Chapter 229: Charisma

It was becoming clear.

The reason these girls laughed at Tomie from the very start and never seemed to take her seriously.

They were all sorcerers.

Tomie instinctively took half a step back, her confidence faltering for the first time.

Even with her usual arrogance, it was impossible to completely ignore the danger in front of her after realizing their identities.

But…

After a moment of thought, she steadied herself. Her steps regained their composure, and she raised her head confidently.

"So what? Even if you're all sorcerers, you think you can intimidate me? Just kill me if you're able!"

Her voice was loud and clear, carrying a defiance that could only come from someone truly unafraid of death.

And that was the thing—Tomie didn't fear death.

Even if she were split in half, two of her would simply be reborn from the remains.

---

The girls in the room glanced at each other, silently acknowledging what Ryuji had told them earlier about Tomie's abilities.

Her confidence wasn't unfounded.

Still, their eyes quickly shifted to Ryuji. If anyone could handle Kawakami Tomie, it was him.

"Does your so-called immortality give you that much confidence?" Ryuji asked, tilting his head slightly as he studied her with amusement.

"You already know?" Tomie's eyes widened slightly, her surprise betraying her usually calm demeanor.

She hadn't expected Ryuji to know so much about her.

In that case, there was no point in denying it.

"Then you must understand that killing me is pointless. I'm not afraid of death!"

"You should be," Ryuji replied with a calm smile.

"After all, when you resurrect or split, are you still really you?"

"You—!"

Tomie's confident mask cracked for a split second as Ryuji's words hit a nerve.

How could he know her secret so well?

Because, deep down, she knew it was true.

Every time another version of her was created, even though they shared her appearance, abilities, and memories, they weren't her. They were separate entities.

And that was the reason behind the endless infighting between the "new" Tomies, each one desperately seeking to prove they were the true Kawakami Tomie, the one and only.

"What are you trying to do?"

Tomie narrowed her eyes at Ryuji, her tone uneasy. If his goal had been to kill her, he wouldn't have spent so much time talking.

"I was originally planning to kill you outright," Ryuji admitted casually. "But what's the point? Who knows where your 'real' self is? Even if I destroy you here, a new Kawakami Tomie will just pop up somewhere else."

"I am the real one!" Tomie shouted, her voice rising in desperation.

Like every Kawakami Tomie before her, she refused to admit the possibility that she was anything less than the original.

"Tsk."

Ryuji didn't seem surprised by her outburst.

His calm smile remained as he tilted his head slightly, his tone nonchalant.

"In that case, I'll change my approach. Subduing you might be more interesting."

"Subduing me?" Tomie stared at him, her eyes wide with disbelief.

For a moment, she thought she must have misheard him.

But as his words sank in, her expression turned cold, and she let out a mocking laugh.

"Do you really think you're worthy?"

Her disdainful tone carried absolute confidence.

In her mind, there was no one in the world who could control her. She saw herself as the ruler of all, not someone who could be subdued.

"You'll find out soon enough if I'm worthy."

Ryuji's smile didn't waver, nor did he react to her mockery.

The very idea that Tomie would submit willingly was laughable. He didn't expect it.

But that didn't matter.

Raising his hands, Ryuji calmly declared, "Domain Expansion—Land of Death."

The world around them shifted.

In an instant, Tomie found herself in an entirely different environment.

The air was heavy, the surroundings dark, with an eerie, seemingly endless grove of trees stretching out in every direction.

She stood on a lonely path in the middle of the grove, her eyes darting around as she tried to make sense of her new surroundings.

"Where is this?" she demanded, her voice wavering slightly.

"This is the Land of Death," Ryuji said, his figure appearing in front of her.

"In this domain, the flow of time works differently. Ten days here are equivalent to just one day outside."

As Ryuji spoke, Tomie's initial panic began to fade.

Her expression slowly returned to its usual calm arrogance as she crossed her arms and sneered.

"So what? You think locking me in here will make me submit? That's laughable."

Her tone was dripping with disdain.

"Do you really think that isolating me in this place will break my spirit? Do you have any idea who I am? I am Kawakami Tomie, a legend. No cage can control me."

Ryuji simply chuckled.

"You're welcome to believe that," he said, his tone light.

"But you'll find that true loneliness is far harder to endure than you think. Especially here."

Tomie's confidence didn't falter, but Ryuji wasn't concerned.

The Land of Death wasn't just an ordinary domain.

Its unique properties amplified feelings of isolation and despair, making it the perfect tool to break even the strongest wills.

Ryuji turned away, leaving Tomie alone in the oppressive grove.

"Let's see how long that confidence of yours lasts."

As Tomie faded into the shadows of the domain, Ryuji turned his attention back to himself.

"[Talent entry system]

Host: Ryuji Hoshino

Bloodline: Human

Loaded entries: Soul Devouring [Red], Yin-Yang Eyes (Gold), Presence Concealment [Gold], Tranquility [Gold), Reverse Cursed Technique [Gold], Monster Attracting Physique [Gold], Third Dimension, Dreamwalker [Gold], Physical Strengthening [Gold), Cursed Speech [Gold], Shadow Manipulation [Gold], Malevolent Shrine [Gold], Blackbird Manipulation [Gold], Idle Transfiguration [Gold], Anti-Gravity System [Gold], Horizon of the Captivating Skandha [Gold], Binding Technique [Gold], Curse Script [Gold], Ink Incarnation [Gold], Infinite Void [Gold], Cursed Construct [Gold], Land of Death [Gold], Curse-Binding Vow[Gold], Charisma [Gold], Iron Fist [Purple], Combat Intuition [Purple].

Points: 80,120"