Beneath the Heavenly Restriction Pillar, Ashiya Doman finally relaxed after naming his new species, a satisfied look settling on his face.
But when his gaze fell on Shion, who had been sitting cross-legged and chanting for most of the day, a faint unease stirred within him.
What kind of Cursed Technique requires such an extended preparation?
Despite the discomfort creeping into his thoughts, Ashiya Doman chose not to act. Four Special Grade sorcerers stood guard around Shion, making any interference nearly impossible. More importantly, he had complete confidence in his Domain, Paradise.
This was a trump card he had concealed for a thousand years. Even if all five of them joined forces, and even if Tengen were to appear alongside them, breaking Paradise would take years.
And by then, the world itself would have already evolved.
At that moment, Shion slowly opened his eyes.
His fingers formed a peculiar seal as he spoke in a low voice.
"Reversal Technique, Rashomon Barrier."
Ashiya Doman rose to his feet, watching with interest. A barrier technique?
He let out a faint scoff. Trying to counter Paradise with a barrier is naive. Show me how long you can last.
Thump.
His pupils shrank.
For a split second, his heartbeat faltered.
Ashiya Doman frowned, glancing down at his chest before looking back at Shion.
Their eyes met, and Shion smirked.
"This barrier is not meant for Paradise. It is meant for you."
Ashiya Doman laughed coldly. "A joke. When it comes to barrier techniques, even Tengen cannot surpass me. You think you can trap me with something like this?"
Thump.
His eyelid twitched. Another irregular heartbeat.
What is happening?
His voice dropped as he stared at Shion. "What did you do?"
"Nothing much."
Shion's smile widened slightly.
"I am just releasing the original owner of that body."
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Ashiya Doman's heart began pounding violently.
At the same time, black flames ignited within his body. From within those flames, a grotesque, godlike silhouette emerged, laughing in a distorted, chilling tone.
"Heh… hahahaha…"
"Kenjaku, long time no see."
"Or should I call you Ashiya Doman now?"
Inside his inner world, Ashiya Doman stared at the figure in disbelief.
"Sukuna!"
"Impossible. That cannot be possible!"
"The suppression from the Daiten body and Idle Transfiguration should have erased you completely. There is no way you could still exist!"
Sukuna grinned, his expression savage.
"Ask Shion."
Shion?
Back in reality, Ashiya Doman's gaze snapped toward him, fury erupting.
"You bastard! What did you do?!"
Shion shrugged lightly. "Guess."
Crack.
A strange sound echoed.
Ashiya Doman looked down. Cracks had begun forming along two of his fingers, faint light leaking out like blood.
His expression shifted.
Those fingers…
Then realization struck.
Sukuna's final two fingers.
He had gathered eighteen, but those last two had eluded him for years. Eventually, guided by Sukuna's instincts, Uraume retrieved them from distant lands and the ocean depths.
At the time, something had felt slightly off.
But when Sukuna absorbed them without issue, he dismissed the doubt.
Now he understood.
Those two fingers had been a trap from the very beginning.
Shion had tampered with them long ago.
Shion looked up, his voice cold and steady.
"To deceive both you and Sukuna, I went through considerable effort."
"Using Tengen's accumulated knowledge on barrier techniques, I spent countless days refining my own Reversal Technique. The Rashomon Barrier seals both the power and the soul within those two fingers."
"Judging by the result, even you failed to notice."
Ashiya Doman's face twisted in rage.
"Damn it!"
His body began to convulse as Sukuna's soul rampaged freely within him.
"Do not get ahead of yourself!"
"It is only two fingers. I still possess the power of the other eighteen. The advantage is mine!"
He clapped his hands together, forcing the instability in his body back under control. His cursed energy surged, compressing Sukuna's presence, attempting to strip it away once more.
Ashiya Doman laughed loudly.
"Sukuna! If I defeated you once, I will do it again!"
"Hey, do not ignore me."
Shion suddenly appeared in front of him, his fist coated in Black Flash as it drove straight toward Ashiya Doman's head.
Bang!
The impact sent Ashiya Doman flying from hundreds of meters in the air, his body scraping violently against the massive pillar before crashing into the ground and carving out a huge crater.
Before he could recover, Shion was already there.
He grabbed Ashiya Doman by the neck and hurled him again.
Boom!
The impact against the pillar sent a shock through his entire body, bones creaking under the force.
Shion closed in immediately, launching a relentless barrage of blows.
He avoided techniques with excessive destructive power. Paradise required Ashiya Doman to remain alive, so something like Hollow Technique: Purple was not an option.
Instead, he kept up constant pressure.
Under Shion's assault, Ashiya Doman's concentration began to falter.
And Sukuna seized the opportunity.
Within the inner world, the two souls clashed violently, tearing into each other.
Sukuna's grin widened, filled with fury and killing intent.
"Ashiya Doman, you bastard. You dared to covet my body."
"Remember this. Even if you steal something, it will never truly belong to you."
He lunged forward, biting deep into Ashiya Doman's soul and ripping away a massive chunk.
With that single act, Sukuna reclaimed control equivalent to five fingers.
"Damn it!"
Ashiya Doman's mind teetered on the edge.
Outside, Shion's attacks gave him no breathing room.
Inside, Sukuna advanced relentlessly, devouring his soul piece by piece, taking back what was always his.
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