After the competition ended, there was a grand feast. The spectators busied themselves with the food—roasted meats, glazed vegetables, sweet pastries that filled the air with cinnamon and honey. The atmosphere shifted from competitive tension to celebratory relief.
However, in one corner away from the festivities, Grand Warrior Theodore gathered the six competitors.
His weathered face carried the same intensity it had during the matches, though something softer lurked beneath—pride, perhaps, or satisfaction at a job completed. "My teaching ends here. You have all grown well. Now, it is time to face the bigger world outside."
"Thank you, Grand Warrior," everybody said in unison, bowing respectfully.
Theodore produced a leather pouch from his belt. "I will give you a few gifts. Do not have high expectations—I am giving these from my own pocket, not the Duke's treasury."
He reached into the pouch and withdrew six crystals that caught the afternoon light with chaotic, swirling colors. "Each of you will receive a Chaos Crystal. It is a must-have if you are leaving the city perimeter. As for the reason, you will learn about that in the Academy."
Valen accepted his crystal, noting its weight and the way the colors seemed to move independently of the light. Like trapped storms, he thought. The novel mentioned these but never described the actual appearance.
"Now then. Marcus, come forward."
"Yes, Grand Warrior."
Theodore's expression softened slightly—the closest thing to sympathy Valen had seen from him. "Although you couldn't defeat your siblings, you are strong in your own way." He pulled a dagger from his pouch—except the pouch was barely large enough to hold coins, yet a full-sized weapon emerged as if the leather container had no actual dimensions. "Here, have this dagger made from the bones of a Woodland Dragon. It has been enchanted with the Lesser Life Absorption spell. Every strike you make will absorb life essence from your enemies, healing your wounds as you fight."
Is that... Valen's attention locked onto the pouch with barely concealed fascination. A legendary spatial pouch? The novel mentioned them costing as much as an arm and a limb. He's just... casually using one.
"Thank you, Grand Warrior. I will remember your teachings."
"Good." Theodore turned his attention. "Roland. You are not good with that sword—stop forcing it. You should follow your heart and practice hand-to-hand combat. Your build and temperament favor close quarters brutality, not finesse."
He produced gauntlets that gleamed with a blue-silver sheen. "Here, take these. Forged from Dragon Steel and enchanted with the Shock spell. Your opponents will freeze momentarily as you hit them—just long enough for your follow-up strike."
Roland accepted them with visible relief, as if he'd been waiting for permission to abandon the sword. "Thank you, Grand Warrior. I will remember your teachings."
"Celeste. You need to work on durability and recovery. Your technique is excellent, but you fold under sustained pressure." He produced a vial containing thick red liquid. "Although your strength will naturally increase as you climb the ranks, for now, drink this potion. It will strengthen your bones and muscles, giving you the foundation to withstand longer battles."
Celeste accepted the vial carefully, cradling it like something precious. "Thank you, Grand Warrior. I will remember your teachings."
"Lydia, you need greater mana capacity. Your control and technique are sound, but you run dry too quickly." Another vial appeared, this one filled with liquid that shimmered between silver and pale blue. "A Spirit Strengthening potion. As your spirit strengthens, your mana pool will expand proportionally."
"Thank you, Grand Warrior. I will remember your teachings."
Theodore's gaze settled on Valen next, and his expression shifted to something approaching curiosity. "Valentine. Ah! Were you using a Soul Crystal during the matches?"
Valen felt the others' attention snap toward him with sudden intensity.
"Yes, Grand Warrior."
"Hmm..." Theodore studied him for a long moment, eyes calculating. "With your Mana Sharing spell along with a Soul Crystal possessing significant mana capacity, achieving that sustained casting becomes theoretically possible." He paused, then added almost thoughtfully, "But I suspect you inherently have a larger mana pool as well. Which means your spirit is stronger than typical for your rank."
The observation hung in the air. Valen noticed Dan's expression sour slightly—another advantage he hadn't anticipated from his cousin. Celeste looked thoughtful. Marcus's face remained carefully neutral, but his eyes sharpened with interest.
"I do not presume to know what you truly need," Theodore continued. "So why don't you tell me what you want?"
The directness caught Valen off-guard. Most authority figures told you what you needed rather than asking. Unusual, he thought. Testing my self-awareness? Or genuinely curious?
"I want more Soul Crystals, Grand Warrior."
Theodore's eyebrows climbed slightly—surprise or approval, difficult to tell. He looked at Valen for several seconds, expression unreadable, then started fishing through his spatial pouch.
"At your level you can safely use Rank 1 Soul Crystals only. Anything higher risks overwhelming your spirit." He continued rummaging, producing and rejecting various objects too quickly to identify. "I do not have many appropriate ones. Hmm... let us see. Here, take these three."
Three dark crystals appeared in Theodore's palm—each one notably different from the goblin crystal Valen already possessed. These were darker, almost black, with shadows that moved wrong inside them.
Something's off about these, Valen observed, accepting them carefully.
"Thank you, Grand Warrior. I will remember your teachings."
"Dan." Theodore turned to his final student. "You have followed the teachings well. Your performance today demonstrated the results of dedicated training and proper resource allocation. However, this is just the beginning. Never stop your growth—the moment you believe you have reached the peak is the moment your decline begins."
He produced an ornate gold locket on a heavy chain. "Take this. It has been enchanted with healing properties. In dire situations, it can save your life. Use it wisely."
Dan accepted the locket with visible pride, carefully fastening it around his neck. "Thank you, Grand Warrior. I will remember your teachings."
Theodore surveyed them all one final time, his weathered face carrying the expression of someone releasing trained hawks into the wild. "The Academy will test you in ways I could not. You will face opponents from across the Empire, each one carrying their family's hopes and techniques. Some of you will rise. Some will struggle. That is the nature of growth."
He paused, then added with surprising warmth, "I am proud of all six of you. Now go—prepare for your journey."
---
The day ended with everyone returning to their quarters. Servants began preparing for the upcoming departures, packing supplies and arranging transportation.
Valen didn't linger to socialize. The three Soul Crystals practically burned in his pocket with possibility, and his curiosity had reached unbearable levels.
Need to examine these, he thought, walking quickly toward his family line's mansion. Something about them feels significant.
Inside his bedroom, he locked the door and activated the privacy wards his mother had installed years ago—simple enchantments that muffled sound and discouraged casual intrusion.
He sat on his study desk and withdrew the three crystals, arranging them in a line on his palm. In the lamplight, they looked like drops of solidified shadow.
"Iris, ready to begin the "taming" process?"
"Prepared, Master. Initiating "standard" procedure."
Valen cupped his hands around the first crystal, forming the sealed chamber technique he'd practiced before. Dropping all mental barriers, opening himself completely to whatever consciousness resided within.
The soul channel formed smoothly—that familiar sensation of perfect connection—
And then surprise jolted through him like lightning.
A human soul.
Not a monster. Not a Spirit Beast. A human consciousness, fragmented and diminished but unmistakably human. Roughly fifteen years old—the same age as Valen and his cousins.
The realization sent chills across his skin. Someone our age died for this crystal to form. Someone who was fighting, training, trying to survive—
"Master." Iris's voice cut through his spiraling thoughts, calm and professional. "I can handle it as usual. The consciousness is already heavily fragmented. Proceed?"
Valen forced himself to focus. Already done. The person is already dead. Using the crystal honors their existence rather than wasting it.
"Proceed."
The familiar sensation of Iris's constructs rising to consume the invading consciousness. The human soul fought harder than the goblin had—desperation and fear making it resist with everything remaining.
But fragmented and weakened, it stood no chance against Iris's mechanical efficiency.
When the process completed, Valen sat in silence for several heartbeats, processing what he'd absorbed.
"Master." Iris's voice carried unusual gentleness. "I have analyzed the remaining memories. This crystal came from a necromancer."
Necromancer. The word carried weight—taboo and dark reputation, practitioners hunted across most civilized lands for obvious reasons.
"The core contains only one spell: Bone Hardening. It can be cast on others but not on oneself. Necromancers typically use it on their skeletal minions, reinforcing undead constructs to withstand heavier combat."
Valen examined the knowledge now integrated into his consciousness. The spell was simple but versatile—condensing bone structure, making it denser and more resistant to impact.
Could be useful, he thought. Not just for necromancy. Emergency medical applications? Reinforcing broken bones? Preventing fractures during falls?
"Let us continue with the second one."
The process repeated. Another human soul, another necromancer.
"This one contains Soul Extraction," Iris reported after consuming the consciousness. "After something has died and before the soul dissipates naturally, this spell can capture and extract it. The foundation of all necromantic practice."
The third crystal followed the same pattern.
"Spirit Restoration," Iris announced. "A captured soul alone cannot interact with the physical world. This spell uses mana to restore the spirit body—the intermediary form between pure soul and physical manifestation. Without this, extracted souls remain powerless."
Valen sat in silence, the three crystals arranged before him like pieces of a puzzle.
All three spells form a near complete system, he realized. Soul Extraction to capture. Spirit Body Restoration to give form. Bone Hardening to create physical vessels.
"These are likely the foundation spells of necromancy," Iris confirmed. "With these three alone, someone could theoretically begin building an undead army. Capture souls from battlefields, restore their spirit forms, bind them into skeletal or corpse vessels hardened for combat."
"Which means," Valen said slowly, "Theodore definitely didn't mean to give me these."
The timing was too convenient. The Grand Warrior fishing through his spatial pouch, assuming he'd grabbed appropriate Rank 1 crystals without checking thoroughly.
He probably has hundreds of items in that pouch, Valen thought. Easy to grab the wrong ones when you're distributing gifts to six people in succession.
---
Meanwhile, somewhere outside the capital on a moonlit road, Grand Warrior Theodore rode his horse at an easy pace. His two squad members flanked him—veterans who'd served under him for decades.
Theodore reached into his spatial pouch for dried meat, rummaging through the dimensional space with practiced ease.
His hand closed around something unexpected. He withdrew three Rank 1 Soul Crystals—ordinary ones taken from common Spirit Beasts during a recent hunting expedition.
He stared at them for several seconds, consciousness slowly connecting implications.
These should have gone to Valentine.
He rummaged again with growing urgency, checking the pouch's contents more carefully.
Which means the necromancer crystals...
"Oh no." The words emerged quietly, but his expression shifted to genuine concern. "Did I give him the necromancer Soul Crystals?"
"Something wrong, Captain?" one of his squad members asked, noting the change in demeanor.
Theodore looked back toward the capital, now several hours behind them. The distance was substantial—returning would mean losing most of a day's travel, disrupting their mission timeline.
He sat in silence for a long moment, weighing options.
The boy is intelligent, Theodore reasoned. He'll understand the danger of using necromantic spells carelessly.
"Sigh... We have already moved quite a distance. I will make it up to him the next time I meet him." He glanced back one final time, expression mixing regret with pragmatic acceptance. "I hope he understands the dangers."
His squad members exchanged glances but said nothing, recognizing the captain's rare moment of uncertainty.
---
Back in Valen's room, Valen's expression brightened as realization struck.
"Iris, can we use the Soul Extraction spell on one of the other Soul Crystals?"
"Hmm..." Iris's voice carried thoughtful consideration. "That should be theoretically possible. The Soul Crystals are all linked to you via the soul channel, which means they share a common connection point. The soul within each crystal has inherent restrictions preventing it from leaving—embedded in the crystal's structure itself."
She paused, processing implications. "But since you control the soul channel, you can force a soul out against those restrictions. The crystal body will fight the extraction, but your authority over the channel should override it."
"Great." Valen felt excitement building. "If that works, you can exist freely outside the Soul Crystals."
"Woah!" Iris's chibi avatar practically vibrated with enthusiasm. "That would be amazing, Master!"
"Let us try. We should cast on the one containing the Bone Hardening spell."
"Understood. Initiating extraction."
Since all three necromancer Soul Crystals were linked to Valen via the soul channel, he could activate the Mana Sharing spell freely between them. Endless mana supply flowing through perfect connections.
Vast amounts of mana poured into the Soul Extraction spell, directed at the Bone Hardening crystal.
Nothing happened.
The soul remained locked inside, held by restrictions embedded deeper than simple magical bindings.
"Analyzing." Iris's voice sharpened with focus. "There appears to be a restriction placed by the crystal body itself—a fundamental property of Soul Crystal formation. The soul is trapped not by magic but by the crystal's physical structure."
She paused, then added, "We will have to destroy the crystal to force the soul out. This is extremely risky. If the process fails, we will lose the Soul Crystal entirely."
Valen looked down at the Bone Hardening crystal, weighing the risk against potential reward.
I'm willing to take that risk if it means Iris can exist freely.
His decision came quickly and without hesitation. He gripped the crystal firmly and squeezed, applying pressure until he felt the first crack spider across its surface.
"Master..." Iris's voice carried surprise and something that might have been emotion. "You're..."
The crystal fractured completely, breaking into jagged pieces that cut into his palm. Blood welled up, mixing with the crystal fragments.
And something emerged—a tiny blob of ethereal light, barely visible, already beginning to dissipate.
"The soul is dissipating!" Iris's alarm cut through. "We have to stabilize it immediately. We will have to keep pouring mana through the Soul Extraction spell!"
"I am also casting the Spirit Restoration spell."
Hours crawled past. Mana flowed endlessly through the soul channel, feeding the soul that desperately tried to hold the core together.
Valen's arm ached from maintaining the hand position. His eyes burned from refusing to blink, watching the ethereal blob gradually stabilize.
Worth it, he thought as midnight approached. Completely worth it if this succeeds.
---
As morning rays peaked over the horizon, painting his room in shades of gold and amber, the spirit had grown substantially.
What had been a tiny blob now resembled a large ghostly orb—roughly the size of both fists together, glowing with soft internal light. The soul had hidden somewhere deep inside, nowhere to be seen with normal sight.
"The process is completed, Master." Iris's voice carried satisfaction and barely restrained excitement.
Valen allowed himself a smile. He had been practicing his breathing technique throughout the entire night, using the meditative focus to maintain concentration. Interestingly, he'd even felt some improvement in his own spirit strength.
Unexpected benefit, he thought. Extended casting as strength training.
The large ghostly orb suddenly shifted, form flowing like water, and transformed into a spectral cat.
"Master!" Iris's voice came simultaneously from his consciousness and from the ghost cat itself. "My terminal in that soul can see and hear what the ghost cat is seeing and hearing!"
The cat moved with fluid grace, ghostly tail swishing experimentally.
"This... Master, Iris can now go and explore herself!" The excitement in her voice was uncharacteristic—genuine emotion breaking through her usual professional demeanor. "I will be able to show you everything I see and experience!"
Valen's smile widened. Finally, he thought. A companion who can move independently and report back. The novel's protagonist never had something like this... Maybe he acquires something later. Valen corrected himself. After all he is the main protagonist.
Iris quickly transformed again, the cat dissolving and reforming into a ghostly owl with enormous round eyes.
"First we need to test the limits of the soul link," she announced, already moving toward his open window.
She flew out into the dawn air, wings beating silently, and began climbing toward the sky with increasing speed.
In his room, Valen felt the soul channel stretch, extending like a taut rope. The sensation was unusual but not painful—awareness of distance and connection simultaneously.
"The soul channel can extend up to roughly eight hundred meters," Iris reported after reaching maximum altitude. "Beyond that, the channel begins to strain. If I push further, it will snap like an overstretched rope. The backlash would likely damage both of us."
"Eight hundred meters should be sufficient for most situations."
"Yes!" Iris agreed enthusiastically, diving back down in a spiral pattern that spoke of pure joy. "In dangerous places, I can scout ahead for you. Check for ambushes, identify threats, map terrain—everything!"
She phased through the window without needing to navigate around it—one advantage of spiritual rather than physical form—and transformed again. This time into a small ghostly mouse that scurried across his floor with evident delight.
"We should test further," Valen suggested, watching her experiment with different forms.
"Agreed! We should test whether I can maintain physical interaction or if I'm purely intangible in this form."
The mouse attempted to push a small book across his desk. Her paws passed through it like smoke.
"Purely spiritual, then," Iris concluded. "No direct physical manipulation. But I can still scout, observe, and report. The tactical advantages are substantial."
Valen nodded, already thinking through applications.
"We will keep looking. Maybe there is a spell out there that can allow you to have physical interaction," he said quietly.
Iris smiled.
She transformed one final time—into a ghostly butterfly hovering around him, wings opening and closing with delicate precision.