Chapter 7: The Smite of the Silver Dawn
The vortex howled like a thousand trapped spirits. The Patala Gate was no longer a doorway; it was a collapsing star, hungry for everything that bore the mark of the underworld. Kala-Nemi was gone, his screams swallowed by the void.
But General Rakta-Vija was a Maharathi.
The General's claws dug into the bedrock, his spear anchored deep in the earth. Despite the gravity of the closing vortex, he lunged. His hand, wreathed in black, jagged scales, snapped shut around Vikram's throat.
[ SYSTEM ALERT ]
Condition: [Crushed Throat] — Prana flow is restricted.
Warning: Maharathi-tier Physical Pressure detected.
HP Falling Rapidly.
"I have you now, little spark," Rakta-Vija hissed, his face inches from Vikram's. The heat from the General's Paap felt like a furnace. "You broke my gate. I shall break your destiny."
Vikram couldn't breathe, but he didn't need to. In the Treta Yuga, the mind moved faster than the lungs. His Eye of Truth (L5) was staring directly at the General's chest—at the missing scale over the Anahata Chakra.
The Ultimate Gamble
[ KARMIC SYSTEM UPDATE ]
Feedback Energy Absorbed: 10,000 Punya.
Current Punya: 10,005.
[ SHOP RECOMMENDATION ]
Target Weakness Identified.
Item: [One-Time Divine Smite: Vajra-Mushti]
Cost: 10,000 Punya.
Description: Concentrates the power of Indra's thunderbolt into a single strike. Ignores 100% of Physical Armor.
BUY IT! Vikram screamed in his mind.
[ PURCHASE COMPLETE ]
Current Punya: 5.
Skill Activated: [Vajra-Mushti].
The Lightning Strike
Vikram's right fist began to glow with a light so white it turned the indigo forest to a bleached bone-pale. He didn't struggle against the General's grip. Instead, he smiled.
"General," Vikram whispered through his constricted throat, his Charm (L10) forcing the General to look him in the eye one last time. "Light doesn't just show the way. It burns the rot."
BOOM.
Vikram's fist slammed into the General's exposed heart-point.
It wasn't a punch; it was a discharge of celestial electricity. The Vajra-Mushti released ten thousand Punya points of energy in a single millisecond. The dragon-scale armor shattered. The black fire in the General's eyes flickered and died.
[ CRITICAL HIT: HEART-CORE DESTROYED ]
Damage: 500,000 (Attribute Multiplier Applied).
Status: [Fatal Internal Rupture].
The General's grip loosened. His massive body was lifted off the ground, not by Vikram's strength, but by the sheer momentum of the divine strike. The vortex behind them flared one last time, reaching out like a violet hand.
"This... is not... the end..." Rakta-Vija gasped, his body beginning to dissolve into black ash.
With a final, thunderous clap, the Patala Gate imploded. The General, his spear, and the remnants of the weeping willows were sucked into the singularity.
The Silence After the Storm
A shockwave of pure air swept through the forest, clearing the miasma. Vikram fell to his knees, gasping for breath, his hand still crackling with residual blue sparks.
[ MAJOR QUEST COMPLETED: THE GATE-BREACH ]
Karmic Reward: +25,000 Punya.
Bonus: [Rakta-Vija's Dragon-Scale Fragment] acquired.
Level Up: Ojas (Vitality) L2 ➔ L5.
Level Up: Strength L3 ➔ L5.
Sugriva-Ansh stepped forward, his stone mace resting on his shoulder. The Vanara warriors stood in a circle around Vikram, bowing their heads.
"You have done the impossible, human cub," Sugriva-Ansh said, his voice deep with respect. "You have faced a Maharathi and sent him back to the dust. But look."
He pointed to the sky. The silver suns were setting, and a thin, crimson sliver was appearing on the horizon.
The Blood Moon was rising.
The Gate was sealed, but the "Poison" Vikram had seen earlier—the black thread from the Guru in his village—was still active. The General was just a distraction. The real ritual was happening back at the Dandaka Gurukul.
[ SYSTEM MESSAGE: EMERGENCY QUEST ]
Title: The Betrayal of the Guru.
Time Remaining: 4 Hours.
Condition: The Village of Vajra-Grama is being prepared for a Mass-Sacrifice.
Objective: Stop the Ritual of Guru Bhargava.
Vikram stood up. His body felt heavier, stronger. With Strength (L5) and Ojas (L5), he no longer felt like a child. He felt like a Rathi in the making.
"Sugriva-Ansh," Vikram said, looking at his sword, The Whisper of Kalindi, which was now glowing with a steady, confident light. "The General was just the guard dog. The master is still in my home."
Vikram has 4 hours and 25,005 Punya. He needs to travel back to the village fast.
The Celestial Ride: Buy a [Small Vimana / Flying Chariot] from the Shop to reach the village in minutes (Cost: 15,000 Punya).The Army of the Wild: Spend the Punya to Equip the Vanaras with Divine Shastras and lead a war-march through the forest (Cost: 20,000 Punya).The Sage's Path: Upgrade Dhi (Intellect) to L10 to unlock [Teleportation: Akash-Gaman] (Cost: 25,000 Punya).
How will Vikram return to face his Guru?
Be
[ KARMIC SYSTEM STATUS: VIKRAM ]
Rank: Senior Sadhaka (Advancing toward Rathi)
Current Punya: 25,005
Current Paap: 0
I. THE SUPREME ATTRIBUTES Charm (Kanti):L10 (MAX) — Law of the Silver Age. Hostiles find it spiritually impossible to maintain hatred; allies would die for him. Eye of Truth:L5 — Prana-Mapping. Can see internal energy flows, hidden weaknesses, and karmic history. Dhi (Intellect):L5 — Rapid-fire Mantra processing and tactical genius. Ojas (Vitality):L5 — High Prana reservoir; body can now withstand the kickback of Divine Astras.II. SHARIRA-BALA (PHYSICAL STATS) Strength: L5 (Can snap iron bars with ease). Speed: L7 (Flash-Step unlocked; moves faster than the human eye can track). Reaction: L6 (Sees the world in 0.5x speed during combat).III. SKILLS & BOONS [Mantra-Hacker (L1)]: Can see and disrupt the Sanskrit "Source Code" of spells. [Vajra-Mushti]: (Mastered) Ability to channel explosive Punya into a single physical strike. [Boon: Friend of the Vanaras]: Can summon forest aid and communicate with all Pranic beasts. [Kavacha of Vayu]: Passive wind-armor that deflects projectiles.IV. EQUIPMENT Weapon:The Whisper of Kalindi (Rank C) — A blade of Sattva-Iron that grows stronger with the user's Punya.