Chapter 51 - Emperor Vs King
The ruins of the Grayson home lay scattered across what had once been a peaceful suburban lawn.
Broken timber, shattered concrete, and fragments of family memories created a desolate landscape - a fitting arena for the confrontation about to unfold.
Emperor Mark stood amid the devastation, his expression calm despite the destruction surrounding him.
The rage that had nearly consumed him earlier had cooled into something more controlled, more focused, but no less dangerous.
Across from him, Yukuna's lips curved into a cold smile, cursed energy visibly manifesting around him in patterns that spoke of ancient, terrible power.
"Let us see if the Emperor deserves his crown," Yukuna said, his voice carrying an ancient quality that belied his youthful appearance.
Emperor Mark's eyes narrowed, the air around him beginning to shimmer with power. "You are but a shadow of the Megumi I knew. A crude predecessor to his greatness. But if combat is what you seek..."
He moved into a fighting stance, his eyes locked on Yukuna's. "Then I will oblige."
Without warning, Yukuna extended his hand, unleashing a wave of invisible cutting force - Dismantle - aimed directly at Emperor Mark's throat.
The attack moved with impossible speed, yet Emperor Mark reacted faster, vanishing from his position and reappearing ten feet to the left, the cutting force passing harmlessly through empty air.
"Interesting," Emperor Mark observed, his expression unchanged despite the lethal intent of the attack. "Some kind of energy projection capability."
Yukuna's eyes narrowed slightly. "You move well for a brute," he acknowledged. "But speed alone won't save you."
The air around Yukuna shimmered subtly as he activated Infinity - Gojo's Limitless technique that he had copied through Yuta's ability.
Though invisible to the naked eye, the technique created an absolute defense, ensuring anything approaching him would slow to a stop before making contact.
Emperor Mark sensed the change, though he couldn't identify its nature. Something in the air had shifted, a distortion in the space surrounding his opponent.
"Your power signature is... unusual," Emperor Mark noted, circling slowly. "Different from the four-armed version, yet similar in its fundamental nature."
"I am the original," Yukuna replied, his voice dripping with arrogance. "The true King of Curses. What you encountered was merely a... derivative."
Emperor Mark's expression darkened. "He is the perfected version. The one who guided me, taught me, made me what I am today."
"Perfected?" Yukuna laughed - a sound like breaking glass. "No. Diluted, perhaps. Compromised by humanity."
Without further preamble, Yukuna unleashed a barrage of attacks - invisible cutting forces radiating outward in all directions, followed by a massive serpent manifested from shadow that lunged toward Emperor Mark with frightening speed.
The Emperor moved with fluid grace, dodging the cutting forces and meeting the serpent head-on. His fist connected with the shadow creature's head, the impact creating a shockwave that shattered windows for blocks around.
To his surprise, the shadow like serpent didn't disintegrate but instead wrapped around his arm, its shadowy form constricting with unexpected strength.
"A physical manifestation," Emperor Mark noted, his scientific mind analyzing even as he fought. "Fascinating."
With a flex of his arm, he shattered the serpent's form, the shadow fragments dissipating into the air. "But ultimately ineffective."
Yukuna remained unperturbed, already summoning two new shikigami - Divine Dogs that circled Emperor Mark with predatory focus, their shadowy forms moving with unnatural speed.
"Your pets are impressive," Emperor Mark acknowledged, tracking their movements with ease. "But they're not what I'm here for."
He blurred into motion, his speed so great that even Yukuna's enhanced perception struggled to follow. The Divine Dogs were dispatched with casual brutality, their forms dissolving as Emperor Mark's hands passed through them.
In the same motion, he continued toward Yukuna, his fist aimed directly at the sorcerer's heart.
The attack should have been fatal - Emperor Mark's strength was sufficient to punch through mountains, to shatter planets with concentrated force.
Yet as his fist approached Yukuna, it slowed, as if moving through increasingly dense material, until it stopped completely mere millimeters from its target.
Emperor Mark's eyes widened slightly - the first genuine surprise he had shown. "What is this?"
Yukuna smiled, cold and triumphant. "A barrier that cannot be crossed," he explained, though the specifics would mean nothing to the Emperor.
"The space between us extends infinitely. You can never reach me, no matter how fast or strong you are."
Emperor Mark withdrew his hand, reassessing his opponent with new respect. "A spatial manipulation ability," he concluded. "Impressive. But not insurmountable."
He had encountered similar powers during his conquest of the universe - beings who could warp space, create dimensional pockets, manipulate the fabric of reality itself. None had ultimately stood against him.
Yukuna, reading the confidence in the Emperor's stance, decided to escalate. "Let's see how you handle this, Your Majesty."
The air between them distorted as Yukuna activated Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue - a devastating attraction force that should have pulled Emperor Mark toward him with irresistible power.
To Yukuna's surprise, the Emperor barely moved, his body remaining firmly in place despite the enormous gravitational pull.
The ground beneath him cracked and splintered, debris from the ruined house swirled into the vortex, but Emperor Mark himself stood unmoved.
"Impressive," the Emperor acknowledged. "But futile. My cellular structure responds to my will alone."
Without warning, he clapped his hands together with tremendous force, creating a pressure wave that rippled outward with devastating effect.
The shockwave struck Infinity and dissipated, but not before causing the barrier to visibly fluctuate.
Yukuna narrowed his eyes, reassessing his opponent. This being's physical capabilities exceeded his expectations - not merely strong, but possessing a level of control over his own body that bordered on molecular manipulation.
Unknown to Yukuna, this very reason - the fact that Mark could control his smart atoms on such a level that few things could truly break apart his structure - is why he is called:
The Invincible Emperor.
"Perhaps it's time for a more direct approach," Yukuna decided, gathering cursed energy for his next technique.
The air around him began to shimmer with power as he prepared to activate Hollow Purple - a devastating combination of attraction and repulsion forces that would erase anything in its path.
Emperor Mark, sensing the building energy, decided preemptive action was necessary. He moved again, this time flying upward at tremendous speed before diving directly at Yukuna from above, his body breaking the sound barrier multiple times during the maneuver.
As he approached, he noted with satisfaction that Yukuna's attention was divided - focused on maintaining his defensive barrier while simultaneously gathering energy for his attack.
It created a momentary weakness in the spatial distortion surrounding him.
Emperor Mark adjusted his trajectory slightly, aiming not directly at Yukuna but at the ground beneath him.
His impact created a crater fifty feet wide, the shockwave sending Yukuna tumbling through the air despite his defensive barrier.
Before Yukuna could recover, Emperor Mark was on him, delivering a series of strikes so fast they appeared as a single motion.
Each blow tested the limits of Infinity, probing for weaknesses, applying pressure from multiple angles simultaneously.
Yukuna, recognizing the danger, abandoned his attempt at Hollow Purple and focused entirely on maintaining Infinity while creating distance between himself and the Emperor - for unlike Satoru Gojo, Yukuna could not maintain it without conscious effort.
"You're more resourceful than I anticipated," Yukuna acknowledged, his voice betraying no concern despite the intensity of the assault. "But you still don't understand what you're facing."
Emperor Mark paused, hovering in the air a short distance away. "I understand enough," he replied coldly.
"You claim to be what Megumi once was. The 'original' from which he evolved. Yet everything about you - your methods, your demeanor, your very essence - confirms what I already knew."
His eyes hardened with contempt. "You are inferior. A crude prototype of the being who helped me build an empire."
Yukuna's expression darkened with rage. "Inferior? I am Ryomen Sukuna, the King of Curses! Feared across centuries, worshipped as a god! You dare-"
"I dare because I have seen what you could become," Emperor Mark interrupted. "And it is greater than anything you currently are."
The dismissal struck Yukuna like a physical blow, his pride wounded more deeply than any attack. "Then let me show you the full extent of what I am," he snarled, his composure cracking under the weight of his wounded ego.
The air around them began to shift, reality itself seeming to warp as Yukuna initiated his Domain Expansion. Black lines spread outward from his position, beginning to form the boundary of his territory.
Emperor Mark, observing the strange phenomenon, immediately recognized it as a threat. Though he didn't understand the nature of Domain Expansion, his tactical instincts warned him that allowing the technique to complete would be disastrous.
Without hesitation, he charged forward at his maximum speed, aiming to disrupt whatever process was occurring. As the black lines began to solidify into a barrier, Emperor Mark reached its edge and struck with all his might.
The partially formed domain shuddered under the impact, cracks spreading across its surface like spiderwebs. Yukuna grimaced, pouring more cursed energy into maintaining the technique, but the Emperor's assault was relentless.
With a sound like shattering glass magnified a thousandfold, the domain collapsed, the backlash of cursed energy washing over both combatants in a wave of destructive force.
Emperor Mark emerged unscathed, his cellular structure adapting instantly to neutralize any damage. Yukuna was less fortunate - the failure of his Domain Expansion had temporarily disrupted his control over Infinity, leaving him vulnerable.
In that moment of weakness, Emperor Mark struck. His movement was too fast for even Yukuna's enhanced perception to track, appearing beside the cursed spirit and delivering a devastating blow to his midsection.
The impact sent Yukuna crashing through what remained of the Grayson home and into the street beyond, his body carving a trench in the asphalt as he skidded to a stop nearly a hundred yards away.
Emperor Mark followed at a measured pace, his expression calm as he approached his fallen opponent. "Your abilities are impressive," he acknowledged. "But ultimately insufficient."
To his surprise, Yukuna began to laugh - a cold, amused sound that seemed at odds with his current condition. "You think this is victory?" he asked, rising to his feet with unnatural grace despite his injuries. "This is merely... education."
Before Emperor Mark could respond, Yukuna unleashed a new technique - The World Cleaving Dismantle.
The invisible cutting force expanded outward in a perfect circle, slicing through everything in its path.
Emperor Mark attempted to evade, but the technique's range was too wide, its speed too great. The cutting force passed through him, cleaving his body in half at the waist.
For a moment, the Emperor looked almost surprised as his upper body separated from his lower half, both parts falling to the ground with a heavy thud. Blood pooled beneath him, spreading across the cracked asphalt in a widening circle.
Yukuna approached cautiously, maintaining Infinity around himself as he studied his handiwork. "Not so invincible after all," he observed, satisfaction evident in his voice.
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His triumph was short-lived.
Emperor Mark's eyes snapped open, blazing with determination rather than pain or fear. With shocking coordination, his upper body reached out, grabbing his severed lower half and pulling it toward him.
As the two halves made contact, something extraordinary happened - the flesh began to knit together, cells reconnecting, organs repairing, bone fusing with bone. Within seconds, the Emperor was whole again, rising to his feet as if nothing had happened.
"An interesting experience," he commented, brushing dust from his costume with casual nonchalance. "I've been bisected before, but rarely so cleanly."
Yukuna's eyes narrowed, reassessing his opponent with new caution. "Your regenerative capabilities are... unexpected."
"My cellular structure responds to my will," Emperor Mark explained, flexing his fingers as if testing that everything was in working order. "Any damage can be repaired."
He smiled - a cold, predatory expression. "Now, shall we continue this pointless exercise? Or do you concede that you are, as I said, merely a shadow of what I seek?"
Yukuna's pride warred with his pragmatism. This opponent's physical capabilities and regenerative powers exceeded his expectations, making conventional attacks ineffective.
A successful Domain Expansion might work, but the Emperor had already demonstrated his ability to disrupt the technique before completion.
The realization that he might not be able to defeat this being in direct combat stung Yukuna's pride, but he was nothing if not practical.
If he couldn't win through force, perhaps there were other ways to achieve his goals.
As Emperor Mark advanced, preparing to continue their battle,
Yukuna suddenly activated a complex pattern of cursed energy that he had been subtly weaving throughout their confrontation - not too different from what Kenjaku many times does.
The air behind him shimmered and tore, creating a dimensional rift.
Emperor Mark sensed the shift in energy and reacted instantly, his expression darkening with rage. "Fleeing already?" he snarled, lunging forward with impossible speed.
But Yukuna was already moving, stepping backward into the dimensional tear he had prepared as a contingency.
"Another time, Emperor," he called, his voice fading as the rift began to close. "When the odds are more... favorable."
Emperor Mark's fist struck the space where Yukuna had been a millisecond earlier, encountering nothing but empty air as the dimensional tear sealed itself with a sound like tearing fabric.
For a moment, the Emperor stood motionless, his rage a palpable force that cracked the ground beneath his feet. Then, with deliberate control, he reined in his anger, his expression settling into cold calculation.
"A strategic retreat," he observed to the empty air. "Wise, if cowardly. You recognized your inferiority and fled rather than face certain defeat."
He surveyed the devastated landscape - the ruined home, the cratered street, the evidence of their brief but intense battle.
Despite Yukuna's escape, Emperor Mark had achieved a victory of sorts. He had confirmed his superiority over this lesser version, this shadow of the being he truly sought.
And sunset was still hours away. Time enough to plan his next move.
With casual grace, Emperor Mark rose into the air, flying to the top of a nearby hill that overlooked the city.
There, amid the ruins of what had once been a small observation point for tourists, he seated himself on a broken slab of concrete.
One arm rested on his knee, the other leg dangling over the edge of the hill, his cape billowing behind him in the wind.
From this vantage point, he could see the sprawling cityscape below, including the distant shape of what must be the Global Defense Agency headquarters. The chance Megumi was there was slim.
He could charge there, but in the end decided against it. Him letting the others do the searching was merely an excuse, more of a psychological pressure, for in fact, he wanted Megumi to come to him himself.
It is why he remained in place after all.
The Megumi he had known would have appreciated such methodical planning - strategy over brute force, precision over chaos.
"Soon," Emperor Mark murmured, his voice carrying the absolute certainty of someone unaccustomed to failure. "Soon we will be reunited, old friend. And this world, like so many others, will bend to our will."
As the sun began its slow descent toward the horizon, the Emperor remained motionless on his makeshift throne, a solitary figure silhouetted against the darkening sky. Waiting. Planning. Certain of his eventual victory.
The hunt for Sukuna would resume at sunset if he didn't come himself. And this time, nothing would stand in his way.
In the GDA monitoring room, both versions of Cecil watched the empty ruins where Emperor Mark and Yukuna had been moments before
. The sudden disappearance of both beings from their surveillance feed left them momentarily confused.
"What just happened?" original Cecil demanded, adjusting controls to scan for any trace of the combatants.
A technician pointed to a secondary monitor. "Sir, we've located one of them. The Emperor. He's taken position on Observatory Hill, approximately three miles from the Grayson residence."
The monitor shifted to show Emperor Mark seated amid the ruins of the hill's observation point, his imposing figure unmistakable even from a distance.
"And the other one? The Sukuna variant?" altered Cecil asked.
"No sign, sir," the technician replied. "One moment he was there, the next... nothing. Our sensors detected a brief energy spike consistent with dimensional distortion, but we couldn't track it."
The two Cecils exchanged concerned glances.
"He's planning something," original Cecil stated grimly. "Sitting there like a predator surveying his hunting ground."
"We need to warn Sukuna immediately of what happened in the fight," his counterpart agreed. "And prepare for what comes at sunset."
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(Author note: See, I wouldn't leave you guys hanging like that. I knew not many of you would like a Chapter without either Sukuna or one of the Marks.
So, here. Hope you liked the fight - and yeah, Emperor Mark is immensily OP.
Especially that smart atom control - I found it fitting, and I believe its something even in the comics, otherwise why wouldn't Eve just manipulate Thragg's molecular structure and blow him up like a blood balloon?
Though Emperor Mark's is on a whole other level - The Invincible Emperor, indeed.
So yeah, I hope to see you all later,
Bye!)