Dominion

Once I reach the slums, I get down on the normal road and start walking towards the cellar again.

"Alright, time to own up to my last fight blunders. I suck at defending, and I got too fixated on dodging her blades. Left me wide open to attacks from below. Those were my big slip-ups," I sigh, thinking about those nasty poisoned knives she chucked at me.

"Those knives are trouble. Gotta keep an eye out for them. One scratch, and it's practically game over. Ugh… she's a close-combat beast, and I've got zero ranged attacks to keep her at bay. What's the plan…"

"No, stop that! Don't dwell on it, Ryota. You've got power; you just don't know how to use it. That's your main problem, and it's what I aim to fix by taking her on…" My eyes narrow with renewed determination.

'Come to think of it, I never got around to using that EX card… Wait what!? Am I an idiot? Don't forget about something so important! That could give me an edge against her!' I halt in my tracks and slip into a vacant alley.

"This spot should do it…" I glance around, confirming no one's in sight.

I delve into my inventory and retrieve the Platinum EX Skill Card gifted by the Goddess.

"Whoa, this thing's pretty…" I pause in amazement, gazing at the exquisite platinum card materializing in my hands.

The EX Rarity Platinum skill card is a radiant platinum card, pulsating with an ethereal glow. Its surface sparkles with intricate details and ancient runes. The mesmerizing play of light within the card momentarily left me wide-eyed.

"So, this is the pinnacle of rarity the system can offer, huh? I'm getting all pumped up…"

I extend the card in front of me and shut my eyes.

"Oh, Gacha Gods above! Shower me with your blessings! If you guys screw me in the ass now, I might cry, okay?" I conclude my prayer and open my eyes with anticipation.

"Use card!" I shout, cupping the card between my palms.

Upon activation, the card emits a fleeting platinum glow, casting a gentle radiance that envelops the area. Arcane symbols, once confined to the card's surface, materialize in the air, forming a complex pattern that lingers briefly before dissipating like ethereal smoke but unlike before, it doesn't end there.

The platinum energy condenses and rushes into my chest.

"What the-?" A pillar of platinum energy envelops me, reaching high into the sky. It feels as if the light was reshaping my very existence.

A couple of moments later, the platinum light dies out, and I float back to the ground.

[ New Skill Acquired : Dominion ] 

I gaze at the golden notification before me for a solid 10 seconds.

'Okay, that was new…' I breathe out a sigh of relief as I look back at the notification.

"Dominion… my first EX skill. Alright, first impressions, it sounds cool as hell. The Goddess said to make whatever skill I get the foundation of my strength…" I linger on the notification a bit longer, then close my eyes.

'Okay, let's check out the skill description. It's an EX skill, so I know I won't be disappointed. Let's see if the Gacha Gods were merciful…'

[Skill: Dominion]

[Rarity: EX]

This skill enables the user to conjure a Domain of Absolution, bending every natural element and phenomenon to their command. Within this domain, the wielder exercises absolute control over the forces of nature—an undisputed dominion over all creation.

"…" I find myself staring blankly at the description.

"That sounds downright overpowered…" I mutter absentmindedly.

"A Domain of Absolution that lets me control all natural phenomena? It's vague but also to the point. Definitely unlike my other skills. If I go by the skill's description, what's to stop me from just straight up erasing someone? Phenomena is a pretty broad term, after all…" I tap my chin, lost in my own thoughts.

"As expected from an EX Skill. This might completely change how I approach fights… damn, I'm getting excited." A wild grin breaks across my face.

'Alright, let's activate it and see what it's all about…' I take a deep breath and trigger the skill.

"Dominion…" I mutter, opening my eyes.

All my senses distort, spreading out into a spherical shape around me. It's as if my senses have dissolved into the area surrounding me.

"Woah…this is exactly how I imagined it. It's like I'm seeing everywhere around me all at once. Haha…this is insane. Spatial Awareness…I sense this is going to be one of the most crucial applications of this skill…" I close my eyes, trying to perceive the influence I have on the area around me.

'Even though my eyes are closed, I can still sense everything around me. No, it's more like I can 'feel' everything around me. This feels so weird. I estimate the radius of this 'Domain of Absolution' to be about two meters in all directions. Let's try manipulating something...' A smile forms on my lips as I raise my finger.

'Let's start with something basic…fire. Let's go with a simple small flame. Do I just imagine it or…?' My brows furrow as I concentrate on conjuring a small flame above my finger.

A faint wisp materializes briefly but disappears the next moment.

"I did it! But that was weak as hell. This won't cut it; I need a new approach to materializing things…" I ponder as an idea strikes me.

"What if I try to break down the phenomena I'm attempting to cause?" I raise my finger again.

"Fire," I mused, "is a result of a rapid oxidation process. In simpler terms, it's a dance of atoms combining with oxygen in the air, releasing energy in the form of light and heat. To manifest this, I have to envision the intricate choreography of atoms and oxygen molecules."

Closing my eyes, I visualize the atomic waltz: carbon, hydrogen, and other combustible elements twirling with oxygen in a mesmerizing fusion. The release of energy, the crackling warmth — these are the echoes of a scientific symphony.

With a whispered command, "Ignite," I guide the elemental ballet within my Dominion, and behold, a small flame emerges, casting its gentle glow onto me.

"Woah!" I stare at the small wisp of flame in fascination.

"Yeah, this isn't gonna win me any fights if it's this weak. Let's up the scale a bit." I visualize the process of combustion on a grander scale.

The small wisp of flame on top of my finger flickers and then explodes upwards!

"AH, DAMN! DID IT JUST SINGE SOME OF MY HAIR!? DAMN IT!" I thrust my hand away from my head, staring at the beautiful display.

"You're a wizard, Ryota! Woohoo! This is awesome!" I start to prance around the alley like a little kid with a new toy.

"Alright! Final test! Let's see if I can influence its shape…" I gaze at the flame and picture it condensing into the shape of a ball.

The flame on the top of my hand diminishes, getting denser until it forms the shape of a sphere.

"Oh, crap! It's hot!" I feel my hand starting to scorch from the heat emitted by the small fireball.

'Crap! Uhhh, Oh! Let's try to direct the heat emitting from the fire away from me…' I shut my eyes and envision the phenomenon I desire. Eventually, the heat from the fireball ceases to reach my palm.

"This has monstrous potential… I feel like I hit the jackpot with this one…" The grin on my face widens as I contemplate the skill's possibilities.

"Excuse me~" I hear a soft voice behind me.

"Huh?" I turn around and see a woman standing there, looking at me with a smile.

"Do you know the directions to a loot house arou-"

"Elsa! Perfect timing! Hey hey, look at this!" A bright smile appears on my face as I approach her with my hand out.

"I can use magic! Well, it's not technically magic, but that's beside the point! Look! Isn't this the coolest thing ever?" I excitedly point at the small revolving fireball above my palm.

Elsa tilts her head slightly in confusion but then smiles as she closes her eyes.

"Oh my! Good job! Big sister is impressed!" She pats my head softly and ruffles my hair.

"But I'll have to ask…" The next moment, I felt something sharp touching my throat.

"How do you know my name?" Her eyes slightly narrowed as the gentle smile on her face widened.

"E-Eh? What? B-big sister, I didn't mean a-anything bad by it. I mean, it's right there on your name tag…" I stammer while pointing at her chest and shaking.

Elsa doesn't even budge.

"…" A silence takes over the scene.

"I mean, normally you would glance down at your chest and then I would cooly swipe your hand away and then disarm you… Don't look at me like that! It made a lot of sense in my head, okay!?" I protest as if I had been wronged.

"Nice try, but unfortunately, I'm in a little hurry, so I don't have time to play around. I'll ask one last time, who are you?" The blade against my neck slightly digs into my skin as a drop of blood leaks out.

"Haha…Let me tell you something, Elsa. You're already in my strike zone…" A small smile rises on my face.

"Hm? You're cute but unfortunately, I like my men a little strong—Ugh!" The air around her eyes distorts a bit as Elsa shuts them with a grunt.

She slashes the blade she had positioned on my neck sideways, but she doesn't feel her blade catch anything.

"Not what I meant, but it still hurts my feelings!" I had already crouched on the ground to avoid her attack.

'Limit Breaker…' My eyes turn crimson as glowing marks spread throughout my body.

I pivot on my leg and deliver a roundhouse kick to her stomach, but Elsa crosses her arms in time to receive it.

Even I'm surprised a bit by the force behind the blow as Elsa launches off the ground and flies two meters into the air. She flips in the air and lands gracefully on the ground.

Elsa puts her hands to her eyes and slightly wipes away the blood leaking from them.

'Yes! She can't see! This is a huge advant-' I pause as the wound on her eyes heals at a quick pace, leaving me baffled.

"Hey! Regeneration is unfair!" I quip in slight annoyance as I get up from the ground.

"You say that, but you have a happy grin on your face…mind telling me what you just did?" Elsa's smirk doesn't fade as she looks at me with slight excitement.

"Oh, that? It's a new move that I came up with just a second ago! I just messed with the air around your eyes a bit. It worked better than I expected, honestly!" A proud smile appears on my face.

"Magic without an incantation? How troublesome…" Elsa takes out both of her blades and takes her stance.

"I'm starting to love this new skill!" I say with excitement, holding out both of my hands.

The ice daggers manifest in my hands as I mimic her stance.

"Round 3…" I whisper.

And thus, the cycle of death began…