“Hey—Kael, Barnabas,” he said, adjusting his glasses, “think we can train together later? You know… build synergy before the competition?”
Kael nodded easily.
“Sure. I’m heading to the training room now. You can come if you want.”
Barnabas stopped mid-step, staring at Kael as if he’d just heard something illegal.
“Wait—train? Now?” Barnabas asked. “Kael, you just burned through Spirit Drive. You almost collapsed in the copter. Are you sure you can train in the state you’re currently in?”
Kael gave a relaxed shrug.
“Don’t worry. I’ve already recovered. My spirit creature’s passive has been restoring my spirit energy nonstop.”
Joseph’s eyes widened, impressed.
“That passive ability is insane… No wonder your spirits might be rare.”
Barnabas rubbed the back of his neck.
“Well, even if you’re fine, I’m not. My whole body’s sore from fighting that, Flora Abberant. I didn’t get your spirit creature’s healing privilege.”
Joseph chuckled.
“Oh right—you two were the ones who fought that monster head-on during the extraction. Maybe training tomorrow is better.”
Kael nodded.
“Yeah, no problem. Tomorrow then.”
Joseph and Barnabas headed off toward their quarters, still talking about strategies for the 3v3 event.
Kyle watched them go, then elbowed Kael with a smirk.
“So,” he said, “you still going to train? The whole squad’s already waiting in the simulation room.”
Kael gave a small, confident smile.
“Of course.”
They walked together towards the simulation room.
When they entered the simulation wing, the doors slid open with a metallic whirr.
Inside, the rest of Squad Prime stood ready.
Natalia, Serafina, Anya, and Takeshi were already suited up—each in full armor, helmets clipped at their sides, visor lights humming.
The room’s holographic projectors cast shifting grids of blue across the walls.
“Simulation: Project Arena,” Kael commanded, his voice calm, steady. The arena responded immediately, the environment solidifying around them in an instant.
He turned to Takeshi, who had already drawn his katana, stance firm, eyes focused.
“Since you might face August in the competition,” Kael said, voice smooth, “why not duel against me, Takeshi? I’ve also been wanting to test a new technique.”
Takeshi’s eyes widened slightly but narrowed in resolve. He gripped his katana tightly.
“Alright,” he said, stepping forward. “C’mon, Kael. Let’s duel.”
Kael walked toward him, each step measured. Then, a chime echoed inside his mind, soft yet insistent.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION — TECHNIQUE OPTION AVAILABLE]
? ELEMENTAL SPLIT — READY FOR ACTIVATION ?
Kael froze, blinking in disbelief. This…? This is the first time I can use a skill outside of Spirit Drive. His heart raced.
Takeshi cocked his head. “Kael, use your Spirit Drive already! Then we can start.”
Kael shook his head, his gaze fixed on the notification only he could see. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he muttered, almost to himself,
“Elemental Split.”
The arena erupted in a brilliant cascade of energy. A single pillar of radiant light burst forth from Kael, blasting the holographic arena with sheer force. It twisted, flame licking its edges, then sizzled with electricity, until it split into three distinct columns.
One pillar radiated pure blue light, holy and serene.
Another roared with crimson fire, molten and violent.
The last crackled with golden lightning, alive with raw energy.
From each pillar emerged a Kael. Three Kaels—each clad in a different set of armor. The first, the sleek, luminous white and blue armor of Kylon’s grace; the second, the burning crimson and orange of Kawa’s fury; the third, the electrifying golden-and-silver plating of Zatz’s power.
The squad froze, eyes wide, jaws slack. The arena seemed to vibrate with the aura of three simultaneous presences.
Anya’s voice cracked in shock.
“Kael… you… you split into three!”
Kael, clad in the sleek, luminous armor of light, opened his eyes and blinked. His gaze fell upon two other versions of himself—one radiating crimson fire, the other crackling with golden lightning. For a moment, the three of them simply stared at one another, the arena glowing with the combined energy of their presence.
They pointed at each other almost instinctively, shouting in a chorus of shock.
After a pause, the Kael in light armor spoke first, his voice trembling slightly.
“Oh dear… what is happening to me?”
The Kael in burning armor folded his arms, a smirk curling on his lips.
“Well, probably we split because you can’t keep up with my power,” he said with a teasing tone.
The light-armored Kael groaned and smacked the back of the burning-armored Kael’s head.
Meanwhile, the lightning-armored Kael’s eyes sparkled with mischief.
“Wow… I’ve got twins now!” he exclaimed, laughter bubbling out as he spun in a small circle.
The other two stared at him, confused, unable to tell which was which.
Anya, observing with a mix of awe and amusement, stepped forward, hands on her hips.
“Since we can’t tell which one of you is the real Kael,” she said, scanning the trio, “and I also noticed each of you is… behaving a bit like Kael’s spirit creatures, I’m going to give you names.”
She pointed decisively at the Kael in light armor.
“From now on, you’re Light.”
Next, she pointed at the Kael in burning armor.
“You’re Fire.”
Finally, she gestured toward the Kael crackling with golden lightning.
“And you? You’re Spark.”
Light nodded, a small, humble smile appearing. He accepted the name without hesitation.
Fire puffed out his chest dramatically, as though the name itself were a badge of honor.
“Ha! Fire is by far the best of us three,” he boasted, striking a heroic pose.
Spark threw his head back and laughed, a crackling, joyous sound that echoed across the arena.
“That… was grand!” he shouted, spinning once more as sparks danced from his armor.
Light glanced at Fire and Spark, muttering under his breath,
“This is going to be interesting…”
Anya chuckled, shaking her head, already imagining the chaos that three Kaels would bring to a training duel.
As the others are still in shock about Kael splitting into three. Takeshi stood across the arena, katana in hand, his expression calm but serious. His eyes swept over the three Kaels, now officially named Light, Fire, and Spark.
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“Hey… triplets,” he said with a smirk, his tone cutting through the stunned silence of the arena. “Are we gonna duel or what?”
Light stepped forward slightly, hands clasped together, adopting a polite and refined posture.
“Dear friend,” he said, his voice calm and measured.
“Before we start… I think it’s unfair that the three of us take you on at once.”
Fire, standing beside him, rolled his shoulders and grinned, heat flickering along the edges of his armor.
“Of course—I’m the only one fit to take him on,” he said boldly, chest puffed up.
“He’s going to fight August—he needs the strongest of us three to duel him.”
Light groaned and smacked the back of Fire’s head. “You’re impossible,” he muttered, adjusting his gauntlets.
Spark, glowing with crackling golden energy, hopped on the balls of his feet, laughter spilling out of him like electricity.
“Oh-oh! Pick me! Pick me! We’re going to have so much fun battling each other!” he squealed, spinning in excitement.
Takeshi’s serious gaze didn’t waver. He raised an eyebrow, amused despite himself.
“No need to choose,” he said firmly.
“I’ve decided… I’ll take on all three of you at once.”
The arena fell silent for a heartbeat. Then, the air seemed to crackle with tension, anticipation, and raw energy. The three Kaels shared a glance, a mixture of excitement, mischief, and determination reflected in their eyes.
Light’s eyes gleamed as he stepped forward, voice calm but filled with resolve.
“If that is what you desire, dear friend,” he said, “we won’t stop you.”
He assumed his fighting stance. From the fingertips of his gauntlets, claws of pure blue light emerged, spinning faintly with energy.
Fire cracked his knuckles, flames flickering along the edges of his crimson armor.
“Just don’t cry after this, you’re fighting the strongest after all.” he said with a confident smirk, his double-edged sword appearing in his hands. The blade extended into a fiery whip, pulsating with heat.
Spark bounced, golden sparks dancing across his armor.
“Oh, this makes me happy,” he exclaimed, twirling a fist-sized shuriken in his hands.
“Let’s go!”
Takeshi wasted no time. His katana hummed as he activated his ability.
“Electro Web”
Sending threads of lightning toward Fire with surgical precision.
Fire’s whip-like sword lashed forward in a sweeping arc. Sparks collided as his blade cut cleanly through the electrified web, sending arcs scattering across the arena.
Spark lunged next, shuriken spinning with crackling electricity. it surged straight at Takeshi,
“Shock Pulse”
But Takeshi’s katana met the attack head-on. Sparks flew as the two forces collided, the shuriken deflecting harmlessly.
Light was the last to move.
“Flash Fist”
disappearing in a blur. In the blink of an eye, he reappeared directly in front of Takeshi, delivering a lightning-fast strike to his torso. The impact landed with a sharp thud, and the arena trembled from the force.
Takeshi winced from the lingering shock of Flash Fist, but his eyes sharpened with resolve.
He lifted his hand.
“String Marionette.”
Threads of crackling web-like energy shot from his palm, latching onto Spark’s limbs and torso.
Spark blinked, then burst into laughter.
“Wha—what is this? HA! I’m stuck! I’m stuck!”
Takeshi flexed his fingers. The threads tightened. Spark jerked forward like a puppet, limbs moving erratically under Takeshi’s control.
“This technique isn’t ideal for one-on-one duels,” Takeshi said coldly, “but for fighting groups—this is perfect.”
He snapped his hand, directing Spark to strike at Light.
Spark lunged—unwilling but laughing hysterically—yet Light’s speed saved him. He blurred, sidestepping Spark's forced strike with graceful ease.
Fire surged forward next, whip-blade igniting in roaring crimson flame.
“Burning Blade.”
His fiery lash cracked through the air toward Takeshi.
Takeshi dodged—but the scorching whip sliced through the Spirit threads, snapping them instantly.
Spark dropped to the ground, free.
He rolled over laughing, “That was fun, Keshi!”
Takeshi didn’t answer.
His katana slid back into its sheath in a single, measured motion.
He exhaled.
His stance shifted.
“Thunder Clap.”
In a flash of blinding teal, Takeshi vanished.
A sound like a cannon blast shattered the silence—
—and suddenly Takeshi was behind them.
Fire, Spark, and Light all staggered simultaneously, faint cuts sizzling with electricity marking their armor.
Yet none of them fell.
Light straightened first, hand on his chest.
“Dear friend… that was extraordinary. Even I could barely follow that speed.”
Fire puffed out his chest dramatically.
“Be proud, Takeshi! You managed to scratch me.”
Spark bounced excitedly.
“That was AMAZING! Do it again!”
But Takeshi wasn’t finished.
He slid his katana into its sheath once more.
His breathing slowed. His stance tightened.
The air around him grew heavy.
Fire, Spark, and Light charged in as one.
Just before their strikes could land, Takeshi whispered:
“Thunder Transformation: Jorōgumo.”
The world erupted.
A violent surge of teal lightning blasted outward from Takeshi’s body—an expanding shockwave that flung Light, Fire, and Spark backward like ragdolls.
Takeshi’s armor began to shift.
Plates folded.
Edges sharpened.
Panels slid and interlocked.
His entire form reshaped with frightening precision, becoming something both humanoid and arachnid.
Obsidian-black armor curved into segmented plates.
Teal lightning pulsed through vein-like channels across his body.
His katana elongated—metal twisting, reforging—until it became a wicked lightning-forged spear tipped with a jagged spike humming with lethal voltage.
His visor split apart and reformed into six circular lenses—three on each side—glowing like the unblinking eyes of a spider.
Takeshi Sato now stood transformed.
A thunder-forged Jorōgumo warrior—
deadly, elegant, and overwhelmingly powerful.
Takeshi’s new form crackled with arcs of teal lightning. When he spoke, his voice rumbled like thunder rolling through a storm.
“Even if you three are merely duplicates of our squad’s leader…
I hope you possess the same battle genius he does.”
His six glowing lenses narrowed.
He whispered:
“Lightning Judgement.”
In a single motion, Takeshi hurled his spear directly between Fire, Light, and Spark.
The impact was catastrophic.
A dome of lightning exploded outward—blinding, deafening, violent. Teal electricity spiderwebbed across the arena floor, erupting into branching tendrils that wrapped around all three Kaels.
The entire simulation room shuddered.
The projected arena glitched, flickering rapidly between the stone coliseum and a raw, grid-lined void.
Natalia, Kyle, Serafina, and Anya shielded themselves from the shockwave, hair whipping in the wind as the surge roared past them.
The light finally faded.
All three Kaels lay on the ground—still, twitching, armor blackened with scorch marks.
Then their forms glowed white.
Their bodies dissolved into particles of light—
—and merged back into one.
Kael gasped awake on the arena floor.
“Kh—damn… that was a strong attack…”
Across from him, Takeshi’s monstrous form began to unravel.
The Jorōgumo armor split, folded, and collapsed inward until his normal armor returned.
He deactivated his Spirit Drive, pulled the Jorōgumo’s spirit card from his chest, and slid it gently back into his belt pocket.
Only then did he walk over and offer Kael a hand.
Kael took it, still shaky, letting Takeshi haul him upright.
“Well… I guess splitting into three doesn’t mean I get more powerful,” Kael muttered, half disappointed, half amazed.
Kael dusted himself off, steadying his breathing as the last traces of lightning faded from the air. Takeshi remained in front of him, visor dimmed, shoulders rising and falling with controlled breaths.
Kael spoke first.
“Takeshi… it’s best if you focus on one attack. Train it—perfect it—until it becomes unstoppable.”
He pointed to the air where the spear of lightning had struck moments ago, the arena floor still scorched and smoking.
“And if someone does manage to stop it? Then you use your Thunder Transformation. That way you conserve energy and sharpen your technique.
My suggestion? Thunder Clap. Refine that until no one can react to it.”
Takeshi nodded thoughtfully, his expression shifting from intensity to genuine respect.
“…You’re right. That makes sense.”
Then he raised a finger at Kael, meeting his gaze with equal seriousness.
“And I suggest you train your Elemental Split. Those three may look like you, move like you, and hit hard—but they’re still nowhere near as strong as the real Kael Santos.”
A small smirk appeared on Takeshi’s face.
“They pack a lot… but they’re still not as good as you.”
Kael gave a breathy laugh, rubbing the back of his neck.
“Yeah… I figured that out the painful way.”
A soft, crystalline chime echoed inside Kael’s mind.
He froze.
The system interface shimmered before his eyes, lines of glowing text unfolding like pages of light.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION — TECHNIQUE OVERVIEW]
? ELEMENTAL SPLIT ?
TECHNIQUE: ELEMENTAL SPLIT (LEVEL 1/4)
A high-level Spirit Technique that divides the user’s essence and fuses with their active Spirit Creatures.
HOW ELEMENTAL SPLIT WORKS
- SPIRIT DUPLICATION
Kael is split into a number of duplicates equal to the active Spirit Creatures currently synced with him.
? Example: 3 Spirit Creatures → 3 duplicates - ENERGY DISTRIBUTION
Each duplicate receives ? of Kael’s total Spirit Energy at Level 1.
? Duplicates are able to use weaker versions of the Kael’s skills
? Duplicates operate independently with their assigned energy - SPIRIT FUSION
Each duplicate merges instantly with its corresponding Spirit Creature, gaining:
? Their personality
? Their elemental domain
? Their instinctual combat style
? Auto-Spirit Drive activation
Creating multiple Kaels—each a living embodiment of a creature’s power.
- LEVELING (MAX 4 LEVELS)
Each level increases the Spirit Energy given to each duplicate:
- Level 1: ? Spirit Energy
? Level 2: ? Spirit Energy
? Level 3: ? Spirit Energy
? Level 4: Full Spirit Energy (duplicates become near-equal to Kael)
NOTES & WARNINGS
?? If one duplicate runs out of energy, all are forced to reunite.
?? Prolonged use may cause duplicates to become unstable or berserk.
?? Higher levels risk shortening the user’s lifespan if unprepared.
The menu dimmed and faded.
Kael blinked, the realization hitting him like a punch to the gut.
“So that’s why I was able to use it… even without going into Spirit Drive,” he whispered to himself.
Across from him, Takeshi watched silently.
“Kael?” Takeshi asked. “You good?”
Kael exhaled slowly.
“Yeah… just learned something crazy.”
A faint grin tugged at the corner of his mouth.
Elemental Split.
A technique far beyond anything he imagined.
And this was only Level 1.