The next morning, the sun rose over Serium Realm in gentle arcs of lavender and gold, casting long shadows across the crystalline spires of the Academy grounds. Shinjiru awoke to the soft hum of the realm, the violet shard still warm in his pocket. Today, he would begin his training under the watchful eyes of the Elite 8—a process designed to mold the Succession Games' participants into warriors capable of surpassing even their predecessors.
He was led first to a courtyard where Ryuzen Kurohane, the Raven Strategist, awaited. Jet-black aura flickered around the Himen, deep violet sparks occasionally arcing across his elegant chain-weapon as he moved silently. His expression was calm, almost unreadable, yet his gaze pierced Shinjiru with quiet scrutiny.
"You move with skill beyond most novices," Ryuzen said, voice low but commanding. "But instinct alone is insufficient. A true Himen—especially one considered for the 9th Elite—must master strategy, coordination, and foresight. Today, we begin with battlefield awareness."
Shinjiru nodded, gripping his kusarigama instinctively. Without memory of his past training, he relied on muscle memory and an almost preternatural sense of timing. Ryuzen led him to a sprawling simulation field: miniature replicas of Serium Cityscape, walls and towers glowing faintly with essence light. Figures of low-ranked Himen and simulated Krawlers populated the streets. The challenge was simple in theory: protect the innocents while neutralizing threats—but Ryuzen's simulations twisted continuously, unpredictably changing, testing not just skill but adaptive thinking.
At first, Shinjiru moved cautiously. His chains lashed, deflecting attacks, guiding fleeing civilians to safety. But soon, a rhythm emerged. He anticipated the simulated Krawler strikes before they happened, positioning himself perfectly to defend multiple targets at once. Shadows split and multiplied across the battlefield—not illusions, but Ryuzen's carefully placed decoys—forcing Shinjiru to discern reality from trickery. With each split-second decision, his violet-silver aura flared brighter, reacting as if alive, lashing out with precise timing.
"You have potential," Ryuzen murmured, stepping back to observe. "But raw talent is only half of what defines a leader. You must learn restraint. Every strike, every action, carries consequence."
After hours of this training, Shinjiru was introduced to Kaoru Myojin, the White-Gold Monk, whose aura radiated serenity like sunlight filtered through clouds. Unlike Ryuzen's focus on strategy, Kaoru's lesson centered on restraint. He demonstrated a series of single-strike maneuvers, each designed to incapacitate without causing lasting harm.
"Strength is meaningless without control," Kaoru said softly, circling Shinjiru. "You may be instinctively fast, but can you hold back when necessary? Can you temper power to preserve life rather than destroy it?"
The exercises were brutal in subtlety. Kaoru's strikes arrived not with overwhelming force, but with perfect precision, targeting points that tested Shinjiru's balance and control. Every time Shinjiru attempted to counter, Kaoru would subtly shift, forcing him to adapt in real time. Exhaustion built quickly, but so did understanding: raw strength alone would not suffice in leadership or in the games that awaited him.
Next came Setsuna Arashi, the Storm's Fang, whose pale electric-blue aura crackled with restless energy. Speed was the focus. A series of lightning-speed duels tested Shinjiru's reflexes and spatial awareness. Setsuna moved like liquid, almost invisible, forcing Shinjiru to anticipate and react with split-second precision. Chains whipped through the air, meeting the afterimages of Setsuna's strikes, and yet Shinjiru found himself predicting her movements instinctively.
"You are quick," Setsuna said with a sly grin, "but instinct alone does not make you untouchable. Control your aura, use space, force the enemy to react to you, not the other way around."
After mastering speed, Shinjiru faced Akihara Shion, the Thorned Tempest. His aura, deep violet flecked with crimson, radiated authority. Akihara's lessons went beyond combat—they tested judgment. He unleashed chains imbued with simulated thorned essence, forcing Shinjiru to make moral decisions: protect the simulated civilians or strike a vulnerable Krawler? Hesitation would cost simulated lives.
Shinjiru hesitated once, watching a figure collapse beneath a thorned chain. A pang of instinctive guilt struck him—human empathy struggling against strategic necessity. Akihara's voice echoed sharply: "Every choice has cost. To lead is to bear it. Do not allow hesitation to paralyze action, nor ruthlessness to cloud judgment."
Izumi Takemura, the Steel-Grey General of Blades, followed with lessons in command. Shinjiru was placed at the head of a small squad. Formation, communication, and battlefield coordination became the focus. Using his chains, Shinjiru guided movements of his team, protecting weaker participants while maintaining offensive pressure. The exercise culminated in a complex mock battle against multiple simulated Stage 3 Krawlers, forcing him to balance offense, defense, and leadership.
Finally, the remaining members of the Elite 8—Tensei Raidon, Daigo Enmei, and Hibiki Onryo—took turns testing his endurance, aura manipulation, and mental fortitude. Tensei pushed him to expand his aura output, forming chains capable of phasing through essence barriers without harming innocents. Daigo imposed grueling physical trials that left muscles trembling and bones aching, while Hibiki subjected Shinjiru to illusions and auditory assaults designed to fracture concentration.
Hours bled into days, and yet, Shinjiru endured. The dormant hybrid blood surged in controlled bursts, balancing human limitation with Himen potential. Each trial chipped away at his ignorance, building muscle memory, tactical acumen, and moral discipline.
That evening, Shinjiru sat alone atop the highest tower of the Academy, the violet shard still in his pocket. Exhaustion weighed heavily, yet a strange satisfaction lingered. Though he could not recall his past life, his instincts whispered truths he could not yet articulate. He had survived the trials, learned the lessons of the Elite 8, and begun the first steps toward mastery.
And somewhere deep within, beyond the shard and the aura, a quiet certainty grew: the first 9th Elite Himen was awakening.