Chapter 15: Direction is More Important Than Effort

"Thank you, Yukinoshita! And Hikki too!"

After successfully making tasty cookies, Yuigahama was clearly in high spirits.

"I'll try again at home and bring a thank-you gift tomorrow!"

After helping clean up the home economics room, the girl with the bun hairstyle left the Service Club, satisfied.

"With that, Yuigahama's request is complete. I'll head home now."

Taking advantage of Hayashizaki's absence, Hikigaya Hachiman grabbed his bag and tried to sneak away.

"Hey, where do you think you're going, Hikigaya?"

A deep, magnetic voice sounded behind him.

His hand, ready to open the door, froze.

He turned his head stiffly like a robot, his mouth twitching, eyes wandering, and a ghostly smile on his face.

"I want to pick up my sister Komachi from school."

"No problem, as long as you can control curse energy like Yukinoshita, you can go,"

Hayashizaki said with a smile.

"Come on, Yukinoshita, show Hikigaya how it's done!"

"Please don't say it like that."

Yukinoshita Yukino sighed helplessly. Then Hikigaya Hachiman saw blue flame-like curse energy rise around her. Unlike him, who could only cover his fist with curse energy, Yukinoshita Yukino was completely enveloped in it.

"Really..."

Hikigaya Hachiman's pupils shrank, and he looked incredulous.

Yesterday, Yukinoshita couldn't even activate magic power, and now she can do this in just one night? Could her embarrassing past be worse than mine?

"I feel like you're thinking something rude,"

Yukinoshita Yukino's eyes turned cold, and Hikigaya Hachiman shivered under her gaze.

"No, I'm just surprised at how fast you've improved,"

he quickly flattered her, but then his face fell again.

Yukinoshita could already cover her whole body with magic power, while he could only cover one fist despite enduring the attacks of his embarrassing past.

What kind of embarrassing past could achieve this level?

Although Hikigaya Hachiman's flattery made Yukinoshita Yukino's expression soften a bit, she didn't want to take credit for Hayashizaki's help, so she said slowly,

"Actually, Hayashizaki-kun helped me control magic power last night. I didn't do it alone. If you really have something to do, you can leave."

Hikigaya suddenly understood. So, Hayashizaki gave her special training. That explains it.

But seriously, Yukinoshita is too honest. She even admits to getting special training?

"Well, I'm not the kind of irresponsible teacher who favors students,"

Hayashizaki said.

"Judging by your magic power, have you been replaying your embarrassing past in your mind to activate it?"

"Huh? Isn't that how it's done?"

Hikigaya Hachiman was stunned.

"Of course not."

Hayashizaki laughed loudly, not expecting his reminder to make Hikigaya Hachiman feel strangely bored.

"The correct way is to trigger magic power from small daily emotions."

Ugh!

The dead fish-eyed boy couldn't help but clutch his chest and take two steps back. He felt like an arrow had pierced his heart out of nowhere.

I tore open the scars of my memory, embraced the unspeakable past, rolled around in bed in embarrassment until I fell off, and now you're telling me that the secondary damage from my embarrassing past was unnecessary?

If this had happened to middle school Hikigaya Hachiman, he would have definitely turned dark. They say turning dark makes you three times stronger. I wonder if this applies to sorcerers.

But now he felt extremely relieved—it's great that he doesn't have to rely on negative emotions from his embarrassing past to activate magic power!

With this, even Hikigaya Hachiman, who always had a negative attitude towards life-and-death battles, could muster some motivation.

"Also, your way of controlling magic power is wrong."

Entering teaching mode, Hayashizaki instinctively took over Yukinoshita Yukino's right hand and pointed at Hikigaya Hachiman, earning a glare from the girl.

"The extracted magic power is stored in the abdomen, but you let it flow through your body and end up in your fist to strengthen your attack."

"But this method is wrong. It makes the magic power flow less smoothly in various attacks, and the single, obvious flow of magic power makes it easy for others to predict your attacks."

"...Did I really control curse energy that much?"

Hikigaya Hachiman felt a bit embarrassed. He had just instinctively gathered the curse energy in his fist.

"Letting the curse energy flow is correct, but it shouldn't just follow a single path for attacks. It should circulate throughout your body like blood. Understand?"

"Maybe."

Hikigaya scratched his cheek, unsure. Even if he understood what Hayashizaki said, it didn't mean he could do it. Curse energy sounded too mysterious.

"Since I can possess Yukinoshita, I can use her body to show her how to control curse energy properly. But with you, I can't do that. You'll have to practice and master it yourself,"

Hayashizaki said regretfully. If he could possess anyone, things would be much more interesting.

"It's fine. I'll practice on my own. No need to trouble yourself, Hayashizaki..."

Hikigaya Hachiman quickly said, afraid Hayashizaki might actually possess him.

He had no interest in sharing a body with someone else!

"Alright, go home if you have nothing else. Remember to start training your body. While curse energy can enhance your physical abilities, a strong body will truly raise your limits."

"Oh, I got it."

Hikigaya Hachiman was a bit surprised but nodded obediently.

 Hayashizaki was letting him go so easily?

As if reading his thoughts, Hayashizaki smiled slightly.

"I'll give you a break today. Tomorrow, we'll start real combat."

The boy with dead fish eyes froze, then nodded and left.

You can escape for a while, but not forever. What must come will come.

Hikigaya Hachiman pushed his bike towards the school gate, sighing inwardly.

He wondered if the real combat Hayashizaki mentioned meant fighting those monsters called curses or sparring with Yukinoshita Yukino.

Hikigaya Hachiman hoped it was the latter. He wasn't ready to fight those ugly monsters yet.

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