The corridors of Kaizen Academy echoed with laughter, training shouts, and spirit roars from the upper floors. But beneath it all, in the cold, crumbling underground, Jin and Arin sat in silence—still reeling from what they'd seen.
The spirit hadn't been part of any summoning. No sigils. No chants. No offerings.
It simply appeared.
Arin broke the silence. "That wasn't a normal spirit."
"No," Jin said, staring at his marked palm. "It knew me."
Before either of them could speak further, a sound echoed through the halls—soft, rhythmic clinks, like chains dragging against stone.
Jin tensed. "It's still here."
Suddenly, the air thickened. Arin's silver hair bristled as if sensing static. Then, from the wall itself, the black, stitched spirit began to emerge again—its body reforming out of shadow.
But this time, Jin stepped forward.
The eye-mark on his palm flared to life, and the air warped.
"I know you now, Ryojin." the spirit whispered. "Breaker of Chains. Child of the Abyss. You are my tether."
The words didn't make sense. But Jin didn't back away.
He felt something stirring inside him. Not fear—but instinct.
He raised his hand toward the spirit.
A pulse of black light exploded from his mark, and suddenly—the world twisted.
He stood in darkness.
Not the absence of light, but something older. Hungrier.
Before him, a massive chained gate stretched into the void, sealed with seven glowing locks. Each lock bore a sigil he didn't recognize—but one of them had begun to crack.
From behind it, something stirred.
Then, a voice—not the stitched spirit's, but something deeper, ancient and regal.
"You are not ready, vessel. But time no longer waits."
Jin gasped—and was pulled back into the real world.
He collapsed to his knees. Arin was at his side instantly.
"Jin! What happened?"
"I… I saw a gate," he panted. "And something behind it."
The spirit was gone again—banished by the mark's light.
Arin stared at him. "Your spirit… it isn't asleep. It's sealed."
Jin met her eyes. "And something's trying to unlock it."
Far above them, in the Academy's spire tower, Instructor Kael stood before the Headmaster, arms folded.
"He survived contact with it," Kael said.
The Headmaster nodded, troubled. "The Forbidden Ones haven't stirred in centuries. If they're moving again…"
"We may not have much time."
Kael's eyes glowed faintly. "Should I train him?"
The Headmaster didn't answer right away.
Then: "Train him. But keep him away from the other students. If what's sealed in him breaks free too soon… the entire balance will shatter."
Kael turned to leave, cloak flowing like shadow.
"And Kael," the Headmaster added, "watch the girl too. Arin Veyra isn't ordinary either."