13 Chapter 13: Fear and Hunger

Inside the Domain Expansion, the cursed spirit, without hesitation, immediately activated its innate ability, Ravage. After doing so, anything within the domain will experience extreme hunger. The hunger would be so intense the victims will either choose to cannibalize themselves or their allies to satisfy their hunger, however, they can feel full or satisfied.

The Wendigi believes it has won as it looks for Shin to observe him feasting on himself, but to its surprise, the only one inside the Donain is itself. Perplex, the Wendigo looks around hastily as to ensure Shin is not hiding among the already lifeless bodies that scatter the ground to surprise it. When it finished searching, the Wendigo proceeded to sniff but to no avail, Shin was nowhere in sight nor was he inside with the Wendigo.

Confused and cautious, the Wendigo let out a raspy voice that resembled gurgling.

The Wendigo's frantic cries pierced the air, its desperate calls for Shin falling on deaf ears within the twisted domain. Frustration boiled over, leading the spirit to unleash furious screams, its wrath aimed at the lifeless bodies scattered around. Amidst the chaos, the Wendigo's frenzy blinded it to Shin's presence, unaware of his careful observation from the shadows.

Shin, having taken refuge outside the domain, waited patiently, conserving his energy for the opportune moment. With caution, he ventured back inside, ensuring to stay hidden from the Wendigo's line of sight. The creature's tumultuous outburst presented an ideal chance for Shin to strike, yet, at the brink of action, something gave him pause.

Pausing in the shadows, a smirk formed on Shin's lips. There was something intriguing about Wendigo's uncontrollable rage that sparked a mischievous glint in his eyes, hinting at a cunning plan forming in his mind.

Shin, observing the Wendigo's increasing agitation, decided to divert its attention by strategically tossing the bodies of his fallen comrades within its vicinity. The first body toss successfully caught the creature's attention, the second escalated its frustration, and the third caused the Wendigo to abandon any remaining restraint, charging headlong toward Shin.

As the Wendigo charged, Shin skillfully evaded its attempts, employing a combination of side steps, ducks, rolls, and dodges. With each successful evasion, Shin couldn't help but find amusement in the creature's growing anger and diminishing patience. His laughter and mocking gestures further fueled the Wendigo's frustration, exacerbating its attempts to strike Shin.

Despite the tense situation, Shin continued to playfully evade the creature's attacks, deliberately belittling it with each successful dodge. The Wendigo's relentless pursuit and Shin's mockery created a chaotic dance within the domain, each move intensifying the creature's rage while Shin reveled in the diversion he had created.

Shin, maintaining a taunting tone, couldn't suppress a laugh. "Come on, give it your best shot! Are my moves too quick for you? Need a breather? You're a special grade, yet this is all you've got? Honestly, I've faced tougher challenges from lower-grade curses."

As Shin continued his taunts and laughter, the special grade spirit's patience dwindled until its anger erupted into a frenzy of faster strikes and louder screams. Shin, noticing the creature's escalating fury, couldn't help but widen his smile, finding a strange enjoyment in this intense interaction between them.

As the special grade unleashed its rage, Shin found himself strangely engrossed in this odd "game" they were playing. However, the spirit's relentless pursuit of Shin drained its stamina considerably. Exhausted and spent from the effort, the creature eventually crouched down, panting heavily, as it sought to regain its strength.

Shin, observing the exhausted state of the special grade spirit, saw an opportunity to subdue it without causing serious harm. He began moving around the tired creature, delivering slaps with the front and back of his hand while laughing. Each slap elicited groans from the spirit, not due to pain but from the realization that Shin was playfully toying with it rather than engaging in a serious fight.

"S..s..stop. Fig..fight.Seriously."

As the raspy voice demanded Shin to fight seriously, it only fueled Shin's amusement, and he continued the light-hearted slapping. After 20 minutes and the 1000th slap, the beast stood up, emitting a loud shriek. Simultaneously, the Domain began to crack and crumble.

Observing the deteriorating state of the Domain and the lifeless bodies scattered around, Shin reflected, 'I should bring this to an end; I want to go home.'

Before Shin could rush at the beast a desperate plea for help caught Shin's attention and he noticed a woman clinging to life within the crumbling domain.

"Hel..Help. Me. I. I don't want to die. Please, help...me"

Observing the gruesome condition of the woman, with only her upper torso intact and organs exposed, Shin scanned the surroundings, realizing the severity of her situation. Shin looks around before replying to her.

"Sorry, I don't see anyone alive with the reverse curse technique and I can't do much to help you. This is where your story ends, I guess."

Upon hearing Shin's words, the woman, overwhelmed by despair, wailed and let her tears flow. In her repeated plea.

"I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die..."

Shin, moved by pity, bent down to wipe away her tears. Softening, he offered her an ultimatum.

"You can either die of blood loss while in shock or I can help end it now."

The girl fell silent as she stared at Shin, her eyes scanning the surroundings before she spoke.

"Please. Make it stop."

Hearing her response, Shin nodded silently, standing back up on his feet. He took a deep breath, gathering all his strength. With one swift motion, he forcefully stomped on her head, ensuring she did not experience prolonged pain. Once it was done, Shin turned his attention back to the Wendigo, observing the beast as it consumed the corpses on the ground.

As the creature consumed one lifeless body after another, its stomach expanded and grew, a stark contrast to its otherwise malnourished form that remained unchanged. After devouring the 15th corpse, the beast redirected its attention towards Shin, a smirk playing on its monstrous features. Despite the creature's apparent confidence, Shin remained resolute, questioning the significance of the beast's smile. 'What the hell are you smiling about? It changes nothing. I'm still going to win so get that shitty grin off your face.' Shin thought, determined to face the impending confrontation with the Wendigo.

The creature's demeanor shifted unexpectedly as it began to giggle and laugh uncontrollably. It leaped around, clapping its hands in a bizarre display of erratic behavior. The sudden change in the Wendigo's behavior added an eerie unpredictability to the situation, leaving Shin perplexed by the creature's strange antics.

The Wendigo's laughter abruptly ceased, replaced by a raspy, menacing proclamation. "You. Are. Dead. I will. Eat. You." The creature's words carried a chilling weight, signaling a shift from erratic behavior to a renewed sense of hostility.

Hearing the Wendigo's threat reignited Shin's excitement, and he swiftly assumed a stance with his staff, ready for the creature's next move. The Wendigo, noting Shin's readiness, quickly got into position before abruptly disappearing. Startled, Shin scanned his surroundings to locate the beast, but then his heightened senses caught its scent. Instinctively, he ducked just in time to evade the Wendigo's attack before it vanished once again, leaving Shin alert and poised for the unpredictable encounters.

Faced with the Wendigo's seemingly impossible speed, Shin realized that it wasn't disappearing but rather moving at a pace beyond his comprehension. Determined to adapt, he decided to rely on his other senses. 'If I can't use my eyes, then I will use my nose, ears, and skin.'

Feeling the vibrations of the beast's steps in a circular pattern around him, Shin honed in on the subtle cues. The Wendigo, before striking, let out a distinct breath that Shin's keen nose could detect. Closing his eyes to heighten his focus, Shin patiently waited, using his heightened sense of smell to pinpoint the direction of the impending attack.

As the foul smell filled the air, Shin anticipated the attack, thinking, 'If I can time this correctly, I can take out its legs.'

As the Wendigo charged from the right, Shin swiftly sidestepped, narrowly avoiding its attack. Seizing the opportunity, he swung his staff downward at the creature's legs, but the special grade swiftly maneuvered away. 'Oh well, there's always next time,' Shin thought, preparing for the next move.

As Shin readied himself, his keen nose detected another incoming attack. However, to his surprise, it wasn't the beast but a corpse covered in a purplish mucus that emitted the familiar scent of the Wendigo. Intrigued and cautious, Shin observed the peculiar sight before him, intrigued by the unexpected turn of events .

Shin's acute sense of smell picked up on multiple scents around him, and upon inspection, he witnessed bodies dropping to the ground, each coated with the same purplish substance. 'Is it regurgitating the bodies to mask its location from my scent?' Shin mused, acknowledging the creature's cunning tactic. 'Smart. This complicates things. Though I can sense its movements, my vulnerability to attack has significantly increased. My reaction speed needs improvement.'

Recognizing the increased risk, Shin remained alert, relying on his perception of the Wendigo's movements despite the growing challenge posed by the obscured scents and potential threat lurking within the domain.

Remaining poised, Shin steadied himself with slow, deliberate breaths to maintain composure. As he listened intently, he sensed movement to his right. 'It's coming now.' Shin launched another strike, yet once more, the beast eluded him, managing to inflict a bite on his shoulder. Fortunately, the wound wasn't too deep, but he couldn't ignore the bleeding. 'This complicates things. I need to end this quickly before I bleed out. This sucks'

"You. Are. Going to. Die." The Wendigo's laughter echoed around Shin, adding an eerie atmosphere to the already intense situation. Despite the threat, Shin steeled himself.

Shin, gritting his teeth against the pain, attempted to stop the bleeding. "Fuck. You," he muttered defiantly, his resolve unbroken despite the challenging circumstances.

Shin's worry persisted, but a sudden idea flashed in his mind. 'If this works, I'll have to rush to Gojo sensei within 15 minutes. But if it fails, I'll be a meal for this asshole.' The potential risk weighed heavily on his mind as he considered his next move cautiously. 'Fuck it, it's now or never'.

Shin, opting for a risky move, dropped his staff, opened his arms wide, and tensed his muscles to the maximum. As he waited, a sudden surge of pain shot through his right torso. Glancing down, he discovered the Wendigo biting into his right ribcage. However, the tense muscles proved a formidable defense, preventing the creature from inflicting a deep bite. The excruciating pain persisted, but Shin maintained his stoic resolve, hoping that this daring maneuver would be a good gamble.

Enduring the excruciating pain, Shin swiftly seized the beast's head, determined not to let this opportunity slip away. The Wendigo, now caught in Shin's unyielding grip, desperately attempted to free itself, but Shin's hold remained resolute. In a bid for escape, the creature shifted tactics and began tearing into Shin's stomach, escalating the brutality of the struggle. The situation intensified, leaving both combatants locked in a vicious and perilous exchange.

In a swift response, Shin intensified his grip on the Wendigo's head and commenced a determined attempt to twist it. Despite the accumulating pain, Shin channeled his anger and desperation, mustering the strength needed. With a final, powerful yell, Shin exerted every ounce of his remaining energy, forcefully twisting the beast's head multiple times. The culmination of his efforts resulted in the decisive moment when Shin tore the head off the Wendigo. In a victorious gesture, as if proclaiming his triumph, Shin kicked the severed head a considerable distance away. The intense battle had reached its conclusion, leaving Shin battered but victorious.

As the battle concluded, Shin hastily made his way to the Veil and exited, scanning the surroundings for Gojo sensei. A sense of urgency overcame him as he felt his body weakening rapidly. 'This is bad. My body is giving out.' "Where are you, sensei?!" Shin cried out, his voice echoing in desperation as he sought Gojo sensei's presence to ensure his survival. However, his body succumbed to exhaustion, and his vision darkened as he collapsed to the floor, losing consciousness.