"Switch out, Hayashi. You can't fight like this—pushing it will just kill you faster," Fushiguro Megumi said, wiping blood from his forehead as he stepped in front of Hayashi.
"Megumi, can't you say something positive for once?" Hayashi shot back, annoyed. He raised a hand, casting a reversal over his wounded body.
Back to peak condition, he stood under stunned gazes.
"Hayashi, spill it—are you a monster or what?" Nobara Kugisaki gripped her hammer, practically ready to shove a mic in his face.
"Enough chatter—what's the situation?" Maki Zenin said, her face grim. That antlered cursed spirit was too strong—without everyone pinning it down, it'd have picked them off already.
"Todo, keep them safe. Signal if it gets dicey," Hayashi clapped Todo Aoi's shoulder, Time Blinking near Hanami.
"Leave it to me," Todo straightened up, turning to the group. "Let's dismantle this thing's bones!"
"Charge!"
The crew rushed in, throwing everything they had.
Over here, Hayashi couldn't use Crimson Armor—Hanami's cursed seeds stalled out, losing their target.
"No wonder Mahito and Mr. Geto marked you for elimination. Reversed cursed technique, healing, defensive techniques, attack power—all beyond most jujutsu sorcerers," Hanami said, kneeling, its brown left hand pressed to the ground. It looked up at Hayashi. "If we don't end you today, our plans face bigger hurdles. You die here—become the earth's nourishment."
Suddenly, centered on Hanami's left hand, a rotting, withering aura spread. Plants around them shriveled and died in seconds.
At Hanami's left shoulder, the red bud flared up, burning fiercely.
Todo Aoi and the others, locked in their fight, felt the shift despite the distance.
Over there, every plant—grass, trees—withered into a barren wasteland, like a dead zone abandoned for years.
"What's happening—apocalypse?" Yuji Itadori clutched his left ribs, pierced by Shikami's fur. He glanced over—the area was a void.
"Looks trickier than we thought. Hanami's getting serious," Shikami growled, glaring at the 'flies' swarming it—fuming.
With its strength, facing this many, it was losing ground—and injured too.
Without its unique technique and tough fur, these students might've already taken it down—especially that tall guy. Strongest here.
The spiky black-haired kid, the peach-haired one, the panda, and that white-haired guy who could freeze people—all tough nuts.
So far, it'd only wounded them. Finishing blows? Damn near impossible.
Their teamwork tightened, while it fought solo—where'd Sturgeon Hawk go?
That winged special-grade from earlier—gone from the area.
So now, just Shikami and Hanami remained—others dead or missing.
"Without that Hayashi, these punks would be toast," Shikami knew. Hayashi was their anchor—gave them guts, a backbone.
If he fell, they'd just cling a bit longer—then die anyway.
Hanami reaped the surrounding plant life fast, its aura swelling.
Hayashi wouldn't sit idle. Black Steel in hand, he Time Blinked forward.
The ground split—massive branches shot up, blocking his rush.
He slashed through, one by one. Too many kept sprouting. He crouched low, cursed energy coating Black Steel, and swung wide at the thicket.
Swish!
Everything in sight sliced clean across—severed.
Hanami vanished. The rot and decay halted. Bare trees stood leafless—everything gray, like a black-and-white TV.
All life—gone.
"Ironic, huh? 'Will of the forest,' and you pull this?" Rage flared in Hayashi, staring at the devastation. Cursed energy locked onto Hanami behind him.
Hanami raised its brown arm, palm open toward Hayashi. The 'offering flower' at its tip bloomed—an eye in the stamen glaring viciously.
Golden light flared around it—massive cursed energy surged.
"Domain Expansion—Feast of Radiant Seas!"
Hayashi clapped his hands, eyes sharp, and shouted:
"Domain Expansion—Amaterasu Tsukikage!"
Boom!
A golden domain unfurled, rushing at Hayashi.
A black domain roared out, crashing into Hanami's—shockwaves erupting.
"What!?"
Hanami's mind reeled. This kid—actually had a domain!
Just Geto Suguru's hunch—now proven real.
Someone so young, wielding what most couldn't master in a lifetime.
Now, Hanami was dead-set on ending him.
Hayashi's face tightened. Hanami's domain was leagues beyond Shikami's. He could counter Shikami's, wear it down, and crush it.
But Hanami's? Way stronger. Just holding his own strained him—Hanami's domain was overtaking his fast.
Yeah, the basic Amaterasu Tsukikage domain was solid—good against average domain-users. Against a powerhouse like Hanami? It fell short.
With enhanced Amaterasu Tsukikage, he could've smothered Hanami's domain—but he lacked the points for it.
Huge points needed more cursed spirit kills. The basic Space-Time Mirror wasn't cutting it—three days couldn't farm enough.
Plus timeline resets slashed his points further—barely anything left.
So Hayashi decided: save up for the deluxe Dimensional Space-Time Mirror. With that instance, points would roll in faster.
The standard version couldn't skip tiers. Deluxe? Points enough, and he could claim any reward on it.
"No way I'm seeing this right—Hayashi-kun's got a domain?" Nishimiya Momo hovered on her broom, scoping the fight below, occasionally sniping from the side.
Her heart pounded—shock and disbelief swirling.