Morning arrived quietly.
Kenji Watanabe sat on the edge of his bed, staring at his hands. His fingers flexed slowly, deliberately. Beneath his skin, strength stirred—subtle, steady, undeniable.
His body felt different these past few days.
Not explosive.
Not overflowing.
But solid.
Body Refining was real. Tangible. Measurable.
Yet no matter how grounded his body felt, one question still gnawed at him.
Why can't I awaken my Life Spirit?The Wrong Assumption
Kenji had always believed awakening was simple.
Meditate.Focus inward.Call out to the soul.
That was what the teachers said. What the manuals claimed. What everyone repeated.
And yet—nothing.
No resonance.
No vision.
No response.
He clenched his fists.
"…Am I still doing it wrong?"Walking to School
The morning streets of Hoshino City bustled with quiet life. Shop owners opened their shutters. Delivery carts rattled across stone paths. Students walked in small groups, chatting about cultivation rumors, training results, and upcoming assessments.
Kenji walked alone.
But not for long.
"Yo! Kenji!"
A familiar voice rang out.
Riku Kobayashi jogged up beside him, hands behind his head, uniform slightly wrinkled, grin firmly in place.
"You look like you're wrestling a ghost again," Riku said cheerfully.
Kenji sighed. "Feels like it."
They walked together in silence for a moment.
Then Kenji spoke.
"…Riku. Can I ask you something?"
Riku raised an eyebrow. "That serious tone means it's about awakening."
Kenji blinked. "How did you—"
"You've had that face for weeks," Riku laughed. "Spit it out."The Question
Kenji slowed his steps.
"I've tried everything. Meditation. Breath control. Physical exhaustion. Even pain. I still can't awaken a Life Spirit."
Riku stopped walking.
Slowly.
"…You tried awakening by yourself?"
Kenji nodded. "Isn't that how everyone does it?"
Riku stared at him.
Then burst out laughing.
Hard.
Loud.
He bent over, clutching his stomach. "Hahaha—oh man—Kenji—you're serious?"
Kenji frowned. "What?"
Riku wiped a tear from his eye. "No wonder you think you're talentless."You're Doing It Wrong
Riku straightened, his playful expression fading into something serious.
"Kenji," he said slowly, "you can't awaken a proper Life Spirit alone."
Kenji froze.
"…What?"
Riku continued walking, gesturing for Kenji to follow.
"Listen. There are two ways people awaken Life Spirits."
Kenji's heart began to pound.Natural Awakening vs Gate Awakening
"First," Riku said, "there's Natural Awakening."
Kenji nodded eagerly. "That's what I've been trying."
Riku snorted. "Yeah. And that only works for monsters."
Kenji stiffened.
"Natural Awakening happens when someone's body, soul, and bloodline resonate perfectly under extreme conditions," Riku explained. "Life-or-death situations. Ancient bloodlines. Rare physiques."
He glanced sideways. "One in tens of thousands."
Kenji's shoulders sank.
"And the second?" he asked quietly.
Riku smiled.
"Gate Awakening."The Family Gates
"Every established family," Riku said, "has a Life Spirit Gate."
Kenji's eyes widened.
"A… gate?"
"Yeah. A formation. A ritual space. A spiritual anchor. Different names, same function."
Riku's tone grew thoughtful.
"The gates connect the human soul to the Life Spirit Realm. They guide the awakening instead of forcing it."
Kenji swallowed.
"…So everyone who awakened at school…"
"Used a family gate," Riku finished.
Kenji felt something crack inside him.
All this time—
"I thought…" Kenji whispered.
Riku clapped him on the shoulder. "Yeah. Teachers don't explain this well to public students."Why Public Schools Fail People
"Public schools," Riku said, "teach techniques, theory, and basic cultivation. But they can't provide gates."
Kenji frowned. "Why not?"
"Because gates are expensive. Dangerous. And politically sensitive."
Riku shrugged. "Families guard them like treasures."
Kenji clenched his fists.
"So without a gate…"
"You're basically shouting into the void," Riku said bluntly.Life Spirits Are Not Random
They reached school grounds and sat beneath a large tree near the training field.
Riku leaned back against the trunk.
"Now here's the important part," he said. "Life Spirits aren't random."
Kenji leaned forward.
"When you awaken through a gate," Riku explained, "you don't just get a Life Spirit."
"You choose."
Kenji's breath caught.
"…Choose?"
"Within limits," Riku corrected. "Compatibility matters. But yes—you can aim for different types."Types of Life Spirits
Riku held up his fingers.
"Weapon Spirits.""Beast Spirits.""Elemental Spirits.""Body-Type Spirits.""Conceptual Spirits."
Kenji's mind spun.
"And rank?" he asked.
Riku's expression sharpened.The Ranked Difficulty
"Life Spirits are ranked the same way everywhere," Riku said.
Red — Orange — Yellow — Green — Cyan — Blue — Purple
"The higher the rank," Riku continued, "the harder the awakening."
Kenji nodded. "I know that much."
Riku shook his head.
"No—you don't."The Truth About High Ranks
"Red, Orange, Yellow?" Riku said casually. "Common. Painful, but manageable."
"Green?" His voice lowered. "That's where things change."
Kenji listened intently.
"Green-ranked Life Spirits resist bonding. They test willpower, endurance, and compatibility."
Riku paused.
"Many fail."
Kenji's chest tightened.
"And Cyan?"
Riku exhaled.
"Cyan-ranked spirits… I've only heard of them."
Kenji blinked. "Heard?"
"They demand absolute harmony," Riku said. "Mind, body, and soul aligned."
"…Blue?" Kenji asked carefully.
Riku stared at the sky.
"I don't know if anyone in our realm has one."
Kenji's breath stopped.
"And Purple?"
Riku laughed softly—without humor.
"Purple-ranked Life Spirits are legends. Myths. Things written in ancient ruins and half-burned records."
He looked at Kenji seriously.
"I don't really know if anyone in this realm has ever awakened a Blue or Purple-ranked Life Spirit."The Ceiling of the Realm
Kenji's voice was hoarse. "Then… what's the highest rank people here have?"
Riku answered immediately.
"Green."
Kenji sat back.
"Every known powerhouse. Every sect elder. Every city guardian."
"Green."
Kenji clenched his jaw.
"That's… the ceiling?"
"For now," Riku said quietly.Why It Matters
"Here's the catch," Riku said. "The higher the rank you attempt, the higher the failure rate."
Kenji nodded.
"Failing a Green awakening can cripple you."
"Failing Cyan can kill you."
"Failing Blue…" Riku didn't finish the sentence.
Kenji felt cold.Kenji's Mistake
"So," Riku concluded, "you weren't failing."
"You were trying to awaken without a gate."
Kenji lowered his head.
"…All this time."
Riku nudged him. "Hey. On the bright side—you built a ridiculous foundation instead."
Kenji let out a weak laugh.A New Question
Kenji looked up.
"Riku… your family has a gate?"
Riku nodded. "Kobayashi Gate. Old. Stable."
Kenji hesitated.
"…Would I even be allowed near one?"
Riku smiled slowly.
"That," he said, "depends on your resolve."A Shift in Fate
The school bell rang.
Students flooded the courtyard.
Kenji stood.
For the first time, the world felt… larger.
More dangerous.
More real.
But also—
Possible
Kenji finally understood:
He wasn't talentless.
He wasn't broken.
He was standing outside the door—
Trying to awaken power that required a gate, a choice, and a price.
And beyond that door lay Life Spirits that defined destiny itself.