Guess we're walking.
We've been walking for half an hour.
How much longer is this supposed to take?
Yash was leading us from the front.
How does he even know the way if he's never been here before?
[Pratik]: How do you know the way?
[Yash]: I don't know the way.
I see...
Wait?!!
What?!!
Then where exactly are we walking?
[Yash]: We can carve our way by following the Aura.
I see.
[Pratik]: So we're heading toward the place with the strongest Aura?
[Yash]: Quite the opposite. We're heading toward the place with the weakest Aura. A highly concentrated Aura could simply belong to a large group of animals.
Silence.
[Yash]: But an area with almost no Aura suggests there are very few—or no—living creatures around. The only place I can think of where that would happen is where my uncle is imprisoned. His Aura alone would naturally scare every other creature away.
He explained while continuing to walk.
Maybe I understood it.
But...
Something else kept lingering in my mind.
What the Valley of Truth had told me.
Should I ask Master Krishna about it?
Yeah.
That's probably the best option.
I'll ask him once we get back.
Maybe he'll know what all of that meant.
Besides...
I still have to become strong enough to stop the Pikra War.
Lost in thought, I didn't realize we'd already reached the deepest part.
The doors.
Not prison bars.
Gigantic doors.
[Yash]: Each one weighs more than fifty thousand tons.
What?!
You're joking, right?
They're huge, sure...
But they don't look like they weigh more than ten tons.
I walked toward one and tried pushing it.
It barely moved.
...
He wasn't exaggerating.
[Pratik]: Mala, help me.
[Mala]: You can't even open a door by yourself? Pathetic.
I shouldn't have asked.
Even while insulting me, she came over.
She pushed the right door open effortlessly.
Meanwhile...
I had to activate Trigger 2, Density just to move mine comfortably.
We stepped inside.
The moment I entered...
Something sent chills down my spine.
Danger.
Pure danger.
The difference in power...
The intent of a predator.
It felt comparable to Master Krishna.
Maybe even worse.
I...
I didn't want to move forward anymore.
If he's really as strong as Master Krishna...
How are we even supposed to handle this monster?
[Yash]: Hey, are you planning to stand there forever?
He looked back at me.
Only then did I realize...
I'd been frozen in place.
For quite a while.
He noticed.
I glanced sideways.
Even Mala was sweating.
Surya's body trembled ever so slightly.
That was...
Oddly reassuring.
At least I wasn't the only one feeling this pressure.
[Pratik]: Those doors...
They were containing this Aura?
I asked.
[Yash]: Most likely.
He nodded.
[Yash]: If this Aura had been left unchecked, not a single guard would've agreed to stand watch over my uncle.
Even while restrained.
That alone was enough to scare anyone away.
Just...
How strong is his uncle?
This family honestly terrifies me.
We continued walking.
Eventually...
We reached the center.
A gigantic dome.
An arena?
Was this place meant for battles?
[Yash]: I'm going to break the barrier. We should be able to talk to him after th—
[Pratik]: Are you sure about this?
I interrupted.
This was getting seriously concerning.
[Yash]: Yeah. I'm only breaking the barrier. His restraints and seals will remain intact. I'm not planning to remove them.
That was...
Somewhat reassuring.
Yash walked toward the center of the dome.
[Yash]: Iron Kick!
The barrier shattered instantly.
Now...
We could finally see him.
A human?
No.
He had to be a Gretoling.
Honestly, Gretolings and humans look so alike that I can never tell the difference.
He stood there...
Bound by enormous chains.
Numerous seals were embedded across his chest, shoulders, and back.
Most likely to suppress his transformations, if he possessed any.
A QuatGod Seal was visible as well.
Probably to suppress even his base strength.
Only his lower body was covered by a saffron antariya.
"Seems like I have visitors."
His voice alone...
Sent another chill down my spine.
We're meeting for the first time.
Yash answered calmly.
I immediately moved closer to him.
If things went south...
I wanted to be close enough to run.
"Who are you, kid?"
He asked.
[Yash]: I am Yash. Yash Chandrika Putra.
That single sentence changed everything.
His uncle instantly lunged toward him.
Several metallic chains snapped apart.
I immediately created a magic barrier to absorb the impact.
"I see...My nephew. Looks like quite some time has passed."
[Yash] : Is that really how you greet your nephew?
Yash asked with a smile.
How...
How are they both so calm?
Mala and Surya remained in position.
Ready to attack the very moment things got out of control.
"Seems you've grown soft. Have you ever taken the Cliff Test?"
Cliff Test?
[Yash]: No, mother didn't accept it. Although my mother accidentally dropped me off a cliff when I was still a newborn. When she eventually found me playing with animals deep inside the forest... She nearly cried.
...
What?!
How could someone be that clumsy?
"So she's still soft... My sister. Our family has a tradition. Every newborn is thrown off a cliff to test their durability. I was thrown from the third-highest cliff. I barely survived."
[Yash]: Sounds rough.
"It certainly was."
...
This family is insane.
They're actually insane.
Are they psychopaths?
"Were you ever electrocuted?"
[Yash]: My mother considered it too dangerous for children. Although... Out of curiosity, I tried it myself when I was ten. One million volts.
"How soft she's become. Our mother electrocuted me with five hundred thousand volts when I was three. Seems our warrior clan is losing its colors."
I...
I can barely keep listening.
These maniacs are terrifying.
Who survives things like that?
Even for powerful alien species...
That sounds absurd.
They're completely nuts.
Thank goodness I was born human.
"Why are you here?"
Finally.
A sensible question.
[Yash]: A prison break.
Yash replied while casually cleaning his ear.
I wasn't expecting him to say it so casually.
Even his uncle looked surprised.
Can't blame him.
Every generation in this family somehow gets weirder than the previous one.
Thank goodness I'm normal.
"Hahahaha..."
His uncle burst into a cruel laugh.
"You're here to free me? What do you want?"
[Yash] : Protection until I reach the Greto Empire.
"Is someone hunting you?"
[Yash]: Yes. Some very nasty people.
"I see. Then I shall help you... For the sake of the Greto Empire alone. However..."
His gaze shifted toward me.
His eyes...
The pressure behind them...
If these were the eyes from that older version of myself... Mine would've started bleeding just from meeting his gaze.
"Beware of sorcerers. They are cunning. Especially Krishna."
...
What?
To be continued...
---
EXTRAS:-
HUNTER MARSHAL ON QUEST 6
After taking a shortcut through space, Hunter Marshal Griho drew closer to Isolated Dimension 777.
It wouldn't be long before he arrived.
There...
He planned to remain hidden and wait for Haidoro to appear.
His determination was absolute.
Haidoro would be brought back in chains.
And if things took a turn for the worse...
The Marshal was fully prepared to eliminate the criminal himself.