The Endless Plains, Yomi — Sometime later that same night. Mura and Lilith found themselves walking alongside Naraka to his home. They had never been to this area of Yomi before, as previously Mura had been trained over the past two months at a private dojo.

These were the Endless Plains, a vast series of hills that seemingly stretched for eternity. Nearly every speck of land was covered by large, luxurious mansions and abodes that housed either the incredibly famous, rich elite or both. The atmosphere was humid and oddly serene.

Lilith’s mouth was hanging wide in awe at the marvels that were laid out before her.

“The buildings are enchanted, aren’t they?” Mura questioned, more reserved in his amazement.

“That’s correct! “These lands are enchanted you know. Every home you see here was built by the artisan and architect Demiurge, arguably the greatest to have ever lived,” Naraka said to the two students that trailed behind him.

“I can see you’re learning to better sense the magical energy that objects and places give off. At least some of my training is paying off.”

Mura didn’t say anything, simply bowing his head with a short smile.

—I’m still such a novice after only two months of training… I didn’t even know Behemoth was behind me. He could have easily killed me if he were an active threat.

“It’s up this way, come now! Not much farther.” Naraka excitedly spoke, beckoning them with his hand.

“Shut up out there! Some of us are trying to sleep, you idiot!” a portly woman in hair curlers shouted from her open second-story window.

Naraka blushed and with a friendly chuckle, he waved apologetically at the woman.

The trio turned left down a private walkway lined with cobblestone and several exquisitely-trimmed trees. There was a large white wall formed around the estate, with the tip of the roof peaking up above the ivory barricade.

“I hope my domicile serves you well,” Naraka said, stopping in front of the large square archway that led into his courtyard.

Lilith’s mouth dropped even further and Mura’s eyes widened. Before them was a large, immaculate Japanese classical-style mansion. It was two stories with a meditation garden, large blooming sakura tree to the left of the front yard and a training dojo to the right. The entirety of the building was a large square topped with hand-crafted shingles and old-fashioned windows.

“This is where you live?! This must have cost a fortune!” Lilith said in a very hushed-yet-loud whisper.

“Well, it was free for myself. The Jikininki along with top government officials receive homes here without having to pay. It just comes with the title,” Naraka explained, sparking a little jealousy within Lilith.

Together they walked through the entrance gate of Naraka’s mansion towards the right where the dojo was. A warm breeze shifted through the tree leaves as the three removed their shoes before walking barefoot onto the peerless wooden floor. The dojo had no walls, only a wooden ceiling hiding the training area from the night sky above.

“So then, how are you going to help me unlock my Tamashi Genkai, master?” Mura queried.

“It’s quite easy, actually. Any fool with a semblance of what he’s doing can unlock their Tamashi Genkai. It differs depending on the person and their genetics; for some it comes down to training for weeks on end. Whereas sometimes, a person needs to simply experience magic firsthand to grasp their own hidden potential.”

Lilith tilted her head curiously.

“Does that mean I have a Tamashi Genkai too?” she asked Naraka.

“Indeed! Any living creature has one, you just have to unlock it. Unfortunately for you Lilith, the stronger your spiritual power is, the easier it is to unlock. Yokai such as yourself have the hardest developing one out of any species, due to the fact you’re a deceased soul basically speaking.”

“Well that’s lame…” Lilith replied, trying to hide her disappointment.

“Shinigami are almost always born with their Tamashi Genkai unlocked. Demons like us need to generally practice a bit before we can develop one. Humans, well… they’re an interesting case. They are unable to obtain a Tamashi Genkai from birth. However, from my research, they can unlock theirs much easier than demons; all by simply experiencing magic in person,” Naraka explained while sitting on the floor.

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Naraka’s face suddenly turned grim, starring Mura directly in the eyes.

“It is for that very reason magically-awakened humans are assassinated by the Jikininki and those in the Deepcut. If they were allowed to practice magic, it would cause a cataclysmic chain-reaction that could threaten their entire species and planet.”

Lilith’s face turned pale from hearing Naraka’s words.

“Wait a sec, do human beings even know these rules exist?! How the hell is that fair to them? I was a human once too!”

Mura placed a hand on Lilith’s shoulder in an attempt to calm her.

“Lilith’s right, master. How can humans be expected to abide by rules they don’t even know?”

Naraka closed his eyes, as if he himself had debated these very same methods with others in the past.

“It is not my place to decide. I believe these procedures to be flawed just as much as you. However, consider this. If humans were to know about the existence of our kind, of magic and other worlds besides their own, do you think they would graciously behave?”

Lilith opened her mouth to speak, then closed it. In her mind she figured any retorts would easily be rebutted against.

“Unfortunately, humans are a species dominated by their own curiosity. If you tell someone not to do something, it only makes them wish to venture out and partake in the forbidden act even more. Even in their ancient texts, the first humans lost their right to eternity by giving into corruption.”

Naraka paused. His words had ceased but their weight bore down heavily on Mura and Lilith’s spirits.

“My apologies… We are here to learn, not argue over philosophies beyond our control,” Naraka spoke solemnly.

Mura’s gaze glazed over as he tossed the words Naraka spoke around in his head. Suddenly, he felt Lilith turn away from his side. She walked away from the men with a brisk pace; leaving without speaking a word. Mura turned to go after her, but Naraka stopped him with a single look.

“Do not worry, Mura. She will be alright. I can imagine this weighs heavily on her mind, especially given she cannot remember her own past life,” Naraka said in an understanding voice. “Now then, we must continue with your training. You will not need your Thrall for this lesson.”

Mura looked off to see Lilith head into Naraka’s home as Naraka’s three-legged crow Yatagarasu perched itself on the gateway outside to mansion to watch her inquiringly.

“Now as I mentioned before, your Tamashi Genkai will come to you easier once you learn to focus your spiritual energy, Mura. The energy that your soul exudes naturally, we call this force Tamashiryoku.”

“Tamashiryoku…” Mura repeated, sitting on the wooden floor just as his master had.

“Yes, correct. We have trained you in the physical over these months, my boy. Now we must delve into the mental and the spiritual,” Naraka explained, placing his wrist loosely on his knees while keeping the other arm erect next to his head.

“Perform these Mudras after me. The Prithvi Mudra, touch the tip of your ring finger with your thumb while the other three are stretched out. Perform this on your knee.”

Mura fumbled a bit with his fingers until his pose matched Naraka’s.

“A good start. Now the Prana Mudra, curl your ring and little finger; keeping them underneath the tip of your thumb. Now keep your index and middle fingers stretched upwards.”

“Okay,” Mura said, matching this one much easier. As he did, he could already feel some of the restless pressure from earlier lifting away.

“What is this magic?” Mura asked confused.

“Hush, it is not magic. Yet, it is not anything the demons would teach you. I learned this method centuries ago from studying under the lesser kami on Earth. Now, maintain the mudras and close your eyes. Empty you mind and still your breathing.”

—Empty my mind… Okay, I can do that. Wait, does thinking count? Crap.

“These mudras will focus your spirit and begin to generate energy. Meditate like this when you can and you shall never want for Tamashiryoku.”

Mura steadied his breathing and time seemed to slow down for him, just how it would when he’d formulate a strategy. And yet, this somehow felt different. Everything seemed more focused. More concreate and clear.

His body began to feel lighter and energy flowed through his body like a steady yet forceful stream.

“Think back to earlier at the Deepcut, Mura. Behemoth is still the same as ever, yet he holds such an unfathomable position. Why is this? Think back to today, do you recall anything in your memory?”

Mura concentrated whilst trying to maintain his focus.

“I see… darkness.”

Naraka opened his eyes to watch Mura curiously.

“Perhaps you saw something earlier? Something you didn’t realize until now, something that escaped your thoughts.”

Mura focused, causing a bead of sweat to form on his temple.

—I did miss something earlier. Something right out in the open, but what…

The shape of darkness began to piece itself back together into what he saw earlier that day.

“It’s… It’s a branch. A black branch with many paths.” Mura stated, his eyes still shut.

Naraka grinned to himself. “Focus, sharpen the image in your mind!”

—What else could a black branch be? Unless… wait, at the outpost…

Suddenly, Mura shot up out of his trance. He gasped and starred at Naraka with a concerned expression.

“Forgive me, master! I have to go back to the Deepcut right now!”

Naraka blinked twice with a puzzled look, as if this wasn’t the outcome he anticipated.

“B-But I was going to make tea…” Naraka said quietly with a sigh.

Mura hurriedly put his boots back on and grabbed onto Lilith once more to race back to the guild headquarters. As he did, Mura had a fierce look in his eyes.

—If my hunch is correct, I’m going to kill that bastard Behemoth! What he’s done doesn’t deserve a shred of mercy!