“Oba-san, why does everything feel different tonight?” Fumi complained, her eyes shimmering with fear. “I feel like someone is watching us.”

  “This scent… it’s not just incense,” Eri added, her voice trembling. “It smells like blood! Like a fight…”

  “Calm down!” Yoshiko hugged both of them tightly. “We won’t let anything take you away from me. But we must stay united. Remember our names!”

  “Right,” Fumi quickly replied. “Eri, remember when we hid under the bed during that big storm? We need to hide now, don’t we?”

  “Yes! But why does that sound seem to remind me of something?” Eri emphasized, furrowing her brow. “As if— as if… it’s angry with us.”

  Yoshiko nodded, wiping away the tears that were about to fall. “It could be a lost spirit, my children. We need to use a protection spell. Why don’t we try?”

  “Let’s say our names!” Fumi said excitedly. “Fumi!”

  “Eri!” Eri followed loudly.

  Yoshiko added, “Yoshiko! Together we are strong! We can fight all of this!”

  “But what if we can’t?” Fumi asked desperately. “What if something breaks that thread?”

  “We must be strong! Don’t let anything separate us.” Eri promised, her eyes serious. “I promise I won’t leave.”

  “And I won’t let you go!” Fumi vowed, her face determined. “We will face this together!”

  “No matter how long this lasts, don’t let the shadows distract you from our light,” Yoshiko added, her voice growing firmer. “Now, get ready. We must unite!”

  “Hisayuki, your face is like a blank sheet. What’s wrong?” Hana asked, observing Hisayuki’s short breaths. “You look confused, like you’ve lost your way.”

  “Hana, I almost forgot Ryumaru’s name. Am I going crazy?” Hisayuki replied, her voice trembling. “Now, I can’t even remember who Nobuzan’s mother is!”

  “Wow, don’t say that. I almost forgot my child’s name earlier too,” Hana replied, trying to smile despite her swollen eyes. “Something is bothering me, like a huge wave attacking the walls of my mind, affecting everything I feel.”

  “So this feels the same as what you’re experiencing? We’re trapped in an illusion of the past, aren’t we?” Hisayuki closed her eyes, trying to understand. “I feel like our reality is starting to crumble.”

  “We need to find a way to fight this,” Hana insisted, handing hot water to Hisayuki. “Drink this. Every time you feel like you’re about to forget, hold on. Talk to family, say their names. That’s the only way to ground ourselves.”

  “Akiko, can you help? I’m struggling to write the grocery list, but everything I write seems to disappear!” Akiko heard Chiyo shouting as she entered the kitchen. “Are you kidding? Are you dreaming all of this?”

  “Ms. Akiko! I heard Fitran and Hiroshi arguing angrily from the altar!” Chiyo said anxiously. “After that, I felt confused and… all the writing on the wall disappeared. What’s happening outside?”

  “Crazy! We need to act fast. Why isn’t Fitran doing anything?” Akiko frowned, asserting, “He must have a plan, but can we really trust him?”

  Chiyo shook her head, “He’s cunning and smart. We can’t let him mess everything up. We need to fight against this madness!”

  “Be careful, Chiyo! I feel a dark energy like a spiral void enveloping this room,” Akiko said, feeling the pressure. “Let’s find a way to fight this illusion, and maybe we can defeat the force that’s disrupting everything.”

  “Chiyo, listen!” Akiko said firmly, gripping Chiyo’s arm tightly, “We must stay together. If Fitran and Hiroshi are forced to fight, we haven’t lost yet. Remember, we have our own strength!”

  “But Ms. Akiko,” Chiyo trembled, “what can we do? They… they have the Spiral!”

  “We are more than just protectors of names. We are hope,” Akiko asserted, “When the spiral takes everything, we can stop it with our names. With our memories.”

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  “Akiko… if we fight and lose, what will happen to us?” Chiyo asked, her voice almost a whisper, afraid of the consequences.

  “If we lose, we will remember everything we fought for,” Akiko replied, “because nothing is lost forever if we fight!”

  “Ryumaru!” Fitran’s voice pierced the silence. “Are you ready to witness what I can truly do?”

  “Your abilities are just an illusion, Fitran,” Ryumaru responded, his sharp eyes fixed on the nameplate. “Every battle will only strengthen the Spiral, not save us.”

  “Oh, but that’s not true. The Spiral cannot take consciousness if my name is continuously called!” Fitran laughed softly, ensuring his steps were steady, “Let me show you how to turn fear into power.”

  “Unmeasured power, Fitran, is like staring into an abyss,” Ryumaru replied, his tone firm, “And I won’t let that abyss swallow us.”

  “Nobu, rise! We must prepare,” Shinobu urged Nobuzan, her eyes full of determination. “We can’t let our names be erased. Do you remember what happened to our ancestors when the Spiral appeared?”

  “I remember,” Nobuzan replied, her voice soft. “They didn’t fight with spirit, Shinobu. The Spiral can erase everything.”

  “Then fight! When they battled, we must reclaim what was lost. We can call back that power,” Shinobu insisted, “As long as we are united, the spiral won’t win!”

  “But how?” Nobuzan doubted, “What can we do? This is more than just a name!”

  “A name is power. Let’s call out one by one, and make them tremble,” Shinobu said, her eyes blazing, “Chiyo, Akiko—let’s be the voice against this darkness!”

  “We are not alone! The Spiral may be strong, but ours is a greater power…” Nobuzan declared, standing tall again.

  “Hana, we must act quickly! Fitran isn’t fighting just for magic, but to protect all our names,” Nobuzan shouted passionately. “Every name matters. We will keep this together, right?”

  “Of course, Nobu,” Hana replied, smiling slightly even though her eyes were tense. “Don’t let any of us disappear without being called. That must not happen again.”

  “I want to make sure Silas is safe too,” Akiko said while examining the spell paper. “If we lose one name, everything will fall apart.”

  “We won’t let that happen,” Chiyo added, nodding firmly. “Let’s create protective spells in every corner of this house. I can feel the effects of the duel and the spiral pact already creeping in.”

  “Senzaburo, we need to register every name that might be lost. I don’t want to miss anything if something bad happens,” Hisayuki said seriously. “So much is at stake.”

  “Okay, I’ll write it down! Let’s quickly complete the family tree,” Senzaburo replied, his hands trembling. “There’s no room for carelessness.”

  “Did you hear that, Fumi?” Yoshiko asked, trying to shift attention to the children. “Every time we feel doubt, we must call each other’s names loudly. Remember, together we are stronger!”

  “Yes, Mom! We won’t forget, right Eri?” Fumi urged. “If I forget, call me as loud as you can, okay?”

  “Promise, Fumi!” Eri looked excited. “Come on, we must stay united! We can destroy this spiral if we try together!”

  “The inner quake from the duel between Fitran and the spiral pact has disrupted everything,” Yoshiko said, looking at them all. “We must unite for our names!”

  Nobuzan glanced at the messy kitchen, “The servants… they need us. Let’s help them!”

  “We also need to remember the protective spells Fitran taught us. He knows exactly how to handle this,” Hana recalled. “Every movement matters.”

  “And we need all the strength we can gather,” Hisayuki added, scratching her head. “We can’t let this chaos make us vulnerable.”

  “C’mon, one step at a time!” Chiyo said, exhaling. “Let’s prove we’re smarter than the spiral!”

  “Prepare to face this challenge wisely! We will bring all our strength to fight,” Fitran urged, though his voice remained calm. “We can reshape this spell, manipulating the spiral in unexpected ways. Let’s show them who controls the game.”

  “And I’m here to ensure that!” Nobuzan asserted, eagerly leading them. “This is the time to act!”

  “Yoshiko, remember, together we are strong. We won’t let this world lose its meaning!” Fitran reaffirmed their promise, his eyes shining with determination.

  “But what if we lose? The duel involves more than just physical strength,” Yoshiko’s voice trembled, filled with worry.

  “You must believe, the time and space machine is under our control. Have you forgotten the spiral void technique I’ve learned?” Fitran smiled slyly, “We can use illusions to destroy their minds.”

  “Illusions? We can’t just rely on that!” Yoshiko exclaimed, shocked. “They’re getting stronger!”

  “Exactly, I can distract them. Once they’re trapped, we can reach the core of their power. Don’t hesitate!” Fitran remained calm, trying to ease the tension.

  “Are you sure? And what if all of this fails?” Yoshiko’s voice was barely a whisper, filled with suffocating doubt.

  “Fail? Marie and Daisuke are ready to pull all defenses. We must be brave!” Fitran stood tall, an aura of confidence radiating from him. “We are united, and that’s the key to survival.”

  “The key? Is this determination enough?” Yoshiko glanced at the altar, worry creeping back into her heart.

  “We’re not just seeking victory; we’re saving the meaning of our names. If they forget us, everything we do will be in vain!” Fitran added, “This duel is more about the fight for survival.”

  “That’s true, but if we draw the attention of all clan members, we might get trapped in a darkness that’s even more painful,” Yoshiko said firmly.

  “Darkness is not our enemy. We are the light for ourselves,” Fitran replied, forming a spell in his hands, the spiral void energy beginning to shimmer with his breath. “Lift your heads, we will showcase the glory they need to remember!”

  Thus, the duel and betrayal at the eastern altar of Oda was not just a matter between two people. It became a ripple wound, testing every family bond: who would endure, who would slowly be forgotten. In a world nearly ready to release all names, the Oda family learned once again about the meaning of remembering each other—and the fragile meaning of names that became the last thread binding this world together.