was powering up. Soon, a massive explosion erupted beneath the sea.
BOOM Water scattered everywhere across the port.
Nanami and Haibara were startled as they saw a severed hand emerge from the port.
"Hakari!" Both exclaimed in shock.
As Kashimo climbed up from the water, both sorcerers squared off.
"Hah, hah…" Kashimo panted, his mind racing on how to defeat the two sorcerers before him. Clearly, they were no pushovers, and he had just eliminated the strongest one among them.
In that moment of distraction, Kashimo was suddenly hit by Hakari, who had emerged from the sea missing a hand. "Hey," Hakari said, realizing that Kashimo had intentionally severed his arm in the big explosion to prevent him from expanding his Domain.
"What the hell? You're supposed to be in pieces right now!" Kashimo said, lying on the ground and staring up at Hakari.
"I figured you'd attack my left hand, so I used a Binding Vow to sacrifice my arm to protect the rest of my body," Hakari smirked.
"An impromptu Binding Vow… Hurry up and kill me," Kashimo said.
"I'm not going to kill you. That 100 points is going to go to waste. You didn't even use your Cursed Technique," Hakari said.
"How did you know?" Kashimo asked.
"Intuition. You're already so strong without it," Hakari praised.
"It's because my Cursed Technique can only be used once, and I wish to use it on one person: the God of Sorcerers," Kashimo said.
Kenjaku had told him that a sorcerer from the Senju clan would emerge in this era, and from Hakari's words, this person was currently hailed as the strongest.
"Let's make a deal, Kashimo," Hakari said. "Hiroshi Sensei likes to fight. He will welcome your challenge. In exchange, give me your 100 points."
---------------------
"Kogane, add a new rule: Disable the jamming of electronic signals in the colonies," Hakari said.
"Yes, Rule #11: All electronic jamming has been disabled across the colonies," Kogane said as he appeared and added the new rule.
-----------------------
Hiroshi noticed the change in the rule as he walked around Tokyo Colony 1.
It had been approximately 18 days since the Culling Games had started. As Hiroshi gazed at his phone, which now had a signal, he dialed. "This is Megumi."
"Megumi, go get your sister in the clan and let her declare her participation. She will die tomorrow if we don't," Hiroshi ordered calmly.
"But Sensei, what if she breaks free?" Megumi asked, hesitant about his sister.
"Relax, I...am here," Hiroshi smirked.
Hearing those words, Megumi relaxed. How could he doubt his mentor? Everything would be fine with him here.
"Alright, Sensei," Megumi said as he left with Yuji and Mei Mei. "Meet me at the center of Tokyo," Hiroshi said as he ended the call.
As Hiroshi walked toward the Imperial Palace, thick roots began to slither around him, mostly over buildings and around them, turning the Chiyoda Ward into a Forest City.
Hiroshi gazed upon the gates of the Imperial Palace as he walked in. It dawned on him that even though he had the world in his hands, he had yet to actually be inside the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.
To his dismay, the Imperial Palace wasn't much of a sight. The Senju Palace was far grander.
"I was expecting much more...so much for being an Imperial Palace," Hiroshi muttered.
Hiroshi sat in the middle of the forested area of the palace grounds, near a lake, the gentle breeze blowing in the wind.
Night came, and so did his allies.
Megumi arrived with Yorozu in tow, wrapped in adamantite sealing chains.
Yuji and Megumi greeted Hiroshi.
"Hiroshi-sensei."
"Senju-sensei,"
Mei Mei nodded at Hiroshi.
A/N: An influx of collections glad ya'll are actually liking my Fic.
A/N: Looks like this busy week is extending😭