The stone gate slammed shut behind them with a muffled echo, as if the outside world had been left behind forever. This was not the same space where they had been received the day before.
The scene had completely transformed.
The floor gleamed like polished black glass, reflecting the forms with unsettling clarity. Rows of circular columns lined the expansive hall, sculpted with silvery spirals that pulsed slowly, as if breathing with Æther itself. At the far end of the hall rose a wide staircase of dark stone, each step adorned with ancient symbols and lines of light that intertwined like converging rivers.
At the top of the stairs, illuminated by a beam of natural light filtered through an opening in the ceiling, stood she.
Shiori.
Seated on a throne carved from white obsidian, with metallic roots extending down her back as if alive, Shiori emanated more than just power, there was a presence there that she overwhelmed with beauty and authority in equal measure.
Her new outfit was a hybrid ceremonial kimono, fusing Japanese tradition with modern combat elements: the long, dark fabric sleeves were open at the shoulders, revealing the silvery sheen of light, thin-plated armor. The lower part of the kimono divided into several fluid layers that billowed even without wind, with patterns of golden fire that moved as if alive.
A black belt with violet crystals held the garment to her slender body, while the open collar allowed a glimpse of the vertical scar on her chest, an imperfect but beautiful detail. Her hair, styled in asymmetrical buns and decorated with white feathers, contrasted with her amber eyes that observed the newcomers with a confident smile. She rose with deadly elegance, the fabrics floating around her like ripples on an enchanted lake.
"Congratulations, bearers. I knew that little challenge wouldn't stop you." Her voice echoed through the hall, warm but firm, like silk stretched over steel.
The three stood motionless for a few seconds, absorbing the new atmosphere, and the figures now standing beside the throne.
The Council.
Akari looked stunning in a new outfit: ceremonial armor of translucent blue scales, over a form-fitting dress of semi-opaque fabric that clung to her body like a second skin. Each scale seemed to contain a fragment of the night sky. A long cloak of white feathers fell from her shoulders, fastened with polished bone clasps. Her hair, now loose, covered half her face, and her blue eyes shone with an aura of silent respect.
Yuto, on the other hand, was unrecognizable. He wore a short tunic of reddish leather, with golden inscriptions that shimmered with every movement. On his arms were wrapped bandages that ended in small rotating discs, as if they were hidden weapons. A half-lowered hood revealed his disheveled hair, and his golden-brown eyes were curiously attentive.
Asuka now wore a stylized military outfit, black and gold, with angled shoulder pads and a coat with a long tail that billowed like a cloak of shadows. The almost black horns were now visible and perfectly integrated with a thin metal crown intertwined in her hair, like a war tiara. The high collar only allowed glimpses of her sharp gaze and the line of her defined jaw. Boots with metallic trim clinked with the slightest step.
Ryo… was surprising. In a wide, completely white kimono, with black symbols visible only when the light hit at a certain angle, he looked more like a monk lost between worlds. He had a fox mask hanging around his neck and his hair tied in a loose bun. His eyes were half-open, as always, and he held a black wooden fan in his hands. He seemed… asleep on his feet, but there was something dangerous in that serenity.
Takumi whispered: "They seem… like another species now."
Reika could barely take her eyes off Shiori. "What the hell..."
Renjiro, more serious, pressed his mask against his chest.
Shiori descended the steps with supernatural grace, seemingly without touching the ground.
"The Council has decided to show you your ceremonial form. These robes are not mere ornaments. They represent the link to the masks, and the true power they carry."
She stopped a few meters from them.
"You passed the first test. Now… the second begins." She smiled.
Silence fell like a veil.
Akari, crossing her arms: "Let's see if you're prepared for more than just pretty words."
Yuto, smiling: "Or if you only managed to pass by chance."
Asuka, without disguising her sharp tone: "I hope you brought courage."
Ryo, in a slow, drawling voice: "C'mon... let's start this thing already..."
Shiori, looking at them with restrained pride:
"Welcome to the true beginning."
Renjiro took a step back, frowning, his eyes darting between the throne, the Council members, and the magnificent hall.
"Wait… first test?" his voice broke the silence, thick with confusion. "We just… opened the tower gate. That's all. Shiori, you said we'd get answers, not be faced with a queen in parade mode and a town dressed for war."
Reika crossed her arms, nodding with an expression of someone already fed up with riddles.
"He's right. This seems more like theater than explanation."
Takumi leaned against the wall with a sigh. "Honestly… I'm starting to feel like we've entered a play without a script."
Shiori let out a light, almost melodic laugh, as if savoring the moment.
"You'll get your answers, don't worry. But answers… come with responsibility. And before that…"
She turned gently, the fabric of her clothes rippling with the movement, and gently extended her hand to the side.
"Yuto. Please."
Yuto stepped forward. The cheerful expression still danced in his eyes, but his posture was completely different: firm, upright, and full of contained energy.
"Today we're going to evaluate you. Not only your Æther energy, but also physical and mental stamina… and most importantly: your compatibility with masks."
Reika raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean, evaluate? Are you going to… fight with us?"
"Not yet." said Yuto, shaking his head with a confident smile. "But we're going to put you under certain conditions that simulate real effort. We need to understand your limits to devise a training plan."
Takumi stepped forward, his face filled with disbelief.
"Wait, wait." he pointed to the floor as if trying to hold back the logic of the moment. "We arrived in Yumehara yesterday! Literally yesterday! And they already want to throw us into training? This is ridiculous."
"Takumi…" Reika murmured, but he continued.
"And what's more! Outside, there are hundreds of people. Shops, markets, schools! Why do only we have to go through this? What distinguishes us from them, huh?!"
A silence fell over the hall.
For a moment, no one answered. Yuto glanced sideways, as if making room for someone to speak.
And then, Ryo's voice broke the air, drawn out, calm… but laden with weight.
"Because you three… are anomalies."
All eyes turned to him.
Ryo straightened slightly, closing his fan with an audible click.
"Most of the inhabitants of Yumehara awakened their masks… but they ended up here without altering the flow of the realm's Æther. You, however, broke the symmetry. Your energies not only resonated irregularly, but caused distortions in the Velum."
Renjiro frowned: "Distortions?"
Ryo nodded, his eyes wide open now, as if observing something no one else could see.
"You are not mere bearers. You are catalysts. Your arrival was felt from the Tower to the Borders of Aruyama (city in Yumehara). You attract… things. Things that normally sleep. And that, children, is not something that can be ignored."
Takumi lowered his gaze, slightly disconcerted.
Reika took a deep breath, her face more serious.
"So the training is to… prevent us from losing control?"
Akari spoke for the first time since their arrival, her voice calm but firm.
"Exactly. To prevent you from becoming what most bearers fear: monsters with masks glued to their skin and minds destroyed by Æther."
Nyxalith, in an almost maternal tone, added:
"And so that you don't end up dragging the human world and Yumehara into the same abyss."
Shiori smiled with a mysterious glint.
"Welcome to the beginning of your true awakening."
The light fell upon the three young people, as if the tower's own ceiling were watching.
Shiori descended the steps of the throne with a serene yet powerful gait and stopped before them. Her ceremonial robe shimmered like vibrant gold ink, flowing over a fabric as black as a starless sky. She stopped a few steps from Renjiro, Takumi, and Reika, and crossed her arms, observing each with a slight smile.
"Now that you understand the reason for this evaluation, it's up to you to choose... In which branch do you want to be tested first?"
Renjiro, Takumi, and Reika exchanged glances. It was almost as if they were all trying to figure out who would have the courage to answer first.
Takumi was the first to break the silence, his hands behind his head and a nervous half-smile.
"If I'm going to suffer, let it be physically. I want to know if my body can handle all this trouble."
Shiori turned, her gaze sweeping the room, and pointed elegantly:
"Yuto."
Yuto stepped forward, shrugging energetically.
"Finally! I was starting to see you rotting away." He smiled, twirling the staff he now held in one hand. "Takumi, get ready. We're going to run, jump, crawl, and who knows... maybe even scream."
Takumi snorted. "I'm already regretting it."
Shiori then looked at Reika.
"And you, Reika?"
Reika, arms crossed, took a deep breath.
"If they want to evaluate my mind, let them do it now. I'd rather deal with riddles than with Takumi's sweat."
Takumi: "Hey!"
Shiori gave a satisfied smile. She turned around again.
"Asuka."
Asuka ran her hand through her hair, now visibly white, and sighed, as if she lacked patience, but her eyes revealed a strange enthusiasm.
"Finally someone with brains. You'll love my mind games, princess." she said with a sarcastic wink.
Reika swallowed hard. "What did I do..."
Now only Renjiro remained, who seemed divided. His gaze focused on the mask, on the words Nyxalith had said, on the constant doubts that tormented him. He took a deep breath and replied:
"I want to know what the hell this thing they've attached to my soul is. I want to understand this… thing. This bond."
Shiori nodded. "Energy and the bond with the mask, then."
She made a subtle gesture to Akari.
"Akari. He's yours."
Akari stood up lightly and elegantly, her long dark hair now styled in a more practical updo. Her new outfit was a deep blue with silver details that shimmered like constellations. Her gaze landed on Renjiro as if she were analyzing an ancient and complex manuscript.
"Let's see if you know how to listen to what your soul screams, boy." she said calmly. "Because there's no training if the bearer doesn't know who they are."
Ryo, in the background, spoke casually, still leaning against the wall:
"Good luck. The easy part is over."
Shiori took a step back and made a gesture with her hand. "If everyone is ready… destiny awaits them. Each test will be done on another level of the tower. Guides will take you there. If you can get back here without collapsing… then we can talk about real training."
Renjiro, Takumi, and Reika exchanged one last glance.
"To see who dies first." Takumi murmured, already following Yuto with heavy steps.
Reika snapped her fingers and followed Asuka, trying to remain calm while the other was already chattering about puzzles, illusions, and "sensory blocks."
Renjiro lingered for a second longer, looking at Akari… and then at his mask.
"Come on, Nyxalith. Time to find out who you are."
The mask pulsed briefly in his hand.
"Perhaps… you'll find out who you are first, Renjiro."
....
The door closed behind Takumi, isolating him in a huge room with a high ceiling and gray walls. It was like being inside an ancient gymnasium carved from stone, but with mystical technology scattered throughout, pillars with runes, luminous panels suspended in the air, and the continuous sound of something vibrating in the background.
Yuto was already in the center of the room, arms crossed, his staff resting on his shoulder. His new outfit was completely different from before: a tight, dark suit with fluorescent markings on his arms and legs that seemed to pulse with his heartbeat. His gloves had metallic coating on the knuckles, and his boots left energy marks on the ground with every step.
"Welcome to the physical evaluation camp, Takumi!" exclaimed Yuto, with a wide smile. "Here, we'll see if your body can handle the soul you've awakened."
Takumi scratched his head, looking around, clearly uncomfortable.
"Look, I've never really trained, you know? Like, I fought in weird dreams and wore masks. It's not quite the same as fighting."
Yuto laughed.
"Of course not. But your body remembers the falls, the reflexes, the pain. And that's what I want to see. It's not just about muscles, it's about survival." He gestured to a circular area on the ground where blue crystals began to glow.
Takumi swallowed hard and stepped forward.
"So… where do we start? Pull-ups, push-ups, running?"
Yuto shook his head.
"That nonsense is for ordinary humans. You're a bearer now. Let's start with reflexes."
With a snap of his fingers, several floating orbs appeared around Takumi. Each one had a flashing light and a high-pitched sound, as if they were tuning into something.
"First test: touch the orbs before they touch you. If you miss three times, you get a shock. Nothing deadly, but you'll shit your pants."
Takumi's eyes widened.
"Excuse me?!"
But before he could protest, the first orb shot toward him. He barely had time to duck, rolling to the side with a scream.
"ALREADY?!"
Yuto let out a laugh.
"There are no warm-ups in battle, champion!"
Takumi began to move around the arena, dodging the orbs while trying to tap them with his palms. Each time he hit them, the orbs exploded in a soft light. But the pace increased. The sounds became higher-pitched, and the movements more erratic.
He stumbled once. Twice. On the third, an orb hit him in the shoulder and a discharge coursed through his body. "AAAAH fuck!"
Yuto whistled.
"First shock. You're alive, which is good. Let's go, another round!"
Takumi, on his knees, spat on the ground and laughed.
"You're sadistic, man. But… that's kind of cool."
"That's the attitude. Next, I want to see how you move with your mask."
Takumi picked up the mask that was lying beside the arena. Tenax whispered calmly to him:
— "Keep your mind clear. Your body will follow."
Takumi nodded and put on the mask. The energy within him began to glow in dark yellow hues, and his movements became more precise. The orbs returned, but now he not only avoided them, he destroyed them with sharp blows.
Yuto watched everything attentively, without any more jokes.
When the round ended, Takumi fell back onto the ground, his mask in his hand, panting.
"So… did I pass?"
Yuto approached and crouched beside him.
"Not yet. But you surprised me, Takumi. You have a lot of potential. You just need to train… a lot. Tomorrow, you'll feel muscles you didn't even know you had."
Takumi laughed.
"At least I didn't die. That's a good sign."
...
The door slid open slowly behind Reika, revealing a circular room illuminated by a soft glow emanating from crystals suspended in the air. The walls were covered in dark wood paneling, with ancient inscriptions that pulsed as if breathing. The air was light, but carried an unfamiliar floral scent that left the mind strangely awake.
Asuka was already seated at a low table in the center of the room, legs crossed, a book resting on her lap. Her attire was now more ceremonial: a flowing dark red tunic with gold and black details, wide sleeves reaching her wrists, and a fabric sash that encircled her waist like a warrior's lasso. Her hair was loose, now with clearly visible white streaks, as if reflecting her hidden nature. Her strappy sandals revealed well-groomed feet, and her eyes retained that proud intensity typical of someone who refuses to be underestimated.
When she saw Reika enter, she slowly raised her eyes.
"I could see you were taking your time, grumpy princess." she said with a mischievous, sly smile.
Reika frowned, but couldn't suppress a slight smile. She was wearing a loose black sweater with almost illegible lettering on the chest, tight pants with patches on the knees, and sturdy boots that jingled with metallic studs with every step.
"Don't give me that crap. Who was pulling Renjiro by the collar like a sack of rice yesterday?"
Asuka laughed, closing her book.
"He deserved it. He disrespected me. And you're no better. You want answers, but you don't ask questions."
Reika crossed her arms and gave a sideways glance.
"Maybe because nobody here seems to know how to give decent answers."
"Touched." said Asuka, rising lightly from the table. "But I like that about you. You're not like most of the people who come to Yumehara. You don't cry. Shit has happened to you, but you don't break. You just complain. I like that."
Reika raised an eyebrow.
"Are you trying to be my friend?"
"Maybe." Asuka replied, shrugging. "Maybe not."
The two remained silent for a few seconds, their eyes fixed on each other. The atmosphere was tense, but in a curious way, like two felines measuring territory and realizing that perhaps... they didn't need to bite each other.
Asuka sighed and turned to a crystalline panel that lit up behind her.
"Well... let's begin the mental evaluation."
"Psychometric test?" Reika joked, raising her eyes.
"Almost." Asuka replied, now more serious. "This room uses Velum energy to project mental states. You will be exposed to memories, emotions, and dilemmas. Some real, some servants. Your job is to keep your mind focused, recognize what is illusion... and not go insane."
Reika raised an eyebrow.
"You seem excited saying that."
Asuka smiled. For the first time, a genuine smile.
"Because I almost went insane when I took that test. But I succeeded. And you will too."
"What if I can't do it?"
"Then the mask will consume your sanity… slowly. But hey, no pressure."
Reika snorted.
"You're really trying to make me feel confident."
Asuka approached and extended a hand to her.
"You'll feel pain, Reika. It'll feel real. But you know who you are, right?"
Reika hesitated. She looked at the hand. Then into Asuka's eyes. And then she gripped the hand firmly.
"Of course I know."
The crystals began to spin in the air, and bluish lights projected around Reika. A kind of energy field formed, and her mind began to be pulled inward.
Asuka, watching from outside, crossed her arms and murmured to herself:
"Let's see what you're made of, little soul sister."
The surrounding sound faded. Everything went dark, as if the world had been swallowed by a mute vacuum. Reika blinked once, twice, but there was no light. No floor. No ceiling. Just a darkness that seemed to tighten around her chest.
Then… images began to flash. At first, brief. A closed door banging. A dog barking in the background. A muffled scream.
Then, her father's voice.
"Always the same shit, Reika. Get out of the way before I regret bringing you into this world."
Reika shuddered. Those words… she knew. It wasn't fiction. This was her home.
The scene formed around her. The kitchen, somewhat messy. The shelves broken. A broken plate on the floor. Her mother was crying with her back to her, sitting on the counter. The dog, a small brown Shiba Inu, lay at her feet, its eyes fixed on the door.
And then, the sound of the banging. Her father's bedroom door slamming shut. The bottle flying. The mother cowered. Seven-year-old Reika hid behind the sofa, covering her ears. Screaming silently.
The current Reika fell to her knees. Her hands trembled.
"Enough..." she whispered. "That's enough..."
The scene changed. Now, a hallway. The school. Mocking voices:
"Look at the weirdo. Always smelling like a dog."
"She talks to him like he's a person. Crazy."
"That's why nobody likes her."
Little Reika ran home, tears in her eyes. And later, in her room, holding the dog to her chest.
"You're the only one who understands me..."
The current Reika covered her eyes, her shoulders trembling. The screams began to overlap. Her mother's screams. The insults. The loneliness. The shame. All mixed together like an emotional tsunami impossible to contain.
Then her voice broke free in a real scream:
"ASUKA!! What the hell is this?! HOW IS THIS MENTAL TRAINING?!"
The images stopped. The room glowed, and Asuka emerged from the darkness. She was calm, but her eyes were more serious than ever.
"It's not training. It's confrontation. Your mask… is a reflection of what's inside you, Reika."
"This is torture! This is psychological abuse!" Reika screamed, anger, fear, and pain all at once.
Asuka approached slowly.
"The Æther… doesn't respond to brute force. Nor to uncontrolled rage. It responds to emptiness. To the echo within your soul. And if you are not able to face that emptiness… then it will consume you."
Reika clenched her fists.
"And what's the point?! Going through all this for what?!"
"To master what masters you. Masks don't save anyone, Reika." Asuka replied. "They only show what you hide. And if you want to survive in this world, you need to stop pretending to be just another grumpy girl with jokes on the tip of her tongue. Because inside… you're screaming."
Reika felt her legs give way. Her breath caught in her throat. But… for the first time, something ignited within her. Not anger. Not fear. But… recognition.
"So that's it… what my mask sees…"
Asuka knelt beside her and placed a hand on Reika's shoulder.
"Master it, Reika. Or it will master you."
...
The hallway where Renjiro walked was silent, lined with dark wood paneling and tapestries that seemed to tell ancient stories. The sound of his footsteps echoed with a strange weight. It wasn't fear. It was weariness. Weariness of everything.
Far away, the door was already open. Akari was waiting for him, sitting sideways on a circular structure of cushions and fabrics hanging from the ceiling. The light in the room was warm, amber, as if the sunset had been trapped inside.
"Renjiro." she said softly. "Come. Sit down."
He entered hesitantly, his eyes lingering on the small details of the room: burning incense, a vase of dried flowers, and books. Many books. It seemed... like a refuge.
He sat down in front of her, not really knowing what to say.
Akari observed him with affection. Not that distant, judgmental gaze of a leader, but that of someone who wanted to understand. Who wanted to listen.
"It must have been hell…" she said suddenly, her tone cutting through the silence. "The real world collapsing, your friends waking up, and you… with a living mask in your hands and nothing to hold on to. I'm so sorry."
Renjiro pressed his lips together. He wanted to reply. But there was a knot in his stomach that wouldn't go away.
"You know…" she continued, leaning forward, "…I'm not just a fighter. I too… was once someone like you. Without answers. Without ground to stand on."
She calmly extended her arms.
"Come here."
Renjiro hesitated.
"What?"
"Just come here, you stubborn brat."
Reluctantly, he approached, and Akari gently pulled him until his head rested against her arms, as if he were the younger brother she never had. The gesture was simple… but for Renjiro, it was like an anchor.
"You're always carrying everything on your shoulders, aren't you?" she murmured, lightly running her fingers through his hair. "Your sister… your friends… the fear of failure…"
Renjiro swallowed hard. His breath came out shaky.
"I don't know what I'm doing here, Akari…"
"You do know." she replied firmly, but without harshness. "It's just that you still don't remember."
Silence. Only the slow breathing of the two. Only that safe and calm moment between a wounded heart and another that knew how to heal itself.
After a few minutes, she stepped back a little, with a sweet smile.
"Ready, shall we begin?"
Renjiro straightened up, discreetly wiping his eyes.
"Physical or mental training?"
Akari shook her head, her eyes shining with a hint of mystery.
"None of that. Your evaluation will be… spiritual."
Renjiro frowned.
"Spiritual?"
"Yes. You will enter a space between the real world and the Velum. A plane where memories intertwine with possibilities. I want to see how your spirit navigates this space. You won't face monsters. You will face… echoes."
"Echoes of what?"
"Of you."
She stood up and extended her hand. In the center of the room, a soft light began to form, as if the fabric of reality were opening a crack, not unlike the one that had brought them to Yumehara.
"Ready to enter the reflection of your soul, Renjiro?"
He looked at the light. Then at Akari. And even with fear tightening his chest, he nodded.
"Ready."
"Good answer." she said, smiling. "But remember… inside, even the silence screams." The light in front of Renjiro flickered like a mirror of water. As he stepped through it, he felt the temperature change. The ground beneath his feet disappeared, and for a brief moment, it was as if he were floating in nothingness.
But the emptiness didn't last.
When his eyes adjusted, he was standing in a familiar hallway.
His childhood home.
Whitened walls, the smell of old wood, and… silence. A suffocating silence. This wasn't a specific memory. It was like a distorted echo of several. As if the space were stitched together with different moments of his life, flashes of sadness, brief glimpses of joy, but always with a shadow behind them.
Renjiro looked around, suspicious.
"This… this can't be real..." he murmured.
A noise cut through the air. Something like an object falling.
Turning around, he saw a stained door. Dried blood around the handle. A vision that shouldn't be there, but clung to his mind like a recurring nightmare.
"...Ayaka?" he said in a trembling whisper.
The door creaked.
Out emerged a figure... feminine, but indistinct. Like a shape made of shadows and incomplete memories. She didn't speak, only stared at him with empty eyes. Her hands dripped something red.
Renjiro recoiled, but there was nowhere to run. The corridor closed in on itself.
"Get out... get out of my way!" he shouted.
But the figure took a step. Then another. Each step echoed like a dissonant heartbeat.
And that's when he felt it: the guilt. As if someone had plunged him into an ocean of raw emotions. Grief. Shame. Fear. The pain of loss, not just of someone... but of himself.
"This isn't me... This isn't me..." he repeated, his hands on his head.
FLASH.
The scene changed.
Now he was alone in a room of mirrors, and all the reflections showed him with his mask on... but his eyes were empty. As if the Renjiro of the mirrors had disappeared long ago.
A familiar voice broke the silence:
"Don't you like what you see, Renjiro?"
He turned around, Nyxalith. Or... something in her form. A darker reflection. Her eyes glowed in shades of violet.
"You are made of pieces. And you refuse to accept them."
"Shut up."
"You want answers, but you're afraid of them. You want strength, but you avoid suffering. You want to protect others... but you can't stand yourself."
"SHUT UP!" he shouted, punching a mirror.
The glass shattered. And from it, more reflections emerged, all with cracked masks. All watching him.
Nyxalith approached, but her voice was soft. Maternal. "Renjiro... you can't keep running away."
"I... I don't want to be weak..."
"Then accept it. Accept the pain. Accept what you were, what you lost... and what you can become."
The mirrors began to disappear. The darkness returned. But in the center, only he remained, alone, kneeling.
Akari's voice emerged, distant:
"Renjiro. Breathe. You're still here."
The light returned, and with it, the warmth of the royal chamber. He fell to his knees, his eyes moist. His breathing heavy.
Akari approached and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Your soul... is full of scars. But that's not weakness."
Renjiro looked at her, exhausted.
"What did I just see...?"
"Your truth. Or rather, parts of it. Your training isn't about defeating monsters, Renjiro. It's about learning to live with yourself." He clenched his fists, feeling a new weight.
But also... a strange relief.
"...Thank you."
Akari smiled.
"We still have a lot to do, but... that's enough for today."
The living room floor was soaked with sweat. Takumi, on his knees, panted as if he'd been running for hours. His arms trembled, his muscles ached, and his legs barely held him up.
"Is it... over already?" he gasped.
Yuto, standing in front of him, crossed his arms looking satisfied. He looked impeccable, as if he hadn't exerted himself at all, just observing him the whole time with that irritating little smile.
"More or less." said Yuto, scratching his chin. "Your physical abilities are above average, considering you come from a world without specific training. Good stamina, good recovery. But you lack focus."
Takumi snorted, falling back onto the floor.
"Thank you for the technical report, Pokémon trainer..."
Yuto chuckled.
"Come on, you grouch."
Without ceremony, he grabbed Takumi by the shirt and threw him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
"WHAT?! Let me go, you animal!"
"Stop being dramatic. Let's go to the Tower. You must have noticed... this game is going to be your new life."
Reika left the room slowly, her gaze fixed on the floor. The world seemed more... dull. Slower. Those images, those voices, the dog crying behind the door, her mother yelling, the sound of breaking dishes... they were all there, stuck to her skin.
But she maintained her composure. Shoulders raised, chin lifted. That's what life has taught her.
Behind her, Asuka came in silence. For the first time, without irony or looks of superiority. She simply walked beside Reika.
"I didn't mean to hurt you." she murmured to Asuka, without looking at her. "But it was necessary. Masks don't obey those who hide their past."
Reika took a deep breath.
"I don't hide it. I... keep it. Because if I let it all out at once... I'll have nothing left."
Asuka looked at her with a surprisingly gentle expression. And smiled, a small, almost imperceptible smile.
"Welcome to the Tower of Voices, Reika."
The door to the spirit room slowly opened, and Renjiro emerged, his steps unsteady. His gaze was heavy, but his eyes... were different. There was a gleam of awareness in them. Of someone who had seen something ugly, something that might never disappear, but chose to continue.
Akari was beside him, like a protective shadow. When he stopped in the hallway, she gestured for him to follow.
"You achieved more than I expected. And you didn't even have to lift a finger."
"Yeah... I feel like I was run over by an emotional truck," he said with a failed attempt at a joke.
Akari smiled, stroking his hair.
"And you'll still get run over by many more. But now, you have the strength to stand up."
Renjiro looked at his hands. They were still trembling a little.
"...Thank you, Akari."
"Anytime you need me."
The three ended up meeting at the entrance to the Tower. Takumi was still recovering from Yuto's 'VIP' treatment, Reika seemed as cold as ice but with a firmer aura, and Renjiro... carried a new silence.
For a few seconds, no one said anything.
Then Takumi:
"So... did anyone else get psychologically destroyed, or was it just me who took punches for an hour?"
Reika smiled, barely.
"I'd prefer the punches."
Renjiro ran a hand through his hair and huffed.
"I was talking to mirrors that wanted my soul. Literally."
Takumi raised an eyebrow.
"...You guys are crazy."
"We're crazy with style." said Reika, pointing to the Tower. "Shall we go up?"
And together, the three returned.
As they climbed the steps toward the Tower's lobby, the three were still visibly tired and confused. The silence between them was thick, but laden with unanswered questions.
Renjiro was the first to speak:
"Wait... We went into the tower's rooms, right? Like... we physically entered the tower. So why are we out here again now?" He looked around with a frown. "It doesn't even look like the same place."
Akari, who was already waiting for them at the entrance, heard the question and crossed her arms with a slight smile.
"Great question." she replied, in her usual maternal tone. "The Tower of Voices isn't an ordinary building. Its interior is constantly changing because of the instability of the Æther condensed in its foundations."
"Instability?" Reika repeated. "But... wasn't this supposed to be a sacred, stable place? A base?"
"Yes. But it's a base built on a reservoir of practically pure Æther." Akari explained. "Whenever someone enters a room where the level of emotional and spiritual energy is high, like in assessment rooms, the space itself reconfigures. A kind of automatic defense… or adaptation to the mental state of whoever is inside."
Takumi scratched his head, speechless.
"Wait, wait. Are you telling me that the Tower… changes shape? That it automatically sent us outside?"
"Not exactly 'outside'…" Akari said, looking at the stone floor beneath their feet. "The Tower bends space. It's as if the room 'spills' into a space outside the building, but still connected to it. In cases of more intense assessments, the user can be thrown up to thirty meters out of the tower without realizing it."
Renjiro shook his head.
"What kind of interdimensional architecture is this…?"
"Ætheric. It's called Ætheric architecture." Akari replied, with an almost mischievous smile. "Made by hands that no longer exist."
Reika sighed and looked at the two boys.
"Basically… it's like your room changes location just because you had a nightmare in there."
"Exactly." Akari confirmed. "And that's why you must learn to master your emotions. The connection with masks isn't just symbolic, it directly affects the space around you in Yumehara. Here… emotion is matter."
Takumi looked at the imposing tower ahead.
"We're really up to our necks in this, huh?"
Renjiro took a deep breath. The Æther vibrated differently there. It was almost as if the very air was alive, attentive to their every thought.
"And we're only just beginning." he murmured.
Akari made way for them.
"The rest of the Council is waiting for you inside. Now that the evaluations are over… it's time for you to decide your next step."
The three exchanged glances. Their bodies felt heavy, but something within them was more… awake. More willing.
Renjiro raised his eyes to the Tower.
"Let's go."
And together, they entered once more the living, ever-changing heart of Yumehara.