The clearing beyond the Sacred Forest Lake was quiet. Golden rays pierced through the canopy, warming the stone circle at the center—a place used for ancient rites, now repurposed by Kurou as a training ground.
Shisui stood at attention, a thin film of sweat clinging to his brow. His Spirit Core still pulsed faintly with the Myrrkai's sigil, as if urging him forward.
Kurou stepped into the circle and spoke:
> "Today, I'll teach you three Arch Energy Jutsu. Each represents one of the Three Paths—Purification, Protection, and Disruption. Master these, and you'll survive most battles."
He raised his hand and formed a complex series of Soul Gestures—hand signs not just channeling chakra, but resonating through his Animus and Corpus alike.
The air shimmered with heat and radiance.
> "Arch Ninjutsu: Scorching Mirage—Sunfang Bloom."
A petal-shaped flame hovered over Kurou's palm—small at first, then splitting into dozens of burning sunbursts. They hovered briefly in midair, then spiraled outward in a blinding arc.
The ground smoked where they landed. The surrounding Arch Energy—normally invisible—shimmered like oil on water, purified.
"Solar Flame is the nature you'll align with first," Kurou explained. "To shape Sunfang Bloom, you must balance fierce will and serene control."
Shisui mimicked the Soul Gestures slowly, breathing in sync with his Animus. After several failed attempts, a single glowing petal flickered to life—unstable, but real.
Kurou grunted approvingly.
"Now we begin."
For the next hour, Shisui repeated the form, learning the name and flow of each gesture:
Shine Seal
Flickering Bloom
Radiant Split
Purge Spiral
By the end, four petals hovered around his hand—sweating, straining, but smiling.