Chapter 70: Domain Expansion
That statement wasn't a declaration of victory, was it? It was merely a bugle call for the charge.
After declaring the counterattack, Emiya immediately followed through, charging straight towards Ryomen Sukuna's location with his sword raised.
"Damn it... Dismantle!"
Ryomen Sukuna remained rooted in place, launching a slash with an even greater presence.
It wasn't that he lacked the combat intelligence to read the situation; he simply could not believe that his Cursed Technique had been so easily nullified by a single blade.
Boom——!
The invisible slash cut upward, completely severing the entire underground space from top to bottom.
The roof, which had obstructed who knows how many layers of the building, was cleanly sliced open, clearly exposing the gloomy sky and allowing a few sparse raindrops to scatter into the subterranean area.
While this was partly due to the previous Special Grade Cursed Spirit being destroyed and the Innately Held Domain gradually dissipating, it was proof enough of the sheer destructive power of Sukuna's slash.
Yet, Emiya, standing in the center of the slash with Durandal raised in defense, remained completely unharmed.
Seeing that his full-power 'Dismantle' could only achieve this effect, Ryomen Sukuna immediately blew up.
"What is it, that blade!"
Even so-called Special Grade Cursed Tools were mostly just slightly powerful toys in front of Sukuna; it was almost impossible for them to take his 'Dismantle' head-on. But how could an ordinary-looking longsword achieve this degree of defense?
"Durandal, the Indestructible Holy Sword, held by the legendary Paladin Roland and the Greek hero Hector in mythology.
It may not be very famous here. But in its homeland, it is the peerless Holy Sword ranked alongside King Arthur's Excalibur."
Since revealing this information would not affect the use of Durandal, and intending to test the effect of 'Binding Vow,' Emiya chose to reveal it without hesitation.
The basic rule of the Jujutsu world—to gain an increase in your Binding Vow by revealing information or restricting usage—is strange but not hard to understand.
After personally completing this Binding Vow, Emiya clearly felt a change in Durandal.
The effect of the Vow wasn't strong, so the blade's surface was only inexplicably reinforced with a layer of Cursed Energy, with no actual effect on Durandal itself.
As for the result, it would certainly hurt Cursed Spirits more when he slashed them.
"...A Holy Sword from myth and legend?"
The expression on Ryomen Sukuna's face was hard to describe, but it was certainly one of complete disbelief.
Having been active a thousand years ago, wasn't he keenly aware of the existence, or lack thereof, of gods and demons in this world? Yet, he truly felt the Binding Vow on Emiya, indicating that the other party was not lying about this matter.
"It doesn't matter. As long as I destroy this eyesore of a sword, its origins are irrelevant."
"Dismantle!"
Since a single slash couldn't break the defense, he abandoned the single strike and instead used a higher frequency attack method. Armor even has gaps in its defense, let alone just a single sword?
Buzz——Buzz——!
Dozens of slashes wove together into a death grid.
The combined force was so great it could cut the air into a vacuum state, causing it to churn inward, and the actual flying speed far exceeded the speed of sound. Emiya was not particularly skilled with a longsword of this shape, but the moment he projected it, he also completed the replication of the original owner's swordsmanship.
It was enough.
Boom!
The 'slashes' were fast, but so what?
As long as the blade was swung quickly enough and the trajectory was precise enough, it could form a perfect defensive arc, preventing even sparse raindrops from getting close, let alone these quick but startlingly forceful slashes.
Accompanied by the shattered stone scattered from the ground, Emiya suddenly accelerated his charge to stand directly in front of Ryomen Sukuna, bringing the blade down.
Slish——
Sukuna dodged, and his Cursed Energy barrier was working, but Durandal's blade still left a not-too-deep, not-too-shallow wound on his abdomen.
This was an injury that Sukuna could heal in an instant, but it was nonetheless an indelible humiliation.
Bang!
He shaped his hand into a claw and lunged at Emiya's face, only to have it immediately cleaved by the resilient Holy Sword, making the sound of clashing steel.
Perhaps out of fury, Ryomen Sukuna completely abandoned using his Cursed Technique from a distance.
Instead, he engaged in close-quarters combat with Emiya, who held the Holy Sword. Even just using his long fingernails as claws, Sukuna's strikes were fully a match for the Holy Sword in Emiya's hand.
Sparks generated by the fierce clash continuously erupted around the two, intermittently lighting up the entire underground space.
Pssh——
Finally, after the stalemate had lasted for dozens of seconds, the blade in Emiya's hand successfully stabbed into Sukuna's body. However, instead of any expression of anger, a strange smile spread across Sukuna's face.
"Got you."
Ryomen Sukuna didn't try to grab Emiya. Instead, he reached out and grabbed the blade of Durandal, allowing blood to spill but refusing to let go.
"Hachi (Eight)."
No longer using the 'Dismantle' he had been, Ryomen Sukuna chanted the name of another obscure and difficult Cursed Technique.
Crack——!
Under the effect of this unknown technique, clearly visible cracks appeared on the Holy Sword, which was reputed to be immortal and unbreakable. This was exactly what Ryomen Sukuna wanted to see.
Under his Cursed Technique, nothing was uncuttable or indestructible.
But again, unexpectedly, Emiya showed no sign of distress. Instead, he immediately released his grip and retreated one hundred meters away.
"Broken Phantasm."
The already cracked blade immediately showed more fissures, flashing with golden light, and then—
BOOM!!!!!!
Terrifying firelight burst forth from the slender blade, easily engulfing the entire underground space, even flipping over the two building layers above.
The juvenile detention center that had stood there a moment ago no longer existed.
The rain gradually stopped, but the sky remained gloomy. Yet, Emiya paid no attention to these things; his gaze was fixed on the center of the massive ruins.
"Cough, cough... You truly don't feel a thing, brat, what a waste of precious things.
But, you've also made me start to heat up."
Ryomen Sukuna, covered in bloody gashes but rapidly healing under the effect of his Reverse Cursed Technique, walked out from the smoke and flames, heading directly toward Emiya.
"Then, let me show you the true essence of a Cursed Technique."
Without any hesitation or warning, Ryomen Sukuna brought his hands together in a peculiar stance.
"Domain Expansion!"
"—Fukuma Mizushi (Malevolent Shrine)!!!"
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