Kyofu was blasted through the wall, splinters of wood and shards of plaster flying around him as he struggled to regain his footing. Gritting his teeth, he thrust his hands forward, cursed energy radiating outward as he unleashed another surge of dismantle slashes, tearing through the grotesque limbs that snaked from the walls, desperately trying to hold him in place.
He gripped his arm, channeling his cursed energy to harden his body, bracing against the impact of each blow as he ran, his heart hammering in his chest. "Dismantle!" he roared, releasing slashes of cursed energy as he sprinted down the corridor, ripping through the walls and clearing a path for himself.
Suddenly, the floor buckled beneath him. He felt the ground giving way, and before he could react, he was falling. Wind rushed past him, and his surroundings blurred as he plunged downward.
The lobby…again!
He landed hard, stumbling to his feet as he looked around. The dim glow of the lobby cast ominous shadows on the walls, the same distorted layout, the same unnatural angles. This place—it's endless. No matter where I go, I end up back here.
It dawned on him, a cold realization creeping up his spine. I'm trapped…
〚＊〛
Everyone was gathered on the floor, some sitting, others resting their backs against the warped, creaking walls of the hallway. Natsuko chuckled, leaning toward Kazu as she recounted their last mission together. "You remember that curse with the bird head? The one that tried to act all intimidating, and then just… poofed?"
Kazu snickered, shaking his head. "Thought it was hot stuff until you hit it with your shikigami. Poor thing didn't stand a chance."
But Hanari couldn't take it anymore. She slapped her hands against her face, cutting into their laughter with a frustrated groan. "Augh! We can't just sit here and wait around! Kyofu's probably getting ripped apart while we're here doing nothing!"
Michio pinched the bridge of his nose, groaning as he forced himself to his feet. "I'm thinking, Hanari," he muttered, taking a moment to brush the dust off his robes. He paced back and forth, his mind working through the possibilities. "Alright," he finally said, straightening up and addressing everyone around him. "If we're going to break out of this domain, it'll need all of us."
Everyone perked up, casting hopeful glances at each other. Michio's voice held a firm edge, the weight of his plan gradually pulling them out of their own panic.
"Kazu," he called, glancing around, "where are the other two?"
Kazu gestured over his shoulder, toward a room down the hall. "They went in there a while ago."
Takeshi glanced over to the door.
Michio nodded, clapping his hands for attention. "Alright, go get them. We don't have time to waste."
As Kazu left, Michio turned to the rest of the group, explaining, "If we pool our cursed energy, we might be able to disrupt the barrier itself. Domain techniques rely on focused energy—if we attack from every angle, we might find a weak spot."
A minute later, Rei and Mei emerged from the darkened room, Rei walking forward with a steady gaze. But Mei… Mei's face was pale, her eyes wide and anxious, darting around like an animal that had been cornered. The desperation etched into her expression was undeniable.
Hanari frowned, her brow creasing as she looked over at Mei. She looks terrified, Hanari thought, feeling a pang of worry. Mei's shoulders were hunched, her hands clasped tightly together, almost as if she were clinging to some last hope.
Like an animal backed into a corner…
{~} Chikara looked up and locked eyes with Kaito, who was looking down at him.
'I'll kill you.'
'I'll make you regret this.'
'You should've killed me.' {~}
Michio stepped forward, "Alright, listen up. We're going to pool our cursed energy and attack this domain from multiple angles. It's like finding the weak seam in armor—if we hit hard and fast, we might be able to break through."
The group gathered closer, some nodding, others still looking uncertain. Michio held out his hands, motioning for them to split up.
"Here's how we'll do it," he continued, his voice calm. "Each of us will move to a different point along the walls. As we send cursed energy into the walls, we'll circle around, almost like we're trying to trap the curse in its own domain."
The group split as instructed, each moving to a different point along the hallway walls and placing their hands against the surface, channeling their cursed energy in sync with Michio's pace.
As Michio raised his hand, the cursed energy flared between them, forming thin lines of energy that arced across the walls, illuminating the shadows. "Everyone, start moving along the walls!" he commanded, his voice carrying a firm resolve. "Keep pushing cursed energy in a steady flow—circle around like it's a net we're tightening!"
They all started to move, their cursed energy shifting in rhythm, building up pressure against the walls. For a moment, the energy crackled and shimmered, filling the space with an oppressive aura that seemed to strain against the curse's control.
Suddenly, a deafening BOOM shook the walls as the curse retaliated, sending a surge of darkness surging down the hallway toward them. The twisted walls buckled and morphed, jagged edges stretching out like claws reaching to tear them apart.
"Takeshi! We'll hold it off!" Michio yelled as he pushed his energy forward, bracing himself. Takeshi darted to his side, raising his arms in a defensive stance, ready to counter any assault.
The curse lunged forward, its distorted, boneless shape warping in the dim light, casting erratic shadows along the hallway. Takeshi intercepted the curse's limbs with practiced precision, each hit landing with a force that rattled the entire corridor. But the curse was relentless, its twisted form slipping through Takeshi's strikes and lunging back with even greater ferocity.
"Keep the momentum going!" Michio barked over his shoulder, trying to direct the group as they continued channeling energy into the walls. "If we're moving in opposite directions, it'll disorient the domain's energy flow!"
They sped up, each person in the group stepping in sync with Michio's pacing, keeping their cursed energy strong and steady against the walls. The hallways seemed to stretch and shrink under the strain, like it was being ripped apart by the force of the different cursed energies.
Natsuko looked to her side, her eyes widening and her mouth opening in shock. "Mei! She's gone!"
Just as the words left her lips, Rei's expression hardened, and in one swift movement, she unsheathed a cursed blade, her eyes flashing with dark resolve. Without warning, she lunged toward Natsuko.
Before Natsuko could react, the wall next to her morphed, rippling and stretching out in a rubbery wave that slammed into Rei's side, sending her skidding across the floor. Kazu nodded to Natsuko, "I got you!"
Michio's eyes narrowed as he took in the sudden shift in their allies' demeanor. "They took the binding vow," he muttered, realization dawning on him.
Hanari stepped forward, her expression grim as she wove her fingers together, summoning threads of cursed energy that glowed faintly in the dim hallway. "Damn it!" she hissed.
〚＊〛
Kyofu stumbled through the distorted hallways of the cursed inn, and his steps were becoming heavy with exhaustion. He leaped high into the air, his body twisting as he hurtled across the vast, eerie space. The inn had shifted into a cavernous expanse, walls stretched impossibly wide, towering far above like warped pillars, and yet the cursed energy pulsed from every surface, as if the entire inn were alive. The curse's tendrils snaked and slashed at him from every direction, slicing through the air, clawing at him relentlessly.
Kyofu gritted his teeth, his heart pounding as he summoned every remaining bit of cursed energy. With a shout, he released "dismantle" in a sprawling, explosive wave, his cursed energy erupting in chaotic arcs. His technique cut massive slashes through the air and down toward the ground, sending splintered beams, twisted floorboards, and chunks of cursed flesh scattering across the vast room. The destructive force split the inn's grotesque body apart for a moment, leaving wide gaps in the walls and ceiling, like the ribs of a collapsed beast.
Kyofu's feet slammed into the ground, his breath ragged as he steadied himself. Exhausted, his hands fell limp to his sides as the curse loomed over him, preparing to strike again.
It was then he noticed her—a familiar face emerging from the shifting mass of shadows on the floor, her eyes wide with dread.
"Mei…?" Kyofu whispered, his body too drained to react. His eyes locked on hers, catching the glimmer of guilt and hesitation in her tear-filled gaze.
But before he could process the sight, a sharp, cold pain exploded through his side.
He looked down, seeing Mei's hand gripping a cursed blade buried in his gut, the warmth of his blood pooling beneath her trembling hand. Mei's lips parted, but no words came out as they stared at each other.
He didn't move, his face unreadable, the shock settling into something colder, quieter.
Slowly, his gaze lowered to her hand still gripping the hilt, trembling slightly as her fingers remained locked around the cursed blade. And then, without a word, Kyofu's own hand came up and wrapped around hers, his grip firm, almost gentle. He looked up, meeting her tear-filled eyes, the confusion and regret reflected back at him.
The silence between them felt endless, a cold stillness hanging in the air. He held her gaze, his expression devoid of anger, only a chilling calmness in his stare. Mei's breath caught, her resolve wavering under the weight of his steady look. Her fingers slackened, but his hand didn't release hers. He kept her there, holding her hand.
Then, without warning, his voice cut through the silence, clenching his fingers as his eyes widened.
"Cleave."
In an instant, her hand detonated, fragments of blood and cursed energy splintering outward. Mei gasped, stumbling back, the shock etched across her face. Kyofu stood motionless, his hand falling slowly to his side, the red glow in his eyes dimming, yet the coldness remained, chilling and unwavering as he watched her with a detached finality.
Kyofu's mind spiraled as he paced in a frenzied circle, his thoughts slipping into chaos. Mei and Rei… traitors. His fists clenched tight, trembling. If they betrayed us… does that mean the others are gone?
The names tumbled through his mind like thunder, each one landing with a sickening weight. Takeshi? Michio? His heart stammered in his chest, fear creeping up his spine. HANARI!?
His gaze snapped back to Mei, standing wounded but defiant. Her eyes widened, a flicker of panic breaking through as Kyofu's intent became clear. She knew that look, that cold, unrelenting focus as he closed in. Her body tensed, but he could see the realization in her face — there was no talking her way out of this. He fully intended on killing her.
But before he could act, the room itself began to shift, the walls twisting and stretching as the curse manipulated the space around him. The ceiling loomed, shifting like a great, grotesque wave about to crash down. Kyofu stumbled, clutching his side as he felt blood dripping between his fingers. His body felt leaden, his breath coming in strained gasps. I… I can't move… not like this…
A shadow began to descend, closing in on him. The curse was relentless, using the room to crush him, to smother the life out of him. The darkness tightened, and Kyofu felt the walls closing in around him.
And then—BOOM!
The entire top half of the inn exploded outward in a shower of splintering wood and cursed energy, as if the sky itself had torn the building apart. Kyofu's head snapped up, his gaze widening as he saw it—a swirling blue orb crackling with cursed energy, hovering high above the ruins. The orb seemed to draw everything around it, fragments of the inn and pieces of the curse itself twisting through the air, caught in its pull.
The debris settled, the smoke thinning just enough for Kyofu to see the figure floating high above, suspended in midair with ease. Kyofu blinked through the dust, locking eyes with the stranger.
Their gaze was piercing, eyes like clear, unending waterfalls. The figure slowly lifted a hand, pushing up a portion of their blindfold, revealing one eye—striking, crystal blue, alive with power and a sense of pure, unfiltered confidence. A smirk tugged at their lips, as if they were already relishing in the victory.
Michio, still partially hidden beneath the remnants of a crumbling wall, looked up, his face breaking into a scoff as he whispered, "There he is…"
"The Wonderboy."