Naraka, Nujah, and the other children stepped into the vast arena.
The place was magnificent—columns glowing with light, the stone floor carved to perfection.
And yet, within that beauty, one thing was missing: the sound of life.
No birds, no wind, no crowds. Only deep silence.
Naraka turned to Nujah with a serious tone:
"This place is for us, for our family alone. It is forbidden for outsiders.
No one else may set foot here."
Vercurius asked curiously:
"What kind of training will it be, Mother?"
Instead of answering, Naraka turned to Nujah:
"We should ask him. In which area do you want to improve yourself?"
Nujah's face grew tense.
"It's hard to decide… actually—" he began, but at that moment Ren entered. At his side was Muzan, frozen solid in a block of ice.
Ren grinned.
"The handsome one is here," he said.
From inside the ice, Muzan's mouth moved, speaking kind words about Ren, though muffled and incomprehensible.
Ren snapped his fingers. The ice shattered instantly, falling wet and heavy onto the ground.
Muzan bowed his head in greeting:
"Mother, my brothers, my sisters… and my new sibling. I regret that our first meeting had to be this way. Forgive me for not visiting sooner."
Nujah smiled.
"Maria and Ren told me about you already. It's fine. My name is Nujah. Pleased to meet you."
"Then let's begin with a little sparring," Muzan suggested.
But Maria objected:
"Herinhard isn't here. The family isn't complete—it won't be right without him."
At that moment, a tall, broad man stepped out from the shadows.
"I'm here!" he boomed, laughing. The sheer sight of him unsettled every Shinrei.
"Forgive me, I wanted to surprise you."
Naraka's eyes narrowed at the stranger holding her child's gaze. He approached Nujah and said:
"You must be Nujah. I wish I could embrace you with my true body, but I must remain at the command posts. For now, I can only be here through this illusion.
I am Herinhard, commander of all soldiers. Among our siblings, I rank second in physical strength."
Then, lowering his voice, he added:
"See the white-haired witch behind us? She's the strongest of us all."
His illusionary body began to crumble as he sank to his knees.
"If you want her to erase you here and now…" he muttered darkly.
But Naraka snapped her fingers, cutting Vercurius's power off before anything could happen.
"Training duels are all well and good," she said firmly. "But this training is for Nujah alone." She set the boy gently down.
As Herinhard's form sagged, Naraka ordered:
"Nujah, lift your brother."
Nujah ran forward, grasping Herinhard's hand, trying to pull him up—but it was like trying to hold air.
Herinhard's voice resonated in his mind:
"Try to revive me. Hold me not only with your hand, but also with your mind."
Vercurius added encouragement:
"He's right. Don't just hold him physically—seize him with your will. And this time, not with a pen, but with your own hand."
Following their instructions, Nujah managed to seize Herinhard, though he couldn't raise him fully.
Ren chuckled at the scene's cuteness, but Maria quickly silenced him.
Herinhard rose on his own, patting Nujah's head.
"When your body grows, this problem will vanish. Don't be discouraged."
Naraka added softly:
"When he was first born, I couldn't lift him either—not without using my full strength…"
But Herinhard cut in:
"Still, it's embarrassing to admit that in front of my little brother," he said with a grin.
Everyone except Maria burst into laughter.
Herinhard snapped his fingers, turning their voices into baby babble.
Nujah and Herinhard were about to laugh as well when Naraka snapped her fingers sharply:
"Enough! Stop the squabbling."
Everyone—except Maria—immediately apologized.
Naraka continued:
"Muzan, it's your turn. Show your brother how skilled you are with curses."
"Yes, Mother," Muzan said.
"Then let's start from the basics."
He crouched beside Nujah.
"Open your hand. Close your eyes. Imagine a small bomb—just enough to affect a ten-centimeter area. Pour all your energy into it, and a little bit of anger. For us Shinrei, that's all it takes: a bad thought."
"Alright, brother," Nujah said, beginning the exercise.
He filled the vision of the bomb with every detail—even thoughts of Alvaren, even his parents—
But the bomb grew far larger than it was meant to.
"Don't let it touch your siblings!" Naraka ordered instantly.
Muzan steadied himself, calling:
"Stop. Focus only on me!" He drew all of the cursed energy into himself at once.
He laughed afterward.
"That was excellent. The day you learn to control a cursed bomb of that size, you'll topple enemies with ease."
Naraka nodded.
"Mabaka, now it's your turn."
Muzan stepped back among the others as Mabaka approached. Nujah shivered involuntarily; every step she took filled him with nameless dread. Yet her voice, layered in strange tones, pressed into him:
"Calm yourself. Obey my words."
And against all reason, he did calm down. Mabaka snapped her fingers, summoning a chair.
"Sit," she commanded in that same tone.
A bag appeared in her hand. Meanwhile, Ren, Herinhard, and Muzan muttered prayers under their breath for Nujah.
Mabaka's lips twisted into a devilish smile.
"I'll make you prettier than even me—a girl of flawless beauty," she declared.
Nujah tried to resist, but Mabaka's voice bound him.
In five minutes, she had used the contents of her bag to transform him into a black-haired beauty—more radiant than any prince or maiden.
Mabaka clapped with delight. But Nujah, imitating her tone perfectly, whispered:
"Faint."
And Mabaka collapsed instantly.
Naraka and the others burst into applause.
"Bravo! You mimicked the fox's tongue flawlessly!" they cheered.
Naraka stepped forward once more.
"Now… we'll try the Shadow Technique. Nujah, I'll show you this one myself. The rest of you, wait."
She leaned close to him.
"Listen carefully. Close your eyes. In your mind, summon a light. Imagine it as a person. Fill its thoughts with your own—whatever you want it to do. For example, running two laps around this arena, or training. But never—ever—put dark thoughts inside."
She lifted her hand high.
"Begin."
"Yes, Mother," Nujah said, bowing his head. He closed his eyes.
He imagined a figure… a guardian, a light, a mother…
The shadow formed from light itself, emerging in a shape nearly identical to Naraka.
But its eyes slowly shifted—gold to crimson.
Nujah screamed in agony. His body shook as if tearing apart—and within seconds, he fainted. Crimson liquid trickled from his eyes.
The shadow lost control, roaring as it lunged at Nujah.
Its hand reached for his head—
And in that instant, Mabaka shot upright, shouting:
"Stop!" She froze the shadow in place—though only briefly.
Vercurius snapped her fingers, detonating the shadow.
Herinhard suppressed its regeneration.
Still, the monster didn't stop. Muzan joined in to help.
Meanwhile, Naraka already had Nujah in her arms, fighting to hold his life together, slowing the disintegration of his body. Maria and Ren rushed to assist her.
But when the beast's howls persisted, Naraka snapped her fingers once more.
The shadow was sealed inside a golden cage.
Holding Nujah close, Naraka commanded in a low, steady voice:
"Today's training is over. Everyone, return to your duties."