The spirit realm trembled faintly, its eternal silence disturbed. Within a vast temple carved from obsidian and etched with flowing celestial inscriptions, seven immortals gathered. Their forms burned with an aura not of flesh, but of spirit — timeless, unyielding, and radiant. Around them, ethereal blue flames climbed the pillars, casting shadows that seemed alive.
Each immortal carried an overwhelming presence, yet their voices echoed with restraint, as though aware that their words shaped not only decisions, but fate itself.
Immortal Ba broke the silence first, his beard flowing like rippling starlight. His eyes narrowed, reflecting the eternal flame of the chamber.
Ba: "Have the defenses of the spirit realm truly weakened this much?"
The others stirred, their gazes heavy.
Immortal Li, thin as a reed but sharp as a blade, leaned forward, his tone edged with suspicion.
Li: "I was about to ask the same. To think… five mortal souls infiltrated our realm without a whisper upon the winds. How did we not sense them?"
Immortal Xi, whose golden crown of flame flickered against the shadows, clenched his fist. His voice carried the weight of command.
Xi: "Were it not for their bodies lingering faintly at the spirit portal's edge, we would remain blind even now. Imagine it — mortals moving in our domain, unseen."
Immortal Bu, the youngest in appearance, though ancient as the stars, tapped his staff against the temple floor. Sparks of light scattered like constellations.
Bu: "So what do you suggest we do? We cannot simply let them wander."
Immortal Xo, whose scarred visage marked countless wars long past, rose from his seat. His aura crackled like thunder.
Xo: "I suggest we drag them here. Bind them. Interrogate them. If they bear ill intent, we cannot allow them to step further."
Immortal Pi, calm and serene as still water, shook his head slowly.
Pi: "Do not be so hasty. They may not even be enemies. Reckless action could sow more chaos than peace."
Immortal Za, veiled in a cloak of silver mist, finally spoke, her voice like a whisper threading through the chamber.
Za: "Regardless… they came without consent. That is against the conduct of the spirit realm. Innocent or not, transgression cannot go unjudged."
Immortal Bu raised his staff once more, his decision already made.
Bu: "The spirit warriors are already dispatched. Even as we speak, they hunt these intruders."
The temple's flames roared higher as silence returned. The seven immortals looked into the burning blue around them, none willing to say aloud the thought lingering in their minds — if mortals could reach this deep into the spirit realm… then perhaps the balance of eternity itself was shifting.
The cave was drenched in starlight, its walls gleaming with veins of crystal that shimmered like fragments of the cosmos. Yet the beauty of the cavern was drowned beneath an oppressive force — a crushing weight that bore down on every breath, every heartbeat.
It was as if the heavens themselves pressed upon their shoulders, demanding their collapse.
Zenith, Lithos, Hinazuki, Oborozuka, and Yatsurugi stood frozen beneath the suffocating aura. Their knees trembled. Their lungs strained. Their souls screamed.
At the center of it all stood a figure draped in shadows and light — Hoshigami. His presence warped the air, bending it to his will. In his hand, a tome bound with black iron slammed shut, the sound echoing like thunder.
His gaze, sharper than any blade, pinned them where they stood.
Hoshigami: "Why… are you still standing there? Leave. Now."
His voice wasn't loud, but it resounded through their bones, carrying authority beyond mortality.
Zenith staggered forward, his katana trembling in his grip, not from weakness, but from the unbearable weight of defiance. His voice broke through the crushing silence.
Zenith: "…We… can't! You have to help us."
Hoshigami's expression darkened, his brows furrowed in disdain.
Hoshigami: "Insolence." His tone dripped with venom. "I detest your very presence here… and yet… you demand my aid?"
His hand flicked — faster than sight. A sphere of dark, pulsating energy ignited in his palm and launched toward them.
Oborozuka reacted instantly, mirrors of glass-like Flow forming around them.
Oborozuka: "Mirror—reflect!"
The orb struck.
The mirror cracked. Shattered.
The explosion ripped through the cavern, dust and flame engulfing the disciples. The shockwave hurled them back, their bodies slamming against the star-carved walls.
For a heartbeat, silence.
Then — light. A shimmering azure barrier glowed around them, runes etched upon its surface. At its center stood Lithos, sweat beading on his brow, talismans burning between his fingers.
Lithos: "Seiryu… SEISHIN SŌSEI!"
Blue flames surged around him as his form shifted. His eyes glowed with ethereal radiance, his body becoming a vessel of the spirit realm's Flow. The transformation tore through the cave with divine presence.
Oborozuka's eyes widened, his voice trembling.
Oborozuka: "H-how…? That casual strike… it bypassed my mirror entirely…"
Hoshigami's gaze never wavered. His expression, bored. Almost disappointed.
Hoshigami: "…Pathetic."
The disciples exchanged a glance. No more hesitation. They surged forward as one.
Zenith was the first. His katana gleamed with a golden arc as he roared.
Zenith: "Fourth Flow: Zero Cut!"
A crescent slash of blinding energy carved toward Hoshigami. He shifted a single step, the blade's light grazing harmlessly past him.
But Zenith was already moving again, his grip shifting, his stance firm. His voice cracked through the chaos.
Zenith: "Tensei… Ryūkōzan!"
The air itself split as his blade unleashed a torrent of golden energy, a radiant dragon's fang surging toward Hoshigami.
With a flick of his finger.
Flick.
The attack scattered like dust. Zenith's eyes widened in disbelief.
Zenith (thinking): What…? He brushed it aside—like nothing.
Hinazuki stepped in, weaving talismans through his fingers. A mist spread, thick and binding, wrapping around Hoshigami like chains.
Hinazuki: "Bind Seal: Mist Cage!"
For a moment, it seemed to hold. But Hoshigami simply raised his arm. The talismans snapped, torn apart like fragile paper.
Hinazuki: "…No…"
Lithos roared, pulling forth twin talismans — one black, one white.
Lithos: "Yin and Yang Talisman — Elemental Barrage!"
Portals tore open in the air, spitting fire, ice, lightning, and stone in an endless cascade upon Hoshigami. The cave roared with elemental fury, colors of destruction weaving into a storm.
Still…
Hoshigami stood unmoving, arms folded, his expression calm. The elements tore into him as though striking a mountain — unyielding, untouched.
Oborozuka's teeth clenched. He raised his hands, mirrors forming once again.
Oborozuka: "Tenfold Reflection!"
Dozens of mirrors aligned, multiplying Lithos' barrage tenfold. The storm of destruction swelled, swallowing the cavern in brilliance.
The roar lasted for heartbeats. For eternity. Until silence returned.
And there — untouched, unscathed — stood Hoshigami. Not a scratch marred his form.
Lithos: "…M-monster…"
Yatsurugi screamed, his hands summoning a flock of black crows, wings of fire and shadow bursting forth.
Yatsurugi: "Oni Murder Flock!"
The crows descended, shrieking death.
They never reached.
One step from Hoshigami, they evaporated, their forms torn apart by the sheer density of his pressure.
Hoshigami: "I believe… you're done?"
His fist clenched, violet light radiating from it like a collapsing star. The cave trembled.
Hoshigami: "Zero Beam."
The beam erupted — a torrent of annihilation that swallowed the disciples whole. The explosion rocked the cavern, a quake echoing into the starlit depths.
When the dust cleared, the five lay broken, kneeling, gasping, barely conscious.
Yatsurugi coughed blood, his voice trembling.
Yatsurugi: "Dammit… J-just… what are you…?"
But Hoshigami didn't answer. His gaze had fixed — upon Zenith.
The boy's chest heaved. His knuckles whitened around his blade. And in that moment… his face seemed familiar.
Then it clicked.
Zenith's eyes rolled white, the Oborowa Mandala blazing into existence behind him. A spectral halo, glyphs spinning with divine judgment, burning with power that shook the cavern itself.
Hoshigami's expression shifted, the faintest smirk breaking his composure.
Hoshigami: "…Ah. I see…"
Zenith moved.
Not running. Not dashing. Exploding. His speed tore through sound, his katana ignited — Akugami, the Flame that Judges the Gods.
His blade sang as it sought Hoshigami's flesh.
A punch stopped it.
Hoshigami's fist cracked against Zenith's chest, the impact shattering stone, sending fractures racing across the cavern walls. Zenith's body convulsed, the Mandala shuddering, his consciousness fading.
Before the others could rise, Hoshigami raised a talisman — a simple slip of parchment, yet infused with absolute dominion.
Hoshigami: "Sleep."
The talisman burned, and one by one, the disciples collapsed into unconsciousness.
Only Hoshigami remained, standing amidst the silence of the ruined cave. He stared down at Zenith's limp form, his eyes narrowed.
Hoshigami: "…So… he's the one."
The starlight dimmed. The cave fell silent once more.