𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐊 ➥ 𝘩𝘲 𝘹 𝘫𝘫𝘬

𝟎𝟏. 𝐇𝐎𝐏𝐄

"Domain Expansion: Chimera Shadow Garden!"

Hinata's eyes widened as the area got possibly even darker. The thick shadow-like fluid yanked him down the flood as if protecting him from the possible attacks. He failed to notice that there was no resistance in the shadows. 

He was falling and slowly losing consciousness.

Nozomi couldn't bring herself to care as her main focus was on the finger-bearer. She was hysterically laughing despite the physical backlash of activating her incomplete domain.

It's incomplete, she muses, but it's good enough.

Several shadow-like toads went to grab onto the curse's legs. Nozomi used it as a distraction and inflicted a rugged kick to the curse. Seeing that the fight is in her favor, she increases her mobility and corners the finger-bearer.

Broaden it more freely!

She grinned viciously, moving to attack the curse, who attempted to dodge her assault. The finger bearer fires an arrow of cursed energy through Nozomi's head, only to realize that it was a clone that she manipulated through her shadow.

The interpretation of the technique!

Two Nues continuously strike the curse before blowing away the shadows with its cursed energy. With the shadow-like barrier cleared out and Nozomi nowhere in sight, the curse perceived it won. However, a devastating blow from behind its shadow penetrated its chest.

"Divine Dog: Totality's claws were able to injure that thing," Nozomi sneered, recalling her shikigami's encounter with Hanami. "You're no match to me, after all."

The finger-bearer curse finally deteriorated along with its domain as Nozomi overthrew it with her shikigami's aid.

"I'm tired," Nozomi mumbled, flicking her wrist as she freed Hinata from her shadows. She grabbed Sukuna's fingers before hauling herself as she threw up.

Nozomi's head was continuously throbbing in pain as her head was still gushing with blood along with her nose from the backlash of her technique.

Despite the excruciating pain, a part of her felt satisfied that her efforts weren't futile. Her body eventually collapsed on the ground from exhaustion.

The last thing she saw was a beacon of light before darkness took over. 

•·················•·················•

"Nozomi, my baby girl," The woman cradled her newborn as if holding a delicate glass. Her voice displayed the kindness she possessed. "You and your brother are indeed a blessing and hope in this cruel world."

There is a reason why life flash before their eyes when people are on the verge of death. Time seemed to slow down massively as that one second isn't just one second at all. It stretches on forever like an ocean of time.

A sense of familiarity flooded her as the woman, who she believes was her late mother, held her in one arm while the other was holding her older brother. Her gaze was full of fondness—full of certainty.

To be reminded that she passed away right after they were born is undoubtedly bittersweet. Maybe, the divine beings took her away from this cruel world, for she had a pure heart is what she wanted to believe, but that isn't the case.

Life has been and is always going to be unjust.

Does life really flash right before your eyes? As a matter of fact, yes, it does.

The sequence of memories flickering doesn't seem to be momentous for her. Yet, it deems that her whole past life exhibited in chronological order.

Time seems to move forward when everything is at ease. After their mother's death, their grandmother provided everything they needed and wanted while also juggling the parental roles that they lacked.