The next chapter is available on my discord for free.
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In the legends of the old shinobi world, the name Uchiha Madara was whispered with fear. Entire villages trembled at the mere mention of it.
Only those who truly understood his monstrous power knew the depth of that fear. It was said even demons shied away from his gaze, that a single look from his Sharingan could shatter a warrior's mind.
30 Seconds Left
But even legends have rivals. Only one shinobi truly stood equal to Madara: Hashirama Senju. Their final battle, ending with Madara's death, seemed to prove Hashirama the stronger.
25 Seconds Left
What the world never knew was that Madara's death was just another step in his grand design. Losing to his friend, activating the forbidden Izanagi technique he'd preset in his own eye to rewrite the reality of his demise… it was all calculated.
20 Seconds Left
Decades spent hidden away, waiting patiently in the darkness of a cave, cultivating the power needed to achieve his ultimate goal: the Eye of the Moon, his twisted vision of eternal peace.
15 seconds left…
And now, this cursed spirit, Dagon, was facing that same legendary figure. Not even Madara in his prime, just a reanimated corpse, possessing only a fraction of his original power.
10 seconds left…
The relentless onslaught continued. Dagon poured all his rage and power into the Death Swarm. Fish shikigami, large and small, crashed against Madara's defenses like an endless tide.
Madara stood within a partial Susanoo, just the upper torso and four arms, each wielding a shimmering blue sword.
He deflected and cut down the swarm effortlessly, seemingly content to just defend, perhaps testing the limits of Dagon's power or simply killing time.
Dagon, growing desperate, joined the assault himself, striking at the Susanoo, but his blows barely seemed to register against the dense blue energy.
He couldn't break through, constantly forced to dodge the Susanoo's own swift counterattacks.
9 seconds left…
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..
.
5 seconds left…
Dagon threw everything he had at Madara water manipulation, physical attacks, the endless shikigami. Nothing worked.
Even his Domain's guaranteed-hit effect failed against this opponent. The Domain targeted cursed energy, latching onto it to ensure impact.
But Madara had no cursed energy.
The Domain simply couldn't lock onto him. His attacks could still physically hit Madara if they connected, but the Domain's core advantage was useless.
3 seconds left…
It didn't matter anymore. The time Madara had seemingly allotted for this 'dance' was almost up. Dagon, floating amidst the chaos of his own Domain, didn't realize his end was seconds away.
2…
1…
0.
Madara vanished. One moment he was there, calmly defending within his blue Susanoo; the next, he and the construct were simply gone. As if they had never existed.
Dagon froze, his senses scanning frantically. He couldn't locate Madara anywhere. The speed was impossible.
But the three sorcerers on the beach knew. They had perhaps guessed his intention, or maybe they just instinctively knew where the killing blow would come from. All three looked directly behind Dagon.
Following their terrified gazes, Dagon finally understood. He started to turn—
Shlick.
Pain exploded in his neck. He felt something sharp, impossibly fast, slice clean through. His instincts screamed a warning, but it was far too late. By the time the alarm registered, his head was already severed.
His vision tilted crazily. He saw his own headless body floating below, the turquoise water, the sunny beach… and upside down, the figure responsible for his death.
Backlit by the artificial sun, the man's face was cast in shadow, but his eyes… those blood-red eyes glowed with a terrifying intensity, like portals to a hell thirsty for souls.
That demonic image was the last thing Dagon saw in the single second of consciousness he had left.
Then, darkness.
The instant Dagon's consciousness faded, his existence unraveled. His headless body began to dissolve into black motes of fading cursed energy. The beautiful tropical Domain flickered and collapsed violently inwards.
In the next second, the four figures were back in the dim, grimy reality of the Shibuya subway station corridor. Dagon's dissolving body lay crumpled on the floor, turning swiftly to ash.
Madara stood calmly nearby, wiping the non-existent blood from the borrowed broken blade Maki had given him.
'He exorcised it… in less than a second after deciding to end it. Inside its own Domain no less.' Nanami and Naobito shared the same chilling thought. The power differential was absolute. 'Avoid conflict with this man at all costs.'
Naobito, despite his usual arrogance and disdain for those with low cursed energy, felt a cold knot of apprehension.
He'd heard tales, dismissed legends… but witnessing this?
A man with no cursed energy casually dismantling a Special Grade curse in its own territory… it wasn't a fight; it was an execution.
It reminded him, disturbingly, of another figure from his clan's past, someone whose existence was a stain they tried to forget. The memory, long buried, now felt chillingly relevant.
The three sorcerers stood tense and wary, facing the enigmatic man who had just demonstrated power beyond their comprehension.
….
Back with Yuji & Madara:
Madara stood observing the pink-haired teenager. Yuji Itadori, the vessel a Jinchuriki, essentially for someone called the 'King of Curses'.
A rather grand title, Madara thought, likely exaggerated. This boy was clearly allied with the sorcerers in black fighting outside, yet something about him puzzled Madara.
During the entire brutal fight against Choso, the blood-manipulator, Yuji hadn't used a single distinct Cursed Technique.
He fought with raw power, speed, and cursed energy reinforcement, yes, but no unique named ability like the others Madara had encountered. He ended the fight beaten and bleeding, having relied solely on close combat and basic energy usage.
Why? Madara pondered the possibilities.
First: Maybe Yuji did have a Technique, but it was too destructive or uncontrollable to use in this confined space, potentially harming himself or others unintentionally. Plausible.
Second: Perhaps his technique was passive, something that automatically enhanced his physical body, explaining his strength and speed. But Madara discarded this quickly.
Any cursed energy user could reinforce their body; a dedicated technique solely for that seemed redundant unless it offered an extraordinary boost, which hadn't been obvious.
Third: The simplest explanation is that Yuji Itadori didn't have an innate Cursed Technique, despite being able to wield cursed energy.
This implied something significant about this world's power system: not everyone who could use cursed energy necessarily possessed a unique, inherited technique.
Perhaps only certain individuals or bloodlines did. This third possibility seemed the most likely, and the most informative.
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A/N: I'm sorry I know I supposed to post it the next day after chapter 17, but I forgot. So … sorry afain but the next chapter is already on my discord you can read it by joining.
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