The air was tense...
Not even one big monster was moving.
Yash looked up — an old man was standing on the terrace of a building… like an ancient warrior.
His clothes were floating in the air… long hair… a sword tied to his back.
Yash and Ishan both felt a sudden warmth due to his presence.
They were speechless… only one question ringing in their minds —
"Who is he?"
Suddenly… that man vanished from his spot.
Yash and Ishan looked around them — they didn't understand.
Then out of nowhere — that man teleported just in front of them.
Both turned back, startled — both were stunned.
That man… was completely unbothered by these monsters.
As if their existence didn't even matter to him.
That man… began to move straight towards the mantis monster.
The same mantis — who looked like the god of death until now — was standing completely still, unable to move even an inch.
---
The ancient warrior went to Anaya's corpse… and looked at her broken, scattered body…
And said just one sentence —
"I came a little too late…"
Just then, a monster lunged from behind his back to attack him.
He said —
"Come, insect. You want to kill me?"
He simply moved one hand back…
The monster was really close to him — and in the next moment — the man grabbed its head and ripped it from its body.
A stream of blood scattered in the air.
---
Yash and Ishan were completely speechless… only watching…
There was only one question hanging in their minds —
"Has God himself come… for the rescue of this destruction?"
Then… that man unsheathed his sword.
Fear was evident on the face of each monster.
Everyone was drenched in sweat — but no one was able to move from their place.
It felt like some kind of power was holding them…
---
Suddenly, a voice echoed —
"Thunder Step — 3rd Form: The Speed of Death."
The man disappeared in front of Yash and Ishan…
And in the next moment — appeared back on the same spot.
He was sheathing his sword.
Both of them couldn't understand —
"What even happened?"
The monsters were standing there just like before…
---
But it didn't take long for Ishan to understand.
Ishan (shocked): "He slashed the monsters with such speed… that we didn't even notice!"
Yash (surprised): "What do you mean?"
Just then… a voice was heard —
Each monster was scattering into pieces with screams.
Their blood was dripping on the ground…
In front of them — the same monsters who were unstoppable just now — a human… or perhaps God… had slashed them.
---
Yash and Ishan — both spoke in unison:
"Is he a human… or God?"
Then they saw — that man was approaching them.
Yash and Ishan were looking at that man with surprised eyes. That man came to them and asked:
"What's the name of you two?"
Yash hesitated a bit before saying —
"My name is Yash." He looked at Ishan and said — "This is my friend, Ishan."
The man smiled gently at them. Fear and tiredness were evident in their eyes — as if they had seen a whole life in a moment.
"You both are still alive... this is a miracle. Perhaps... we were meant to meet each other by fate."
Yash and Ishan were just looking at him without a word. Then, Ishan gathered some courage and asked —
"What... do you mean?"
The man chuckled, then said —
"If I had not come yet, perhaps both of you would not have been alive anymore. But you both are still alive... this is fate."
Both looked at each other — confused, lost.
The man understood that they were still too young to understand his words. He placed his hands on his head, took a deep breath, and said —
"Have I gone crazy... talking like this to children? Whatever... My name is Ashwatthama. And I am a teacher at Gurukul — The Ancient Academy."
Yash and Ishan were still stunned.
Then Ashwatthama looked at them and asked a question straight:
"Do you both want to become strong?"
Both were silent for a moment. Senses stopped working. Then... both said in unison —
"To become strong… what does it mean?"
Ashwatthama:
"This world is no longer the same as it was before. Now, whoever wants to stay alive will have to break his own limits. Both of you have a desire to live. When the whole city has become a mountain of corpses... where two children are still alive... it's a miracle."
Yash and Ishan looked at each other. Wanting to say something, but couldn't find words.
Ashwatthama spoke again —
"Maybe... this time, you both have lost someone really close to you..."
Both went completely silent after hearing this. Tears in eyes... pain in the heart.
Ashwatthama:
"But if you don't want something like this to happen ever again... then come with me. If you want to become strong..."
Yash and Ishan looked at each other again. Tears in eyes... but a new passion on their faces.
Ashwatthama gave a small smile and said —
"Come with me... now you both are also a part of The Gurukul — The Ancient Academy."
Saying this, Ashwatthama started moving forward. Yash and Ishan looked at each other and nodded their heads... and started following him.
---
Yash imagined his past in his mind… His father was killed by monsters… His mother handed herself over to the monsters in order to save Yash. Yash was just looking at them at that time... he did not have the strength to save them.
Ishan was also walking... his eyes were blurred by tears. He had lost his family... monsters ate his family alive in front of his eyes. At that moment, he didn't have any choice except to run.
Both witnessed their friends dying in front of them...
Both wiped their tears and thought in their minds —
"If I were strong, then I could have saved everyone. Now I have to become strong... so strong that I can fight against any danger in the world. To protect... whom I love. Now I have to become strong... this is the only way to solve everything."
---
Now I have understood...
This time isn't like before. This is a new era... where only the strong will survive. Where only strength is the law.
The era of Death. The era of Gods. The era of Immortals.
The Age of Immortals.
— To Be Continued —