The wind's whisper blended with the soft rustling of cherry blossom petals near the Gojō Bridge.
A gentle, almost hypnotic sound.
Rastaban, still unconscious, drifted deeper into a dream.
---
The Dream
He found himself in a small, dimly lit room.
His body was motionless, heavy… as if paralyzed.
On his right, an exhausted woman slept deeply, her breathing uneven, her hair stuck to her damp forehead.
Then, someone knocked on the door.
A figure entered.
A tall man, his face drowned entirely in shadow, as if refusing to exist fully.
Rastaban tried to speak… but no teeth touched his tongue, no sound escaped.
He could only chew on emptiness—helpless.
The man slowly approached.
He placed a trembling hand on the woman's shoulder.
Then, with the other, he grabbed Rastaban by the throat.
The pressure increased.
Fingers tightened.
The world shrank into a tunnel.
And the man, crying, repeated over and over:
— Forgive me… I had no choice… You should never have existed… You're a mistake… I have to take responsibility for him…
His voice shook as much as his hands.
Rastaban tried to breathe. Nothing came.
He closed his eyes slowly, slipping into darkness.
---
The Break
— BAN!!
Rastaban woke abruptly.
A tear still slid down his cheek.
— It… it was just a dream… he whispered, trembling.
The transmitter dragonfly vibrated, and Hastur's voice burst out:
— Ban! What's going on with you?! I've been calling your name a thousand times! It's nighttime now!
— Sorry… Benkei's blow really knocked me out…
On Hastur's side, a long sigh could be heard.
Leaves cracked under his weight.
— Lucky you… At least you're safe. I'm stuck inside a tree trunk. It was the only place I found to sleep…
A heavy BOOM echoed—
Benkei had just planted the tip of his weapon into the ground.
---
The Teaching of Anima
— Good, he said in a deep voice.
— Since you're finally paying attention, I'll explain what Anima is.
He spoke calmly, but every word felt heavy, loaded with consequence.
— This energy has only one source. It seeps into the body like a parasite. Those who survive accumulate it—this is what we call your Anima Gauge. If you absorb it, it can dominate you.
But you…
He paused.
— You remained conscious after crossing an enormous mass of Anima. That means you were born to wield it.
Benkei lifted his weapon.
— Enough talk. Time for practice.
Feel it. Search for it in your veins, in the weight of your breath, in every shiver of your skin.
The boys closed their eyes.
Their breathing slowed.
Then, suddenly, a new sensation rose within their bodies.
A presence—almost alive.
A gray aura rose around them.
Benkei smiled, though they couldn't see it.
— Perfect. Even from here… I can feel your Anima, Hastur. Continue. One day, you will become one with it.
---
The Training
Day 1
Hastur didn't move an inch, immersed in deep introspection.
Ban lay still on the ground, extremely focused.
The following days
They ate little, barely slept.
The rest of the time, they meditated without rest.
The outside world faded away.
Day 6
Hastur opened his eyes, a faint smile on his lips.
— I can feel it… It's flowing through my whole body.
— Same here, Ban replied. I feel… stronger. At this rate, we'll—
He didn't get to finish.
---
The Pain
A scream tore through the forest.
— MY HEAD!!
Both boys collapsed, vomiting, trembling, overwhelmed by unbearable pain.
Their veins throbbed violently, as if something inside was trying to rip them apart.
Benkei, unbothered, simply declared:
— The second phase begins.
The battle for inner domination.