JJK: Hourglass - CH7

[Nanashi POV.]

Curse Energy.

Negative emotions such as grief and anger are the fundamental bases for cursed energy. These emotions exist to some degree within most humans and as a result, the vast majority of people possess cursed energy. If this amount is higher than a certain degree, it grants the person the ability to see cursed spirits and the ability to use curse energy.

However, to use curse energy one has to learn how to control it. 

The ability to control the flow of one's cursed energy and channel it to carry out certain functions; is the foundation for all jujutsu and the first step towards becoming a jujutsu sorcerer, but this easier said than done. Control over cursed energy requires innate skill and vigorous training.

Proper control over one's emotions is key to channeling cursed energy, this makes it so sorcerers don't waste their power supply even while they're overcome with emotion, like rage, hatred and such. The blindfolded moron, as Maki eloquently calls him, compares cursed energy to electricity: due to its’s volatile in nature and difficulty to use in its rawest form. So, while raw cursed energy can be used for its blunt force, it's best used by sorcerers to power their techniques in the same way electricity is best used to fuel electronics.

Curse Techniques were an entirely different matter, seeing as there was no such thing as the correct training or teaching method for them. It really came down to what type of curse technique you had, Innate or Inherited. Don’t be confused by the two categories, according to the blindfolded moron, the two were the same, both types at its core were Innate Curse Techniques, the difference is that the other was basically breed in order to create a line.  

Inherited Techniques, are innate techniques passed down to sorcerers in the same bloodline via selective breeding. Those with these techniques have the advantage of being equipped with a manual on how to use them. However, this is a double edged sword, seeing as passing down a technique through generations also presents the issue of other groups learning how the ability works, along with its shortcomings.

Innate Techniques on the other hand, are more than not, unique abilities engraved into the user's body, Gojo refers to them as something similar to a computer program that starts to code itself the moment continually carving its formula into the user over time.

This was the sum total of what I had learned so far, in my time here. And by learn, I mean I took a book from the library seeing our supposed teacher took everything as a game. Today was my tenth day here, and beyond theory… boring theory, I had yet to learn how to use curse energy, but not all was a lost cause, because despite my lack of progress, I feel I was heading in the right direction. 

I could feel curse energy. Which by the way, explained why I was so apprehensive around Yuta, and… the thing that followed him inside his shadow. Gojo said he was cursed by his childhood friend, who in turn, turned into a powerful curse, named Rika. 

I had yet to see Rika myself, but I had come to the conclusion she was the reason I felt how I felt around Yuta.

"Hey, are you coming?" Maki called, poking her head around the corner of the hallway where I sat, buried in my thick book of curse theories. She was dressed in her typical fighting gear, a sign that she was heading to the training grounds. 

I glanced at the clock on the wall. "Sure," I said, setting my notes aside and rising.

I had to be honest, I had no idea why they kept inviting me to train, not so sound ungrateful or anything, I actually enjoyed the exercise, as humiliating as it was, but they had nothing to gain, I didn’t bring anything to the table during training. From Maki to Panda, everyone would and had kicked my ass during sparing.

I can’t imagine winning without the slightest form of effort to be beneficial for anyone looking to improve.

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[Satoru Gojo - POV]

As I casually strolled around the Jujutsu High grounds, a familiar scene caught my eye, a training session in progress. There was Nanashi, going toe-to-toe with Maki Zenin. Well, "toe-to-toe" might be a bit generous. It was more like Maki was giving Nanashi a rather comprehensive tour of the training grounds with his body. Despite the one-sidedness of the encounter, there was something utterly captivating about watching a newcomer like Nanashi trying to hold his own against Maki, who excelled at hand to hand combat.

I leaned against a nearby tree, arms crossed, a smirk playing on my lips as I observed the show. Nanashi was getting his ass handed to him, but despite going down, over and over and over and over again, there was a fire in him that refused to give up, I liked that. Each time he hit the ground, he got back up ready for the next round.

"Hmm," I hummed to myself, a thought flickering to life in my mind. Perhaps I was tackling this situation the wrong way, which is weird because I’m awesome and I don’t make mistakes.

That being said.

Nanashi might just be the kind of person who learns best when thrown into the deep end. The kind of person who finds his true strength not in the safety of a controlled environment but in the chaos and unpredictability of a real fight. Perhaps what he needed wasn't more of the same.

He needed a life and death situation.

Happy with my decision, I pushed off from the tree, ready to set my new teaching method into motion. The thought of introducing Nanashi to a real curse, under very, very loosely controlled conditions, made a thrill of excitement course through me. There's nothing like the threat of imminent death to really kick those survival instincts, and curse energy into high gear. 

"Best. Teacher. Ever," I declared with a self-satisfied nod.

The question now was, what kind of curse should he fight? Hmmm….

Anything below Grade 2 should be relatively safe I suppose, but if the encounter its too safe, then my genius plan would be for naught. Oh well, I’ll see what I can do, maybe I can find a Grade 1 curse or two, and see how my little experiment develops. 

"Nanashi-kun~" I called out, interrupting his outstanding losing streak briefly.