Ch 56 - Weakened King

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The desolate expanse of Liam's inner world stretched infinitely, cracked and scarred beneath a void-like sky. The oppressive air hummed with malice, each second pregnant with impending violence.

Ryomen Sukuna stood at its center, arms crossed, his malevolent grin framed by the regal arrogance of someone who had crushed countless challengers before.

Across from him, Liam adjusted his stance, rolling his shoulders as his silver-gray eyes pierced Sukuna's crimson glare.

"A prodigy, you say?" Sukuna mused, his voice low and mocking, vibrating through the spiritual plane. "A mere boy who fancies himself worthy to challenge me. Do you even know what stands before you?"

Liam smirked, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah, the former King of Curses. Funny, I expected more from the title."

He deliberately dusted his hands off, a dismissive gesture that caused Sukuna's grin to falter ever so slightly.

Sukuna's crimson gaze narrowed, his aura rippling with unrestrained fury. "I'll make you choke on those words, boy."

"Keep talking, old man," Liam retorted, stepping forward. His tone was ice, his confidence unshaken. "I'm not impressed by bedtime stories. Let's see if you still fight like you matter."

With a guttural snarl, Sukuna lunged, closing the distance between them in an instant. His fist shot forward, a brutal strike aimed directly at Liam's head.

Liam tilted his head to the side with impeccable timing, Sukuna's blow grazing his ear by a fraction.

"You're slow," Liam quipped, delivering a sharp elbow to Sukuna's ribs. The strike landed clean, forcing Sukuna back a step, but the King of Curses barely flinched. Instead, he chuckled darkly.

"Not bad… for an insect," Sukuna growled, sweeping his leg in a wide arc.

Liam leaped backward, the kick carving a deep fissure into the already broken ground.

Liam landed lightly, flexing his fingers. "That's it? You're supposed to be this legendary tyrant, but you're barely keeping up."

"Arrogant brat!" Sukuna bellowed, his claws slashing through the air. His Dismantle technique followed invisible cursed energy slicing toward Liam in deadly waves.

But Liam's hand snapped upward, stopping the attack cold with a shimmering barrier of Infinity. The waves of energy dissipated harmlessly, leaving Liam unharmed.

He smirked.

"You call that an attack?" He taunted. "My grandma could do better, and she's been dead for years."

Sukuna's lips curled into a sneer, but the slight tightening of his fists betrayed his growing frustration.

"You think that toy of yours will protect you forever?" He spat. "You'll tire, and when you do, I'll tear you apart."

"You'd better hope I tire," Liam shot back, rushing forward. His speed was blistering, and Sukuna barely managed to block the first punch. The second and third strikes came in quick succession, forcing Sukuna to retreat under the relentless assault.

Their fight became a brutal dance of fists and feet, each strikes more precise and calculated than the last.

Sukuna's attacks were raw and vicious, his fists like sledgehammers that cracked the ground with every miss.

Liam, on the other hand, fought with cold, surgical precision, exploiting every opening with ruthless efficiency.

Sukuna swung wide, his claws aimed for Liam's throat. Liam ducked, pivoting on his heel, and drove his knee into Sukuna's gut. The King of Curses grunted, staggered for the first time, but recovered quickly, lashing out with a backhand that Liam barely dodged.

"Getting tired already, Grandpa?" Liam mocked, sidestepping Sukuna's next punch and delivering a sharp kick to his side.

"You've got a sharp tongue for someone about to die," Sukuna hissed, swiping again with Dismantle.

Liam raised his hand, stopping the technique midair with Infinity. He grinned, cocking his head. "Die? From this? You're going to have to try harder."

Sukuna's frustration boiled over.

"Enough games!" He roared, charging forward with raw, unrestrained fury. He landed a solid punch against Liam's block, the impact sending shockwaves across the broken plane.

Liam slid back slightly, shaking out his arms.

"Finally hitting like you mean it," He admitted. "Too bad it's still not enough."

Before Sukuna could respond, Liam's eyes gleamed, and a sudden force yanked the King of Curses forward.

Liam had used Telekinesis to pull Sukuna off balance, and he capitalized immediately, delivering a brutal uppercut that snapped Sukuna's head back.

Sukuna stumbled, and Liam didn't let up. He was a blur of motion, every punch and kick landing with pinpoint accuracy. Sukuna blocked some of the attacks, but Liam's speed and technique were overwhelming.

"You've been sitting in a box too long," Liam said, driving his elbow into Sukuna's jaw. "You've lost your edge."

Sukuna roared, grabbing Liam by the collar and throwing him across the battlefield. Liam twisted midair, landing on his feet like a cat. He wiped a bit of blood from his lip, smirking. "That all you've got? I expected more."

Sukuna snarled, rushing forward again. Their clash was ferocious, their movements a blur of fists, elbows, and knees. Each hit echoed like thunder across the desolate plane, the ground cracking further beneath their feet.

But Liam was gaining the upper hand. His movements were faster, sharper, and more precise. He dodged Sukuna's attacks with ease, his counters landing harder and more frequently.

"You're slipping, old man," Liam said, landing a spinning kick to Sukuna's chest that sent the King of Curses skidding backward.

Sukuna panted, his once-regal aura dimming under the strain.

"You… insolent… little whelp!" He snarled.

"Face it," Liam said, his voice cold and steady. "You're not the king anymore. You're just a shadow of what you once were."

With a roar of pure rage, Sukuna launched one final, desperate attack, pouring every ounce of his strength into a flurry of punches and slashes.

But Liam was ready. His Infinity blocked every strike, and his counters were brutal.

Finally, Liam ducked under a wild swing and delivered a devastating punch to Sukuna's gut, followed by a kick that sent him crashing to the ground. Sukuna tried to rise, but Liam was already there, his foot pressing against the King of Curses' chest.

"It's over," Liam said, his voice calm but filled with finality. "You're done."

Sukuna glared up at him, his crimson eyes filled with hatred. But as Liam pressed harder, the King of Curses' form began to dissolve, his spirit breaking apart under the weight of Liam's will.

"You… arrogant… brat…" Sukuna growled, his voice fading as his body disintegrated. "This… isn't… over…"

Liam smirked, watching as Sukuna's form vanished into nothingness. "Yeah, it is."

Back in Reality

Liam gasped, his body jerking violently as his spirit returned to the physical world. He doubled over, clutching his stomach as nausea overtook him.

A moment later, he coughed violently, spitting Sukuna's cursed finger onto the floor.

The oppressive aura in the room vanished instantly, the cursed energy dissipating like smoke in the wind.

Liam staggered to his feet, wiping his mouth.

Toji, still leaning against the doorframe, let out a low whistle. "You actually survived. Color me impressed."

Liam ignored him, staring at his hands. Despite rejecting the cursed finger, he felt it—a surge of power, unlike anything he'd known before. Slowly, he raised his hand, and with a thought, a deep cut materialized, slashing the wall ominously.

"Shrine," He murmured, a grin spreading across his face. "Looks like I got what I came for after all."

Toji's eyes widened slightly. "You've got guts, kid. I'll give you that. But you're playing with fire."

Liam turned to him, his grin widening. "Good. I like the heat."

Even though he said that but Liam knew that Sukuna had only strength equal to a single finger. Liam might have won but he was clear in his heart that he needed more training and experience to play against the real deal.

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