Jezebeth stood motionless in the center of the training grounds.
The strange cold surrounding him had grown heavier.
His skin had become noticeably paler, and his eyes...
They were completely black.
No pupils.
No iris.
Nothing.
Only darkness.
Jezebeth slowly raised his hand toward his face.
"What happened to me?"
Arahel stared at him for a moment.
Then a faint smile appeared on his face.
"Vessel Form."
Jezebeth looked toward the polished marble beneath him.
A thin layer of frost had formed around his feet.
The mist escaping from his body was becoming thicker by the second.
"How long can I stay like this?"
Arahel's expression became more serious.
"Five minutes."
Jezebeth looked up.
"That's it?"
"Approximately."
Arahel stepped forward.
"Your body is still adjusting to the presence of your shikigami. The longer you remain manifested, the more strain you place on yourself."
Jezebeth clenched his fist.
"What happens after five minutes?"
"You'll find out if you ignore me."
Jezebeth stared at him.
Arahel's smile returned.
"Though I recommend you don't."
Jezebeth glanced at his hands again.
The strange power inside him felt restless.
He could feel Ryoma's presence somewhere deep within his soul.
Watching.
Waiting.
Arahel suddenly stepped backward.
"Enough staring."
Jezebeth looked up.
Arahel raised one hand.
"Attack me."
Silence.
Jezebeth blinked.
"...What?"
"You heard me."
Arahel stood several meters away.
His posture was completely relaxed.
He wasn't taking a stance.
He wasn't preparing an attack.
He simply stood there.
Jezebeth frowned.
"You're not going to fight back?"
Arahel's crimson eyes narrowed slightly.
"That depends on you."
Jezebeth smiled.
"Then don't complain when I hit you."
Arahel chuckled.
"Five minutes."
Jezebeth lowered his stance.
The mist around his body suddenly surged.
He disappeared.
BOOM!
The marble beneath his feet cracked.
Jezebeth shot forward.
His fist was aimed directly at Arahel's chest.
Arahel shifted his body slightly.
The punch missed.
Jezebeth's eyes widened.
Before he could recover, Arahel tapped his shoulder.
Jezebeth was thrown backward.
He flipped through the air and landed on his feet.
"Again."
Jezebeth gritted his teeth.
He rushed forward.
This time, he didn't attack immediately.
He raised his palm.
"Repulsion."
The air exploded.
Arahel was pushed backward.
Jezebeth used the force behind the attack to propel himself forward.
His speed increased.
Arahel's eyes sharpened.
Jezebeth appeared directly in front of him.
A punch.
Arahel blocked it.
The impact sent a shockwave across the training grounds.
Jezebeth immediately followed with another.
Then another.
Arahel blocked each one.
"You're relying too much on your body."
Jezebeth frowned.
"What else am I supposed to use?"
"Your ability."
Jezebeth stepped back.
He looked around the training grounds.
Then he noticed the stone pillars.
His eyes narrowed.
He extended his hand.
"Attraction."
Nothing happened.
Jezebeth concentrated harder.
One of the smaller stone blocks lying near the edge of the training grounds suddenly shifted.
Then another.
Then several more.
They flew toward him.
Arahel's eyebrow rose.
Jezebeth grinned.
He swung his arm.
"Repulsion!"
The stones changed direction.
They shot toward Arahel.
Arahel casually stepped aside.
The stones smashed into the wall behind him.
Jezebeth clicked his tongue.
"You're annoying."
"You're learning."
Arahel's aura had begun to grow.
Jezebeth noticed it.
It wasn't obvious at first.
But every time he attacked, every time he released his power, Arahel's presence seemed to become heavier.
Jezebeth didn't understand why.
He attacked again.
Attraction.
He pulled himself toward Arahel.
Repulsion.
He launched himself forward.
Arahel blocked the resulting strike.
Another shockwave spread through the training grounds.
Jezebeth landed several meters away.
His breathing had become heavier.
He glanced toward the clock.
Two minutes.
He froze.
"Only two?"
Arahel smiled.
"You've been wasting your time."
Jezebeth's expression hardened.
He rushed forward again.
This time, he didn't hesitate.
He repelled the air around his body.
His speed increased.
He changed direction in mid-air.
Attraction pulled him toward Arahel.
Repulsion launched him away.
Then back again.
He began moving unpredictably.
For the first time, Arahel had to actually move his feet.
Jezebeth grinned.
"I got you."
He raised both hands.
"Repulsion!"
The air detonated between them.
Arahel was forced backward.
Jezebeth immediately followed.
His fist connected with Arahel's stomach.
BOOM.
The impact echoed through the entire training ground.
Jezebeth landed.
He stared.
He had finally hit him.
Arahel slowly straightened.
Then smiled.
"Better."
Jezebeth's grin widened.
Then his chest tightened.
He dropped to one knee.
The mist around his body flickered.
His heartbeat felt strangely slow.
Pain spread through his chest.
Arahel's expression changed.
"How much time?"
Jezebeth looked toward the clock.
Four minutes.
One minute remained.
Jezebeth clenched his teeth.
"One."
Arahel nodded.
"Then make it count."
Jezebeth forced himself back onto his feet.
The mist surrounding him thickened violently.
His black eyes stared directly at Arahel.
He raised both hands.
Attraction gathered around one palm.
Repulsion gathered around the other.
The air between them began to distort.
Arahel's smile disappeared.
"Jezebeth."
The two forces began pulling against each other.
The marble beneath Jezebeth's feet cracked.
The mist spiraled around his body.
His heartbeat slowed.
The distortion grew.
Arahel finally moved.
"Stop."
Jezebeth's arms trembled.
He couldn't.
Something inside him was telling him to continue.
Ryoma's laughter echoed through his mind.
Jezebeth pushed harder.
The two forces collided.
For a brief moment, the entire training ground went silent.
Then—
CRACK.
A violent distortion tore through the air.
Arahel appeared in front of Jezebeth and grabbed his wrist.
The phenomenon disappeared.
Jezebeth collapsed to one knee.
His breathing was ragged.
The mist around his body faded.
His eyes slowly began returning to normal.
Arahel released his wrist.
Jezebeth looked up at him.
"What was that?"
Arahel didn't answer immediately.
He looked at the fractured marble.
Then at Jezebeth.
"Something you aren't ready to control."
Jezebeth lowered his head.
He was exhausted.
His entire body felt like it had been drained.
Then he noticed something.
Arahel's aura.
It was enormous.
Far greater than it had been before the training began.
Jezebeth stared.
"You..."
Arahel looked at him.
"You were getting stronger while I was fighting you."
A small smile appeared on Arahel's face.
"Now you're paying attention."
Jezebeth frowned.
"You were using me to build your aura?"
"Not exactly."
Arahel turned away.
"But every attack you made gave me something to work with."
Jezebeth slowly stood.
"So you made me fight you for five minutes just to..."
"Train you."
Arahel glanced back.
"And prepare myself."
Jezebeth stared at him.
"You could've just told me."
Arahel laughed.
"And where would be the fun in that?"
Jezebeth sighed.
The mist had completely disappeared.
But deep within him, something remained awake.
Ryoma.
Watching.
Waiting.
And smiling.