The forest exploded into motion.
The moment the hunter released the crimson energy from his palm, the ground beneath them cracked with a violent shockwave.
"MOVE!" Arjun shouted.
Aadhya barely managed to jump aside as the red blast slammed into the earth where she had been standing seconds earlier.
Dirt and broken branches flew into the air.
Kabir stumbled backward.
"Okay, yeah," he said breathlessly. "That guy is definitely trying to kill us."
The three hunters slowly stepped forward from the shadows.
Their armor gleamed faintly under the pale moonlight filtering through the trees.
Each of them moved with calm confidence.
Like predators who had hunted many times before.
The first hunter tilted his head slightly.
"So this is the Serpent Bloodline?"
His voice carried quiet disappointment.
"I expected something more impressive."
Aadhya clenched her fists.
Her serpent mark burned against her collarbone.
Arjun stepped in front of the group immediately.
"You four stay back," he said firmly.
Dev scoffed.
"Yeah, that's not happening."
Arjun didn't look at him.
"These are Dragon Bloodline hunters."
His voice was serious now.
"They've been trained since childhood to kill supernatural targets."
Kabir whispered,
"That sounds very bad."
Sana calmly cracked her knuckles.
"Then we fight smarter."
The hunter suddenly laughed.
"You children think this is a game?"
His eyes glowed faintly red beneath the mask.
"Lord Rudra warned us the Serpent might have allies."
He slowly drew a long curved blade glowing with crimson energy.
"But it won't matter."
The second hunter stepped forward beside him.
"Orders are simple."
His gaze locked on Aadhya.
"Capture the girl."
The third hunter finished the sentence coldly.
"Or bring back her corpse."
Arjun moved first.
Before the hunters could attack again, he rushed forward with surprising speed.
His combat knife flashed in the moonlight.
The first hunter blocked instantly.
CLANG
Sparks exploded as their weapons collided.
The hunter smirked.
"Ah… a Directorate agent."
Arjun pushed him back slightly.
"You talk too much."
Behind them, the other two hunters attacked.
Kabir yelped as a red energy blast shot toward them.
Sana grabbed his arm and pulled him down just in time.
The blast ripped through a tree behind them, splitting the trunk in half.
Kabir stared at the destroyed tree.
"Okay," he muttered.
"I officially hate these guys."
Dev stepped forward.
"My turn."
He slammed his foot into the ground.
For a brief second nothing happened.
Then the earth around him trembled.
Chunks of rock rose from the soil and hovered in the air.
Kabir blinked.
"Wait… you can do that?!"
Dev smirked.
"Didn't think I was just here for decoration, did you?"
With a sharp motion of his arm, the rocks shot forward like bullets.
The second hunter jumped back instantly, dodging most of them.
But one struck his shoulder armor with a loud crack.
The hunter looked down at the dent in surprise.
"Well," he said quietly.
"That's new."
Sana moved next.
She sprinted forward faster than any of them expected.
Her movements were almost invisible in the darkness.
The third hunter barely had time to react before she kicked him hard in the chest.
The impact sent him sliding across the forest floor.
Kabir stared in amazement.
"…okay, remind me never to annoy you."
But the hunter quickly stood up again.
Unharmed.
He brushed the dirt from his armor.
"Impressive speed."
Then his eyes glowed brighter.
"But still weak."
He raised his hand.
Crimson energy exploded outward.
Sana barely blocked it with crossed arms, but the blast threw her backward into a tree.
Kabir rushed toward her.
"Sana!"
"I'm fine," she groaned, standing up slowly.
Meanwhile—
Arjun and the first hunter were still locked in combat.
Their blades clashed again and again, sparks lighting the dark forest.
The hunter suddenly twisted his weapon, forcing Arjun back.
"You're skilled," the hunter admitted.
"But not enough."
He released a burst of crimson energy from his free hand.
Arjun barely managed to block it.
Even then, the impact pushed him several meters backward.
Aadhya watched the fight with growing panic.
Everyone was struggling.
Even Arjun.
The serpent mark on her skin burned hotter.
Do something.
Her mind flashed back to the training arena.
The green energy.
The shockwave.
She closed her eyes for a second.
Focus.
The hunters noticed her hesitation.
The second hunter grinned beneath his mask.
"There she is."
He pointed directly at her.
"The Serpent Queen."
Before anyone could react, he rushed forward.
His speed was terrifying.
Aadhya froze for a split second.
Then Kabir jumped in front of her.
"HEY!"
The hunter swung his blade.
Kabir raised his hand instinctively.
A sudden flash of blue light erupted around him.
A shimmering barrier appeared in the air.
CRASH
The blade slammed into the barrier but didn't break through.
The hunter stepped back slightly in surprise.
Kabir blinked.
"…wait."
He stared at his glowing hands.
"Did I just do that?"
Dev yelled from the side,
"Less talking, more defending!"
The hunter attacked again.
Kabir's barrier flickered but held.
Aadhya felt the serpent mark burning even hotter now.
Her heart pounded in her chest.
Move.
She stepped forward.
Green energy flickered around her fingers.
The hunters immediately noticed.
The first hunter pushed Arjun back and turned toward her.
"So the serpent finally wakes."
Aadhya raised her hand.
Her voice trembled slightly.
"Leave… my friends… alone."
The hunter laughed.
"Or what?"
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then—
The serpent mark flared with brilliant emerald light.
A wave of energy erupted around Aadhya.
The ground cracked beneath her feet.
The trees shook violently.
Even the hunters froze for a second.
A massive serpent-shaped aura formed behind her like a ghostly shadow.
Kabir stared in shock.
"…okay THAT is new."
The hunters exchanged quick glances.
The third hunter spoke quietly.
"The power is real."
The first hunter's voice became serious.
"Then we finish this quickly."
All three hunters attacked at once.
Red energy streaked through the forest like lightning.
But this time—
Aadhya didn't panic.
The emerald energy around her pulsed again.
She moved instinctively.
The serpent aura lashed forward.
A blast of green light collided with the hunters' attacks.
BOOOOM
The explosion shook the entire forest.
Trees bent under the shockwave.
Dust and leaves filled the air.
When the smoke cleared—
Everyone stood frozen.
The hunters were several meters away now.
Their armor cracked.
The leader looked at Aadhya with new respect.
"So it's true."
He slowly wiped blood from the corner of his mouth.
"The Serpent Queen has awakened."
Arjun stepped beside Aadhya again.
"Not fully," he warned.
"Which means you still have a chance to run."
The hunter shook his head.
"No."
His crimson energy began rising again.
"Lord Rudra will want proof."
The other two hunters prepared to attack again.
Kabir whispered nervously,
"I have a bad feeling about this."
Dev answered,
"You always have a bad feeling."
The leader raised his weapon.
"Enough games."
But before the fight could continue—
A loud thunder-like sound echoed through the forest.
A powerful beam of light shot down from the sky.
Several Directorate combat units landed around the clearing.
Heavily armed soldiers surrounded the hunters instantly.
The leader looked around calmly.
"Reinforcements."
Arjun smirked slightly.
"You stayed too long."
The hunter considered the situation.
Then he slowly lowered his weapon.
"This battle is not over."
His gaze returned to Aadhya.
"The Dragon Bloodline will return."
Before anyone could stop them—
All three hunters slammed their hands into the ground.
Crimson smoke exploded around them.
When the smoke cleared…
They were gone.
Silence filled the forest again.
Kabir collapsed onto the ground.
"Okay."
He took a deep breath.
"I officially hate supernatural battles."
Dev laughed tiredly.
"Same."
Sana looked at Aadhya carefully.
"That power…"
Aadhya stared at her glowing hands.
The green light slowly faded.
"I don't know how I did that."
Arjun placed a hand on her shoulder.
"But you did."
He looked toward the dark mountains in the distance.
"And now Rudra knows for sure."
Far away in the Himalayan fortress…
Rudra stood near the massive window.
One of the hunters kneeled before him.
"We confirmed it, my lord."
Rudra's crimson eyes glowed slowly.
"The Serpent Queen lives."
He smiled faintly.
"Good."
The warrior looked confused.
"You expected this?"
Rudra turned toward the mountains.
"For centuries we waited."
His crimson mark burned brighter.
"And now the real war can finally begin."