"He hunted for strength… but awakened vengeance."
— In the heart of Eldoriya, a single mistake can summon death itself.
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In the blink of an eye, twenty days had passed.
During these twenty intense days of relentless training, Arjun had advanced to the second stage of Voidborn. His rapid growth in power was nothing short of astonishing. Where most warriors took over a month just to break through a single stage of Voidborn, Arjun had achieved two stages in less than three weeks.
Yet despite this remarkable progress, he still had two more stages to conquer before reaching the fourth stage of Voidborn — the minimum requirement to qualify for the Academy's entrance trials. And with only ten days left, the task now seemed almost impossible.
Far from the Academy's outer reaches, on a secluded mountain ridge, Arjun trained alone. Sweat glistened on his brow, his breath labored. His face carried the weight of growing frustration.
Suddenly, a violent jolt surged through his body, pulling him out of his meditation. His eyes snapped open.
With a troubled expression, he muttered, "The Academy's entrance trial begins in just ten days... but to even qualify, I must at least reach the fourth stage of Voidborn. And no matter how hard I've tried, I'm still stuck at stage two. At this rate, I won't be able to join the Academy at all."
The disappointment on his face deepened. Gaining admission to the Academy wasn't just a goal — it was a turning point in his journey.
The Academy offered more than knowledge or training.
First, it was the only way he could hope to reclaim Chandrahās, the legendary sword that had once been his.
Second, he knew the Academy possessed advanced techniques and secrets to amplify one's strength — knowledge he wouldn't find anywhere else.
But above all, the most powerful reason of all — Nitisha.
Arjun had already confirmed that Chandrahās was within the walls of Agni Vansh Academy, which meant only one thing: Nitisha had once wielded it, and that meant she had been part of the Academy.
"This is my only chance to find her again," he whispered, eyes clouded with longing.
He was certain now — just as Nitisha had sacrificed herself in their past life to send him back through time, she too must have been reborn.
And if fate had brought him back, she couldn't be far behind.
This was more than a trial.
It was a promise.
A chance to reunite with the one soul who had risked everything for him.
And that meant failure was not an option.
Arjun sat cross-legged on a large boulder, his eyes clouded with worry as the weight of his situation settled upon him. The wind whispered through the highlands, but his mind was consumed by a single, gnawing thought — how was he supposed to push his powers up by two more stages in just ten days?
No matter how long he sat there thinking, no clear solution came to him. After a prolonged silence, he finally muttered in frustration,
"No matter what it takes, I have to break through the next two stages of Voidborn within these ten days. But… no matter how hard I try, I just can't progress anymore. I've already pushed my body past its limits, and if I keep forcing it like this… I might end up weakening myself instead of growing stronger."
His face was taut with tension, his brows furrowed in helplessness. He felt trapped — the path forward looked darker the more he thought about it.
Then, suddenly, a spark lit in his eyes — a memory flashing like lightning in a storm.
"Wait... I remember now!" he exclaimed, his voice rising with excitement.
"Mystic Beasts... their mystical essence! If I can somehow obtain the essence of a powerful Mystic Beast, I might be able to accelerate my advancement!"
In the realm of Mirāj, humans possessed vast reserves of power, but so did the beasts that roamed these lands. The key difference, however, lay in physicality — the bodies of beasts were naturally far more durable and formidable than those of humans. A first-stage Voidborn beast could easily rival, or even overpower, a human warrior of a higher stage.
But Arjun's biggest challenge wasn't just about surviving a battle — it was about finding the right kind of beast.
The essence he needed didn't come from just any creature.
Only Mystic Beasts that had reached the third or fourth stage of Voidborn could produce the potent mystical liquid he required. Without it, his chances of evolving in time were slim to none.
As the realization struck Arjun, a wave of worry clouded his face once more. His voice was low, tense, almost as if he was trying to reason with himself.
"To enhance my powers… I'll need the arcane essence of at least a third or fourth stage mystical beast!" he said. "But how am I supposed to get it? With the strength I have right now, I can barely hold my ground against a first-stage creature. If I encounter one beyond that... I won't survive. They'll tear me apart without mercy."
The weight of his own words pulled Arjun into deep contemplation. His expression was grim, yet resolute. There was no other way. If he didn't take the risk of hunting a higher-tier mystical beast, there was no chance he'd qualify for the Agni Vansh Academy's entrance trial.
He clenched his fists, jaw tight, then said aloud to himself, "Whatever happens, so be it. If fate has truly given me a second chance, then nature itself will guide me toward my strength. And if not—then perhaps... this is how my fate ends."
With renewed determination, Arjun turned and began his trek toward the outer edges of the Eldoriya Forest—a land infamous for its vicious, untamed creatures.
Eldoriya was a domain few dared to approach. The forest was teeming with feral and mystical beasts, their numbers so overwhelming that even seasoned warriors hesitated to venture near. Civilians wouldn't dream of crossing into its shadowed borders.
Only the outermost layers of Eldoriya were considered somewhat manageable. In these outskirts dwelled mystical beasts ranging from the Voidborn to the Ember in the Dark ranks. Further within, however, beasts evolved far beyond that—some said to possess powers rivalling even the Mahaveer tier.
As Arjun stepped into the forest's fringe, his senses heightened. His eyes scanned the surroundings with sharp intent. He needed to be cautious—he might not be able to kill a third- or fourth-stage beast, but he could at least try to avoid them. If, however, a fifth-stage or higher beast were to appear… it would be nothing short of a death sentence.
Once certain the area was safe, Arjun swiftly climbed a tall tree, using its vantage point to prepare himself. He broke off a sturdy branch and began fashioning it into a sharp spear—primitive, but useful. If anything came too close, he intended to strike fast and without hesitation.
After crafting the spear, he realized it still wasn't strong enough to pierce the thick hide of most mystical beasts. So, focusing his internal energy, he coated the wooden weapon with a faint layer of spiritual force—just enough to reinforce it, ensuring it wouldn't snap on first contact.
Then, from the small pouch tied to his waist, he pulled out a vial containing the venom of a venomous eight-fanged arcane serpent—a rare toxin he had collected before venturing into Eldoriya. With great care, he applied the venom to the tip of his spear, watching as it shimmered faintly in the fading light.
"If anything dangerous approaches," he muttered to himself, "this might be my only hope."
Once his preparations were complete, Arjun settled quietly in the tree's branches, his presence masked entirely. He suppressed all spiritual energy within him—making himself practically invisible to the senses of any nearby creature.
Now, there was only one thing left to do.
Wait.
And hope that when the beasts came, he'd be ready.
To lure mystical beasts into the open, Arjun tossed a few pieces of raw meat from his pouch onto the ground. The scent, he hoped, would draw the attention of the creatures he was hunting.
With that done, he perched himself on a sturdy branch above, waiting patiently. Clasping his hands in a silent prayer, he muttered to himself,
"Please, let the right creature come. Just send me one… one that belongs to the third or fourth stage of Voidborn. I need to grow stronger—fast."
He remained still, eyes scanning the forest below with quiet anticipation. But as the sun slowly slipped from the sky and dusk settled across the treetops, not a single beast appeared. Not even a faint growl or a rustle of movement. Arjun sighed in frustration.
"It's already evening," he whispered grimly, "and still nothing. Forget a fourth-stage Voidborn creature—not even a first-stage beast has shown up. If this keeps going, how am I ever going to grow stronger? How will I ever reclaim Chandrahās… or Nitisha?"
Disheartened but alert, Arjun remained on edge. And just then, a sudden rustling in the underbrush jolted him into focus. His grip tightened around the shaft of his spear, eyes narrowing as he stared toward the source of the disturbance.
Moments later, a white wolf stepped cautiously out of the dense thickets. But it wasn't just any wolf — this one bore a single black horn curving from its forehead.
Arjun's eyes widened with excitement.
"A single-horned wolf!" he gasped. "And that black horn… it has to be a third or even fourth-stage mystical beast!"
A thrill of hope coursed through him. This was the opportunity he had been praying for — and he wasn't going to let it slip away.
Arjun steadied his breath, eyes locked on the shadowy predator in the clearing below.
"This is it," he whispered to himself. "I have only one chance to strike. If I succeed, I'll get exactly what I came for. But if I fail… its cry will draw every beast in this cursed forest straight to me."
His grip tightened around the spear as he crouched silently atop the tree branch.
"No matter what, I have to finish it in a single blow."
The massive, mystical wolf sniffed the air cautiously, scanning its surroundings for danger. Finding nothing suspicious, it crept toward the chunks of raw meat Arjun had scattered earlier as bait. After circling once and sniffing again, it lowered its head and began to feast.
From his perch above, Arjun's eyes narrowed. A flicker of determination lit up in them as he muttered, "Now!"
He hurled the spear with all the power he could channel into it — not just his strength, but his very essence. The weapon whistled through the air like lightning.
The wolf never saw it coming.
The spear pierced through its neck, slicing cleanly through flesh and bone with brutal precision. The beast didn't even get the chance to howl. Its body collapsed silently to the ground, eyes glazing over, its limbs twitching faintly before falling still. Within moments, its veins turned a deep, unnatural blue — a clear sign of the poisonous essence laced into the weapon.
Arjun didn't waste a second. He leapt down from the tree and sprinted toward the fallen creature, heart pounding with anticipation.
There was no movement — no signs of life. The wolf was dead.
Grinning with relief, Arjun pulled a sharp dagger from his waist and knelt beside the corpse. Without hesitation, he began cutting into the creature's chest. The resistance was immediate.
"Damn," he muttered under his breath. "Its hide really is thick. If I hadn't struck that exact weak spot... I would've lost my only chance."
Sweat beaded on his forehead as he worked, his blade struggling to slice through the enchanted flesh. It took longer than he expected — but finally, with one last push, he pierced through the inner chest cavity.
His fingers closed around the object he had come for.
With a final motion, Arjun extracted the creature's heart — a still-glowing, slightly pulsating core, slick with mystic blood.
The source of the beast's tilismatic essence.
Holding it up in the moonlight, Arjun's eyes gleamed with victory.
"Got it."
Arjun swiftly tucked the wolf's heart into his satchel, preparing to leave the area as quickly as possible.
But just as he was about to make his escape, a thunderous roar echoed through the forest — sharp, guttural, and far too close. The color drained from Arjun's face, his instincts screaming in alarm. He could feel it — a fierce, terrifying power rapidly closing in on him.
His voice trembled as he muttered to himself,
"I'm doomed… Seems like the other beasts have sensed my presence. I need to get out of here before a mystical creature locks onto me!"
Without wasting another second, Arjun began scanning for the safest route to flee. But before he could make a move, a violent rustling erupted from the nearby bushes.
In the blink of an eye, a massive golden-horned wolf stepped into view.
This creature was nothing like the one Arjun had just slain. It was larger, far more imposing — and radiating a savage power that rivaled the fifth or even sixth stage of a Voidborn mystical beast.
The air around it shimmered with sheer intensity.
Arjun took an instinctive step back, eyes wide as the creature's snarling gaze locked onto him.
As Arjun approached within five hundred feet, the towering beast's eyes suddenly locked onto the lifeless body of another wolf lying in the underbrush. The moment its gaze fell upon the corpse, the air thickened with tension.
A blood-curdling roar erupted from the creature's throat — a howl so fierce and sorrowful that it shook the entire forest to its roots.
The trees trembled. Birds scattered in panic. Even the wind seemed to still.
Its glowing crimson eyes, now burning with primal rage, turned toward Arjun with an intensity that pierced his very soul.
Arjun froze.
The hunger for vengeance in those eyes was unmistakable — a raw, merciless desire to kill. As that realization struck him, a violent shiver ran down his spine. His knees nearly buckled.
Following the direction of the beast's gaze, Arjun glanced down at the lifeless body near his feet. And that's when it hit him.
His face drained of color. His breath caught in his throat.
With a voice laced in terror, he whispered,
"No... This dead wolf—it's her... It's his mother!"
The words felt like lead in his mouth. His heart pounded against his ribs like a war drum.
Fear consumed him.
"I'm dead... I'm so dead..." he muttered, trembling.
"That golden-horned wolf... it's not going to let me leave this forest alive. Run, Arjun! Run if you want to live!"
Without wasting another second, Arjun turned on his heel and sprinted in the opposite direction — crashing through brush and branches, his breath ragged with panic.
The moment he fled, the beast released another deafening snarl — a sound born of grief, fury, and relentless vengeance. Its massive form launched into pursuit with terrifying speed.
In its eyes — those blood-red, gleaming orbs — burned a hatred so intense it felt like it could set the forest ablaze. It wasn't just chasing him...
It was hunting him.
And it would not stop until Arjun lay dead at its feet.