Curse Reply: After choosing Nawa, the cursed spirit cursed me for being cruel.

……

The following day, after enjoying a full day of sunshine, seawater, and dessert feasting, the three took an evening flight back to Tokyo.

Upon returning to the vocational college, the three were not greeted by a serious lecture from Moth Lord or new training arrangements, but by an empty campus and a short message posted on the dormitory building.

Teacher Moth has an urgent mission to attend to and his return date is uncertain. The training plan has been sent to everyone's email addresses. Please make your own arrangements and do not slack off. The details of the sister school exchange meeting will be discussed after he returns.

The signature at the end was that of Yae Masakado, in a very formal and neat manner.

"Eh~ Did Teacher Moth run away?"

Gojo Satoru clutched the note, pursed his lips, but his eyes clearly gleamed with the light of freedom.

So, in the days leading up to Teacher Moth's return, the following scene unfolded at the college: three first-level sorcerers began a rather... leisurely campus life.

There are no fixed courses, and no surprise inspections.

They often went to the training ground, but it was mostly casual sparring between the three of them. Duanmu Yan became familiar with the speed of the Tuona Duo Armor and continued to hone Nawa's strength.

Gojo Satoru and Natsume Yuuki treated him as an excellent test subject for new moves and a stress-relief booster, coming up with all sorts of strange tactics and combinations, euphemistically called: helping him quickly adapt to high-intensity combat.

Of course, the biggest form of entertainment outside of training is eating.

In the words of Satoru Gojo: "With such a high level of exertion from training, of course we need to replenish our energy properly!"

As the eldest son of the Gojo family, he was never short of money.

As a result, the three of them frequented various upscale restaurants, hidden private eateries, and even top-tier restaurants that required reservations months in advance throughout Tokyo, and today was no exception.

Evening, in a bustling commercial district of Tokyo.

Duanmu Yan silently followed half a step behind Gojo Satoru and Natsumi Yuki, his gaze complex as he looked at the backs of the two people in front of him, and unconsciously increased the distance between them.

These two people... their walking posture is so conspicuous!

Wu Tiao Wu, walking in front, had striking white hair under the neon lights. He didn't walk, he swayed, naturally exuding an arrogant aura, attracting 300% attention wherever he went.

What about Xia Youjie next to him? Unlike Gojo Satoru, who stood tall and proud, he lowered his head slightly, his signature bangs swaying gently in the evening breeze. His hands were in his pockets, but his posture was more relaxed, even a bit... lazy and roguish. He looked exactly like a villainous boss who had stepped out of a delinquent comic, and he was equally eye-catching.

One wears arrogance on his face, the other has his bad habits etched into his demeanor.

Duanmu Yan looked down at himself. He was wearing an ordinary college uniform and had a normal walking posture. So he silently moved a small half step to the side.

If I get close to these two people, won't I be mistaken for someone else by the stares of passersby? Won't they think I'm an accomplice?

No, more importantly, the way these two walk... doesn't it look like they're the kind of people who might be stopped by a righteous passerby at any moment to check their student IDs?

Forty years ago, this would have been a classic example of a street thug, the kind of person who would be reported by concerned citizens just for walking down the street.

"Hey, Duanmu, what are you dawdling for? That buffet is just ahead!" Gojo Satoru turned around and waved at him.

"They're here." Duanmu Yan sighed and quickened his pace to catch up.

Oh well, we'll lose face together anyway.

Moreover... he was really looking forward to that luxurious buffet restaurant, famous for its top-quality Wagyu beef and unlimited seafood.

Inside the restaurant, the environment was elegant and the ingredients were plentiful. Wu Tiao Wu had already returned to his seat with a mountain of plates, Xia Youjie had also taken a lot of food and was eating slowly, while Duanmu Yan was focused on the sizzling grilled Wagyu beef in front of him.

After a satisfying meal, the conversation gradually shifted from reviewing a practice match from earlier in the day to more practical issues.

Duanmu Yan put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth, looked at the two people opposite him, and his expression became serious: "Wu, Jie, there is something I would like to ask you."

"Huh? What is it?" Gojo Satoru was working on a Mont Blanc when he heard this and looked up.

“It’s about Black Flash,” Duanmu Yan said.

Chapter 37 Practice Black Flash

"About Black Flash?" Xia Youjie looked over.

"Black Flash?" Gojo Satoru raised an eyebrow. "You want to learn that?"

"Hmm." Duanmu Yan nodded. "Recently, during sparring, I feel like I've hit a bottleneck. Also, although my current attack method is quite powerful, I always feel like it's missing something that can break the deadlock."

The compatibility improvement between Hena and Tana has slowed down, and it's becoming increasingly difficult to improve solely through battles with Gojo Satoru and Natsume.

He needs to face immense pressure, but right now, apart from the top-tier fighters, no one can put pressure on him anymore.

However, top-tier fighters are hard to find, so we have to find another way to improve our combat strength.

He paused for a moment, then continued, "I've looked up information and read the notes left by Teacher Nightmoth. Black Flash is the ultimate resonance between curse power and strike, creating spatial distortion that can theoretically increase the power of a strike to the 2.5th power."

"If I can master it, not only will my attack power leap forward, but it will also be of great benefit to my understanding of my own spell power, precise control, and even future breakthroughs."

What he didn't say was that, in the original work's memory, Black Flash was practically Itajit's signature weapon against opponents of higher levels in the early stages. Combined with the already formidable power base of the Nava Armor, once mastered, its power was simply unimaginable.

What if you encounter a situation you can't overcome in the future? First, ask the coin toss for a favorable outcome. If it's a favorable one, you might not need to bother finding weaknesses; just charge up your Black Flash and go all out!

Simple, direct, and effective!

Xia Youjie pondered: "Indeed, Black Flash is a product of mastering spell power to a certain level. It is not only a killing move, but also a benchmark for testing and improving control level. With your current total amount of spell power and control foundation, it is possible for you to reach it."

Gojo Satoru swallowed the last bite of his dessert, licked his spoon, and looked at Duanmu Yan with bright blue eyes: "Wow, quite ambitious, Duanmu! Want to learn Black Flash? Sure! That thing, to put it simply, is about making the flow of magical power and physical attacks reach 100% or even more than 100% synchronization and output efficiency at a certain moment. Sounds simple, but doing it..."

He grinned. "It's not just about hard work; you need a bit of a feel for it, and... the willingness to get beaten up?"

"The awareness to get beaten up?" Duanmu Yan was taken aback.

“Of course!” Gojo Satoru said matter-of-factly, “Black Flash is essentially the ultimate compression and explosion of the use of cursed power, and conventional training has limited effect.”

"The best way is to constantly push yourself in high-intensity combat, squeezing your spell power to the limit in order to capture that fleeting moment. That's how Jay and I figured it out back then."

Xia Youjie nodded and added, "Moreover, everyone's experience of triggering Black Flash may be different. You need to experience it for yourself. We can provide pressure and guidance, but ultimately, you have to take that step yourself."

Duanmu Yan understood; they were going to use him as a punching bag to hone his black flash through intense combat.

It sounds painful, but... it really is the fastest way.

He possesses the combat talent bestowed by the system, the potential of General Duanmu, and the two best sparring partners before him.

“I understand.” Duanmu Yan’s eyes hardened. “I’m not afraid of getting beaten up. As long as I can become stronger.”

"That's ambitious!" Gojo Satoru slammed his hand on the table, beaming with excitement. "Then it's settled! Tomorrow at the training ground! Gon and I will give you a good lesson! We'll make sure you experience what it means to 'use your curse power to its fullest potential'! Right, Gon?"

Xia Youjie smiled and nodded, looking at Duanmu Yan: "Although the process may be a bit... tough, we will handle it with care. Duanmu, we look forward to your performance."

"Yes!" Duanmu Yan nodded emphatically, his fighting spirit ignited.

If he can master Black Flash, his strength will be greatly enhanced.

……

The following day, early morning, at the training ground of the vocational college.

The sunlight had just dispelled the thin mist, and the air still carried the coolness of the night dew, but the atmosphere on the training field was already as taut as a bowstring.

Duanmu Yan stood in the center of the field, already dressed in training clothes for easy movement. His expression was calm, and his gaze was focused. Opposite him, Gojo Satoru and Natsumi Yujie stood side by side, one with a playful smile on his lips, the other with a gentle expression but sharp eyes.

"Alright, let's begin the special training~" Gojo Satoru clapped his hands, breaking the silence. "First, let's review the basics. You should have looked up what Black Flash is, Duanmu."

"The miracle of synchronizing the power of the spell with the strike allows the output efficiency, which is usually only 80% or 90%, to break through 100% or even higher at a certain moment, causing spatial distortion and exponential growth in power. The principle sounds simple, right?"

Duanmu Yan nodded.

"Simple my foot." Gojo Satoru changed the subject. "This thing can't be taught, it can only be learned through experience. Or rather, it can be learned through experience. An ordinary sorcerer might never even get close to it in their entire life, and even if they do, whether they can use it next time is another matter."

"It requires extreme concentration, absolute control over every flow of body and magical power, and the ruthlessness to force these two together under pressure."

Xia Youjie continued, "So today's training has no fixed routine. We will attack you, pressure you, and interfere with you in various ways. You only need to do two things..."

"First, survive the attack; second, in the gaps between defense or counterattack, try to synchronize your magical power with every movement of your fists and feet."

"Don't think about black flashes. Think about how to make your every block more powerful, your every dodge more swift, and your every counterattack more lethal. When your spell power flows naturally to catch up with or even surpass your movements, that moment may appear."

"Of course, it's also possible that we'll beat you so badly you won't be able to get up and won't be able to touch me even once," Gojou Satoru added with a grin, cracking his knuckles. "Ready, Duanmu-kun?"

"Anytime is fine." Duanmu Yan took a deep breath, his internal magical power began to flow smoothly, and he focused his mind highly.

He did not summon the armor. Black Flash is the ultimate resonance between magical power and physical body. Using the armor might actually create a barrier.

"Then..." Gojo Satoru's figure blurred. His figure appeared to Duanmu Yan's left like a ghost, and a seemingly casual but fast side kick that left an afterimage swept straight at Duanmu Yan's waist and ribs!

"here we go!"

So fast!

Duanmu Yan's pupils contracted slightly, and he lowered his left arm to block, while simultaneously channeling his magical power into his arm.

Duanmu Yan felt a numbness in his arm, and was pulled two steps to the right by the enormous force.

Almost as soon as he lost his balance, Xia Youjie followed up and punched him in the chest.

Duanmu Yan's hair stood on end. He didn't have time to get away, so he could only cross his arms to block the attack, and was knocked back two steps.

The attacks came one after another without stopping.

Wu Tiao Wu and Xia Youjie's punches and kicks were like a storm, with varied angles and astonishing power. He forced Duanmu Yan to be flustered by using only physical techniques.

Duanmu Yan focused all his attention on dealing with the attacks coming from both directions.

He parried, dodged, rolled, and occasionally seized an opening to counterattack, but all his attacks were easily neutralized.

His magical power was constantly mobilized with his movements, covering his fists, feet, and body, used for defense, acceleration, and enhancing strength.

But no, that's far from enough.

Chapter 38 The Crisis of the Night Moth

Duanmu Yan could sense that there was always an invisible barrier between his spell power output and his actions.

The power of the spell is like a tail trailing behind the action, or smoke that dissipates prematurely, unable to be perfectly synchronized.

Often, his fist has already been thrown before the spell power hastily follows; or when he blocks, the spell power has already condensed, but it disperses at the moment of contact due to uneven force.

"Too scattered! Duanmu!" Gojou Satoru punched Duanmu Yan's crossed arms, leaving his defenses wide open. Instead of pursuing, he shouted, "Your spell power is like sprinkling sesame salt! It's everywhere, but nowhere is it strong enough! Concentrate! Imagine your spell power isn't clothing, but another layer of skin! It's the muscle fibers themselves!"

Xia Youjie delivered a powerful downward kick in mid-air, forcing Duanmu Yan to retreat hastily. At the same time, he pointed out: "Breathing, rhythm, your movements and the flow of your incantation energy are out of sync. Try inhaling and gathering power before exerting force, holding your breath and exploding at the moment of contact, and exhaling when retracting, so that the incantation energy follows the rhythm of your breathing!"

Duanmu Yan gritted his teeth, memorized these key points, and faced the challenge once again.

The training turned into a one-sided suppression and struggle. Sweat quickly soaked through Duanmu Yan's training clothes, and bruises and abrasions began to appear on his body.

Wu Tiao Wu and Xia Youjie constantly pushed and honed him, forcing him to the limits of his physical and mental strength.