Desperate

"Return towards nothingness, human."

-

"This is bad. My simple domain won't last much longer against his domain." thought Ryoma as he stood his ground.

Kuroshin landed on the ground.

He then sat down and began to recite a prayer under his breath.

"Damn it, I can't hold on any longer!" exclaimed Ryoma under his breath.

Just as he uttered those words, Ryoma's simple domain was destroyed by Kuroshin's domain.

"My simple domain didn't even last half a minute."

Seeing that the simple domain was destroyed, Kuroshin stood up.

After realizing that he had little to no time left, Ryoma immediately tried to imbue his body with cursed energy. To his surprise, he couldn't use any.

"How many layers does this domain have?" thought Ryoma, who readied himself with Playful Cloud in his hand.

But then, without even making a move he froze. Suddenly, he felt something being siphoned out of his body and soul.

"Foolish human, this is my realm. Know your place!" said Kuroshin with a forceful tone.

"This must be his cursed technique. He is using it with the help of the domain's sure-hit effect."

As the energy was forced out of his body more and more, Ryoma started to feel weaker.

"This is it, huh."

...

"What did I expect, with everything I've been doing, me making this far by itself is a miracle."

...

"I didn't even answer the question: What is my goal in this life? For the last ten years, In order to obtain an answer, I did many things.

I stole other people's homes

I stole their loved ones, their family from them (killed)

I plundered their villages, burned their entire legacy

I stole their own ambitions, goals and their lives

In order to answer this one question

I took everything from many people.

...

And never once have I regretted the things that I have done.

...

Maybe this is my true nature.

To take everything for myself. To use others for myself. To steal from others for myself.

...

I don't want to end up like those corpses. I don't want to die.

...

What is this feeling?

Euphoria?

It feels like something different...

Ah.

Enlightenment.

I think I understand it.

Yes, I do.

I finally do! Yes. Yes! YES! I GET IT! KUROSHIN, I WILL MAKE YOU MY MINE! HAHA!

A mad grin appeared on the now old man that was Ryoma.

"You are nothing but a stepping stone for me, cursed spirit!" exclaimed Ryoma, who's eyes had a terrifying glint. "I don't want to end up like those corpses. I don't want to die! I will live! I will live forever! Live!"

Suddenly, the process of Kuroshin's technique stopped.

"Huh?"

"[Domain Expansion: Perpetual Larceny]." 

Half of the landscape that was Kuroshin's domain was enveloped by Ryoma's new domain. The surroundings changed drastically.

A bleak and grey sky could be seen.

The domain itself looked as if it was located on a lonely mountaintop.

The mountain was surrounded by a sea of blood. Nothing but the blood-red water could be seen from the top of the mountain where the domain was located. The mountain itself was littered with corpses. Ryoma recognised some of their faces, and the upper parts had snow and frozen bodies.

The two domains clashed.

Ryoma, who was usually calm, seemed to be in a frenzied state. He now looked like he had aged by fifty years, and with a mad expression on his face, he looked terrifying.

Kuroshin had the advantage by default. It looked like he would win in a few minutes if this kept going.

The two domains clashed for a while, and Ryoma looked like he was about to lose.

"Live! Live!" he exclaimed endlessly.

"Pathetic human. Accept the gift of death!" shouted Kuroshin.

Without any warning, the domains suddenly shattered, ending their clash.

Both Ryoma and Kuroshin found themselves in the same forest area.

The only difference was that, a certain sorcerer stood before them. He was the one who had broken their domains. He was also... Geto Suguru.

Kuroshin was the first one to react.

"That human.. He has sinned even more than the one next to me! I must deal with him immediately!" thought Kuroshin.

"You! Prepare to die for your actions!" exclaimed Kuroshin as he turned towards the sorcerer.

Ryoma looked at the sorcerer who stood before them and started laughing.

"Do you think that I will let you obtain Cursed Spirit Manipulation, Kenjaku? Dream on!" he said to Geto Suguru, who had stitches on his head.

Geto, or Kenjaku, simply laughed

"You never cease to impress me, Ryoma Kurogane. You figured out my identity and my goal right away, even though you should be unaware of these." he said as he pointed towards the stitches on his head with his finger.

Without letting the others act, another jujutsu sorcerer appeared next to Ryoma. He had white hair. His bright blue eyes that were usually covered by sunglasses shined brightly without them.

"There is no mistake. Although you look like an old man, you are Ryoma Kuro-"

He immediately stopped talking when he saw Kenjaku, who was smiled at him.

"Suguru?"

"Long time no see, Satoru."

...

ch13 end.