The brave Simmel wants to resign

"Ugh."

The water clock, out of control, smashed through the hotel's exterior wall and then struck the sacrum.

Fragments of flame fell one after another.

The water clock struggled to its feet.

He was in a worse state than he had imagined. To be honest, even he himself hadn't expected that he, as a top-tier cursed spirit, would lose to a high-level brat in a pure close-quarters battle.

of course.

This does not mean that a water clock is weaker than a scale.

His biggest mistake was deliberately choosing hand-to-hand combat.

If the advantages of speed and area-of-effect attacks were utilized, the clepsydra wouldn't be in such a sorry state. This narrow "tent" bound the cursed queen, Rika Kimoto, and also limited the clepsydra's performance.

but...

That's all for now.

"...I'll admit it, kid, when it comes to close combat, you're stronger now."

As the battle continued, the music drew to a close.

[4 minutes and 11 seconds]

This is when Kinji is invincible.

but--

"Oh, thanks a lot!"

The scale looked at the water clock, smiling on the surface, but inwardly it was filled with doubt.

—Because he actually had no more cards in his hand.

[Infinite Reversal] is indeed powerful, but he can't possibly kill someone by elbowing them with his fists, unless the other party really doesn't intend to leave the barrier and stay elbowed by him for a whole day and night.

That's obviously impossible.

So Libra originally fought with the mindset of 'just beating up the opponent and protecting the Bone.'

But...he also knew—

The water clock has not yet been properly developed into a technique.

What will he do next...?

"Domain expansion".

Varied!?

This guy's here too!

Scale's expression changed, and his eyes suddenly turned to the side, looking at Bone, who was still oblivious to the situation.

At the same time, immediately make the same gesture.

"Domain Deployment!"

This time.

The spirit and the sorcerer simultaneously unleashed their domains.

[Domain Expansion. The Coffin is Enclosed by an Iron Mountain]

[Domain Expansion. Seated Killer]

The pitch-black boundary began to weave, instantly engulfing all the targets present.

This includes the sacrum.

In an instant, the scales revealed an ugly expression, while the water clock returned to its previous arrogant confidence in its victory.

"Your technique is a domain in itself, and you can reclaim the magical power consumed by deploying the domain by relying on the domain's effect. Therefore, it can be used repeatedly, which is indeed quite excellent."

"but...."

"If you're protecting that brat behind you, you'll expose your weakness, won't you?"

The battle for dominance has begun.

On one side, there's a train animation in progress; on the other, there's a crimson inferno.

"Your domain is quite special. The guaranteed hit within the domain is a cutscene, and the invincibility period only begins after the domain ends."

"Therefore, it is not hard to see that in your battle against the legitimate world, you will have two choices."

[1. Cancel the area-of-effect confrontation, complete the spell normally, grant yourself [Invincibility], and then consider defeating the opponent within four minutes and eleven seconds.]

This choice is the optimal solution because Libra's immortality prevents him from perishing within the opponent's domain, and he can re-establish the domain after four minutes and eleven seconds.

Meanwhile, the expansion of the opposing domain cannot continue indefinitely.

in conclusion--

[If the battle is dragged into a domain war, and if the scales are lucky enough, victory is almost guaranteed.]

but.

What if...the scales cannot complete the domain spell effect?

The water clock, located in the heart of Purgatory, still retains the gesture of expanding its domain.

“Ordinary warlocks will be instantly incinerated upon entering my domain—once the domain effect ends, you yourself can survive for [four minutes and eleven seconds], but—what about your companions?”

It was as if it had been swallowed by a volcano, with the surrounding rock walls glowing from the heat, and the jagged rocks interlocking like teeth.

Shocked by the scene before him, Yi Gu also realized the problem.

Although it seems like an illusion.

But the scales have completed their domain....

It seems we were a step too late.

"Domain conflicts can choose the objects 'enclosed by the barrier,' so when you generate a barrier, you should try to protect that little imp from being included in the barrier."

"But in such a small space, it is extremely difficult to do this, so you not only failed, but you were also a step slower than me in forming your domain."

"More importantly, in order to protect Yigu Youtai from being killed by my domain, you have to maintain the [domain resistance], which prevents you from completing the spell and obtaining immortality."

That's right.

This is the second option in the realm of scales.

[2. Simply deploying the domain, but deliberately delaying to prevent the spell's effect from being completed—this is because once the [lottery] is finished, the domain will naturally disappear, and any other allies included within its combat range will inevitably die.]

It is... the worst possible choice.

A wave of heat swept over us, lava bubbled and boiled, sparks and embers flew everywhere, flowing down the rock walls into a dazzling river of fire.

The top-tier cursed spirit revealed a sinister grin.

"Unnecessary actions; all we had to do was get rid of that brat."

"And by the way, let me tell you that—"

"The domains of warlocks at different levels..."

Click.

Oh no...

Scale looked at the dome of his barrier with a grim expression.

The train station... is collapsing.

because...

In the battle of domains, due to the difference in the level of the barrier techniques and spells used by both sides, the confrontation will end after a brief period of fighting—

The strong oppress the weak

One side is a platform where trains sound their horns, and the other side is a volcano with surging lava. The trembling boundary is melting away in the high temperature!

Click!

And that stalemate.

It was shattered at this moment.

[Because of his subconscious desire to protect Yuta Etotsu, Kinji Shirai...]

The crimson magma surged wildly along the railway tracks, and in the blink of an eye, it crushed the boundaries of the train station, swallowing the platform, tracks, and most of the cutscenes into its domain.

[Defeat.]

Whoosh!

The scale's body was instantly ignited.

The water clock watched coldly.

"I won."

.................................

.............

"In other words, the water clock won."

Outside the tent.

A jet-black sphere enveloped a large area outside the tent.

And inside that sphere, this is the scene.

The world is free of all traces of human intervention; towering trees block out the sun, wildflowers bloom freely across the mountains and plains, and clear streams meander around the rocks.

[Expanding the Domain, Indulging in the Splendor of the Sea]

The landscape created by Hanamichi.

Warm light gently enveloped the entire earth, and the world seemed to return to the starting point of the Garden of Eden.

At the center of this field stands Simmel, one hand on his hip.