Chapter 4: The Forge of the Soul
The village of Vajra-Grama was no longer a sanctuary; it was a target. As the soot from the Asura's escape settled, Vikram stood amidst the hushed whispers of the elders. He didn't hear their praise. His eyes were fixed on the Karmic System interface shimmering in the indigo air.
[ CURRENT PUNYA: 5,005 ]
[ ATMA-SAMSKARA AVAILABLE ]
If I follow that spy with my current body, I'll be crushed before I reach the first treeline, Vikram realized. He needed a balanced evolution—the Path of the Scout-Sage. He needed to be fast enough to shadow a Rathi and wise enough to dismantle their traps.
The Great Attribute Allocation
Vikram sat by the cooling anvil, his hand resting on the Vajra-iron his father had just forged. In his mind, he navigated the Akasha Interface with practiced ease.
"System," he commanded. "Upgrade Eye of Truth and Speed. Spend the rest on Dhi (Intellect) and Reaction."
[ ALLOCATING 5,000 PUNYA... ]
Eye of Truth: L3 ➔ L5 (-1,500 Punya) — [New Ability: Prana-Mapping]Speed (Gati): L4 ➔ L7 (-1,500 Punya) — [New Ability: Flash-Step]Reaction: L4 ➔ L6 (-1,000 Punya)Dhi (Intellect): L3 ➔ L5 (-1,000 Punya)
[ PHYSICAL & SPIRITUAL RESTRUCTURING INITIATED ]
A surge of cool, silver energy flowed from the ground, up through Vikram's feet. His calf muscles tightened and shifted, the fibers becoming as elastic as a bowstring. His pupils dilated, then contracted into diamond-shaped points.
[ UPGRADE COMPLETE ]
Current Punya: 5.
Status: Your perception of time has slowed by 30%. You can now see the "Prana-Veins" of the forest.
The Awakening of the Prana-Map
Vikram looked toward the dark woods. The world was no longer just trees and shadows. With Eye of Truth (L5), he saw a glowing trail of black residue—the Karmic Footprints of Kala-Nemi.
The spy was bleeding Paap like a wounded animal.
"Vikram." His father, Kashyap, approached him. He held a bundle wrapped in tiger-skin. "If you go, you do not go as a boy. You go as a son of the forge."
He unwrapped the bundle. Inside lay a Shastra—a short sword made of matte-black iron, its edge shimmering with a faint blue light.
"I forged this for the local King, but it refused to be tempered until you were born," Kashyap said. "It is made of Sattva-Loha (Virtuous Iron). It will only cut that which is impure."
Vikram touched the hilt.
[ ITEM IDENTIFIED ]
Name: The Whisper of Kalindi (Growth-type Shastra).
Rank: D-Rank (Current).
Passive: De-spells low-level Asura illusions on contact.
Note: This weapon is hungry for Punya. Feed it to unlock higher tiers.
The Departure
Vikram buckled the sword to his waist. His Charm (L10-MAX) made the village elders part for him like the waves of the Red Sea. They didn't try to stop him; they felt, instinctively, that his path was ordained by the Trimurti.
As he reached the edge of the forest, he activated his new ability: Flash-Step.
In a burst of indigo light, Vikram vanished. He wasn't running; he was sliding through the gaps in the air. Each step covered thirty feet. The wind didn't buffet his face—it guided him.
The First Encounter: The Vanara Sentinel
Deep in the woods, where the Prana was so thick it turned the leaves into glowing emeralds, Vikram suddenly skidded to a halt. His Reaction (L6) had picked up a vibration.
A massive figure dropped from a Banyan tree, shaking the earth. It was a Vanara—a powerful, ape-like humanoid with muscles like knotted roots and fur that shimmered like bronze.
[ TARGET DATA ]
Race: Vanara (Forest Guardian).
Rank: Rathi (Level 30).
Varna-Aura: Gold-Crimson (High Purity, High Aggression).
Punya: 25,000.
Condition: Testing the Intruder.
The Vanara bared his fangs, wielding a stone mace that hummed with the power of the Earth element (Bhaumastra-lite). "Human child! This path leads to the Patala Gate. Only those with a soul of fire may pass. Show me your Tejas, or return to your mother's hearth!"
Vikram looked at the Vanara. He didn't draw his sword. He knew his Strength (L3) couldn't match a Level 30 Vanara's mace. He looked at the Vanara's Mantra-Flow.
The Vanara wasn't trying to kill him. He was performing a Dharmic Gate-Check.
"I am Vikram of Vajra-Grama," the boy said, his Charm (L10) washing over the Vanara like a cooling rain. "I follow the Shadow that seeks to poison the Kalindi. I do not seek a fight, but I will not be stopped."
The Vanara paused, his mace lowering an inch. "Your voice... it sounds like the temple bells of Kishkindha. But the Shadow you follow is led by a Maharathi. You are but a spark. Why should I let a spark walk into a hurricane?"
How will Vikram pass the Vanara Sentinel?
The Duel of Skill: Use Flash-Step and Reaction (L6) to dodge the Vanara's mace three times, proving his worth without landing a single blow.The Akasha Bargain: Use his last 5 Punya to check the Shop for a [Vanara-Peace Fruit] or a secret piece of Vanara Lore to win his loyalty.The Truth-Sayer: Use Eye of Truth (L5) to point out a hidden "Karmic Injury" the Vanara is suffering from and offer to heal it using a basic Mantra.
Which way to the Patala Gate?