The tension in the air thickened as Sayo's voice cut through with a biting remark, eyes sharp and unyielding. "So either you are too dumb or too dumb. To attack someone like me openly without someone strong backing you up."
A flicker of realization crossed the other's face. "Hmm, she figured out our plan. Time for plan B." Without hesitation, they reached for a concealed object, a special cursed item pulsating with ominous power. "Unleash the special curse object."
The atmosphere shifted dramatically as the next words were spoken with deadly seriousness. " " Domain expansion. " "
In an instant, the surroundings warped and twisted, swallowed by an overwhelming curse energy. "Unlimited Void." "Ocean of eternity." The name echoed, signaling the unleashing of unimaginable power.
"Don't worry I'm with you," Soya said as she held my hand. Her fore and middle fingers were crossed.
The world dissolved into a kaleidoscope of infinite information. The sky became a swirling vortex of stars and cosmic phenomena, while the ground beneath transformed into a sea of endless streams—character, symbols, and images flowing like water. The very air crackled with raw cursed energy, making it difficult to breathe.
"Keep physical contact with me," Soya commanded, positioning herself between me and our opponent. Her cursed energy flared around her, and I could feel it. "My Unlimited Void will overload everyone's senses and break minds if anyone's exposed for more than 0.5 seconds for hours and vice versa."
'That means if prolonged exposure continues the effect stack causes more and more dangerous effects.' I predicted the application of the domain.
Our opponent stood at the center of his own nightmarish domain, their body radiating malevolent power. "There's no escape," they declared with a chilling smile. "Within my Domain Expansion, all who are not using the domain will have their curse technique sealed."
I watched in excitement as small pockets of space around us spontaneously erupted into a violent battle for domination back and forth—Sayo's domain colors I'd never seen, sounds that shouldn't exist, concepts beyond human comprehension. Even with Soya's protection, I could feel the pressure building against my mind, like a dam threatening to burst or perhaps my instincts were tingling.
"Hm interesting his domain is equally refined to mine hence stalemate." Soya talked professionally, perhaps astonished by the development. "So he's equal."
"Nah, there are many factors like energy output, property and skills but right now. Indeed. It's rare to find good fights." She casually explained while the opponent heard us out which I found strange.
"You... You are not taking me seriously!! Bitch I will fuck up you little boy—" our opponent taunted, raising their hands as he threatened me. The domain responded to their will, intensifying the assault. "Let's see how long you can last."
Soya cut him off, increasing her output. The air crackled as her cursed energy surged, pushing back against the intensifying assault. Her calm demeanor vanished, replaced by deadly focus.
"You talk too much," Soya said, her voice cold. "If you wanted my attention, you should have led with something more impressive than this half-baked imitation."
The opponent's face contorted with rage. "Imitation?! I'll show you!"
With a furious roar, they poured more energy into their domain. The cosmic vortex above us spun faster, and the data streams at our feet rose like tidal waves, threatening to wash over us. The pressure against Soya's protection intensified, and I felt my bones ache from the strain.
Soya's grip on my hand tightened. "Hold on," she muttered. "He's getting desperate. Desperate people make mistakes."
"You think you're so clever!" the opponent screamed, their form flickering as they struggled to maintain control. "I've been refining this technique for years! You're nothing but a stuck-up—"
"Your technique is sloppy, compared to mine" Soya interrupted, her voice cutting through the chaos. "You're wasting energy on theatrics. A refined domain doesn't need to announce its presence—it simply is."
As if to prove her point, Soya's own domain began to subtly shift. The protective barrier around us expanded, not aggressively, but with an undeniable authority that made the opponent's domain recoil.
"What... what are you doing?" our opponent stammered, their confidence visibly crumbling.
"Taking advantage," Soya replied simply. "While you've been showing off, I've been studying your domain's structure. It's impressive, I'll give you that. But it has a fatal flaw."
The opponent's eyes widened in panic. "That's impossible! No one could—"
"You're lacking true talent unlike my bro," Soya continued, ignoring their outburst. "Your domain is all spectacle, no substance. Mine is the opposite. And in a battle of output between spectacle and substance..."
She didn't finish her sentence. She didn't need to. The opponent's domain began to flicker violently, the cosmic images distorting and the data streams becoming chaotic.
"No... no!" they cried out, dropping to one knee as their cursed energy faltered. "This can't be happening!"
Soya stepped forward, her domain still expanding inexorably. "It's over," she declared. "Yield now, or I'll crush what's left of your technique."
The opponent looked up, their face a mask of disbelief and terror. They opened their mouth as if to speak, but only a strangled gasp emerged as their domain collapsed around us.
The world snapped back into focus with dizzying speed. We were back in the alleyway, the night air feeling cool against my skin after the oppressive heat of the domain. Our opponent lay unconscious on the pavement, their body twitching sporadically.
Soya released my hand, breathing heavily. "Well," she said, wiping sweat from her brow. "That was more interesting than I expected."
I stared at her, my mind still reeling from what I'd witnessed. "How... how did you do that?"
She shrugged, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Like I said—substance over spectacle. Now, let's see what our friend here was really after."