Hanami roared, releasing its grip and lunging at Tsukumo Yuki with both fists swinging.
Yuki's eyes narrowed. Without hesitation, she increased the mass bound to her body, reinforcing her strength, and met Hanami head-on. Their fists collided again and again, each strike heavier than the last.
The battle had entered a fierce, relentless phase.
Though Hanami now fought with both hands free, Yuki's blows had grown devastating. Even Hanami's body—renowned for its near-impenetrable defense—began to crack under the pressure. It was forced to constantly channel Cursed Energy to heal, knowing that a single clean hit from Yuki could shatter it instantly.
This won't work. I can't beat her at close range… I need distance, Hanami decided.
Tree orbs formed around its body, and from them, roots shot forward like venomous serpents, twisting through the air to disrupt Yuki's rhythm.
But each one was effortlessly intercepted by her shikigami—Garuda.
Garuda moved with perfect synchronicity, combining the durability of a cursed tool with the agility of a shikigami. Together, it and Yuki formed a seamless defense.
Still, Hanami wasn't aiming to land those attacks.
They were a distraction.
In that fleeting moment, Hanami found an opening. It raised its hand and waved.
The air around Yuki seemed to thicken. Suddenly, a field of vibrant flowers bloomed into existence, their colors dazzling, their fragrance sweet and intoxicating.
Yuki's instincts flared.
Something's wrong.
But it was already too late. The scent had reached her—her thoughts dulled for a split second.
She snapped out of it almost instantly.
But that instant was enough.
Hanami seized it.
Roots burst from beneath Yuki's feet, coiling around her like chains. With a violent motion, Hanami flung her backward.
Yuki spun through the air—
—and directly into danger.
Ahead of her, jagged spikes erupted from the ground, glinting coldly in the light, ready to skewer her.
"Garuda!"
The shikigami surged forward, catching her just in time and halting her momentum inches before the spikes.
But Hanami didn't stop.
From its back, a massive flower bloomed—unnaturally large. Its petals peeled open, revealing countless grotesque seeds inside, each one bearing a tiny, gnashing mouth.
They rained down.
Fast. Too fast to dodge.
Cursed Seeds.
They fed on Cursed Energy—the more one defended, the stronger they became. The only way to resist them was to drop all reinforcement and endure them physically.
Worse still, once they latched on, they burrowed deep, feeding on their host's energy. The more techniques used, the deeper they rooted.
A single hit could immobilize even the strongest sorcerer.
Yuki understood instantly.
I can't let those touch me.
With no time to evade, she made a split-second decision.
"Garuda—expand!"
Garuda's body swelled, forming a protective shield around her.
The seeds slammed into it.
Though durable, Garuda was made entirely of Cursed Energy—exactly what the seeds craved.
When the barrage ended, Yuki stood unharmed.
Garuda, however…
Its entire body was covered in writhing Cursed Seeds, clinging to it like something alive—something vile.
Without hesitation, Yuki kicked it away, creating distance before the parasites could transfer to her.
Hanami observed calmly.
Though the attack hadn't injured Yuki, it had neutralized her shikigami.
That alone was enough.
Hanami stepped forward, pressing the advantage.
"Domain Expansion: Womb Profusion."
Everything until now—
had been preparation.
Hanami placed its left hand against the ground.
In an instant, a gray expanse spread outward. Grass withered. Trees decayed. Life itself seemed to rot as the domain took form.
The red flower on Hanami's shoulder bloomed wide, releasing a surge of overwhelming Cursed Energy.
In an instant, a dense forest erupted around them.
Towering trees burst from the ground without end, swallowing both Tsukumo Yuki and Hanami within the Domain.
Yet Yuki remained calm.
She didn't rush to deploy her own Domain. Instead, she raised a Simple Domain, its barrier spreading around her and neutralizing the sure-hit effect for the time being.
Hanami moved to finish it—
But before it could act—
Garuda descended from above.
With a thunderous impact, it shattered Hanami's Domain from the outside.
Though its body was riddled with Cursed Seeds, Garuda felt no pain. As long as it had Cursed Energy, it could still move.
Earlier, when Yuki had kicked it away, it had fallen outside the Domain's range.
And now, seeing her trapped, it burned through the last of its energy to break in.
Yuki had been waiting for this exact moment.
"Domain Expansion… Eightfold Sumeru Heaven."
Her voice was steady.
The instant her Domain unfolded, Hanami's collapsed completely.
The forest vanished.
In its place, Yuki's Domain took form.
Garuda was restored—reborn in perfect condition.
And it wasn't alone.
Seven more Garudas appeared beside it.
Without hesitation, Yuki poured immense mass into all eight.
The air itself seemed to distort under the weight.
Then—
They struck.
All at once.
Hanami couldn't move.
Within a Domain, the sure-hit effect was absolute.
Worse still, its own Domain had just been destroyed. Its technique was burned out—leaving it unable to use Cursed Energy properly. All it had left was its physical body.
But that wasn't enough.
Not against this.
The eight Garudas crashed down.
For a brief moment, Hanami's body—once famed for its unmatched defense—held.
Then it gave way.
It burst apart like an overripe fruit, crushed beyond recognition.
Silence followed.
The battle was over.
Yuki dispelled her Domain.
Her expression didn't change.
No triumph. No relief.
She had just exorcised a Special Grade Cursed Spirit—
Yet there was no satisfaction in it.
There had been no personal hatred between them. No grudge.
Only opposing sides.
Today, she had been stronger.
So she lived.
Tomorrow… that might not be the case.
When will this endless cycle of killing ever end?
The thought lingered as she turned away.
Then, something else surfaced in her mind—
An unfinished conversation.
With Kamo Itsuki's clone.
"Kamo Itsuki…" Yuki murmured as she walked toward him, her gaze steady.
"What exactly is your 'true plan'?"
This time, she wouldn't leave without answers.
And for once—
She hoped nothing would interrupt her.
Because right now…
She wasn't in the mood to be patient.