douluo dalu: Dark Phoenix

Chapter 17: The Forge of Strength

The morning sun crept slowly over the horizon, bathing the edges of Star Dou Forest in a soft golden light. The events of the previous day still lingered in the Shrek Seven Devils' minds — the clash with Canghui Academy, the tension of the Man-Faced Demon Spider, and the unspoken weight of Ayanokoji's past.

But there was no time for rest.

Grandmaster stood at the edge of the camp, his sharp eyes scanning the group as they woke, stretching sore muscles and shaking off the exhaustion.

"Today," he said, voice crisp and commanding, "we begin group training."

No one complained.

They all knew — strength was the only path forward.

---

The Training Ground

The forest clearing was wide, surrounded by towering trees and thick undergrowth.

It was isolated, silent — the perfect place to train without interruption.

Grandmaster's gaze swept over them as they formed a loose circle, each of them already instinctively taking their preferred positions:

Dai Mubai, tall and imposing, the front-line powerhouse.

Zhu Zhuqing, agile and deadly, slipping into the shadows at his side.

Tang San, calm and focused, Blue Silver Grass coiling subtly around him.

Xiao Wu, her playful expression masking her lethal flexibility and close-combat mastery.

Ning Rongrong, her Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda shimmering faintly, the core support.

Oscar, quietly steady, his sausage spirit ready to keep the team standing.

And Ayanokoji… distant, unreadable, yet somehow the silent anchor of them all.

---

Grandmaster's Challenge

"Today's focus is synergy," Grandmaster announced, pacing slowly. "Individual strength means nothing if you cannot function as a unit."

His gaze hardened.

"And to that end… Ayanokoji will lead this session."

A ripple of surprise ran through the group.

Dai Mubai raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. "He hasn't even been with us that long."

Grandmaster didn't budge. "Precisely. I want to see how you adapt to different leadership styles — and how Ayanokoji handles responsibility."

Ayanokoji, as usual, showed no outward reaction.

But his golden Spirit Eyes gleamed… calculating.

---

The Formation

"Fine," Ayanokoji said quietly, stepping forward.

His gaze swept over the group, cold and precise, breaking them down not as friends… but as assets.

"We'll train in a defensive-offensive rotation," he stated, voice clipped and confident.

"Dai Mubai, you're our shield. Take point, draw fire. Zhu Zhuqing, flank left, wait for openings — do not engage until I signal."

A brief pause.

"Tang San, mid-range control. Blue Silver Grass locks down movement — but only if Oscar and Ning Rongrong stay protected behind you."

His gaze shifted.

"Xiao Wu, with me. Close combat interception. We cut down anything that breaks through."

The cold efficiency of his strategy was undeniable.

But it was the way he spoke — not with authority, but with absolute certainty — that made them listen.

---

First Trial: Attack Patterns

Grandmaster summoned several mid-level spirit beasts into the clearing — nothing lethal, but fast and aggressive.

The test was simple: hold formation.

The beasts charged, snarling and swift, but Ayanokoji's formation held.

Dai Mubai's White Tiger Barrier took the brunt of the assault, powerful and immovable.

Zhu Zhuqing flickered like a shadow, striking with surgical precision before retreating to her flank.

Tang San's Blue Silver Grass snared anything that tried to break the line, his control flawless.

Oscar and Ning Rongrong, protected in the center, kept the entire team buffed and supplied.

And Ayanokoji and Xiao Wu… were a whirlwind.

They moved like they'd fought together for years — Ayanokoji's cold precision and Xiao Wu's fluid aggression complementing each other perfectly, intercepting anything that slipped past the front line.

Within minutes, the spirit beasts lay defeated.

Grandmaster watched, expression unreadable.

---

Second Trial: The Collapse

The real test came next.

"Now… fight each other," Grandmaster ordered.

Confusion flashed across their faces.

"Full contact. No holding back. Learn each other's weaknesses."

This time, Ayanokoji hesitated — but only for a moment.

He knew what Grandmaster was doing.

And he knew… it was necessary.

---

The Breakdown

The group split into two teams:

Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong on one side.

Tang San, Xiao Wu, Oscar, and Ayanokoji on the other.

The clash was instant and fierce.

Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong were a brutal combination of raw power, speed, and support — their attacks coordinated and overwhelming.

Tang San's group, though balanced, was on the defensive from the start.

Dai Mubai's White Tiger Light Wave blasted through their formation, forcing them to scatter.

Zhu Zhuqing's stealth assaults were relentless, picking at their flanks.

Ning Rongrong's buffs made their opponents stronger, faster, harder to take down.

Ayanokoji saw it immediately:

The flaw.

---

The Turning Point

"Change formation!" Ayanokoji shouted, voice sharp.

"Xiao Wu — bait Zhu Zhuqing. Tang San — switch to offensive entanglement. Oscar, fall back completely — you're the key to endurance."

The shift was seamless.

Xiao Wu engaged Zhu Zhuqing, not to defeat her, but to occupy her — using her agility to force a stalemate.

Tang San turned aggressive, his Blue Silver Grass no longer defensive, but a suffocating net that slowed Dai Mubai's power long enough to neutralize the advantage.

And Oscar… stayed out of reach, mass-producing recovery sausages.

Slowly, methodically, the balance of the battle tipped… and then collapsed.

---

The Lesson

The fight ended with Dai Mubai pinned, Zhu Zhuqing cornered, and Ning Rongrong isolated.

Ayanokoji, standing at the center of it all, wasn't even out of breath.

Grandmaster stepped forward, nodding slowly.

"Good," he said simply. "Very good."

The Shrek Seven Devils, though exhausted, exchanged glances — not of resentment… but respect.

Ayanokoji hadn't just led them to victory.

He'd shown them… how to think like a team.

---

The Silent Strength

That night, as the group sat around the fire, sore but satisfied, something subtle had shifted.

Ayanokoji, though still distant, was no longer an outsider.

Dai Mubai, cleaning his blade, glanced over at him and smirked.

"Not bad… for a strategist."

Ayanokoji's lips twitched slightly.

The closest thing to a smile anyone had seen from him yet.