Methods and Fractures
Location: Sanuya — Crossed Training Zones
Training Methods by Center
Each pair is directed to a zone aligned with the style of their Jōtan's center.
The platforms vibrate at distinct frequencies, revealing opposing philosophies.
Sanuya does not seek brute strength. It exposes fractures.
Full (Kuzael) — Pressure and Rupture
Jōtan: Fiona
Pair: Kaen & Sasha
The terrain is narrow, metallic, saturated with unstable Ni flows.
Percussion modules strike at irregular intervals, testing every micro-reaction.
Fiona:
*"Ni doesn't stabilize in comfort.
It reveals itself in fracture. Hold your frequency… or it will abandon you."*
Sasha activates her Shiki—a short, vibrating blade pulsing to her rhythm.
Kaen remains calm. His pistol doesn't appear immediately.
He doesn't resist. He absorbs.
Silent Introspection
Kaen (thought):
"It's not strength… it's the void between beats. If I understand it, it responds."
Sasha (thought):
"He's not trying to impress. He listens… and that unsettles me."
Tsukigawa (Osura) — Fluidity and Adaptation
Jōtan: Jinpachi
Pair: Astou & Toshiro
The terrain is soft, aquatic, crossed by spiritual currents.
Every movement must respond to the terrain's flow—not resist it.
Jinpachi:
"Don't seek to strike.
Seek to follow.
Ni is a river.
Not a blade."
Astou lets her scepter float.
It glows gently. She doesn't command. She accompanies.
Verlazum (Iznak) — Locking and Strategy
Jōtan: Petrus
Pair: Akiriho & Claus
The terrain is geometric, composed of angular lines and blocking zones.
Every mistake is amplified.
Petrus:
*"Ni is not a scream.
It's an equation.
Solve it… or be solved."*
Akiriho traces arcs of resonance.
Her Shiki manifests in bursts.
She doesn't seek to defeat. She seeks to understand.
Vollständig (Dunkles) — Illusion and Perception
Jōtan: Pia Fuchs
Pair: Takumi & Harald
The terrain is misty, unstable, saturated with deceptive images.
Objective: distinguish truth from illusion—even within one's own Shiki.
Fuchs:
*"Ni lies to you.
And sometimes… you lie to your Ni.
Find the fracture.
And look inside."*
Takumi loses his bearings.
But his gauntlet pulses. He waits, rather than strikes.
Cuidado (Sanwi) — Emotion and Resonance
Jōtan: Jairro
Pair: Ishikawa & Tobias
The terrain is open, luminous, crossed by gentle pulses.
Objective: align one's Shiki with a precise emotion.
Jairro:
*"Ni doesn't protect you.
It reflects you.
Be clear… or be absent."*
Ishikawa closes his eyes.
His katana appears.
But it doesn't shimmer. It breathes.
Disturbance in the Sanuya
A vibration ripples across all platforms.
Not an attack. Not a breach.
A reversed resonance.
Ni flows freeze.
Shiki flicker.
Even the Jōtan pause, observing the disturbance.
Kaen feels his pistol dissolve.
Sasha instinctively steps back.
Silent Intervention
On the upper walkway, Taishō Yamiyashi (Tsukigawa) raises his hand slightly.
He doesn't descend. He doesn't speak.
But his aura expands.
A gentle wave flows through the Sanuya.
The flows re-balance.
The Shiki stabilize.
Jōtan Fiona (softly):
*"He didn't force.
He simply… reminded."
Final Reflection
Sanuya is not a battlefield.
It is a field of memory and training.
Kaen felt his Shiki dissolve.
But it wasn't a loss.
It was a reminder.
Something… still awaits him.
And deep down, he knows the true trial isn't the Shiki.
It's what he still refuses to face.
To be continued in the next chapter