Itsuki and Ci sighed heavily at Itsuki's progress; it had been a week since he learned how to use Chamber.

Itsuki: I used Chamber on accident the first time; I honestly can't remember how I made a Masoul...

Ci: It isn't an easy thing to do in the first place...let's take a short break, okay?

Itsuki: No, I can do this-

Ci: We talked about this. No use in hurting yourself...how about I teach you another thing you probably don't know about: Special Grade spells.

Itsuki: Special Grade??

Ci: A spell in a grade of its own. However, it's more of a complex technique than a spell.

Itsuki: I don't understand...

Ci: What would be a good example...what about this?

Ci snapped her fingers and created a small chessboard with two pieces resembling her and Itsuki.

Itsuki: A chessboard?

Ci: Let's use this as an example. The spell, in theory, would create a magical board like this under our feet. The spell has a special rule: Each turn, as in moving to a square, we randomly get chosen a chess piece to represent. Let's say that the piece you are, determines what square you can move in.

Itsuki: I still don't really understand...what if you don't move or pick a square that you can't move to?

Ci: Excellent question! In this case, an invisible barrier would prevent you from moving to a square you cannot access...and if you don't move, then you can't dodge, but at the same time, you can strategize where to move to.

Itsuki: So how do these Special Grades work?

Ci: Simple, you make them up using your Masoul. It is a unique spell in the sense that, for the most part, only you can use it. There are some cases where the spell has been replicated, but for the most part, you cannot.

Itsuki: So do they all work like this...chess thing?

Ci: No, they are all different! This was an example; I've seen some that could create game scenarios like this or allow one to gain strength from a specific spell or item.

Itsuki: So they really are just like techniques...but you have to use Masoul every time, right? Can't you only use so much of your soul? It's like a body part in a way, yeah?

Ci: Who told you that ridiculous idea? The soul will regenerate just as your mana does if it is not severed or destroyed.

Itsuki: So there isn't too much of a risk using it constantly-

Ci: Don't be a fool; just because it regenerates does not mean you should use it as if it were infinite at all times.

Itsuki nodded as he looked at his hands, trying to think how to use his soul instead of his mana. Ci raised her eyebrow at him, trying to find a way to help him.

Itsuki: To do this...I have to focus on using it instead of mana, right?

Ci: That is correct; in terms of a diagram, the soul is inside your body while the mana rests outside the soul.

Itsuki started to expel his mana and took a deep breath.

Ci: You can't just- hmm?

Ci looked at him to see him reveal tiny bubbles of his soul as Itsuki kept trying to use his soul.

Ci: Impressive...by using his mana like this allows his soul to slip through piece by piece.

Ci: Itsuki, what you are doing is working but ineffective. But that feeling of your soul coming out, that is how you cast with your soul!

Itsuki: I got it...so all I have to do is this!

Itsuki yelled a bit as his soul was expelled out at rapid speeds. Ci quickly stopped him before he ended up killing himself.

Ci: Calm down! You are doing too much; you will make your soul leave your body!

Itsuki: R-R-Right...sorry!

Itsuki stopped as he fell backward onto the ground, panting a lot. Ci looked at his soul pieces and mana in the air and smirked.

Ci: Honestly, I thought it would take you months to figure it out.

Itsuki: I just...took a guess, really...

Ci: My apologies that I could not explain the technique well. Now, get some rest for now. Then, we can try Link whenever you are well-rested.

Itsuki nodded and got up, immediately heading to his room. Two days after this training session, the two met back up at the garden, where Itsuki beat Ci there.

Ci: I see someone is ready to train.

Itsuki: The quicker I learn this, the faster I can work on a Special Grade!

Ci: A Special Grade? That might be too out of your league; that could take years to learn. It's best to work on it slowly, or else you will be behind on your other spells.

Itsuki: If you say so, now I have to fuse my soul and mana to get a Masoul, right?

Ci: Precisely, and then to perform Link, you must use it simultaneously as your Masoul manifests.

Itsuki nodded as he let did as told, creating his Masoul and casting Link to make a small spark particle in the air before him.

Ci: Well? Did it work?

Itsuki: Y-Yeah? Can you not see it?

Ci: Of course not. The Link point is invisible to those that are not linked to it. Meaning until you open the portal, no one should see it.

Itsuki: Awesome! Now how do I use Link to teleport?

Ci: Try casting the spell with mana.

Itsuki blinked and did as told, and as he did, he saw the imagery of the Link point he had just created in his mind. He looked in front of him to see a portal open up, and on the other side, he could see himself and Ci. He walked through it as the portal he opened and the Link point portal closed.

Ci: Congratulations, you now know Link!

Itsuki: That was easy...and I can set as many as I want?

Ci: Yes, but be careful as the more you make, the more show up in your mind when creating a portal...you could make that head of yours explode if not careful!

Itsuki gulped as he nodded, bowing his head to her.

Itsuki: T-Thank you for teaching me!

Ci: Hmm? Where did this come from?

Itsuki: I just...never thanked you before-

Ci: I don't need thanks; this is to benefit all of us. I needed you to learn this as much as you. Now that we have that all taken care of, the last step is the Grand Realm...and considering Cleo's lack of effort, I will have to help Aurora create it more likely, which means that your training now is on your own.

Itsuki: Fine by me...I'm going to keep experimenting before dinner then!

Ci nodded as she walked away. She passed Benjiro, leaning against a wall as she stopped a few feet past him, not looking at him while talking.

Ci: Something you wish to say?

Benjiro: You did good teaching the kid; I'm glad someone could teach him...he has potential.

Ci: Everyone has potential, you as well-

Benjiro: Nah, It's too late for me to take up spells...that was always Katsuo's thing. The only reason I know what I do is due to him.

Ci:...If he used Soul Gate, there is a chance he is alive-

Benjiro: Nah, I looked into everything. Besides, if he didn't die, that would piss me off...worrying Aurora like that.

Benjiro walked away as Ci glanced back at him.

Ci: Looked into everything...? What an odd man...

She continued to walk to Aurora's room, where she saw both of her sisters casting the spell.

Ci: What is the progress?

Aurora: Almost done! Benjiro told Cleo that she-

Cleo: Sister! Not another word about him, he isn't the boss of me!

Ci: You need a boss...by the way, Itsuki has successfully learned Chamber and Link.

Cleo: For real? That ametuer?

Aurora: Sister, be nice...

Cleo: It's the truth! I could wreck him any day of the week!

Ci: You forget that you are a Witch that has lived and trained for centuries...not many can stand against that.

Aurora: That's what worries me...Akeru told me that the AWF man you found at your tower was holding back. Is that true?

Ci: Yes, I'm not sure how much, but that man held his power back by some amount.

Cleo: We will wreck them all; I'm not worried!

Ci: Says the one that-

Aurora: Ci, don't rile her up, please...we just got her to calm down.

Cleo: I'm always calm!!!

Ci sighed heavily as she helped her two sisters create the Grand Realm.