Dev's chanting was flawless—each syllable precise, each sound perfectly aligned. Because of this accuracy, the resonance of his mantra echoed throughout the room, filling the space with a powerful vibration. At that moment, a strange energy began to emanate from the bracelet, flowing outward like invisible waves before slowly transferring into Dev's body.
He continued chanting for some time, and gradually, the entire divine energy sealed within the first sacred link merged into him completely. As the final traces of that energy settled within his being, Dev opened his eyes.
They glowed with a radiant golden light. Within them was a calm as deep as the ocean, yet their depth was far greater than before. A new intensity radiated from his gaze, and even the aura of his face seemed brighter, more commanding than it had ever been.
Then Trivan's voice echoed once more,
"Congratulations, Dev. You have fully absorbed the first divine link within yourself. You now possess all the knowledge and personality of King Mrityunjay. From this moment on, you will never cry over your condition again—instead, you will think only of how to become better."
The voice continued firmly,
"Listen carefully now. You have crossed your first milestone. It is time for you to move toward the second. Your next destination lies in central India—among the mountain ranges, at the Vindhyachal Mountain. There, you will find the second divine link. And remember—after this moment, you will not hear my voice again until you obtain the second link."
As soon as Trivan finished speaking, his voice vanished.
Dev, still struggling to process everything that had happened, suddenly spoke aloud,
"I have to go to Vindhyachal Mountain? But… where is that?"
Pulling out his phone immediately, he searched for Vindhyachal Mountain online. He soon discovered that the mountain was located in the Mirzapur district of Uttar Pradesh and was considered extremely sacred by the locals.
After reading this, Dev stood up and gathered all the money he had saved. It was enough to get him there—but not enough to sustain him afterward. Still, Dev didn't worry. He made up his mind that he would leave the very next morning.
At exactly six o'clock the following morning, Dev boarded a train bound for Mirzapur. Sitting in his seat, his thoughts wandered.
"I don't know why," he thought, "but there's a strange restlessness inside me—as if there's a task meant only for me, and these divine links are essential for it. But what is that task? Even Trivan didn't say anything about it."
He continued thinking,
"He said I now possess all of Mrityunjay's knowledge and personality. But I don't feel any major change within myself."
Lost in these thoughts, Dev didn't even realize when he reached his destination. He had arrived in Mirzapur—only seven or eight kilometers away from Vindhyachal Mountain.
Stepping out of the station, he stopped an auto-rickshaw and asked,
"Will you take me to Vindhyachal Mountain?"
The driver nodded, and they set off. After some time, they reached the base of the mountain. The driver stopped and said,
"The auto can only go this far, sir. There's a forest ahead for about a kilometer—you'll have to go on foot from here."
Dev paid the fare and stepped down, scanning his surroundings. A strange pull tugged at him from this place. In front of him stood the massive Vindhyachal Mountain, surrounded by dense forest on all sides.
He began walking along the forest path toward the mountain. After some time, weakness crept into his body—he hadn't eaten anything since morning, and he had no money left to buy food. Despite the dizziness, he kept moving forward. But within minutes, his strength gave out, and he collapsed to the ground.
Overcome by hunger and exhaustion, Dev lost consciousness.
He lay there for a while when faint footsteps approached—the sound of shoes against the forest floor. A boy about Dev's age appeared, holding a small pocket diary in his hand. He wore glasses, his clothes were simple, but his face reflected focus and curiosity, as though he had come here in search of something.
The moment he noticed Dev lying unconscious, he froze in shock. Rushing forward, he checked Dev's pulse. Realizing that Dev was only unconscious, he let out a sigh of relief. He then pulled out a bottle from his bag and sprinkled a few drops of water on Dev's face.
Dev's fingers twitched. Slowly, he opened his eyes.
The instant he saw a stranger standing over him, Dev jumped up abruptly and said in alarm,
"Who are you?"
The boy smiled gently.
"My name is Rohit. I found you unconscious here, so I sprinkled some water on your face to wake you up. What happened to you? How did you pass out?"
Dev realized he had overreacted. Calming himself, he replied,
"I'm sorry for my behavior. I panicked when I suddenly saw you in front of me. And… thank you for waking me up."
Seeing Dev's politeness, Rohit said,
"It's alright. Anyone would react the same way in your place. But tell me—why did you faint? Are you feeling okay?"
Dev smiled faintly and replied,
"Yes, I'm fine. I just hadn't eaten anything since morning, so I collapsed due to weakness."
Rohit pulled out a packet of biscuits from his bag and offered it to him. Dev was about to refuse when Rohit laughed and said,
"Don't say no. Take it."
Hesitating, Dev replied,
"No, how can I take food from a stranger like this?"
Rohit smiled.
"I'm just giving you food, not doing you some huge favor. Wait—I told you my name, didn't I? Now you tell me yours."
"My name is Dev," he said.
Rohit chuckled.
"Oh, Dev? Well, then we're not strangers anymore. Now take the biscuits—otherwise, if you collapse again, I won't help you next time."
Dev smiled at the joke and accepted the packet. The two sat beneath a tree as Dev ate. After a moment, Rohit asked,
"Dev, why did you come here? I mean… you didn't come here just to travel, did you?"
Dev replied calmly,
"I've come here to find something. I'm sorry—I can't say more than that. But why are you here?"
At Dev's question, Rohit's expression changed instantly. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead. He looked uneasy, as if Dev had asked something even he didn't fully understand.