The halls of the Core Citadel were silent, but for Shinjiru, silence never felt empty. It was the weight of expectation pressing against him, mingled with a thrill he had never known. He had passed the Succession Games, been named the first candidate for the ninth Elite Himen, and now the true training began.
Shinjiru followed Masaru Jinkuro, who had been assigned to guide him in these early steps. The older Himen's aura, steel-grey and steady, radiated authority and experience. His eyes were sharp, yet there was a faint hint of pride in them.
"Remember this, Shinjiru," Masaru said as they walked down a hallway lined with glowing crystalline panels. "Power without understanding is dangerous. You will be stronger than anyone alive. Stronger than even the Elite. And if you fail to control it… you will destroy yourself, or worse, others."
Shinjiru nodded silently, gripping his kusarigama tighter.
Training Begins — Multilayered Mentorship
The first days of training were deceptively simple. He sparred with Kaoru Myojin in a wide courtyard, learning restraint and precise strikes. Each motion of Kaoru's ceremonial kusarigama was calculated, a lesson in efficiency and patience. Shinjiru struggled at first, letting his youthful energy dictate his attacks, but Kaoru's calm voice corrected him.
"Do not strike to overpower. Strike to control," Kaoru said, eyes glowing faintly with gold. "Your aura is unstable. You must learn to blend it with the chains. Only then will you become a weapon, not a danger to yourself."
Next came Ryuzen Kurohane, who taught Shinjiru strategy and battlefield awareness. In simulated skirmishes, Shinjiru learned to anticipate moves, set traps with his chains, and exploit weaknesses without brute force. The lessons were not just physical—they were mental.
"You have potential," Ryuzen said, eyes narrowing. "But a soldier who thinks only of attack is blind. Learn to see every step, every intent. Victory belongs to those who control perception."
Shinjiru absorbed every word, every motion, every subtle lesson in aura manipulation, chain timing, and the hidden calculus of combat.
Akihara's Lessons — Moral and Tactical Growth
Akihara Shion, the Thorned Tempest, was next. He was proud, exacting, and his Rose-Thorn Chains radiated a danger that Shinjiru could feel in his bones. Unlike other Elite Himen, Akihara's training involved moral as well as physical tests.
Shinjiru was tasked with capturing a series of moving essence orbs, each surrounded by illusions that simulated human suffering. Some orbs were in harmless traps, others near "collateral damage" scenarios. If Shinjiru acted recklessly, the consequences would simulate injury or death to Himen or humans.
The first attempt ended in failure. Shinjiru, acting with instinctive speed, snagged the closest orb—but the illusion of a child collapsed under a shadowy threat. The orb glowed red.
"Stop!" Akihara barked. "Power without judgment is meaningless. You cannot save everyone, but you must know when to act and when to hold. That is restraint."
For days, Shinjiru repeated the exercise, learning to harmonize instinct with morality, precision with empathy. By the final trial, he moved through the illusions gracefully, capturing orbs and saving simulated lives without hesitation. Akihara nodded, a rare smile breaking his stoic mask.
"You are learning," he said quietly. "Perhaps there is hope for you yet, Shinjiru Arakami. But never forget—the thorn can protect, or it can destroy. The choice is yours."
Discovery — Father's Secret and Hybrid Potential
One evening, exhausted and alone, Shinjiru wandered into the Filer's Archive. Miyu Kage, ivory-blue aura glowing faintly, had permitted him access to certain restricted files under supervision. He was drawn to a small, locked chamber deep in the archives.
Inside were documents and holographic recordings labeled with his father's name: Haruto Arakami. Shinjiru's hands trembled as he activated a recording.
"Shinjiru…" his father's voice echoed, soft yet full of authority. "If you are seeing this, it means I am… gone. I broke the rules. I knew the risks. I knew the Krawlers. I hoped… I hoped you would never have to face what I did. But you have my blood. My essence runs through you. You are… special. Unique. A hybrid, the only one in history. That is why the Succession Games accepted you. That is why the Elite watches you."
Shinjiru's chest tightened. His father, dead for so long, had not only left him behind but had defied rules that even he, a Himen, could not.
"This power," Haruto continued, "comes at a cost. You must learn control, discipline, and restraint. You must not let rage, grief, or ambition guide you. The Stage 3 Krawler—Orochi no Kyōfu—took me because I underestimated its cunning. Do not repeat my mistakes. Protect those who cannot protect themselves, and seek allies… for solitude is a death sentence."
Shinjiru stared at the final words in silence. He was alone now, the weight of his father's sins and warnings pressing down. But something ignited in him—resolve.
He touched the hologram gently. "I'll be stronger. I'll finish what you couldn't… Father."
Training Intensifies — Secrets of the Elite
Over the following weeks, the Elite took turns training Shinjiru personally.
Tensei Raidon: taught him leadership, judgment, and timing. Lightning-charged kusarigama drills tested both physical endurance and decision-making under pressure.
Izumi Takemura: trained Shinjiru in formation tactics, chain synchronization, and battlefield orchestration.
Setsuna Arashi: focused on speed, reflexes, and predicting enemy movement, often pushing Shinjiru to the brink of exhaustion.
Hibiki Onryo: challenged him psychologically, creating illusions and traps that preyed on fear, memory, and guilt.
Each session peeled back layers of Shinjiru's potential, and with every test, his hybrid essence whispered, resonating with violet-silver streaks in ways that were entirely unprecedented. The Elite observed in awe.
"Never have we seen such an evolution in a single candidate," Tensei Raidon said quietly to Ryuzen. "He may very well surpass all eight."
The Night Before Final Evaluation
Shinjiru stood on the balcony overlooking Serium City. The night was quiet, yet a low hum resonated from the distant Boneyard. He clenched his kusarigama, feeling the pulse of his aura, the lessons of the Elite, and the burden of his father's legacy.
He whispered to himself, voice steady despite the storm of emotion:
"I will become strong. I will protect this world… and the next. I will honor you, Father. And I will face the Krawler… no matter the cost."
The moonlight caught the silver streaks in his violet aura, making him seem both human and something far beyond. Tomorrow, he would face the final evaluation—one that would decide not only his fate but the fate of all Serium.