Volume 1: The Iron Sage of the Indigo River
Chapter 1: The Breath of the Celestial Forge
The world did not begin with a cry, but with a rhythmic clanging of hammer against anvil.
In the village of Vajra-Grama, nestled against the banks of the shimmering River Kalindi, the air was thick with the scent of molten ore and lotus blooms. Here, the river did not just flow; it sang in a low, Vedic frequency that made the very pebbles on the bank vibrate with spiritual potential.
The Birth of the Anomaly
In the heart of the village stood the largest forge, built from stones blessed by a traveling Rishi. Inside, Kashyap, the master blacksmith, wiped soot from his brow. His wife, Sumati, lay on a bed of silk and kusha grass.
As the suns reached their zenith—the physical Sun and the spiritual Tejas of the Sages aligning perfectly—the sky turned a blinding indigo. At that exact moment, the child was born.
He did not have the usual golden glow of a Treta-born infant. He looked... mundane. But as his eyes opened, the world around him shattered into data.
The Awakening of the Veda-Drishti
For the infant Vikram, the first thing he saw was not his mother's face, but a cascade of golden and crimson light.
[ INITIALIZING KARMIC SYSTEM... ]
Current Era: Treta Yuga (Silver Age).
Location: Vajra-Grama (Blacksmith's Hub).
Lineage: Iron-Karmic Bloodline.
[ ATTRIBUTE SCAN COMPLETE ]
Strength: L0 (Infant)Speed: L0 (Infant)Reaction: L1 (Primal Instinct)Charm: L10-MAX (Universal Beloved)Eye of Truth: L0 (Awakened)
Vikram blinked. Above his father, Kashyap, a golden number flickered: Punya: 45,000. Above his mother, a soft glow: Punya: 52,000. They were good people, their souls light and Sattvic.
But then, he looked at the hammer his father held.
[ ITEM DISCOVERY ]
Object: Heavy Iron Sledge.
Karmic History: Forged from the scrap of a fallen Vimana wing.
Potential: High.
The Divine Gift (L10 Charm)
As the midwife prepared to announce the birth, she stopped. She had delivered thousands of children, but as she looked at Vikram, her eyes filled with tears of unexplained joy. She felt an overwhelming urge to bow.
"This child..." she whispered, her voice trembling. "He does not carry the fire of a warrior, but he carries the peace of the Trimurti themselves."
Ten Years Later: The Punya Farmer
Fast forward through a decade of childhood. Vikram had become the most beloved boy in the village. Because of his Charm (L10-MAX), the village elders gave him their best fruits, and the fiercest guard dogs wagged their tails when he walked by.
But Vikram was not idle. While other boys practiced with wooden swords, Vikram was "farming."
He stood by the Kalindi River, helping an elderly woman carry water pots.
[ SYSTEM MESSAGE ]
Act: Seva (Helping the Elderly).
Punya Earned: +5.
Current Total: 985.
Note: You are 15 Punya away from your first Akasha Shop purchase.
"Thank you, little Vikram," the woman blessed him. "May the Devas grant you a long life."
[ BOON DETECTED ]
Source: Gratitude of a Pure Soul.
Effect: +10 Punya.
Total: 995.
Vikram smiled. He was five points away. He looked toward his father's forge. A traveler had arrived—a man dressed in silk, riding a horse that breathed faint sparks of fire.
Vikram's Veda-Drishti flickered. The traveler's Varna-Aura was not Gold. It was a jagged, pulsing Crimson, edged with Black.
[ TARGET DATA ]
Name: Unknown Traveler.
Punya: 500.
Paap: 12,000.
Status: Hostile Intent Detected.
Mantra-Flow: He is concealing a Marana-Mantra (Death Spell) in his ring.
Vikram narrowed his eyes. The traveler was asking his father to forge a specific type of blade—a blade made of "Dark Vajra-Loha."
"Father, wait!" Vikram called out, his voice ringing with the authority of his Charm stat.
The traveler turned, intending to curse whoever interrupted him, but as his eyes fell on Vikram, his hand froze. His anger melted. He couldn't help but lower his head. "What is it, child?"
Vikram walked closer, his eyes seeing the black smoke of Paap swirling around the man's heart.
What should Vikram do?
The Merchant's Play: Use Charm (L10) to convince the traveler to stay for a meal, while Vikram steals the cursed ring.The System Purchase: Perform one last quick Seva to hit 1,000 Punya and buy the [Identification Scroll] from the Shop to reveal the traveler's true identity.The Warning: Whisper to his father in secret, using his knowledge of the Mantra-Flow to prove the man is a spy.
How shall the legend begin?