"I see."
"Were your eyes blinded by false promises and jealousy?"
Ketsuno Seimei slowly raised his right hand, his five fingers spread toward Doman.
"Then, Doman."
His voice remained calm, yet it carried the weight of a thousand tons as it rang clearly through every corner of the battlefield.
"It is time for you to see with your own eyes the insurmountable gulf between us."
"Stop putting on that act!"
Shirino Doman's roar twisted with overwhelming jealousy and fury.
His scarlet eyes were fixed on the godlike figure standing atop the pavilion, bathed in dim blue spiritual light.
Violent crimson spiritual pressure erupted around him like flames.
"I'm no weaker than you!"
With a furious roar, Doman abruptly raised his right hand, curling his thumb into his palm and pressing his index and middle fingers together like a sword.
He slashed rapidly through the empty air before him, moving so fast that afterimages trailed behind his hand.
Every stroke drew dense dark-red spiritual power, leaving scorching trails in the air like burn marks.
"Rin! Pyō! Tō! Sha! Kai! Jin! Retsu! Zai! Zen!"
He rasped out the supreme nine-syllable secret mantra of Onmyōdō.
Each syllable seemed to bear the weight of blood and fire, making the air around his mouth hum as visible ripples of vibration formed.
As the final word, "Zen," fell.
Doman thrust his joined fingers fiercely toward Ketsuno Seimei.
"Secret Curse-Killing Art: Military Victory Curse!"
[BOOM—]
In an instant, unprecedented spiritual energy, filled with the will of destruction and Wrath, burst forth from his entire body in a vast torrent.
Crimson light instantly dyed half the area red.
With the force to crush everything and curse all living beings to death, it swept forward.
The air boiled in its path, while shattered rocks, grass, and trees turned to