At this moment, Kidomaru's appearance was no longer that of an old man with sword-like eyes.
Instead, he was a red-faced, fanged oni with two horns on his head.
At his feet, a dilapidated, ink-wash-style city gate stood alone in the very center of the Domain.
Surrounding it was an empty, pure white space.
Just like the blank spaces in an ink painting.
True to the word "empty."
"Besides serving Lord Seimei, the only thing left in my life is the sword."
Kidomaru stood on the ink-wash-style Rashomon, his sword pointing at Emiya.
"But one day, I suddenly realized that no matter what, I couldn't increase my speed. Sword and Halberd, Sakura seemed to be my limit."
Kidomaru seemed to be lost in old memories.
"After that, in order to continue growing stronger and fulfill that great one's wish, I constantly delved into research, and finally changed the shape of the sword."
Rumble.
After Kidomaru's voice fell, countless massive swords appeared from the Rashomon.
Each sword was taller than a person, and their length was nearly a hundred meters.
"What is your name?"
Kidomaru looked down at Emiya.
"My name isn't important. I'm just an Archer."
Emiya stood with his arms crossed, silently watching Kidomaru above.
"Is that so? Then, Archer, be proud to die by my most powerful Profound Truth, honed through arduous training!"
Kidomaru channeled all his Cursed Energy, and countless gigantic swords materialized.
"Sword and Halberd, Immeasurable!"
Any massive blade that touched a person would pulverize them, not to mention that within the Domain, it possessed the sure-hit attribute.
"Why do you think I've been listening to you for so long?"
Pale blue Cursed Energy covered Emiya's entire body, and Shinkage-ryū, Simple Domain blocked the first wave of attacks.
"I've already witnessed your Immeasurable."
Crack, crack, crack.
The sound of shattering glass continuously rang out. Under Kidomaru's astonished gaze, his Domain instantly shattered.
Because the incantation Emiya had just chanted was clearly different from a Domain Expansion incantation, Kidomaru did not know what Cursed Technique he was using.
He had originally thought that the opponent's Cursed Technique had failed because it was covered by his own Domain.
Only now did he realize that it was not that the opponent's Cursed Technique had failed, but that his own Domain had been completely enveloped by the opponent's.
The size of an Innate Domain far exceeded that of a regular Domain.
Neither Emiya's boundless wasteland nor Iskandar the Great's Army of the King, which could accommodate tens of thousands of people, could be compared to a Domain measured in hundreds of meters.
After releasing his Innate Domain, Emiya began analyzing Kidomaru's Domain.
It was precisely for this reason that Emiya was willing to listen to Kidomaru, the old man, prattle on.
Otherwise, Emiya would have already made his move.
"This is simply... a graveyard of swords."
With his Domain shattered, Kidomaru entered a state of Cursed Technique Burnout.
But even so, he did not give up. Instead, he raised his two swords and cautiously observed his surroundings.
Then he was drawn to the countless swords on the wasteland.
With Kidomaru's lifelong experience in swordsmanship, he could naturally tell that these swords were not ordinary.
Kidomaru could not help but reach out and grasp one of the swords, feeling the energy emanating from it. The image of a young samurai continuously swinging his sword appeared in his mind.
"Someone with such exquisite skill actually says he isn't a swordsman. This is truly..."
"Perhaps you could see me as a bladesmith."
Emiya did not feel there was anything wrong with not being a swordsman.
"A bladesmith, you say."
The next second, countless swords pierced his body.
Unlimited Blade Works disappeared, and the severely wounded Kidomaru fell powerlessly to the ground.
"Mission accomplished."
Emiya projected a chain to bind Kidomaru, preparing to send him to Tokyo Jujutsu High's dungeon.
Previously, Medea had specifically reinforced one of the cells to imprison Uraume.
Now that Uraume was gone, it was perfect for Kidomaru.
Just as Emiya was heading toward the dungeon, the surroundings suddenly transformed into a sea of flowers at some unknown point.
"These flowers..."
Emiya reached out and plucked a small white flower beside him.
The pervasive floral scent gradually made him forget everything.
Soon, Emiya reacted.
"An enemy's Cursed Technique. That Hanami?"
However, before Emiya could even assume a fighting stance, Hanami snatched Kidomaru away first.
"So it is an enemy?"
Emiya extended a hand, and a longsword burning with flames appeared in it.
The surrounding sea of flowers was instantly incinerated by the flames.
Seeing Hanami about to disappear into the wall, Emiya immediately drew his bow and nocked an arrow, firing a flaming arrow at Hanami.
To protect Kidomaru, Hanami extended her left arm, which was originally wrapped in cloth, and caught the burning arrow.
At the same time, countless tree roots grew from beneath Hanami's feet, instantly filling the entire underground passage.
"That's really tough."
Emiya was forced back by the tree roots, then immediately drew his bow and fired continuously, wanting to break through the obstruction of the tree roots as quickly as possible and entangle Hanami while she was injured.
Because Emiya knew that once Hanami entered the earth, he would be unable to catch her.
However, by the time Emiya broke through the blockade of tree roots, Hanami's figure had already vanished.
Emiya's flaming arrow had indeed caused considerable damage to Hanami.
But Hanami was not only the gentlest of the Four Calamities Cursed Spirits, but also had the highest defense.
To give a simple example, in the original Sister School Exchange Event, Hanami endured five Black Flashes from Yuji, and then was brutally beaten with Playful Cloud by Todo, a person with maximum strength.
Even her most vulnerable eyes suffered heavy blows.
If it had been Jogo, he would have been exorcised by now.
But Hanami did not suffer severe injuries and still retained considerable combat power.
It was worth mentioning that Hanami's left arm, which she usually kept wrapped, could absorb the life force of surrounding plants, but the Cursed Energy converted from this plant life force was all stored in the flower bud on her left arm.
It was not returned to Hanami herself.
Therefore, Hanami did not use the method of absorbing the life force of surrounding plants to heal herself.
However, she did use this Cursed Energy to perform Domain Expansion.
"It's you. Is the mission complete?"
Kidomaru said with difficulty after seeing Hanami.
"&*(-@∑..."
It was a completely independent language, just like Inumaki's speech.
Yet, Kidomaru somehow understood Hanami's words.
"The mission objective has been secured. Please rest assured. I'll take it from here."
"Is that so."
'Thank you.'
The last two words were not spoken, and Kidomaru closed his eyes in peace.
If Kidomaru used to have strong reservations and extreme vigilance toward Hanami, this Cursed Spirit of unknown origin.
Then now, Hanami, who had beautifully completed Abe no Seimei's mission and even helped him, preventing him from disappointing Abe no Seimei, had truly earned Kidomaru's approval.
(To be continued.)