Capítulo 8: Nuribotoke
"Why didn't you fight me when we first met? You would have won," Rin asked, her genuine curiosity showing through.
Akira regarded her thoughtfully. "I didn't have a clear view of your abilities at that time. I couldn't risk the lives of my subordinates."
Rin looked at Akira, impressed. She mentally compared his strength to Kusakabe's, wondering if Akira might even be stronger.
"What's your real bet, then?" Akira asked, his gaze unwavering. "You know that I wouldn't accept your conditions if I lost the bet."
"Are you a loser who's going to back out of his bet, then?" Rin taunted provocatively.
"Did you forget that I just won?" Akira said, irritation evident in his voice.
"In reality, I wanted you to sleep with m—"
"Be serious," Akira interrupted, looking at her with a stern expression.
"Ugh! You're no fun," Rin grumbled, sitting down and leaning back in a nearby chair, her frustration evident.
Akira sighed, shaking his head slightly. "What are you really after, Rin?"
Rin smiled, her eyes glinting with mischief. "It's pointless to say if I didn't win."
"But if you insist on knowing, I will tell you," Rin added with a playful tone. She leaned forward, her expression suddenly full of disdain. "You should have noticed by now—my potential far exceeds yours. I just wanted to humiliate you."
Akira's expression remained calm, though his eyes narrowed slightly, reflecting a mix of curiosity and disappointment. "So that's what this is about?" he said quietly, his voice tinged with an undercurrent of frustration. "You wanted to prove your superiority."
Rin's smile widened, her eyes sparkling with a blend of joy and mischief. "Exactly. I wanted to see that look on your face, to remind you that no matter how hard you try, you'll never reach the same heights as someone born with a cursed technique like me," she said, her tone dripping with arrogance and satisfaction.
She continued, her tone laced with condescension. "You were born with a good cursed energy pool and a genius mind, but you lack a cursed technique. You'll be stuck your whole life at grade 1 at max. You will never be a special grade like me. Hehee!" Rin laughed joyfully, her tone mocking.
Akira's jaw tightened, his composure tested by her words, but he remained steadfast. "If that's what you need to feel better about yourself, then so be it. But remember, Rin, true strength isn't just about power or techniques. It's about determination, perseverance, and the willingness to protect others, even at the cost of your own pride," he countered, his voice firm and unwavering.
Rin knew, from watching the show and her own experiences, that in order to be truly strong, one must first possess a powerful cursed technique. Second, one must have a selfish mindset, focusing on personal gain and survival. Lastly, one must have the potential to grow and harness their abilities. She had always believed in this pragmatic approach to strength, one that prioritized practical advantages over idealistic values.
"Believe me, Akira, when I say this," Rin began, her tone unusually sincere, "I advise you to stop training and live your life as best as you can. Go sleep with women, drink alcohol, or do whatever makes you happy because you've reached your limits already, and I think you already know that and who knows, You might die in any second in this cruel world" Her words were blunt, but they carried a weight of genuine concern, a rare glimpse into her true thoughts.
Akira's eyes narrowed, a mix of frustration and contemplation crossing his face. He knew Rin was trying to provoke him, but there was also a kernel of truth in her words. His cursed energy and technique had reached a plateau.
However, Akira was not one to give up easily. His resolve was unshakable, driven by a deep-seated desire to protect and uphold his responsibilities. "Maybe you're right, Rin," he admitted, his voice steady. "But even if I have reached my limits, that doesn't mean I'll stop trying. There's more to life than just raw power. There's honor, duty, and the bonds we form with others. Those are worth fighting for, even if it means facing insurmountable odds."
Rin sighed, shaking her head slightly. "You and your noble ideals," she muttered, half-amused, half-exasperated. "Fine, suit yourself. But don't come crying to me when reality hits you hard."
"So what do you want to do? You won the bet," Rin stood up and said with annoyance.
"I thought you would back out and forget about our bet," Akira said, looking at Rin, genuinely impressed.
"That's what I was planning to do, but I thought you wouldn't go too far with your orders," Rin replied, her eyes meeting his with a mix of defiance and curiosity.
Akira considered her words, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "Honestly, I haven't decided yet," he admitted. "But I don't plan on making you do anything unreasonable or degrading. Maybe I'll have you assist me with some training exercises or help out with tasks around the city."
Rin raised an eyebrow, a hint of skepticism in her gaze. "You're surprisingly considerate for someone who just won a bet."
"Being a better person than someone who was trying to humiliate me with whatever order they could give makes me feel better," Akira said with cold eyes, his voice tinged with a steely resolve.
Rin laughed, her amusement genuine and unrestrained. "Ha-ha, how could such people exist? Haha," she said, patting Akira on the shoulder as she continued to laugh.
Akira's expression remained stoic, but a faint glimmer of something softened in his eyes as he watched Rin. Her laughter, though mocking, had a strangely disarming quality. "You might find it hard to believe, but some of us still hold onto our principles, no matter the circumstances," he replied.
Rin shook her head, still chuckling. "You're a strange one, Akira. Most people would seize the chance to get back at someone who wronged them. But here you are, preaching about principles and nobility. It's almost endearing."
Akira's lips quirked into a small, almost imperceptible smile. "I guess that's just who I am. Besides, there's more satisfaction in proving people wrong through actions rather than petty revenge."
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A week passed, and Rin had completely mastered the simple domain. She and Akira were together, enjoying some tacos she had made. Akira had been surprised when he first saw Rin eating a strange new food, but after tasting it at her insistence, he unexpectedly developed a fondness for her cooking. Since then, whenever Rin experimented with different dishes, Akira would join her for a meal.
Suddenly, one of Akira's subordinates burst into the room, clearly agitated.
Akira's demeanor shifted instantly from relaxed to alert as he heard the urgent news. He exchanged a quick glance with Rin, both understanding the gravity of the situation immediately.
"Do we know its name and abilities?" Akira asked, his voice steady but urgent.
"Yes, it's Nuribotoke, also known as the Lacquered Buddha, a special grade cursed spirit," the subordinate replied, his voice tight with tension. "It has the ability to manipulate darkness and create cursed energy constructs. It's already caused significant damage near the old shrine."
"Let's go, Akira, let's cook," Rin said, faking a stretch to look cool, a smirk playing on her lips.
"Don't underestimate it, Rin. It's a special grade," Akira warned, his tone serious and eyes narrowed.
"Don't worry, I can promise you that I'm going to be the first one to run if I find that my life is in danger," Rin responded nonchalantly as she left.
Akira sighed, shaking his head slightly but followed her. They moved swiftly through the city, the urgency of the situation evident in their pace.
As they neared the old shrine, the atmosphere grew heavy with the cursed energy emanating from Nuribotoke. The cursed spirit stood amidst the ruins, its dark form towering ominously, twisted constructs of darkness writhing around it.
Its appearance was grotesque and unsettling—a Buddha-like imp with a round belly, a tail, and eyes hanging out of its sockets. Its ink-black oily skin glistened in the dim light, and a pungent smell hung heavily in the air, assaulting their senses.
"Ugh, my eyes, it's so ugly," Rin said, her face contorted with disgust.
Akira stood there, observing the spirit without a word, his expression unreadable as he assessed their opponent.
"DIE!" Rin screamed, channeling her energy. "Ice Formation: Frost Clam!" She exhaled a cloud of freezing mist from her mouth, which billowed towards Nuribotoke. The mist quickly materialized into large columns of thick ice and frost, aiming to ensnare the cursed spirit.
Nuribotoke roared in defiance, the dark constructs writhing around it in response to the attack. The icy columns collided with the constructs, freezing them upon contact. However, the cursed spirit's immense power pushed against the ice, attempting to break free.
"New Shadow Style: Evening Moon Sword Drawing!" Akira followed, his movements fluid and precise as he drew his sword. The blade gleamed with cursed energy, slicing through the darkness with lethal efficiency. His strike aimed to sever Nuribotoke's constructs and reach its core.
Rin pressed the advantage, conjuring another formation of ice to encase the cursed spirit. "Ice Formation: Frost Prison!" she called out, her voice filled with determination. Massive ice walls surged around Nuribotoke, attempting to trap it in place.
Nuribotoke roared, its eyes bulging grotesquely as it exerted its power. The darkness around it intensified, pushing against the ice prison. Akira seized the opportunity, darting in with lightning speed. His sword glowed with cursed energy as he executed a series of rapid, precise strikes.
"New Shadow Style: Batto!" Akira shouted, his blade cutting through the darkness with a crescent-shaped arc. The attack struck Nuribotoke's exposed belly, causing it to wail in pain. The cursed spirit's oily skin began to crack under the relentless assault.
"We didn't exorcise it even with that," Rin said, preparing to cast her strongest move.
But before she could act, Nuribotoke suddenly opened its Domain Expansion, catching both Rin and Akira off guard. The world around them warped, trapping them within the cursed spirit's malevolent influence.
Quickly reacting, both Rin and Akira activated their Simple Domains in response, trying to counter the overwhelming power of Nuribotoke's Domain.
"Stay focused!" Akira shouted, his voice echoing within the confined space.
The surroundings of the cursed spirit and its targets transformed into a vast, eerie expanse dominated by seas of thick, black ink. The ink was so dark that it seemed to absorb all light, creating an oppressive, inky void. The air was heavy with the scent of ink, adding to the surreal and unsettling atmosphere.
In the center of this inky sea lay a solitary island. The island was composed of jagged, black rocks that jutted out sharply, their surfaces slick and shiny as if perpetually wet. Twisted, barren trees, their branches resembling skeletal hands, dotted the landscape, casting eerie, distorted shadows on the rocky ground. The island was shrouded in a perpetual twilight, with a dim, ghostly light emanating from an unknown source. This light barely illuminated the surroundings, casting everything in a muted, grayscale hue.
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Narrater Pov:
Nuribotoke's abilities within the domain made the situation even more dire:
Inky Tides: The cursed spirit manipulated the black ink, creating massive waves and tendrils that ensnared, crushed, or drowned its targets. The ink was also corrosive, burning and weakening anything it touched.
Shadow Portals: Nuribotoke created portals within the ink, allowing it to instantly travel from one part of the domain to another, making its movements unpredictable and almost impossible to track.
Island of Despair: The island itself was a source of psychological torment. Anyone who set foot on it was assaulted by haunting visions and whispers, draining their willpower and inducing a deep sense of hopelessness.
Ink Constructs: The cursed spirit solidified the ink into various forms, such as weapons, barriers, or creatures that it commanded to attack its targets. These constructs were as resilient as they were deadly, adding another layer of threat within the domain.
Obsidian Chains: Tendrils of ink hardened into obsidian chains, ensnaring and restraining the targets. These chains were unbreakable and drained the target's energy and cursed power as long as they remained bound.
Sure-hit Attacks: Within the domain, all attacks from the cursed spirit were sure to hit.
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Rin pov:
"It doesn't possess high cursed energy output and doesn't seem so smart either, but one thing's for sure: this thing is stronger than the Smallpox Deity cursed spirit," Rin said to herself, her voice barely above a whisper. She could feel the weight of the situation pressing down on her, the reality of their dire circumstances sinking in.
"Fuck, can I survive this?" Rin murmured to herself, doubt creeping into her mind.
Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder