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A golden aura clashed against the storm of shadows. The land beneath them quaked as the battle between Wukong, Ikigai, and Fujin raged on. The sky above was split apart—one half consumed by darkness, the other torn by raging winds.
Wukong panted, his body aching under the strain of unlocking 5% of his power. His cursed reincarnated form was still weak, but his will was unbreakable.
Across from him, Ikigai's Domain stretched endlessly, an abyss of shifting illusions and phantasmal darkness that devoured all light. His cold eyes glowed faintly from within the shadows, his expression unreadable.
On the other side, Fujin hovered above the battlefield, his cloak whipping violently in the storm he had conjured. His power was absolute in the realm of wind, but he lacked the precision and teamwork to properly coordinate with Ikigai.
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Ikigai's Domain: Death Within Shadows
With a wave of his hand, Ikigai's shadow tendrils erupted from the ground, twisting like monstrous serpents as they lunged at Wukong. The shadows moved unnaturally, bending time and space, warping angles so that Wukong couldn't predict their trajectory.
"You can't run from my Domain. It swallows all." Ikigai's voice was distant yet suffocating, as if whispering directly into Wukong's soul.
But Wukong wasn't a fool.
He crouched, tightening his muscles, before blasting off the ground with a shockwave, narrowly avoiding the shadowy onslaught.
The shadows crashed down, obliterating the space where he once stood. Everything they touched rotted instantly, turning the ground into lifeless, crumbling ash.
Wukong flipped mid-air, his golden aura flaring as he kicked off an invisible platform, reversing direction. He spun, twisting his body, then slammed a fist engulfed in golden energy toward Ikigai's face.
Ikigai simply disappeared—his body dissolving into the shadows, avoiding the hit completely.
"Damn it." Wukong clicked his tongue.
From the darkness behind him, Ikigai emerged, his blade-like fingers extending from his arms, slashing toward Wukong's exposed back.
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The Betrayal of the Wind
At the same time, Fujin struck.
"Enough of this!" The wind god roared, twisting his arms in a rapid motion.
A typhoon of cutting winds spiraled down from the heavens, tearing through the battlefield with the force of a divine disaster.
It wasn't aimed properly—in his frustration, Fujin had attacked both Wukong and Ikigai.
"Tch—this idiot again." Ikigai sneered, withdrawing into his shadows just before the windstorm could rip him apart.
But Wukong had no escape.
The hurricane winds twisted around him, forming countless razor-sharp blades of compressed air that slashed against his body. Blood splattered into the air as deep cuts tore through his arms, chest, and legs.
"Gahh—!" Wukong clenched his teeth as the force sent him crashing into the ground, his body skidding across the dirt, leaving a trail of destruction.
Fujin's eyes widened in slight shock. He hadn't meant to give Ikigai an advantage—his own recklessness had put Wukong in danger instead.
But Ikigai laughed.
"Hah. You're more useful as an enemy than as an ally, Fujin." He mocked, stepping forward from the dissolving shadows.
Fujin scowled but said nothing. His pride refused to let him acknowledge his mistake.
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The Monkey's Awakening
Wukong, despite the pain, refused to stay down.
He coughed blood but still grinned, his fingers digging into the cracked earth as he slowly pushed himself up. His golden eyes burned with defiance.
"That all you got?" He spat blood to the side.
His golden aura flared once more, but this time, something changed.
His skin began to shift, dark lines of parasite magic writhing across his arms and chest, merging with his golden energy. The curse might have locked his full power, but his parasitic abilities were something different.
"Tsk." Ikigai frowned, sensing something wasn't right.
Then, it happened.
Wukong vanished.
Ikigai barely had time to react before a fist, wreathed in a fusion of golden light and dark tendrils, collided with his ribs.
"What—?!" Ikigai's body was sent flying, crashing through the trees at breakneck speed.
Fujin's eyes widened in shock.
"His speed… increased?!"
Wukong grinned, flexing his fingers as his parasitic magic continued to pulse around his limbs. The parasites within him were enhancing his movement, syncing with his golden power to temporarily override the limitations of his weakened body.
"Looks like I found a loophole, huh?" Wukong smirked.
Ikigai emerged from the rubble, his dark aura crackling wildly. His expression was no longer calm—there was pure fury in his eyes.
"You dare use corruption against me?" His voice was sharp, venomous.
Wukong laughed, rolling his shoulders. "Corruption? Nah. Adaptation."
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The Final Clash
Fujin, now completely thrown off by the change in balance, hesitated for the first time.
Ikigai, still brimming with rage, unleashed the full force of his Domain. The darkness expanded once more, attempting to consume everything.
But Wukong wasn't playing defense anymore.
With his parasite magic synchronized with his golden aura, he charged straight through the shadows, fist cocked back, ready to deliver the final blow.
Golden power vs. Absolute Darkness.
The battlefield trembled as the two forces collided once more.
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To Be Continued…
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