(The Spirit realm, several years ago)

Amidst turbulent surroundings filled with wild energy fluctuations, a solitary gleam of light stood out. This light resembled a radiant pearl, unwavering in the deepest depths of the dark ocean.

This luminous presence was renowned as the marvel of the highest plane in the spirit realm - the Crown.

Only noble-ranked souls and specialised spirit warriors inhabited this magnificent city, known as 'The King's Bosom', the heart of the spirit realm's administration.

Inside the elegant palace lay an inner expanse resembling a vast grassland, seemingly stretching for miles, though it was a trick of spatial spells.

Amidst the city's wonders, the focus now shifts to a specific scenario.

The clash of heavy metal rang out on a certain section of the plains as two souls engaged in ceaseless training, exchanging blows endlessly.

They wore similar attire, probably training uniforms, simple and marked only by the spirit realm's administrative crests.

One soul possessed scarlet eyes, blazing with passion, while the other's eyes held a dull, bored demeanour.

*CLANG!*

The scarlet-eyed fighter swung his blade swiftly, deftly disarming his opponent's sword. It arced through the air and landed with a thud a few metres away.

"Argh! How do you always manage that?", the dull-eyed soul muttered, his irritation growing.

"Haha, I'm nowhere near a beginner's level... Axel," the scarlet-eyed one replied, sweat trickling down his cheek.

Before Axel could voice more frustration, a small voice echoed from a distance.

"Brother Axel! Brother Kekeli!"

Both fatigued combatants turned towards the sound, surprise lighting up their expressions.

Approaching them was a young girl, clad in an elegant white dress. Pinpricks of light danced above her intricately woven blonde hair, and her vibrant blue eyes sparkled as she drew near.

Landing lightly in Kekeli's arms, she called out, "Lady Leticia?"

Kekeli blinked twice, "What are you doing on the sparring grounds? Aren't you supposed to be at the royal meeting with the other nobles?"

Leticia pouted, "It's boring there."

"Actually, it's important," Axel chimed in gently. "House Bennet's members need to attend that meeting, right?"

Leticia huffed, "No, no, no, no, NO!"

Kekeli and Axel exchanged concerned glances. Leticia's presence at the meetings was crucial, but they understood the tedium it held for a child.

Their expressions softened into smiles.

"Alright then, since I represent House Engel, I guess we'll face the scolding together," Axel winked at Edem, addressing Leticia.

Her mood began to shift with that revelation.

"Wait a second…," Kekeli raised an eyebrow. "If you're here, who's standing in for House Engel?"

"Well-"

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Before Axel could continue, another voice broke in from a distance. All eyes turned to see a young boy, about Leticia's age and height, making his way towards them.

He had deep blue hair and black eyes that complemented his elegant attire.

"Adler!?" A hint of dread flickered in Axel's dull eyes.

Kekeli let out a whistle and smirked at his friend, "Uh-oh, trouble's brewing."

"You again!?" Leticia pointed an accusatory finger at the weary newcomer. "Just leave me alone already!"

The little girl hastily sought refuge behind Kekeli, peeking warily at Adler.

"But I was tasked with watching over you!" Adler's words came out between pants. "You were with me, and then suddenly you vanished. I was worried."

"Worried enough to leave the meeting?" Axel's irritation simmered.

"Hold on," Kekeli interjected, his tone calming. "First of all, your little brother shouldn't have been at the meeting."

Kekeli's words caused Axel to flinch slightly, "Tch."

"And," the scarlet-eyed soul knelt, patting Leticia's head gently. "You shouldn't have spoken to Adler like that."

Leticia averted her gaze with a stubborn glint.

"Listen," Kekeli's eyebrows twitched in mild annoyance. "If you ever want to communicate, think about who you're talking to. We all hold something very dear."

He tapped Leticia's chest.

"That important something resides right here," Kekeli smiled. "To build connections with others, even if they seem distant, you need to listen to their hearts."

"Listen... to their hearts?" Leticia turned to face Kekeli.

A brief silence enveloped Axel, Adler, and Leticia as they contemplated Kekeli's words, momentarily lost in thought.

'Why the sudden silence?' Kekeli wondered, still smiling.

"Okay!" The little girl's blue eyes suddenly sparkled. She moved toward Adler. "I'm sorry, Adler! Let's go play!"

Leticia grasped Adler's hands and skipped away from the training grounds, leaving Axel and Kekeli in solitude once more.

Gradually, darkness crept in as the carrier of this memory slowly returned to her present. This memory, long dormant, resurfaced, a reminder of its profound lesson.

...

...

"Ngh."

Leticia's eyes fluttered open as she roused from her deep slumber. Sitting up, she cast a casual glance around. She found herself in a sparsely furnished room – likely the hostel Edem had mentioned.

"A dream?" She rubbed her temples and lowered her eyes. "Brother Kekeli…"

A fleeting image of a familiar figure crossed her mind. Strands of her hair, seemingly guided by her will, snaked through the floor to the room below.

As the hair contacted the lower floor, minute fragments of spirit energy flowed into her consciousness.

"They're training outside?" She mused aloud.

A thoughtful silence followed.

"Fine then!" With that, she slipped out of her covers, leaving her room.

Meanwhile, at Zanetor's training grounds, a series of explosions resonated within the enclosed area.

Bands of light streaked through the air, converging on a blurred figure zigzagging to evade them.

"He keeps ramping up their speed and precision," Zanetor muttered, his figure swerving into a wide curve.

"You won't progress if you just keep circling around," Edem teased, his stance relaxed at a safe distance.

'He isn't even breaking a sweat,' Zanetor noted. 'What do I do?'

Suddenly, Zanetor's movements halted as a constricting force fastened around his left leg. Glancing downward, he spotted a golden circle ominously revolving around his ankle.

"Damn it, I zoned out for a moment!"

A sly gleam sparkled in Edem's eyes as he mentally guided a cluster of high-energy light beams straight toward Zanetor.

Instinctively, the Shadow soul aimed his weapon at the incoming projectiles, meticulously harnessing the spirit energy flowing from his soul core.

"Come on, come on!"

*Bang!*

A projectile rocketed from the torrent blazer with incredible force, swiftly encircled by a rotating vortex of water. The light beams collided with it, deflecting and spiralling off in different trajectories.

The beams struck the ground, triggering an explosion that sent dust and debris scattering.

"He won't give up there," Zanetor activated 'serene swift' as soon as the golden circle around his ankle vanished.

Multiple golden circles materialised around his streaking form, while Edem steadily focused on his target.

The Shadow soul's countenance turned fierce. "The entire area is a minefield. If that's the case..."

Droplets of water converged beneath his feet, propelling his body skyward in the blink of an eye.

"Hmm, attempting to evade the ground traps, are you?" Edem pondered, scratching his chin. "Being airborne won't help much. I can still deploy my circles up there, despite your aerial manoeuvrability with Serene Swift."

As the cloaked man readied to direct his light beams at his pupil, something caught his attention.

"Oh?" He raised both eyebrows casually. "Looks like she's finally awake."

"Huh?" Zanetor glanced back, sensing a presence at the edge of his perception.

An unfamiliar force abruptly seized him from behind, suspending him in mid-air. His arms were immobilised, and the grip of the assailant seemed to constrict with every passing second.

"What in the world is this?" He peered downward. "Is this... hair!?"

A haze of dust settled as a diminutive figure emerged from concealment. The figure wore a simple white dress, and her blonde hair had extended, ensnaring Zanetor. She stared at her captive with a medley of emotions swirling in her eyes—confusion, anger, and a hint of amusement.

It was as if she were grappling with a blend of conflicting feelings.

Edem's customary smirk faded into a faint frown. A sensation entirely different from what he usually sensed around her permeated the air. It evoked memories of a distant time.

"Seriously, you're such a nuisance!!" Leticia stamped her foot. "Nuisance! Nuisance! Nuisance! Nuisance!"

*BOOM!*

Her elongated hair slammed Zanetor onto the ground with unrelenting force, then gradually retracted to its original length atop her head.

"Ugh!" She pouted with intensity.

Zanetor rose gradually, displaying scars and bruises that stained his body, and blood which trickled from his head. Yet, his indifferent demeanour remained unchanged.

"What do you think you're doing, interrupting my training?" The shadow soul growled, his tone dark.

"Uncle," Leticia's voice quivered almost imperceptibly. "Can I take it from here, please?"

Edem hesitated momentarily, uncertainty flickering across his features. What transformation had she undergone?

The cloaked man gazed into the young girl's eyes, and for an instant, he sensed an involuntary tremor ripple through his body.

A surge of relief washed over him.

Ah, that's it.

"Understood, little Leti," he smirked, stepping back. "Don't worry about any of this, Zanetor. Trust me."

Zanetor observed as his mentor retreated beyond the boundary. "Why did he suddenly decide to leave like that?"

"Shadow Soul!" Leticia shouted as the air around her got wild. "I'm your new opponent now!"

The hairs on Zanetor's skin flared into alert as an unfamiliar flow of spirit energy welled up within Leticia and in mere moments, he confronted a towering, seven-foot-tall humanoid entity. It possessed graceful contours, its entire being seemingly composed of dynamic, undulating strands of hair. Its eyes blazed with a piercing crimson hue.

"She transformed into that thing?!" Zanetor moved back a step.

"You probably want quick results," the new Leticia said in a strange voice. "If that's true, then you won't have to wait long."

[Fabrication Spell: Sentient Fibre's Manifestation]

"I'll end this quickly," she muttered coldly.