Chapter 10 - Spirit Ward

The blinding light surrounding Hikari pulsed and swirled, forcing everyone to shield their eyes. Akira could feel the raw power emanating from her, a warmth that seemed to penetrate to his very soul. When the light finally faded, Hikari stood at its center, her eyes glowing with golden fire and her hair floating as if in an invisible breeze. "Hikari?" Akira said softly, taking a tentative step towards her. "Are you okay?" She blinked, the glow in her eyes dimming slightly as she focused on Akira. "I... I think so. That was... intense." She looked down at her hands, which still shimmered with a faint golden light. "I feel different. Stronger." Ren whistled, impressed. "Looks like someone just had a divine upgrade. Way to go, Sunshine!" As the other students gathered around Hikari, exclaiming over her transformation, Akira noticed a translucent window hovering in the air next to her. It seemed only he could see it - probably due to his Izanagi aspect's affinity for spiritual phenomena. [Status Update] Name: Hikari Sato Level: 5 (↑1) Aspect: Amaterasu (Level 3) - Light Construct (New!): Create solid objects from light. Duration: 1 minute. Akira's eyes widened as he read the status window. Hikari's growth was impressive, and that new Light Construct skill explained the solid light creations she had been working on earlier. Before anyone could celebrate further, a bone-chilling howl cut through the night. The temperature in the storage facility plummeted, their breath suddenly visible in the air. Akira felt a familiar sensation - the same corruption he had sensed during his meditation. "Everyone, be on guard!" Ren shouted, electricity crackling around his fists. "Something's coming!" As if on cue, the walls of the facility began to warp and twist. Shadowy figures emerged from the distortions - humanoid shapes wreathed in dark, corrupted energy. Their forms flickered between solid and ethereal, eyes glowing with an unnatural purple light. "Corrupted spirits!" Akira called out, his Izanagi aspect resonating with the twisted energy. "Don't let them touch you!" The storage facility erupted into chaos. Yuki created ice barriers to hold back the encroaching spirits, while Mei darted between them with superhuman speed, her fists glowing with divine energy as she struck at the apparitions. Ren unleashed bolts of lightning, the electricity seeming to disrupt the spirits' forms temporarily. Hikari, still glowing with her newfound power, raised her hands. "Light Construct!" she called out, and beams of solid light formed into a protective dome around the group of students. The corrupted spirits clawed at the barrier, leaving trails of darkness against the golden light. As a particularly large spirit bashed against Hikari's barrier, causing her to stumble, Akira felt a surge of protective instinct. The new skill he had been sensing bubbled to the surface of his consciousness. "Spirit Ward!" Akira shouted, throwing his hands out. A shimmering blue barrier sprang into existence, overlapping with Hikari's light construct. Where the two energies met, they seemed to resonate, growing stronger. [Skill Unlocked] Spirit Ward (Level 1): Create a protective barrier that repels malevolent spirits and purifies spiritual attacks. Duration: 1 minute. Cooldown: 10 minutes. The corrupted spirits recoiled from the combined barrier, their forms seeming to smoke where they touched it. Akira felt a deep connection to the spiritual energy flowing through him, a sense of balance between the world of the living and the dead. "Akira!" Hikari called out, her voice strained. "I don't know how long I can hold this!" He nodded, understanding what needed to be done. Drawing on his training and the newfound clarity from unlocking Spirit Ward, Akira reached out with his senses. He could feel the corrupted energy swirling around them, but beneath it, he sensed something else - a flicker of the spirits' original essence. "Everyone," he said, his voice carrying an authority he didn't know he possessed, "channel your energy into the barrier!" As his classmates complied, Akira felt the barrier change. It was no longer just a shield, but a conduit for their combined divine aspects. He guided the energy, using his connection to Izanagi to bridge the gap between the corrupted spirits and their true nature. The spirits' forms began to shift, the corruption slowly burning away under the assault of purifying energy. One by one, they reverted to their original forms - human shapes of pure light. With expressions of peace and gratitude, the purified spirits faded away, returning to the cycle of reincarnation. As the last spirit vanished, Akira felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him. The barriers flickered and died, and he sank to his knees, gasping for breath. But along with the fatigue came a sense of accomplishment and a deeper understanding of his Izanagi aspect. [Experience Gained] Corrupted Spirits Purified: 12 Total Exp Gained: 600 Level Up! [Status Update] Name: Akira Kageyama Level: 5 (↑1) Aspect: Izanagi (Level 3) Strength: 16 (+1) Agility: 15 (+1) Vitality: 16 (+1) Intelligence: 29 (+1) Wisdom: 39 (+1) HP: 160/160 MP: 390/390 Skills: - Spirit Fusion (Level 2): Partially or fully transform using absorbed spirit energy. Duration increased. - Spiritual Attunement (Level 2): Better control and longer duration of Spirit Fusion. - Spiritual Immunity (Passive): Grants immunity to physical damage from non-divine spirits. - Spiritual Absorption: Absorb spiritual essence to enhance abilities. Caution: Overuse may lead to spiritual corruption. - Divine Smite (Level 2): Channel divine energy into a powerful offensive attack. Deals heavy damage to malevolent entities. Cooldown: 1 minute. - Realm Walker (Level 2): Improved ability to sense and interact with spiritual entities. - Spirit Ward (New!): Create a protective barrier that repels malevolent spirits and purifies spiritual attacks. Duration: 1 minute. Cooldown: 10 minutes. Exp: 100/3500 As Akira processed his new status, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Hikari smiling down at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of exhaustion and admiration. "That was amazing, Akira," she said softly. "How did you know what to do?" He shook his head, still trying to make sense of it himself. "I'm not sure. It was like... like I could feel the balance between life and death, corruption and purity. I just knew we had to restore that balance." Ren approached, his hair still standing on end from the electricity he had wielded. "Whatever it was, it worked. But we need to report this. Those corrupted spirits shouldn't have been able to get past the academy's defenses." Before anyone could respond, the door to the storage facility burst open. Captain Takeshi stood there, his face a mask of fury and concern. "What in the name of all the kami is going on here?" he bellowed. The students froze, suddenly remembering that their late-night training session was very much against the rules. Takeshi's eyes scanned the room, taking in the signs of battle and the exhausted state of the students. "Sir," Akira began, stepping forward. "We can explain-" Takeshi held up a hand, cutting him off. "Save it. We don't have time for explanations right now. Something big is happening, and Dr. Yumiko has called an emergency assembly. All of you, report to the main auditorium immediately." As they filed out of the storage facility, following a still-fuming Takeshi, Akira couldn't shake the feeling that the corrupted spirit attack and whatever news awaited them were connected. He glanced at Hikari, seeing his own mix of exhaustion and apprehension mirrored in her eyes. Whatever was coming, Akira knew that their lives at SMART were about to change dramatically. The real trial, it seemed, was just beginning.The blinding light surrounding Hikari pulsed and swirled, forcing everyone to shield their eyes. Akira could feel the raw power emanating from her, a warmth that seemed to penetrate to his very soul. When the light finally faded, Hikari stood at its center, her eyes glowing with golden fire and her hair floating as if in an invisible breeze."Hikari?" Akira said softly, taking a tentative step towards her. "Are you okay?"She blinked, the glow in her eyes dimming slightly as she focused on Akira. "I... I think so. That was... intense." She looked down at her hands, which still shimmered with a faint golden light. "I feel different. Stronger."Ren whistled, impressed. "Looks like someone just had a divine upgrade. Way to go, Sunshine!"As the other students gathered around Hikari, exclaiming over her transformation, Akira noticed a translucent window hovering in the air next to her. It seemed only he could see it - probably due to his Izanagi aspect's affinity for spiritual phenomena.`[Status Update]Name: Hikari SatoLevel: 5 (↑1)Aspect: Amaterasu (Level 3)Light Construct (New!): Create solid objects from light. Duration: 1 minute.`Akira's eyes widened as he read the status window. Hikari's growth was impressive, and that new Light Construct skill explained the solid light creations she had been working on earlier.Before anyone could celebrate further, a bone-chilling howl cut through the night. The temperature in the storage facility plummeted, their breath suddenly visible in the air. Akira felt a familiar sensation - the same corruption he had sensed during his meditation."Everyone, be on guard!" Ren shouted, electricity crackling around his fists. "Something's coming!"As if on cue, the walls of the facility began to warp and twist. Shadowy figures emerged from the distortions - humanoid shapes wreathed in dark, corrupted energy. Their forms flickered between solid and ethereal, eyes glowing with an unnatural purple light."Corrupted spirits!" Akira called out, his Izanagi aspect resonating with the twisted energy. "Don't let them touch you!"The storage facility erupted into chaos. Yuki created ice barriers to hold back the encroaching spirits, while Mei darted between them with superhuman speed, her fists glowing with divine energy as she struck at the apparitions. Ren unleashed bolts of lightning, the electricity seeming to disrupt the spirits' forms temporarily.Hikari, still glowing with her newfound power, raised her hands. "Light Construct!" she called out, and beams of solid light formed into a protective dome around the group of students. The corrupted spirits clawed at the barrier, leaving trails of darkness against the golden light.As a particularly large spirit bashed against Hikari's barrier, causing her to stumble, Akira felt a surge of protective instinct. The new skill he had been sensing bubbled to the surface of his consciousness."Spirit Ward!" Akira shouted, throwing his hands out. A shimmering blue barrier sprang into existence, overlapping with Hikari's light construct. Where the two energies met, they seemed to resonate, growing stronger.`[Skill Unlocked]Spirit Ward (Level 1): Create a protective barrier that repels malevolent spirits and purifies spiritual attacks. Duration: 1 minute. Cooldown: 10 minutes.`The corrupted spirits recoiled from the combined barrier, their forms seeming to smoke where they touched it. Akira felt a deep connection to the spiritual energy flowing through him, a sense of balance between the world of the living and the dead."Akira!" Hikari called out, her voice strained. "I don't know how long I can hold this!"He nodded, understanding what needed to be done. Drawing on his training and the newfound clarity from unlocking Spirit Ward, Akira reached out with his senses. He could feel the corrupted energy swirling around them, but beneath it, he sensed something else - a flicker of the spirits' original essence."Everyone," he said, his voice carrying an authority he didn't know he possessed, "channel your energy into the barrier!"As his classmates complied, Akira felt the barrier change. It was no longer just a shield, but a conduit for their combined divine aspects. He guided the energy, using his connection to Izanagi to bridge the gap between the corrupted spirits and their true nature.The spirits' forms began to shift, the corruption slowly burning away under the assault of purifying energy. One by one, they reverted to their original forms - human shapes of pure light. With expressions of peace and gratitude, the purified spirits faded away, returning to the cycle of reincarnation.As the last spirit vanished, Akira felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him. The barriers flickered and died, and he sank to his knees, gasping for breath. But along with the fatigue came a sense of accomplishment and a deeper understanding of his Izanagi aspect.`[Experience Gained]Corrupted Spirits Purified: 12Total Exp Gained: 600Level Up![Status Update]Name: Akira KageyamaLevel: 5 (↑1)Aspect: Izanagi (Level 3)Strength: 16 (+1)Agility: 15 (+1)Vitality: 16 (+1)Intelligence: 29 (+1)Wisdom: 39 (+1)HP: 160/160MP: 390/390Skills:Spirit Fusion (Level 2): Partially or fully transform using absorbed spirit energy. Duration increased.Spiritual Attunement (Level 2): Better control and longer duration of Spirit Fusion.Spiritual Immunity (Passive): Grants immunity to physical damage from non-divine spirits.Spiritual Absorption: Absorb spiritual essence to enhance abilities. Caution: Overuse may lead to spiritual corruption.Divine Smite (Level 2): Channel divine energy into a powerful offensive attack. Deals heavy damage to malevolent entities. Cooldown: 1 minute.Realm Walker (Level 2): Improved ability to sense and interact with spiritual entities.Spirit Ward (New!): Create a protective barrier that repels malevolent spirits and purifies spiritual attacks. Duration: 1 minute. Cooldown: 10 minutes.Exp: 100/3500`As Akira processed his new status, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Hikari smiling down at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of exhaustion and admiration."That was amazing, Akira," she said softly. "How did you know what to do?"He shook his head, still trying to make sense of it himself. "I'm not sure. It was like... like I could feel the balance between life and death, corruption and purity. I just knew we had to restore that balance."Ren approached, his hair still standing on end from the electricity he had wielded. "Whatever it was, it worked. But we need to report this. Those corrupted spirits shouldn't have been able to get past the academy's defenses."Before anyone could respond, the door to the storage facility burst open. Captain Takeshi stood there, his face a mask of fury and concern. "What in the name of all the kami is going on here?" he bellowed.The students froze, suddenly remembering that their late-night training session was very much against the rules. Takeshi's eyes scanned the room, taking in the signs of battle and the exhausted state of the students."Sir," Akira began, stepping forward. "We can explain-"Takeshi held up a hand, cutting him off. "Save it. We don't have time for explanations right now. Something big is happening, and Dr. Yumiko has called an emergency assembly. All of you, report to the main auditorium immediately."As they filed out of the storage facility, following a still-fuming Takeshi, Akira couldn't shake the feeling that the corrupted spirit attack and whatever news awaited them were connected. He glanced at Hikari, seeing his own mix of exhaustion and apprehension mirrored in her eyes.Whatever was coming, Akira knew that their lives at SMART were about to change dramatically. The real trial, it seemed, was just beginning.