The golden morning sun filtered through the high arches of the Spirit Training Center, casting warm beams onto the cobbled walkways. Sam Robbin sat quietly on a worn-out wooden bench near the eastern courtyard, away from the crowd. His fingers absently picked at the hem of his tunic, eyes staring down at his boots, still dusty from the ceremony the day before.
A sudden hum of energy made the air ripple around him.
"You think anyone can train you?" came a sharp, teasing voice that felt both in his ears and inside his mind.
Sam glanced up. There she was — glowing faintly with blue and purple mist, her translucent form floating just inches above the ground, her eyes half-lidded with laziness but burning with an untamed power. It was his spirit — the infamous professional spirit.
He sighed, brushing his hair back. "You should at least respect my teachers."
She floated closer, folding her arms. "You can only be trained by me. No one else can handle me. And I don't like being around humans who think they're in control. So, just leave them."
Sam opened his mouth to protest, then suddenly smacked his forehead. "OMG... I forgot something."
Siro tilted her head. "What happened now, sleepyhead?"
"I never asked your name!" he said sheepishly.
With a twitch of her lips, she zipped forward and bit down gently on his cheek.
"Ow! Stop that!" Sam yelled, wincing. "That hurts!"
"How can you be so careless?" she growled, still tugging at his cheek like an annoyed cat. "Ask properly."
Students nearby turned their heads, giggling and whispering.
"That's the kid with the professional spirit?"
"He can't even control her... What a joke."
"Useless commoner."
Their mocking voices reached Siro's ears.
She stopped chewing on Sam and turned toward them, her energy sharpening like a blade.
In a blur, she merged into Sam again. His body stiffened, and suddenly the air cracked with pressure. A golden circle glowed beneath him, and with a fierce roar, a spectral lion burst forth, its mane ablaze.
The lion sprinted toward the laughing students, who screamed and ducked under tables. But just before impact, the lion vanished into golden particles.
Floating out of Sam again, Siro said, voice as cold as ice, "Next time, if you laugh at him again... you'll be next."
The courtyard went deathly silent.
Sam rubbed his now-free cheeks and looked up at her.
"So... what's your name?"
Siro floated lazily again, crossing her arms and smirking. "My name is Siro. And if anyone hurts you, I'll hurt them back. That's our deal."
Sam stared at her, seriousness overtaking his face. "Fine. Now tell me how I can control you. Because if we keep doing this, I'll be expelled before lunch."
Siro's face grew darker, her expression unreadable. "You want to control me? Then here's how. You will complete fifty tasks I assign you. No help from me. No magic. No shortcuts."
"Fifty?!" Sam blurted. "That's insane! I'm supposed to kill demons, and you want me to—"
"Exactly," she interrupted, her tone firm. "These tasks will break your limits. Only by earning my respect will you be worthy of my power."
He grumbled, crossing his arms. "So I kill demons without magic now, huh? Wonderful."
Siro smiled sweetly — too sweetly. "More like survive."
Just then, the sound of footsteps approached. Kiro and AYANA appeared, cheerful as ever.
"Let's go, Sam! It's lunchtime!" Kiro shouted.
"Yeah," AYANA said with a wink. "And maybe this time you won't start a fire before eating."
Sam chuckled. "I can't promise that."
Siro floated upward again, fading into a soft glow as she merged into him once more. Her voice lingered faintly:
"Don't forget... Task One starts tomorrow."
The three friends walked off into the dining hall, the weight of the future both heavy and thrilling on their shoulders — unaware that this was just the calm before the storm.