Distorted Law Domain: Necrotic Garden Kingdom

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"Gideon... oh, Gideon. My beloved kin. I am somewhat troubled as to how I should reward your service, my lord."
"What did you say? Who on earth are you... no, it can't be."
"To have achieved so much in a mere hundred years... it seems my eyes did not deceive me when I foresaw your sweet, nectar-like despair."
"The Demon King, the Fourth Pillar...!"

Sojuro flexed his arms and radiated a multitude of spirit charms, arranging them to surround everyone.
They were death-spirit charms and living-spirit charms to ward off impurity.

"Unstained by worldly laws like a lotus in water, east, west, south, north, central Dragon King name--"
"However, before I bestow a reward upon you, I must clear away some trivial matters... It seems some curious living beings are squirming about. Oh, how loathsome. Know that it is a sin to greedily cling to life while averting your eyes from the fate of death."

Along with the sound of bones rubbing together, the tentacles became imbued with a foul, illusory flame.

"Lord Gideon! Get away from us!"
"Hmm...!"
"Play, death-thought. Purple-navy curtain--"

As if cursing. As if praying. A deep, low incantation spread out.

"Humans exist to live. Life exists so that it may not end. There is no meaning in salvation after death."

Filling the |four directions| is the intent of rejection.

"Death is not providence. Death is not inevitable. What is wrong with being resurrected? What is the harm in becoming immortal? Who decided it? Who, exactly?"

What the voice carries is doubt toward the truth.

"Open your |eyes| and know the truth. Do not romanticize death. There is no salvation or reward beyond it. There is nothing to be gained!"

What is being chanted is a prayer for salvation.

"Open your eyes, and realize the truth that |as long as you are trapped in the fate of dying, there can be no happiness|--!"

Numerous tentacles draw patterns like a mandala in the air.

"|Distorted Law Domain| (Numinos) -- Necrotic Garden Kingdom"

Because of the sudden situation, there is no time for a grand ritual like an exorcism method.
The moment Sojuro activated the barrier with his protective charms, |it| surged forward.
A law that remakes the living into the undead. A mad desire that eternal stillness is salvation.
The miasma, possessing a density almost like gel, eroded the space like slime.

"Everyone, do not move a single step--!"

And then--contact. The |Distorted Law Domain| (Numinos) of the Demon King's Fourth Pillar surrounded the spherical barrier of evil-warding.
This is incomparable to the miasma leaking from Gideon. One would be instantly transformed into an undead just by touching it. The space creaked from the collision of contradictory laws.
It was as if looking through glass into a sea of putrefaction. On the spherical surface, the figures of the dead seeking help appeared and vanished in an instant. There was a man. There was a woman. There was an old man, and a child. Or perhaps the figures of humanoid races with other strange features also appeared and vanished. All of them were gasping in agony, seeking release.
That was the end for those whose souls were trapped in the |Distorted Law Domain| (Numinos) of the <Scion of Corpse Poison>.

--How should one deal with this?

"Oh my, oh my, it seems there is someone here using a strange technique. Oh, how adorable. You are desperately exerting your power to protect your own life and that of your friend. Do you loathe death? Are you afraid of it? Indeed, that is a perfectly valid sentiment. I understand. I understand well. Yes, the weaker the heart, the more one tries to assign noble meaning to this thing called death to look away from the fear. What a truly wretched way to exist. There is no reason why one could find salvation in such empty comfort. Death is entirely meaningless. However, if you cannot overcome death as long as you are alive, then there is no choice but to break free from the cycle of life and death. Accept my embrace, you foolish and pathetic huma— 'Yes, boom.'"

A roar!!!!
Sounds like 'crunch!' or 'squelch!' followed, and the field of vision cleared rapidly.
Sojuro couldn't help but rub his brow with a pained expression.

"Gah... guh... eh...?"

With a wet thud, something rolled onto the floor. It was a skinless humanoid with its lower body torn off.
Immediately after, huge bone fragments fell around it with a deafening roar.

"Whoa, amazing!!!! It didn't evaporate!!!! I hit it pretty seriously, is this for real..."
"Wha... eh... wha...!? What... happened...!?"
"I don't really get it, but the fact that you can still talk after taking a clean hit from my serious punch means you might seriously have the highest durability in this world. Be proud, be proud, and then die."

Rekka prepared to bring his fist down.

"W-wait!! If you destroy me, Gideon over there will be destroyed too!! Is that okay!?"
"Eh"

His movement stopped abruptly.
He slowly scratched his temple with his finger and turned a dubious look toward me.

"Uhh... well?"

[To be continued]