Naoya's cursed energy flared as he activated his Simple Domain. A faint, round barrier appeared around him, cancelling the guaranteed hit effect of Kosetsu's Domain Expansion. The cold winds and freezing air still pushed against him, but the deadly attacks of the domain no longer worked.
Domain Expansion is a powerful barrier technique and the highest level of jujutsu sorcery. It creates a space filled with the user's cursed technique, making their attacks stronger and impossible to dodge. Naoya knew how serious this was—his Simple Domain was only a temporary defence, not a real solution. While it stopped the sure-hit effect, it also blocked him from using his own cursed technique, Projection Sorcery. And against a full Domain Expansion, his Simple Domain wouldn't hold out for long.
Kosetsu, its body slowly healing with cursed energy, stared at Naoya with cold, empty eyes. "This... will be your funeral," the curse said in a chilling voice that echoed through its frozen domain.
Raising its hand, Kosetsu activated its deadly cursed technique, Frostbite Funeral. The air around Naoya crackled with ice, the temperature dropping even lower as the domain prepared to strike. His Simple Domain flickered under the pressure, its barrier starting to weaken,
"MAXIMUM TECHNIQUE: Coffin of the Ice Mountain!" Kosetsu roared, its voice echoing through the frozen wasteland.
Naoya could feel the deadly intent behind the attack—this wasn't just any technique. This was a killing move, one that could end him if he didn't act fast.
At that moment, his Binding Vow: Vow of Temporal Perfection activated automatically. This last-resort ability was designed to trigger only when Naoya was in real danger or when he chose to activate it. The reason it hadn't activated earlier was simple—Naoya had been confident in his own strength, even against a Special Grade curse. But now, with death right in front of him, the vow took effect.
Kosetsu sneered as it loomed over the frozen wasteland. "You're not so tough now, human?" it taunted, watching Naoya disappear beneath the crushing mass of ice.
The weight of the ice pressed down on him, freezing everything in its path. The cold was unbearable, creeping into his body, threatening to rob him of movement and strength. His breathing grew ragged as he forced himself to move.
I won't let it end like this.
With all his remaining strength, Naoya pushed himself free, barely escaping the frozen tomb. But the damage was already done. His left leg and back were completely frozen—numb, unresponsive. If he wasn't careful, they could shatter like brittle glass. He stood there, panting, his breath coming out in sharp, white clouds.
"Am I going to die?" Naoya murmured, his face eerily calm as he stared at the curse.
How many times had he tried to unlock his Domain you may ask?
Naoya had studied every book on barrier techniques, gathered every scrap of knowledge he could find, even his understanding from watching and reading the original show was not enough. He had obsessed over it, trained relentlessly—yet no matter how hard he tried, he had never been able to open his own Domain.
But now, standing on the brink of death, something inside him clicked.
A realization. A trigger.
"Death?" A low chuckle escaped his lips. Then, suddenly—laughter.
"HAHAHAHA!"
The sound echoed through the frozen battlefield. His eyes burned with new determination, his smirk returning despite the pain. "Death can have me… when it earns me."
He brought his hands together in a decisive clap forming a hand sign.
"I'll do it."
His mind focused. His vision sharpened.
"Imagine a future version of yourself—one that has surpassed every limit."
"DOMAIN… EXPANSION!!!"
A surge of cursed energy erupted from Naoya, shaking the frozen wasteland around him. The air warped and cracked like shattered glass, bending under the force of his will as reality itself twisted to his command. For the first time, his Domain formed—unstable, flickering, but unmistakably present.
"TIME CELL MOON PALACE"
Then, a sudden BOOM rang out as the unstable energy stabilized, expanding outward into a perfect sphere. The ice beneath Naoya's feet cracked and shattered, and the surrounding landscape was overwritten.
Behind him, a massive mechanical projector-eye formed, its pupil glowing like a camera lens, scanning and locking its vision on Kosetsu.
A golden corridor stretched endlessly in every direction, its walls adorned with intricate paintings that captured frozen warriors in eternal combat. The floor gleamed like polished marble, reflecting the golden light that now flooded the battlefield. In the middle of it all stood the giant mechanical projector-eye, its gaze unblinking, always watching.
"It lacks refinement, but that will do for now." Naoya laughed despite the lingering instability in his Domain. He knew it could falter at any moment.
Two Domains clashed—The stark contrast between the two was undeniable. Half of the battlefield was a frozen wasteland, and the other half gleamed with golden light, it was an odd sight for sure.
The moment either Domain collapsed, the victor's sure-hit effect would strike instantly.
Kosetsu wasted no time, summoning massive ice spikes from the ground, each one sharp enough to pierce through steel. The frozen spears shot toward Naoya in rapid succession, aiming to impale him before he could stabilize his Domain further.
Naoya gritted his teeth, his body still numb from the earlier attack. His left leg and back were frozen solid, barely functional, and every movement sent sharp pain through his body.all he could do was survive.
He pushed off the cracking marble floor, barely dodging the first wave of spikes. One grazed his arm, leaving behind a deep, frozen wound that refused to bleed. Kosetsu smirked, its hollow eyes gleaming with malice.
"You are stalling," the curse rasped. "It won't matter. The moment your Domain breaks… you die."
Naoya clicked his tongue, dodging another set of ice spikes. He could feel the strain of the clash, the pressure weighing down on his mind.But if he could hold on just a little longer… if he could force Kosetsu's Domain to collapse first…
The golden walls of his Domain flickered, and the giant projector-eye above him whirred softly, its unblinking gaze fixed on Kosetsu. Though inactive, it was watching.
Naoya's lips curled into a smirk despite the pain.
"Keep talking, snowbitch."
Without hesitation, he slammed his palm onto the ground, activating Frame Fracture.
The curse, still unaware of Naoya's technique, instinctively stepped forward—only for the ground beneath it to explode from the impact.
Using the opening, Naoya leaped high into the air, closing the distance in an instant. Despite his weakened state, the power granted by his Binding Vow still made him incredibly strong. He drove his fist into Kosetsu's gut, the impact sending shockwaves through its frozen body.
Kosetsu snarled, its hollow eyes burning with rage. It reached out, grabbing Naoya's arm in an attempt to freeze him solid. But in that split second, Naoya activated his technique.
Kosetsu's body stuttered—suddenly reduced to an animated frame.
CRACK!!!
a split-second later, Kosetsu was violently kicked backward, crashing into the frozen ground.
The curse coughed up blood, its body trembling from the impact. Naoya, breathing heavily, locked eyes with it. A tense silence hung between them before they both charged forward.
Fists flew, cursed energy clashed, and the battlefield shook under their relentless exchange. Every time Kosetsu attempted a ranged attack or used its cursed technique, Naoya instantly countered by activating Projection Sorcery.
Neither of them held back. This was a fight to the death.
Naoya had no idea how he was still maintaining his Domain. It was a miracle.
His body was battered, injuries covering him from head to toe, blood dripping down his torn clothes. Yet, his Domain still held. Maybe it was because he hadn't taken a direct, life-threatening hit yet. Or maybe… sheer willpower was keeping it together.
Naoya spun and kicked Kosetsu hard in the face. The force sent a deep crack through his frozen leg—then, it shattered. His lower limb broke apart like fragile ice, ripped from his body. Pain shot through him, but before he could react—
A golden light burst across the battlefield. His Domain's sure-hit effect had activated.
As Naoya collapsed to one knee, the mechanical eye in his Domain whirred to life. Thin strips of film - like frames from an old movie - suddenly wrapped around Kosetsu's neck.
24FPS Rule Engaged
Move, and die.
The technique worked at a cellular level, Microscopic ice crystals formed inside Kosetsu's body, freezing its very cells and creating thousands of tiny cuts across its frozen form.
Kosetsu's eyes widened as countless slashes appeared all over its body, slicing through flesh and bone alike. Its very existence was being torn apart, as if reality itself was rejecting it.
It snarled, trying to resist.
That was a mistake.
A jagged wound ripped across its arm. Another split open its chest. The cursed spirit trembled, its body breaking apart piece by piece. Every forced movement only brought more destruction.
Naoya watched, grinning.
With a single step forward, he shoved the curse.
That tiny push was all it took.
The moment it moved—its body was torn apart. Blood sprayed into the air as Kosetsu's form collapsed, shredded into pieces.
Time Cell Moon Palace had claimed its first victim.