Chapter 28: Annihilation
Dagon, a Special Grade Cursed Spirit born from humanity's fear and hatred of the ocean.
He was also one of the four disaster-class Cursed Spirits from the original storyline. He viewed Jogo, Mahito, Hanami, and the others as his true family, placing extreme importance on those familial bonds.
In the original plot, when this creature first appeared, it was in the form of a Cursed Womb. Its facial features resembled an octopus, its main body was red, black stripes ran along its facial tentacles, and it stood at a height of roughly 100 centimeters.
He usually kept a white cloth draped over his body, and whenever he spoke, he would let out a distinct "poo~" sound.
In the original timeline, it was only after Hanami died that this creature completed its evolution.
Once the transformation was finished, Dagon's appearance shifted much closer to a human form, boasting powerful, well-defined limbs.
His face still strongly resembled an octopus, complete with black spots lining the back of his head.
His main body remained red, while his abdomen was black, and a pair of dark wings grew from the back of his hips.
But right now, Hanami wasn't dead yet, while Dagon had already fully completed his evolution. He stood on human limbs, glaring at Yumesaki with a grotesque, menacing face.
This was actually perfectly logical. Even though Hanami hadn't died, Mahito and Jogo were thoroughly dead, having been killed by Yumesaki and fed directly to Mahoraga.
Since Hanami's death could trigger his evolution, then the deaths of Mahito and Jogo could naturally accomplish the exact same thing.
Facing Yumesaki, Dagon lunged forward, radiating pure murderous intent. Countless blades made of high-pressure water materialized around him, shooting straight toward Yumesaki.
"Praetor, leave this to me."
Nero, who had already grown incredibly impatient, drew Aestus Estus and sliced right through the oncoming torrent of water blades. A violent burst of Magical Energy erupted like a volcano, instantly vaporizing every single water blade.
"Umu! To think some unknown creature emerging from who-knows-where dares to act so insolently before my Praetor? You truly have a death wish."
Nero's voice rang out crisp and clear, as if she were announcing the grand opening of an opera. From the bottom of her heart, she deeply despised this oddly shaped Cursed Spirit.
In the face of Nero's insults, Dagon said nothing, his mind completely consumed by raw hatred for these intruders.
He suddenly roared, the patterns stretching across his abdomen lighting up abruptly as an immense amount of Cursed Energy erupted all at once.
Domain Expansion: Horizon of the Captivating Skandha.
This was the ultimate trump card belonging to top-tier Jujutsu Sorcerers and Cursed Spirits alike. The moment the Domain Expansion was unleashed, the entire world flipped upside down.
Beneath Nero's feet was no longer the stone courtyard of the shrine, but a tropical beach drenched in bright sunshine.
A vast stretch of sandy shore, an endless sea—it looked like a wonderful vacation spot no matter how one viewed it. Yet, Nero could clearly sense that beneath that sparkling ocean surface lay an infinite expanse of killing intent.
Without a doubt, this was Dagon's Innate Domain. Within this space, his attacks would gain an absolute Sure-hit effect.
"Umu, despite your hideous appearance, I must admit your Domain is actually quite beautiful."
Nero remarked that if this place weren't so choked with murderous intent, she would love nothing more than to change into a swimsuit with her Praetor and play here for a few days, enjoying a romantic and passionate match of beach volleyball.
At the exact same time, standing over the ocean surface, Dagon stared down at Nero with eyes full of malice.
The tranquil sea instantly began to boil. Countless carnivorous, fish-like Shikigami of various grotesque shapes leaped out of the water, opening massive jaws packed with razor-sharp teeth as they rained down on Nero like a meteor shower.
This was Dagon's signature Shikigami technique... Death Swarm.
Inside the Innate Domain, backed by the Sure-hit effect, the Shikigami attacked the enemy as if they were teleporting. These Shikigami simply did not exist prior to making physical contact with the target.
However, Nero didn't display even a shred of fear, feeling incredibly thrilled instead. A violent surge of Magical Energy blew away all the fish Shikigami attempting to bite her.
"Since the stage has been set, I shall begin my performance as well."
She raised Aestus Estus high into the air, her crimson Magical Energy blazing fiercely like a wildfire. "I permit you to gaze upon the true, absolute ring that belongs solely to the Emperor!"
"Witness my talent! Hear the cheers of thunder! Retain the glory of the ruler within your heart! Bloom like a flower! Open! Aestus Estus Domus Aurea!!"
Following her high-pitched, dramatic proclamation, an entirely different, vastly superior power swept through the space.
A brilliant golden light bloomed from beneath Nero's feet, instantly covering, eroding, and completely replacing the sunny beach landscape.
The ocean horizon, the palm trees, and the endless swarms of fish were all utterly swallowed up, replaced by a magnificent, Roman-style grand theater shimmering in pure gold.
This was Nero's absolute imperial ring, her ultimate Noble Phantasm — Aestus Estus Domus Aurea.
Within this realm, she was the one and only law. Every factor working against her would be forcefully corrected, and every favorable condition would bend entirely to her whim.
That being said, Nero's Domus Aurea didn't entirely shatter Dagon's Domain, as the inherent power of his Domain wasn't weak either.
However, the Sure-hit rule governing the Domain was heavily suppressed inside the Domus Aurea. The Shikigami attacks no longer possessed that instantaneous, teleportation-like property from before.
Realizing this change, Dagon roared out in pure fury. His Cursed Energy surged even higher. He manipulated the seawater within the Domain, shaping it into high-pressure water blades capable of slicing through steel, and hurled them directly at Nero.
Simultaneously, Dagon summoned a massive, tick-like Shikigami that was as hard as iron—resembling a giant isopod from the real world—to blindly stampede toward Nero.
Facing an assault that practically blocked out the sky, Nero let out a melodious, ringing laugh.
Now that she had summoned her Domus Aurea, her desire to perform had skyrocketed.
At this moment, Nero looked exactly like a prima donna dancing in the center of a stage, moving completely unhindered amidst the flying water blades and the onslaught of countless Shikigami.
Every single time Aestus Estus swung from her hand, the blade left behind a mesmerizing trail of flames, slicing cleanly through the bodies of those oncoming Shikigami with absolute precision.
Her strikes effortlessly tore through the physical hardness they prided themselves on, reducing them to nothing more than lingering clumps of residual Cursed Energy.
Yet, Dagon's Shikigami seemed completely inexhaustible, continuously pouring out from every single direction.
The battle plunged into a fierce, white-hot state right from the very beginning.
Nero was well aware that a clash between Domains was ultimately a battle of energy consumption.
When it came to a war of attrition, she certainly wouldn't lose to a mere Cursed Spirit.
She was fully capable of pushing her Magical Energy to its absolute limits, making the golden light of the theater burn even brighter, thereby dissolving Dagon's Domain and forcing the boundaries of his artificial ocean to steadily shrink.
But that kind of confrontation—how should one put it—wasn't spectacular in the slightest, and more importantly, it didn't reflect the grand nature of an Emperor.
Using massive amounts of Magical Energy just to slowly erode an opponent's Cursed Energy to secure a win felt entirely lacking in weight.
As an Emperor, Nero simply could not accept defeating an enemy in such a tedious fashion, because to her, it was far too un-imperial.
It truly shamed the dignity of a ruler.
What an Emperor required wasn't a war of attrition, but a decisive, overwhelming victory—one single, devastating strike to finish it all.
Therefore, Nero decided she was going to fire a beam.
After all, she had manifested into this world under the Saber class; how could she possibly be unable to fire a beam?
Nero stood tall and proud right at the center of the stage, her eyes burning like twin stars.
Upon the blade of Aestus Estus—no, the collective energy of the entire theater began to converge, channeling rapidly into the very tip of her sword.
Dagon sensed an immediate, overwhelming premonition of doom. He released the entirety of his Cursed Energy in a frantic frenzy, summoning a massive swarm of Shikigami that completely blotted out the sky.
However, it was entirely futile.
"Bask in my talent, listen to the thunderous applause! And then praise, praise this golden theater! Laus Saint Claudius!!"
The moment those words left her lips, Aestus Estus in Nero's hands unleashed a blinding, catastrophic light, transforming into a colossal pillar of fire that shot straight into the heavens before slamming violently into Dagon.
This power didn't just carry a destructive, scorching heat; it also packed an innate property that completely bypassed defenses while heavily weakening the target.
Dagon's seemingly impenetrable body felt like flimsy paper before this overwhelming force. He didn't even have the chance to let out a final scream. Along with the remnants of his heavily compressed Domain, everything was entirely erased into nothingness within the roaring, crimson flames.
Once the blinding light finally receded, the Domus Aurea slowly dissolved away, leaving behind nothing but a lingering wave of heat in the air and a massive, scorched black crater in the earth, serving as proof of the logic-defying battle that had just transpired.
Nero landed lightly right beside Yumesaki, the brilliance in her eyes shining even brighter.
"Praetor, I won."
"Good job."
Yumesaki reached out his hand and gently patted Nero's head. As Nero displayed an expression of pure bliss, clearly wanting more, Yumesaki turned his gaze toward the other side of the battlefield.
The battle between Medea and Hanami had also entered its final stage.
Up in the sky, a massive, violet Magic Circle was deploying layer by layer, spanning a diameter of well over fifty meters.
The Magical Energy pouring out from it condensed into an invisible mountain, pressing down on Hanami with an absolutely crushing weight.
The ground beneath Hanami's feet instantly cracked and sank. Her body was smashed brutally into the dirt, and the wooden branches making up both of her arms let out a sharp, groaning snap, unable to withstand the immense pressure.
Hanami let out a silent, agonized roar, the entirety of her Cursed Energy exploding outward as she desperately tried to resist and neutralize this terrifying weight.
"Oh? You can still move."
Medea's tone remained perfectly calm, without a single ripple of emotion. Seeing that Nero had already wrapped up her fight, she had no intention of playing around any longer either.
She raised her right hand, her five fingers splaying wide open.
Countless beams of violet light shot forth from her fingertips, resembling the spears of divine punishment used in the ancient Age of Gods.
Every single beam pierced through Hanami's body with absolute precision—her left shoulder, her right leg, her chest, and her abdomen.
The excruciating pain nearly drove Hanami insane. Her Cursed Energy began to boil violently, intending to force open a Domain Expansion.
But right at that exact fraction of a second, Medea suddenly snapped her fingers.
"Forbidden."
In an instant, the very air surrounding Hanami ground to a complete, absolute halt.
She couldn't breathe, she couldn't move, and even the internal flow of her Cursed Energy was completely severed.
At this moment, she looked exactly like an insect pinned flat inside a specimen box, utterly incapable of shifting even a fraction of an inch.
Medea slowly floated down to stand directly in front of her. Beneath her violet hood, those eyes gazed calmly down at the Special Grade Cursed Spirit.
"Did you know? Back in my era, creatures like you didn't even possess the qualifications to be classified as Magical Beasts."
"You are nothing more than residual waste leaking out from humanity's collective unconsciousness—mere ghosts clinging to existence by feeding on fear and hatred."
Her voice was incredibly soft, "I don't even need to use actual sorcery against you. A mere foundational exercise used to test magic circuits during basic training is more than enough to reduce you to dust."
She extended her index finger, gently tapping Hanami's forehead.
A tiny spark of violet fire ignited from her fingertip, instantly spreading across Hanami's entire form.
Hanami's body twisted, crumbled, and dissolved entirely into ash within the depths of those violet flames.
When the very last spark finally sputtered out, nothing remained but a scorched mark on the earth, along with a few stray flower petals drifting in the wind.
Hanami was dead.
As of this moment, all four of the disaster-class Cursed Spirits had been completely eradicated.
"Are you still refusing to come out?" Yumesaki suddenly turned his head toward the main hall of the shrine and asked aloud.
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It looks like I'll need to increase the number of Power Stones required for the Bonus Chapter from 50 to 100.
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