Chapter 33. Ritual (Part 4)

The flurry of strikes sliced through the air instantly. Since we were in our astral projections, our physical strength was roughly equal, setting the stage for an intriguing battle.

I stepped back quickly with short steps, feeling a burst of cold air as Yorozu's fist passed just inches from my face. Barely having time to appreciate that close call, I faced another attack—a swift kick aimed directly at my ribs. Prepared, my hands instantly came together in front of me as a shield, absorbing the initial force of the strike and lessening its impact. Just as I braced for a counterattack, a wave of cursed energy burst from Yorozu's leg, throwing me back several meters.

"Such intimate proximity... How indecent," Yorozu giggled, quickly closing the distance between us.

I managed to block Yorozu's right side strike with my left palm, and my forearm met her attempted knee to my chest with resistance.

"It seems you've run out of hands," Yorozu taunted, grabbing my left wrist.

Her grip shifted into a pull, attempting to use my motion against me, aiming to flip me over her hip. I could have resisted, but that would have only worsened my situation. Instead, allowing her to proceed, I turned the fall into control mid-air: twisting out of her grasp, I freed myself. Without losing a moment, I clapped my hands, summoning a fireball that exploded instantly, throwing both Yorozu and me in opposite directions.

"Ah? A cursed technique against a defenseless lady? Where's your dignity?" Yorozu, wiping dirt from her face, smirked in my direction.

"Dignity? Is that edible?" I smirked back.

Excitement flared in our eyes.

Pushing off the ground, I quickly closed the distance between us, seizing the initiative. Yorozu met me head-on, responding with a flurry of strikes.

In that first exchange, I felt a profound chasm between the current Sorcerers and the "warriors" of ancient times—their unrestrained passion and bravery in close combat. They were indeed warriors, ready to defeat the enemy at any cost, even their own lives. Among all those I had met on the battlefield, only Maki and my mentor possessed a similar style, yet even they avoided self-endangering techniques to such an extent. But Yorozu... She readily played with fire, turning it into her advantage.

Her small fist landed heavily on my ribs; in response, my left hook, with precision, found its target under her eye. The exchange seemed even, but I distinctly captured the moment of impact and knew that my punch had lost its initial momentum, all because Yorozu's strike had reached me first.

Not knowing whether she could use her cursed technique at the moment, I opted for a tactic of exhaustion: forcing her to deplete her resources until an opportunity to catch her off guard presented itself. Thus, our clash evolved into a relentless confrontation, as if we were regulars at the same bar, each battling our own form of insomnia.

With every moment, with every strike that missed its mark, my smile twisted into a wild snarl. When Yorozu, caught up in her fervor, made a decisive but ill-judged thrust, I sensed my chance. My counterattack was lightning-fast, leaving Yorozu no opportunity to defend herself. My fist, like thunder suddenly booming from clear skies, crashed into her stomach. Displaying exceptional skill, however, she managed to fortify that area in a mere fraction of a second, significantly diminishing the force of the impact.

But I was prepared for such a turn of events, having anticipated this very moment.

"Divergent Fist!"

The energy that had been simmering within me, waiting for its cue, erupted with a slight delay. My physical strength may not have breached the protective barrier created by Yorozu's cursed energy, but it significantly weakened it. Consequently, the explosion of cursed energy that followed moments after my punch sent Yorozu flying back ten meters, severely damaging her astral projection.

"It's amazing how useful a rudimentary technique can be," I remarked, watching Yorozu struggle to cough up blood. "Why didn't you use your technique?"

Yorozu coughed a few more times, then took a seated position and stared at me. "Just because you, you freak, can use it, doesn't mean everyone else can," she whispered, catching her breath.

"Liar," I said with a smirk. "And a pretender."

"You're never boring," Yorozu retorted sarcastically, getting to her feet. "But you're still an overconfident idiot."

"Oh, how intriguing," I marveled, raising an eyebrow. "Won't you explain?"

"It doesn't matter anymore," she cut off, bracing herself for the next move. "I gave you a chance to show what you're capable of. Since you didn't appreciate my kindness, you deserve what's coming."

In the next moment, her fingers intertwined in a strange gesture, leaving only the middle ones straight, which she directed at me.

"Domain Expansion," Yorozu declared in a cold tone.

"Finally, something interesting," I smiled in response.

"Threefold Affliction."

The world around us shifted instantly, plunging us into an empty, white expanse. The only objects visible, aside from Yorozu herself, were bizarre floating shapes that resembled brains and insect ganglia.

"I still can't understand. Why didn't you use your technique?" I asked aloud, surveying her domain. Given her ability to initiate domain expansion, she should have been capable of activating her main technique as well. "What made you relinquish such an advantage?"

From Yorozu's perspective, she was battling in an unknown place against an opponent who knew her true identity. Could she have thought her technique would be futile against someone who knew everything about her? That seemed unlikely. Or perhaps she was assessing my capabilities and, upon realizing I wasn't taking the initiative, decided to end the fight. But even that didn't fully explain her hesitation to use her cursed technique. The most plausible explanation was a problem with her cursed energy. Yet, if it wasn't related to me, it must have had something to do with the environment... Could she be aware of our location?

Then it struck me. When Sukuna took over Megumi's body, he couldn't use cursed techniques effectively due to interference from the "vessel." However, since we weren't in the real world and Tsumiki couldn't have been obstructing her...

"Your limitations stem from that girl," I began, identifying the root of the problem.

"Really? I feel fine," Yorozu replied confidently.

"I assumed you could use cursed energy and techniques here, as our existence resembles curses, but I was mistaken," I continued, observing her closely. "Regardless of our form, we remain tethered to our physical bodies. As long as that girl's soul occupies the body, you can't effectively wield your cursed technique. And for you, that's a significant issue, because the 'Construction' is known for its inefficient cursed energy usage."

"Oh, wonderful, you've solved the puzzle! Are you thrilled about that?" Yorozu clapped her hands mockingly. "Should we award you a medal? Or would you prefer a 'kiss of death'?"

"But domain expansion? Isn't that excessive..." It then dawned on me. "We are in Tsumiki's spiritual space, likely within the Body of Heart and Mind. You're not just restricted; you're being rejected, like a virus. By expanding the domain, you're effectively isolating the inner space from Tsumiki's soul."

"That means I can finally have some fun," Yorozu grinned.

Sukuna hadn't pursued this because there was no benefit in severing his connection to the outside world while Megumi's soul was inside...

It was remarkable how swiftly Yorozu adapted to her circumstances, understanding the essence of the problem more quickly than I did—a person who prided himself on knowing more about the soul than anyone else in this world.

"So..." Before Yorozu could finish, the world around us underwent another transformation. The stark white void shifted into impenetrable darkness.

"Am I interrupting?" a painfully familiar voice called out from behind me.

Turning around, I was surprised to find two figures: Satoru, with his annoyingly carefree smile, and Tsumiki, who looked around with evident curiosity.

"I think you've greatly disappointed the lady. Though, you're used to that," I couldn't help but smirk at Satoru. My gaze then shifted to Yorozu, who stood with a vacant expression. "Is this... all?"

"You mean, is she dead?" the white-haired Sorcerer clarified, prompting me to nod in affirmation.

"No," Satoru scratched his head, surveying the area. "I just used your trick and applied the technique for a fraction of two-tenths of a second. It wasn't meant to fry her brain... or whatever she has in there now."

"Weren't sure if you could use expansion on someone's soul within someone else's soul?" I sought clarification.

"Just wanted to make sure Megumi's sister was okay. You never know what could happen," Satoru shrugged nonchalantly.

Such a sweetheart…

"In that case, I'll expel her," I declared, walking towards Yorozu.

"You know who she is, right?" Satoru inquired.

"Her name is Yorozu, a Sorcerer from the Heian era. As far as I know, she's at the roots of the Zenin clan," I explained.

"So she has a technique..."

"No. Well, yes, she does have a technique, but it's not like Megumi's. It's 'Construction,' similar to Mai's," I quickly interjected, anticipating his next question.

"And we won't learn anything else from her?" Satoru's inquisitive gaze pierced my back.

"You can try to interrogate her yourself," I suggested, turning back to face him. "But unfortunately, your domain expansion interferes with that."

"...Do as you see fit," Satoru sighed in response.

Placing my palm on Yorozu's chest, I activated the Sixth Aspect, "Fire Infusion." In an instant, all the accumulated flame within her ignited. The energy released was so intense that Yorozu was immediately enveloped in flames, transforming her into a brilliant torch. Within seconds, she completely dissolved, vanishing into the void without a trace.

I wasn't sure how to feel about this woman. Perhaps because our fight had ended inconclusively, I harbored no deep-seated hatred. I understood perfectly that people usually surrounded themselves with others who shared similar goals: doctors with doctors, thieves with thieves, businessmen with businessmen, the wealthy with the wealthy, the poor with the poor, and the mad with the mad. Yet, for some reason, I felt neither satisfaction from her death nor sorrow, nor even relief.

"That's all?" Satoru's voice pulled me from my thoughts.

"Do you mean, is she dead?" I turned and smirked at him defiantly.