"Well~ I don't think that's necessary."
Satoru scratched his head and responded casually.
Normally, when facing a domain, there were only two reliable ways to ensure one's safety inside it.
The first was using cursed energy to resist cursed energy. However, that method usually only worked against relatively simple techniques. Even Falling Blossom Emotion was merely a more specialized variation derived from that concept.
The second option was for the trapped person to expand their own domain as well and use one domain against another. That was considered the safest and most effective method, so most sorcerers possessing domains naturally chose that approach.
But now, when facing such a simple and straightforward cursed technique, Satoru had no intention of doing that.
It had nothing to do with cursed technique compatibility.
Ryu possessed enormous cursed energy reserves and unbelievably high output. Even Unlimited Void could not instantly overpower him. If the result merely became two domains neutralizing each other and losing their guaranteed-hit effects, then that would be far too boring.
Besides, as a loyal sweets lover himself, after seeing the starving desire in Ryu's eyes for "sweetness" crossing through centuries, Satoru decided to satisfy his expectations for the perfect "dessert."
Anyways, inside a domain, even the strongest attacks would not affect the outside world.
So just this once, Satoru would allow Ryu's domain to grant him the ability to actually touch him.
"Cursed Technique Amplification: Blue."
"Cursed Technique Reversal: Red."
Satoru raised both hands before him as the forward and reverse applications of Limitless began forming behind him. A blue sphere and a crimson sphere slowly approached one another, distorting the surrounding space itself.
"Come on! Let's both go all out!"
Ryu immediately understood what Satoru intended and felt no dissatisfaction whatsoever.
Respect was not only shown through clashing domains head-on. For someone of this level to choose competing directly against him in terms of cursed energy output alone was the highest form of respect imaginable.
The burning excitement in his eyes resembled someone finally meeting the lover they had waited an entire lifetime for.
The frustration from his "eighty-percent-full" life surged violently through his chest once more, making the starving Ryu desperately eager to taste this unknown "dessert."
To him, this delicacy mattered even more than the main course itself.
It was the final flavor capable of bringing his life's journey to a proper end.
Now, both sides had officially taken their seats at the table.
"Granite Blast!"
An absurd amount of cursed energy had already gathered completely within the spiral atop Ryu's head.
"Hollow Purple."
The forward and reverse forms of Limitless had fused perfectly together and gathered at Satoru's fingertips.
BOOM!
The two attacks filled with destructive force fired almost simultaneously in the next instant. Their collision triggered an enormous explosion that shook even the boundaries of the domain itself.
"This is incredible... A shared meal where both sides give everything they have. It's actually this perfect! Still not enough... I want more!"
When the smoke created by the collision of the two attacks finally cleared, Satoru still maintained the starting pose of Purple and remained completely unharmed.
Meanwhile, standing opposite him, Ryu was already covered in wounds. His left arm hung limply downward, clearly showing he had lost in that clash.
Yet the smile on his face did not weaken in the slightest.
In fact, it became even brighter than before.
Being overwhelmed in a contest of nearly pure cursed energy output was something he had never experienced even four hundred years ago.
This was the perfect dessert he had been searching for!
Simply looking at Satoru's spirited appearance filled Ryu's mind with satisfaction.
It felt like walking into a cake shop late at night after dinner, craving something sweet.
Originally, he imagined that no matter how delicious the desserts in a high-class cake shop were, near closing time the display cases would only contain leftover scraps and unwanted pieces. An empty store that could never satisfy his beautiful fantasies about desserts.
But now, everything had exceeded his expectations.
The moment he pushed open the door, Ryu suddenly realized this was a twenty-four-hour dessert shop where every item was freshly made to order, all to ensure the finest flavor and texture possible.
Even if the waiting time was incredibly long, he had already waited four hundred years.
His starving stomach had been waiting for exactly this "sweetness."
One of a kind.
"Still want to continue? Your body can't handle another one, can it?"
Satoru looked slightly surprised.
The opponent's Granite Blast was incredibly strong. Even Yuta using Rika's cursed energy output might not necessarily beat him. But after that clash, the difference between them was already clear.
"I love... the taste of iron!"
Suddenly, a hole was sliced open in the domain from the outside.
After speaking those familiar words, Kurourushi, who should have already been exorcised by Satoru's Red, unexpectedly appeared once again before them.
Kurourushi was a very special cursed spirit capable of asexual reproduction.
Under certain conditions, it could create an offspring. The parent and offspring could not exist simultaneously as curses, but if the parent was exorcised, the child would awaken and inherit both its will and cursed energy gathered from around the world.
In other words, the player Kurourushi had indeed been killed.
But the cursed spirit Kurourushi still lived and had now awakened again.
At this time, all of its eyes were attracted by the blood covering Ryu's body. Waving the Festering Life Sword in its hand, it rushed toward him.
"Get the hell away from me!"
The intoxicated look on Ryu's face instantly disappeared.
Kurourushi barging in felt like someone throwing garlic into the perfect dessert, completely ruining the atmosphere.
"No one invited you to sit at this table!"
Granite Blast fired once more.
With the guaranteed-hit effect of the domain amplifying it, Kurourushi did not even have time to react before being struck head-on.
In the blink of an eye, the registered special grade cursed spirit collapsed to the ground with its body charred black, barely alive.
Before absolute cursed energy output, it could not create even the slightest ripple.
"Then I'll satisfy you. One more shot. If you lose, hand over your points obediently and listen to me afterward. Deal?" Satoru raised one finger with a smile on his face.
"That depends on whether you can truly fill me up!"
As Ryu answered, he had already begun charging cursed energy.
Light flashed and his full-power Granite Blast collided once again with Satoru's Hollow Purple.
Kurourushi, trapped helplessly between the two attacks, was erased within the collision without any chance to resist.
"So? How was it?"
When the dust finally settled, Satoru was already standing beside Ryu.
The latter, however, lay collapsed on the ground with his body mangled and covered in blood. His signature hairstyle had been completely ruined.
After slowly breathing out, a smile appeared on his face.
"Although it wasn't exactly what I imagined… Thanks for the meal. I'm full now."
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