"I always feel like, Teacher Mela, you're implying something again, aren't you?"

Faced with the blatantly provocative statement from the old lolicon, Moen's mouth twitched uncontrollably. However, what followed immediately after was him becoming deeply immersed in Teacher Mela's explanation.

Stacking power repeatedly, then releasing it all in an instant.

If ten times didn’t work, then a hundred times, a thousand times. Merely imagining it, Moen could foresee the terrifying force that could be unleashed when the stacked power reached a sufficient scale.

Moreover, if—as Teacher Mela suggested—this wasn't just a move but a technique...

"That's right. If it's a technique, then it doesn’t mean it can only be applied to Thunder."

Seeing through Moen’s doubts, Teacher Mela raised a single finger and wagged it. She wore a knowing smile, her lolicon-esque pride practically radiating from her expression.

"This is why I said it’s perfectly suited for you. Because it’s called a technique, it means it can be applied to any of your moves.

"Whether it’s your footwork or your dagger combat technique—tenfold, a hundredfold, a thousandfold—it can all be infinitely stacked so long as you’re capable of doing it."

"Infinite stacking..."

Moen's breathing grew heavy. Even just listening to Teacher Mela’s explanation, he could sense how terrifying the power of such stacking could become.

But...

"This kind of technique... is it really something my current self can achieve?"

Moen waved his fist in frustration.

Releasing power is inherently an instantaneous process.

How would one stack it up in such a fleeting moment and then release it all at once? To him, it seemed almost unfathomable.

"Could it be... can this only be achieved by relying on the time-slowing effect of the Clock of Eternity? Wait a second—"

Moen’s eyes suddenly widened as he stared at Teacher Mela.

"So earlier, you cheated, didn’t you!"

"You really think I’d need to use the Clock of Eternity to deal with a little weakling like you?"

Teacher Mela rolled her eyes in an adorably exasperated manner.

"Earlier, I achieved it purely with physical prowess and technique."

"Pure physical technique..."

"Exactly. This technique not only can be executed but can also be done without relying on the Clock of Eternity."

Teacher Mela gently hooked her finger, and the air filled with continuous, resonating hums.

"Actually, this technique is found in some rare martial arts as well. But due to its limitations and the amount of effort compared to its payoff, it’s been dismissed as a waste-of-time technique—a useless scrap.

"But you’re different. With the Clock of Eternity, this technique’s results can be magnified exponentially.

"Because the key to this technique is speed. And in some sense, the Clock of Eternity allows you to stack speed upon speed!"

"Stack speed upon speed..."

Moen swallowed hard, his throat now dry and parched, his heart surging with excitement.

After hearing Teacher Mela’s explanation, he immediately understood just how terrifying the degree of power this technique could achieve when enhanced by the Clock of Eternity.

If, in his normal state, he could only achieve the most basic twofold stacking...

Then with a tenfold time-slowing effect, he could reach twentyfold stacking.

And with the current maximum limit—a sixtyfold time-slowing effect—that would equate to a hundred and twentyfold stacking.

A hundred and twentyfold stacked power unleashed in an instant! How unimaginable would such a force be?

"So, what do you think? Want to learn it?"

Teacher Mela tilted her head slightly and asked cheerily.

"I do!"

Moen clenched both fists, his tone filled with resolve.

"Please teach me, Teacher Mela!"

"Heh heh, since my one and only silly disciple is earnestly begging me, I guess I have no choice. You think you can still stand?"

"Of course!"

Moen flipped to his feet, holding Elizabeth tightly in his hand.

Teacher Mela had already stood silently in place by then, picking up the same small toothpick she had used earlier.

"There's nothing faster for progress than real combat."

Teacher Mela smiled, her eyes gleaming with mischievous, vengeful delight. She beckoned him forward with a crooked finger.

"I’m not a petty person, so this time, I'll let you take the first move."

"..."

Recalling the previous beating he endured, Moen clenched his teeth, feeling a pang of soreness in his jaw. But he quickly adjusted his mindset, focusing his thoughts.

In his sights, there was now only Teacher Mela... and the little toothpick in her hand.

"All right... here I come!"

Taking a deep breath, Moen let his energy surge through his entire body like a tidal wave, holding nothing back.

He crouched and launched himself like a cannonball. His figure blurred into a fleeting shadow as he lunged toward Teacher Mela.

...

The time that followed was nothing short of hellish for Moen.

Although it was described as a demonstration and training session, Teacher Mela didn’t hold back in the slightest. Each move pushed Moen to his very limits. Each time, Moen could hear the anguished cries from the deepest recesses of his body.

It felt as if one more ounce of pressure would utterly shatter him.

And yet, Teacher Mela remained precisely at the threshold of his breaking point—never going over. She kept him teetering on the edge until Moen was reduced to a state of utter torment.

Still, one had to admit that this was exactly how an exceptional teacher could bring out the best in a student.

Amidst the excruciating pain, Moen could feel his progress accelerating at an incredible pace.

It was progress that even immersing himself in the Black Book for days and enduring countless deaths couldn’t achieve.

Every incorrect movement, every misapplied force, even the slightest deviation in a swing—all were harshly corrected. And the pain etched the lessons deeply into his body.

In Teacher Mela’s hands, Moen was like an uncut jade being meticulously honed, sculpted, and refined into something extraordinary, destined to shine brilliantly.

...

After several hours, Moen was thoroughly wrung dry.

Even the flames of the King of Wither within his body couldn’t spark the faintest bit of strength. Completely spent, he collapsed to the ground, only to be dragged like a dead dog into the nearby hot springs by Teacher Mela.

Though the water had cooled, it retained a faint golden hue. At this moment, Moen’s body devoured the plentiful medicinal essence within the pool like a starved beast, ravenously replenishing what he had lost.

"So, how’s it feel?"

Leaning by the poolside, a thoroughly satisfied Teacher Mela beamed as she asked, clearly pleased after her grueling session of payback.

"Does it feel like you’ve evolved?"

"Evolve? Not really. I feel more like I’m dissolving."

Reclining in the pool, Moen looked at his trembling hands and gave a bitter smile.

At last, he understood why Teacher Mela had called this technique “a waste of time” for most other warriors. The sheer effort and torment that mastering it entailed bore such painfully incremental results that the time would better be spent mastering something with broader applications—like simply punching harder.

Moreover...

"In the end, it’s about physical durability, isn’t it?"

Instantly stacking several layers of power means simultaneously placing an equivalent physical strain on the body.

Adding to that the strain caused by the time-slowing effects of the Clock of Eternity, anyone whose physical toughness wasn’t up to par might find themselves self-destructing before landing a single hit on their opponent.

So...

"It’s still not enough!"

Moen suddenly shot up, his voice thunderous.

"Let’s go again! I need more—much more!"

"Save it, kid."

Teacher Mela didn’t move, merely rolling her eyes again. "With your current state of your body, one more round and you won’t be able to get out of bed for half a month."

"Ugh..."

Moen sank back into the pool with a defeated thud.

"Alright then..."

"That said..."

Noticing Moen’s crestfallen expression, a sudden grin spread across Teacher Mela’s face.

"If you’re so eager to suffer, I can certainly oblige."

"Huh?"

Moen blinked, confused.

Before he could process her words, Teacher Mela snapped her fingers with unbridled glee.

In an instant, the surroundings changed.

He was now in the air.

And beneath him...

A serene, mirror-like lake of liquid mercury spread out below.

"Damn!"

Moen tilted his head back and shouted in fury.

"You old lolicon! Mark my words—someday, I’m going to― blurble-blurble―"

The endless sea of silver began to churn, swallowing up the raised middle finger amidst its rippling embrace.

...

"Ah, to have such a devoted disciple. I really am an incredible teacher," Teacher Mela mused, clasping her hands together as a self-satisfied smile graced her lips.

Beneath her feet, Moen’s angry howls drifted upward.

At that, her expression shifted, turning earnest and grave.

"Techniques and skills are inconsequential trivialities. With that reckless streak of his, the kid will likely master them in no time.

"The real issue is..."

With her tiny hands clasped behind her back, Teacher Mela paced through the Sea of Flowers, her brows furrowing.

"Transcending death, converting it into life... Is merely a partial conversion of death to life truly such a monumental challenge?"

Suddenly, her eyebrows shot up as she turned her gaze to one side.

The surrounding space warped, and the voice of Professor Pulan resonated from within it.

"Mentor MelaDormir, Here is a letter for you."

"Letter? From whom?"

"It’s…"

Professor Pulan hesitated momentarily.

"...from His Holiness, the Pontiff of the Church of Life."