"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
A series of violent explosions echoed through the forest, shaking leaves from the branches.
Two figures, one black and one white, moved like lightning, rapidly darting and weaving through the dense trees. Wherever they passed, the earth cracked and soil and rocks splattered, instantly transforming the once tranquil forest into a chaotic battlefield.
The white figure was the Lightning Cursed Spirit, who had long lost his previous arrogance, replaced by utter panic and fear.
Pale blue electricity enveloped his body, and each short-distance leap appeared hasty and disheveled.
He knew very well that his lightning flashes could only support short-distance movements. If he forced himself to cover longer distances, not only would his Cursed Energy consumption skyrocket, but he might also face the risk of his body being unable to reassemble.
But Rin, like a grim reaper, relentlessly pursued him from behind.
The black figure weaved through the forest at a speed that left afterimages. The black and red Cursed Energy, like a persistent maggot, firmly locked onto the Cursed Spirit's aura, making it impossible for the Cursed Spirit to completely shake him off, no matter how he flickered.
The Cursed Spirit desperately wanted to get closer to the lake ahead.
That was the source of his power; perhaps he could use the water vapor from the lake to enhance his lightning Cursed Technique.
But each time his figure was about to touch the water vapor by the lake, a crisp "thwack" sound would come from behind him, like an invisible slap, forcibly pulling his leap trajectory off course and back into Rin's attack range.
Immediately after, a barrage of fierce attacks would rain down.
Rin's fists, imbued with the explosive power of Crimson Blood Manipulation Technique, shattered the Cursed Spirit's Cursed Energy defense with every hit.
Vines formed from dark Cursed Techniques shot out from the ground, coiling around his limbs, restricting his movements. Occasionally, a few Cursed Energy bullets would graze his body, exploding into deep craters on the ground.
In just a few minutes, the Cursed Spirit was severely wounded.
His pale skin was covered in cracks, and the blue electricity became incredibly weak. His proud guaranteed-hit attacks were a joke in the face of Rin's endless Cursed Techniques.
Rin would sometimes use dark Cursed Techniques to distort space, causing his attacks to miss.
Other times, he would use Reverse Cursed Energy to take an attack head-on and instantly repair himself.
He would even summon earth and stone to block his path.
He tried his best, but couldn't even touch Rin's clothes.
What made him even more desperate was that his speed relied entirely on his Cursed Technique; his own reactions and explosive power were far inferior to Rin's.
Once his Cursed Technique cooled down, he would be like a lamb to the slaughter, left to Rin's mercy.
Rin, from behind, gradually lost patience.
The fun of chasing and analyzing Cursed Techniques faded, leaving only the urgency to end the battle.
When the Cursed Spirit flickered again, dodging the Cursed Energy missile he fired, Rin's eyes turned completely cold.
"Boom!"
The Cursed Energy missile exploded on the ground, filling the air with smoke and dust.
The Cursed Spirit stumbled to the ground. Just as he was about to activate his Cursed Technique to leap again, Rin's voice, like a death god's whisper, came from behind him: "Don't move."
These three words carried a strange Cursed Energy fluctuation, like invisible shackles, instantly coiling around the Cursed Spirit's body.
He was horrified to discover that he had completely lost control of his body; his limbs were stiff as stone, unable to even summon a trace of electricity.
"Katyusha."
Rin's voice rang out again, devoid of any warmth.
The next second, several black and red Cursed Energy missiles burst forth from the air behind him, tearing through the air with sharp whistles, striking violently towards the Cursed Spirit like homing missiles.
"Boom!!!"
The deafening roar of a violent explosion consumed the Cursed Spirit's body in a flash of furious flames.
Black and red Cursed Energy raged within the flames, brutally tearing off the Cursed Spirit's limbs.
Pale limbs splattered outwards, and purple blood gushed like a fountain, staining the surrounding earth.
The Cursed Spirit fell heavily to the ground, only its shattered torso twitching in the flames, its blue electricity completely extinguished, its eyes filled with endless despair.
The smoke from the explosion slowly dispersed, and Rin's figure walked out of the dust step by step.
The black and red Cursed Energy slowly dissipated around him. His Crimson Sharingan swept over the dying Cursed Spirit on the ground, without the slightest pity.
He walked up to the Cursed Spirit, looking down at him from above, and Cursed Energy once again gathered in his palm. This hunting game was about to end.
Recalling it now, this Lightning Cursed Spirit was definitely a top-tier formidable opponent among all the adversaries Rin had encountered.
His instant flicker was by no means an ordinary speed advantage; it was a short-distance spatial leap achieved through his lightning attribute, fast enough to evade attacks in the brief interval of a Cursed Energy missile explosion. An ordinary Special Grade Jujutsu Sorcerer probably wouldn't even be able to touch his clothes.
Even more terrifying was his attack system.
The damage from his lightning Cursed Technique was outrageously high; a single electric current could pierce through thick Cursed Energy defenses. If it hit a vital spot, even a Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer would instantly lose combat capability.
And the guaranteed-hit effect accompanying his close-range punches and kicks broke the logic of conventional Cursed Techniques. Without needing to activate a Domain, mere physical contact could bypass defenses. This ability, in the entire Jujutsu World, was enough to strike fear into the hearts of most people.
But he met Rin.
The Cursed Energy in Rin's palm had already condensed, his Crimson Sharingan locked onto the dying Lightning Cursed Spirit on the ground.
Though this opponent was strong, he ultimately lacked a Domain as a trump card, not even possessing the qualification for a desperate struggle.
He knew very well that at the bottom of Lake Biwa, a Cursed Spirit about to be born was still lurking. He also didn't know if there was a special connection between these two Cursed Spirits, and delaying would only increase variables.
Just as the Cursed Energy was about to descend, ending this battle, the world suddenly darkened. The originally clear sky was rapidly swallowed by dark clouds, a fierce wind howled, carrying withered leaves, and cold raindrops fell without warning, instantly forming tiny puddles on the ground.
"Innate Domain?"
Rin's pupils contracted sharply, instantly realizing.
This wasn't a complete Domain, but it carried the unique Cursed Energy fluctuations of one. The Cursed Spirit at the bottom of the lake had actually been born prematurely!
A sense of crisis instantly surged into his heart. Rin no longer hesitated, raising his hand abruptly and aiming it at the Lightning Cursed Spirit on the ground.
The black and red Cursed Energy bullet, carrying enough power to destroy a Special Grade Cursed Spirit, shot towards its target.
But the rain seemed to inject new vitality into the Lightning Cursed Spirit.
His previously dim, azure pupils suddenly lit up, and his shattered body even emitted a faint blue glow in the rain.
The moment the bullet was about to hit, he transformed into a bolt of lightning several times faster than before, instantly vanishing from his spot. This time, even Rin's Sharingan couldn't track his trajectory!
"Damn it!"
Rin cursed under his breath, finally understanding why this Cursed Spirit was so insistent on getting close to the lakeside.
Lake water conducts electricity, and rainwater is a natural "conductor." With the water vapor covering the entire world, his lightning flicker not only broke through distance limitations but also saw his speed skyrocket to a new level!
Almost simultaneously, a splashing sound came from the lakeside.
Rin sharply turned his head, only to see the blue lightning had already landed on the lake surface. Rainwater and lake water gathered around him, forming a massive water curtain.
His shattered limbs rapidly reassembled amidst the intertwining lightning and lake water. His pale skin became whole again, and the black patterns around his body grew even clearer, emanating Cursed Energy that was even stronger than before.
"My brother, welcome to this world!"
The Lightning Cursed Spirit raised his hands towards the lake surface, his voice filled with fervent excitement.
As he shouted, the surface of Lake Biwa suddenly churned violently. A massive black shadow slowly floated from the bottom of the lake, stirring the water into a huge whirlpool.
The water at the center of the whirlpool parted to both sides, countless water droplets suspended in the air by Cursed Energy, and a gigantic body covered in greenish-black scales slowly rose from the lake bottom.
It was a dragon!
The greenish-black dragon scales gleamed coldly in the rain, its massive dragon horns pointed straight to the sky, and its golden vertical pupils shone like lanterns, exuding an aura of dominion over the world.
The dragon's body coiled and writhed, almost occupying half the lake surface. Each breath carried water vapor and violent Cursed Energy, causing the surrounding rain to tremble.
Rin stood on the shore, looking at the two Special Grade Cursed Spirits before him—one lightning, one dragon—and the Cursed Energy around him uncontrollably surged.
Black and red aura intertwined with the rain, forming an invisible barrier around him.
He hadn't expected the Cursed Spirit born at the bottom of the lake to be such a terrifying Dragon-Form Cursed Spirit, nor had he expected the two Cursed Spirits to be "brothers." Now, working together, their strength would likely far exceed any previous opponent.
The Lightning Cursed Spirit landed on the Dragon-Form Cursed Spirit's head, his azure pupils looking at Rin, a cold smile playing on his lips:
"Human brat, it's our turn to get back at you for that little game earlier."
The Dragon-Form Cursed Spirit slowly lowered its head, its golden vertical pupils locking onto Rin, letting out a deep dragon's roar.
The lake water began to boil under the pull of his Cursed Energy, and countless water pillars rose from the lake surface, like water arrows poised to strike, aiming at the figure on the shore.
The heavy rain intensified, and only the patter of raindrops and the Dragon-Form Cursed Spirit's roar remained in the world.
Rin's Crimson Sharingan flashed with a trace of solemnity, but more so, excitement.
"Two Special Grades?"
A cold arc formed at the corner of his mouth, and black and red Cursed Energy once again condensed in his palm:
"Perfect, my Sharingan is still missing a Dragon-Form Cursed Spirit."
.....
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