On the Kyoto battlefield.
Looking at the stalemate, Abe no Seimei's face darkened.
If Kenjaku were in command at this moment, he would have already begun using his most familiar methods and thinking about how to escape.
However, this time, Abe no Seimei was the one in command.
Perhaps Abe no Seimei's reputation in history was mixed, unlike many celebrated heroes who were portrayed as entirely righteous.
But it had to be acknowledged that Abe no Seimei was indeed a person of outstanding talent, worthy of being called a hero.
Therefore, even though the current battle situation was unclear, their plan had been almost completely disrupted, and their chances of victory were far lower than the estimate before the battle, Abe no Seimei still did not back down.
After all, heroes were often those who dared to face difficulties head-on, overcome adversity, and defy fate.
"Gentlemen, thank you for your efforts. I may have to trouble you again this time."
Abe no Seimei's voice appeared in the minds of his subordinate Shikigami.
"For Lord Seimei, and for the greater good, we have no regrets even in death."
Kidomaru's voice was the first to ring out.
"Exactly, exactly. We all believe in Lord Seimei."
Kyokotsu spoke anxiously, her tone seeming to blame Kidomaru for stealing her chance to speak.
"Without Lord Seimei, there would be no me today. If Lord Seimei needs it, what does it matter if I have to walk through a mountain of blades and a sea of fire?"
One voice after another echoed in Abe no Seimei's mind.
The man Kenjaku had once complained always lacked expression, even wondering if his rebirth had caused facial paralysis, smiled.
Artoria noticed that Kidomaru and Ibaraki Doji's auras had changed.
If they had merely been warriors fighting with all their might before, then now they were brave souls fighting with everything they had.
"Swallow her!"
With a tender shout that still sounded slightly childish, a giant skull emerged from underground, trying to bite Artoria in half from the waist down.
Artoria braced her battle-booted feet against the skull's upper and lower jaws, then aimed her Holy Sword and fired a blast directly at it.
The giant skull shattered, and a green python appeared out of thin air in the skull's eye socket before biting at Artoria.
After Artoria slew the python, she found that her surroundings had transformed into a desolate, gloomy old house. Beside a dry well, countless skulls and venomous snakes stared fixedly at her.
On the other side of the battlefield, an insect landed beside Kenjaku, who was considering whether to retreat.
Kenjaku's eyes flashed. After a moment of hesitation, he nodded in agreement.
Suguru felt the pressure on him constantly increasing.
The encirclement that had begun to loosen became even tighter than before.
A Cursed Spirit suddenly withdrew from the encirclement, then positioned itself at an extreme distance and pulled Hanami and Jogo into its Domain.
A large number of Cursed Spirits were also drawn into the Domain.
'Trying to weaken my power?'
Suguru's eyes narrowed as he began to consider Kenjaku's next move.
Mahito and Dagon, who were fighting at the front, were also recalled.
But he was still a little too late. Mahito and Dagon had already been trapped in the newly appeared Domain.
Suguru immediately ordered the Ootengu above his head to fire arrows, intending to break the Domain from the outside.
From the recent changes in the Domain, it seemed that a clash of Domain Expansions had already begun.
Hanami's Womb Profusion and Dagon's Horizon of the Captivating Skandha had both been used.
Moreover, the two Cursed Spirits had gained the upper hand in the clash of Domains.
Rumble!
Several bolts of lightning suddenly struck, and the Ootengu, sensing danger, immediately changed the direction of its arrows.
Arrows wrapped in powerful winds scattered all the lightning.
A katana had already reached the Ootengu's wing.
Clang!
At the critical moment, the Rainbow Dragon suddenly whipped its tail and knocked Kidomaru away.
"Domain Expansion: Empty Rashomon."
Domain?
Suguru immediately ordered the Ootengu to unleash its own Domain to counter it.
Then he summoned Smallpox Hag and the Elephant-Headed God, who were both capable of Domain Expansion.
Crack.
Both sides' Domains shattered at the same time.
Just as Suguru was about to make a move, a powerful attack appeared from afar, instantly eliminating Smallpox Hag.
The Elephant-Headed God beside him was also knocked down by an equally massive but scarred Gashadokuro.
Both of them rolled away from Suguru's side.
"Abe no Seimei?"
Seeing Abe no Seimei and a large number of Shikigami suddenly appear in front of him, Suguru immediately understood their intentions.
"You want to deal with me first? You really look down on me."
Suguru's expression became dangerous and crazed.
The opponent's actions were obvious. They wanted to concentrate their strength on dealing with the easiest target first, then continue fighting Eichi and Satoru.
And he was the one they considered the easiest to deal with.
The dark space opened, and Suguru summoned all of his remaining Cursed Spirits.
"Domain Expansion: Womb Profusion."
After Kenjaku's Domain Expansion, Suguru immediately used New Shadow Style: Simple Domain to defend against it.
Soon, the Twenty-Seven-Faced Thousand-Armed Centipede used its Domain, Senbon Torii.
Kenjaku cooperated by making subtle adjustments to his Domain, concentrating all attacks on Suguru.
The Twenty-Seven-Faced Thousand-Armed Centipede, on the other hand, directed all of its Domain's sure-hit attacks at the Cursed Spirits Suguru had just summoned.
Suguru's expression was grave.
He still had Cursed Spirits capable of releasing Domains, but these Cursed Spirits could not withstand the double attack of an open Domain and a closed Domain at the same time.
Because this was not a Domain clash, the two sides did not cancel out each other's sure-hit effects. Instead, Kenjaku subtly altered his Domain conditions and coordinated with the Twenty-Seven-Faced Thousand-Armed Centipede's Domain.
"In that case, I'll deal with one of them first."
With that thought, Suguru stepped onto the Rainbow Dragon and charged forward with Playful Cloud in hand.
Several Special Grade Cursed Spirits, including Bone Woman, immediately followed.
Countless blades pierced those Cursed Spirits, trying to stop their movements or even exorcise them.
However, defensive Cursed Spirits led by Bone Woman were difficult to exorcise in a short amount of time.
Instead, Suguru, who was constantly being attacked by Kenjaku's Domain, was in greater danger.
After all, the difference between Domains was not small.
Closer, even closer.
Once the distance was enough, Suguru immediately ordered the Special Grade Cursed Spirit Akuroo Ootake to unleash his Domain Expansion.
Akuroo Ootake's Domain quickly shattered under the pincer attack from inside and outside the two Domains.
But the sure-hit effect had vanished for a while, greatly easing the pressure on Suguru and the Cursed Spirits.
Playful Cloud was already striking toward the head of the Twenty-Seven-Faced Thousand-Armed Centipede.
First, he would deal with this closed Domain, then rely on the remaining Simple Domain cursed tools to escape Kenjaku's open Domain.
Clang.
"That won't do."
Kenjaku had appeared in front of the Twenty-Seven-Faced Thousand-Armed Centipede at some point, and the barrier in his hand blocked Suguru's Playful Cloud.
"I think it will."
Suguru revealed a fox-like smile identical to Kenjaku's. The next second, Bone Woman bypassed the two of them, and the bone spike in her hand pierced the Twenty-Seven-Faced Thousand-Armed Centipede.
Suguru's side began a fierce assault, while Kenjaku's side began a desperate defense.
Crack, crackle.
The sound of a Domain shattering reached them, and Suguru looked up.
Smash!
Satoru's tall figure descended from above the Domain.
Countless fragments of the Domain created a dreamlike scene.
(To be continued.)