Grover's been energetic ever since Nick said he'll train him. Somehow, after our long ass run, Grover doesn't even look winded. IN fact, I'm pretty sure Grover reached the woods then circled back to get me like twice. I tried convincing Grovert to just teleport us, but he wouldn't listen. Grover said that "He doesn't want to desanctify Nick's blessing of training us," or something like that.
"Why did we have to run?!" I weakly pant.
"In order to warm up your Cursed Power," Nick answers. 'Your Cursed Power is a part of you, just like your muscles. If you don't use them for a while, they go away. But the more that you use them, the stronger they get. By warming up your bodies, we warm up your Cursed Power as well."
"Oh, makes sense!" Grover replies. It does?
"Alrighty then, let's go," Nick says as he lifts himself off from against the tree.
Nick then leads Grover and I into the center of the forest, and the three of us find ourselves in a familiar looking clearing with a large shrine in the center, the site of where my Cursed Power was awakened, and where my journey as a Pro Slayer first began. Feels nostalgic.
"Will Slayer Mezame be joining us?" I ask. Not that I trust Mezame to train me over Nick, I'm just curious.
"Maybe, I might need him in a bit," Nick answers. "But Slayer Mezame's an old man, I'd rather just let him be."
"Now then, let's begin," Nick says as he spins around and claps his hands together. "There are three main categories in a Cursed Ability user's arsenal. The first one is a Cursed Ability, which makes up over seventy percent of a Cursed Ability user's repertoire. The second one is a weapon. Weapons are tools used by Cursed Abilities user's in order to enhance their Cursed Ability or make up for their weaknesses, such as Grover's knives or Jamie's balls," Nick continues as he motions to Grover. "But then there is one final aspect of a Cursed Ability user's arsenal: Cursed Power Techniques, which make up the smallest portion of a Cursed Abilities user's arsenal. Which is what I will be teaching you three," Nick finishes.
"But if these Cursed Power Techniques make up so much of a Cursed Abilities user's arsenal, then what's the merit of learning them?" I ask.
"You dare question the wise one?!" Grover cries.
"Because while yes, Cursed Power Techniques may be but a small portion of a Cursed Ability user's arsenal, mastering Cursed Power techniques is what separates the weak from the strong," Nick explains, causing mine's and Grover's eyes to widen.
"So what are Cursed Power Techniques?" Grover asks.
"You know the Cursed Power Barrier that you used during the exams and Luis used during the Lincoln Correctional Facility missions? Where you poured your Cursed Power into your arms and legs in order to reinforce your body and strengthen your attack and defense? That's one of the five Cursed Power Techniques," Nick answers. "Cursed Power Techniques are moves performed by raw power that hasn't been cultivated into a Cursed Ability. Other than Cursed Power Barrier, we have Cursed Power Emission, Cursed Power Burst, Cursed Power Hiding, and Cursed Power Sensing."
Reminds me of the power system of a certain anime called "Nen," or a different anime called "Curse Energy."
"Sounds cool!" Grover comments.
"But, there's one more stage to weidling Cursed Power, one that I won't be able to teach you," Nick continues as he holds up a finger.
"Why can't you teach it to us?" I ask, raising an eyebrow at Nick.
"The final form of Cursed Power combat, we call it an…ability awakening of sorts," Nick explains. "And thus, it cannot be taught. Only unlocked in intense combat. One's Cursed Ability can only awaken once a Cursed Power user has mastered their ability to such a degree that their ability expands and changes, allowing the user to do what they previously could not. We call it…Rulebreaker Status."
"Woahh…" Grover marvels, with sparkles in his eyes.
"I don't get it," I snort.
"In simple terms, Rulebreaker Status basically means that you've become so proficient at using your Cursed Ability that you can bend the rules and use your ability in ways that you originally couldn't or didn't foresee."
"Are you a Rule Breaker?!" Grover excitedly asks.
"Of course!" Nick laughs. "You can't become the strongest Pro Slayer if you're not!"
"What does Rule Breaker Status allow your ability to do?" I ask.
"Slayer Mezame told you the best friend's secret and Cursed Ability analogy, didn't he?" Nick asks as he raises an eyebrow at me, prompting me to roll my eyes.
"For example-" Nick continues. "I heard that during the Lincoln Correctional facility mission, Jamie unlocked the ability to turn her body partially into rubber and partially into iron. That's an important first step for Jamie toward Rule Breaker status."
"Woah, Jamie's cool!" Grover exclaims.
"Damn, I'm that far behind, eh…?" I grumble as I cross my arms and sulk.
"Which Cursed Power Techniques are we learning first?" Grover asks.
"Hmm…" Nick replies as he places a hand to his chin, taking a moment to ponder Grover's question. "We should certainly practice Cursed Power Barrier, since it's the most useful of Cursed Power Techniques. Every high level Cursed Ability user uses it, so if you can't, you'll be at a severe disadvantage if you can't. Cursed Power Emission could be good too, especially for Luis. Hiding I can't imagine that you two will need yet, but we'll work on it. Burst is easy so I'll teach it to you real quick. Sensing is easy, but mastering it is something that'll come the more battle experience you have. So we'll start with Cursed Power Burst."
"So how do we begin?" Grover asks.
"First, you need to strip," Nick answers, causing me to raise a suspicious eyebrow at him.
"You two are new at Cursed Power Burst, and if you do it wrong, it'll tear your clothes to shreds. So take off your overshirts," Nick orders.
"Oh, that's it? I was getting some weird vibes from you for a second there…" I mutter to myself as I slip off my hoodie and toss it to the ground. Grover does the same with his green windbreaker, leaving the two of us in our tank-tops. I notice that Nick didn't strip any clothing off at all.
"Why didn't you take off your suit jacket?" I ask Nick as I point to his suit.
"Because I'm not new at Cursed Power Burst. I'm experienced," he answers. "Now, what Cursed Power Burst is, is a quick burst of Cursed Power from your body, so massive that it appears visible. Then, you quickly subside your Cursed Power back into your body, so that you don't waste any. Cursed Power Burst is mainly used as intimidation and as a taunt. Another main use of Cursed Power Burst is if you can get your opponent to use it as well, then you can gauge the power difference between you too. It can also be used to scare away wild animals. Animals have great senses, so they can sense the Cursed Power of humans and demons, while humans without Cursed Power have poor senses, so they can not. So you can't use Cursed Power Burst to intimate any old thug that you'll find on the subway."
"How do we use Cursed Power Burst?" I ask.
"So, start by summoning your inner Cursed Power. Cursed Power is a tool of imagination, whatever you imagine your Cursed Power doing, it can do. Look at Cursed Abilities. This may not apply to you, Grover, but as for Luis, he imagined his Cursed Power controlling the wind and now he has his Wind Control," Nick begins to explain. As Nick says that, a rush of powerful pale yellow Cursed Power, crackling with electricity rushes out of his body, so potent and so visible, that Grover and I can't help but stumble backwards and marvel at the sight.
"And if you can master Cursed Power Burst, you can impose your will into your Cursed Power, in order to beat your opponent without even lifting a finger by scaring them into submission. Advanced users of Burst, can even impose their will into their Cursed Power Barrier attacks," Nick then adds, as his Cursed Power subsides back into his body, not a drop going to waste. "You know when people say how "strong fighters can tell what their opponent is thinking with their fists alone?" This is what they're referring to."
"What's that mean?" I ask
"That sounds powerful, show us!" Grover exclaims.
Nick smirks. "If you insist." Nick's pale yellow Cursed Power rushes out of his body yet again, but rather than being just for show, this time, when Nick uses Cursed Power Burst, I instantly feel an intense pressure on my body, one so strong and so ominous that I'm forced to double over, gasping for breath. I slowly strain my neck over to Grover, and see that he's experiencing the same feelings. My entire body is quivering. It feels like I'm about to die. The ground around Nick even shatters from his will, as leaves and sticks around him are sent flying backwards, and the trees begin to sway.