The wind howled across the valley, rustling the sakura trees that now bore traces of fire along their trunks. The sanctuary had grown quiet again, but beneath its calm surface, storm clouds gathered in the hearts of those within.
Kazenari Rei stood at the edge of the northern training field, surrounded by charred ground and shattered stone dummies. His breath was steady, eyes distant. Behind him, the fragment of the Second Spirit Core hovered—a glowing orb encased in a crystalline structure, reacting subtly to his presence.
> [System Notice: Second Core Integration — Incomplete. Synchronization: 53%]
Karasu's voice was quiet, more introspective than usual. "You're pushing harder than before. The spirit inside this one… it resists you, not out of hatred, but sorrow."
Rei glanced at the fragment, his voice low. "Sorrow?"
"A spirit born from regret and sacrifice. It seeks not domination but remembrance. If you don't face its memories, you'll never control it."
He exhaled, turning to the silent forest behind the field.
"Noira. You're watching."
From the shadows, she emerged—silent as the breeze, eyes unreadable. Her crimson hair flowed in soft waves down her back, and her battle attire bore the signs of her recent missions.
"I didn't want to interrupt," she said.
"You're worried."
Noira crossed her arms. "You've been distant ever since the second fragment appeared. You barely eat, barely sleep."
Rei met her gaze. "We're running out of time. The Council is moving. The factions are restless. And the spirits inside the fragments... they aren't just power sources. They're souls."
She stepped closer, her voice softer. "You can carry the world's weight, but not alone. Let us share it."
A silence passed between them, thick with the tension of unspoken feelings. Finally, Rei nodded.
"Call Eirenne and Mireille. We leave at dawn."
---
Hours Later — Spirit Archives Chamber
The sanctuary's deepest room, the Spirit Archives, pulsed with quiet light. Here, Rei gathered the harem of his chosen spirits. Eirenne, seated on a levitating crystal bench, toyed with a flickering shard of storm energy, while Mireille stood with a datapad in hand, dressed in a dark, elegant maid uniform that shimmered with arcane embroidery.
"The Third Fragment is located beneath the ruins of Ishtar's Gate," Mireille explained. "Sealed behind layers of spiritual encryption that predate human history."
Eirenne scoffed. "I hate old gods. Always so melodramatic."
Rei sat cross-legged in the center of the room, meditating. "Then let's make some noise of our own."
> [Mission Update: Fragment Retrieval — Third Spirit Core: Target Locked. Estimated Hostile Resistance: High.]
---
Location: Ruins of Ishtar's Gate — Midnight
The air crackled with tension as Rei's group stepped into the ruins. Ancient stones whispered with forgotten voices, and the gate shimmered with protective runes reacting to their presence.
Eirenne's body glowed faintly with lightning essence. "I can break the seals, but it'll drain me."
"Noira, cover her. Mireille, scan the perimeter for traps."
The operation began. Energy flared. The seals screamed against the intrusion. Shadows twisted from the walls—guardians bound by ancient contract. Without hesitation, Noira stepped forward, blades drawn.
Blades met claws. Light met darkness. Rei stood at the center, channeling spirit energy into Eirenne as she cracked the final lock.
A shockwave burst through the ruins as the seal shattered.
> [System Alert: Third Spirit Core — Unleashed. Compatibility Initiated. Begin Synchronization? Y/N]
"Do it," Rei commanded.
---
Within the Core's Memory
He stood in a place not of this world—an ocean of glass and sky, where a lone woman stood, her body made of starlight and sorrow.
"Why do you seek me?" she asked.
Rei answered without hesitation. "To understand."
She stepped closer, pressing a hand to his chest. "Then carry my pain, and never let it become your chain."
Flames enveloped him, not of destruction but of memory. He saw her past—her sacrifice, her betrayal, the moment she chose death to save mortals.
When Rei emerged, his eyes burned with new understanding.
> [Third Spirit Core — Integrated. New Ability Unlocked: Celestial Veil]
---
Back at the Sanctuary
Hours later, Rei sat beneath the sakura tree with his spirits around him. The sky above shimmered with celestial dust, and the spirits rested—Eirenne with her head in Noira's lap, Mireille pouring wine into crystal glasses.
Rei looked to the stars. "Three down. Four to go."
Mireille handed him a glass. "You've changed."
"No. I'm becoming what I was meant to be."
Eirenne smiled sleepily. "And what's that?"
He gazed into the distance, eyes sharp and cold.
"Judgment. For a world that's forgotten what it costs to be free."
The wind stirred.