The place was silent.
An abandoned construction site.
Half-built walls.
Broken concrete.
Shadows stretched under the fading evening light.
A figure stood in the center.
Calm.
Still.
Waiting.
Footsteps echoed.
Ishaan arrived.
Kabir and Aisha right behind him.
"Where is she?"
Ishaan's voice was cold.
Sharp.
The boy smiled faintly.
"Relax."
A slight tilt of his head.
"She's safe."
A pause.
"For now."
Kabir clenched his fists.
"You better not be lying."
The boy ignored him.
His eyes stayed on Ishaan.
"You came."
A faint smirk.
"I was starting to think you'd run."
"I told you."
Ishaan's gaze didn't waver.
"I don't want to fight."
A brief silence.
Then—
The boy laughed softly.
"And I told you…"
His eyes sharpened.
"That's not your choice."
Before anyone could react—
Ishaan froze.
His body locked mid-step.
Muscles refused to move.
Breath caught.
"What—?!"
The boy raised two fingers slightly.
"Don't move."
Ishaan's body trembled.
He tried to step forward.
Nothing.
Kabir's eyes widened.
"…What is this?"
The boy walked toward Ishaan.
Slow.
Controlled.
"You rely too much on movement."
He stopped in front of him.
"Let's see what you are… without it."
A flick of his fingers—
Ishaan was thrown sideways.
Like an invisible force grabbed him.
He crashed into a concrete wall.
Hard.
A loud crack echoed.
Dust filled the air.
"Ishaan!"
Anaya's voice echoed.
From behind.
Tied.
Restrained.
But unharmed.
Kabir's eyes burned.
"You—"
Before he could move—
The boy turned.
His gaze locked.
Kabir froze mid-step.
"…Damn it—!"
His body resisted.
But barely moved.
The boy tilted his head.
"Another one?"
A pause.
"But weaker."
A slight motion—
Kabir was thrown back violently.
Sliding across the ground.
Silence fell.
Ishaan didn't move.
Unconscious.
The boy looked at him.
Disappointed.
"…That's it?"
He sighed.
Then raised his hand again.
A massive chunk of broken concrete lifted from the ground.
Heavy.
Cracked.
Deadly.
Kabir's eyes widened.
"…You're serious?"
No answer.
The block shot forward.
Straight toward Ishaan.
Time slowed.
"ISHAAAN—!"
Then—
A figure moved.
Kabir.
He forced his body forward.
Breaking through the invisible hold.
Step by step.
"MOVE…!"
His fist clenched.
Muscles tensed.
Something inside him snapped—
And then—
He punched.
BOOM.
The concrete shattered.
Exploded into pieces.
Dust burst into the air.
Fragments scattered everywhere.
Silence.
Kabir stood there.
Breathing heavily.
His fist still extended.
"…What the hell…"
Aisha stared.
"…He awakened."
For the first time—
The boy's expression shifted.
Interest.
Real interest.
"Well…"
A faint smile formed.
"That's new."
Kabir stepped forward.
Standing between Ishaan and him.
"Try that again."
The boy raised his hand.
Kabir's body jerked.
Caught again.
"Still not enough."
A flick—
Kabir was thrown sideways.
Crashing into metal debris.
He coughed.
Struggled to stand.
The boy walked toward him.
Calm.
Unhurried.
"You're strong."
A pause.
"But strength without control is useless."
He raised his hand again.
Kabir lifted slightly off the ground.
Frozen.
"Let's end this."
"Hey."
A voice.
Low.
Sharp.
The boy stopped.
"…Over here."
He turned.
Ishaan stood there.
Head lowered.
Breathing heavy.
Alive.
"…You're still standing?"
Ishaan slowly lifted his head.
Anger burned in his eyes.
"Don't…"
A breath.
"…touch my friends."
For a moment—
Everything went still.
Then—
Ishaan vanished.
A blur.
The boy's eyes narrowed.
Too fast.
Ishaan dropped low mid-run.
Out of direct sight.
The control weakened.
Just for a second.
Enough.
He rose—
From below—
And—
BOOM.
His uppercut slammed into the boy's jaw.
The impact echoed.
The boy's body lifted slightly.
Sliding back across the ground.
Silence.
Kabir stared.
"…He hit him."
Aisha whispered,
"He broke the control…"
Ishaan stood there.
Breathing hard.
That energy—
Was back.
Stronger.
The boy slowly touched his jaw.
For the first time—
Someone had hit him.
He looked at Ishaan.
Not angry.
Not shocked.
Interested.
"…So you can break it."
Ishaan didn't move.
His eyes locked on him.
"I told you…"
His voice was low.
"…I'm not fighting you."
A faint smile appeared.
"No."
The boy said softly.
"You are."
A pause.
Then—
He turned.
Walking away.
Kabir frowned.
"Oi! We're not done—"
"Relax."
The boy stopped.
Without turning back.
"You're not ready yet."
A few more steps.
Then—
"My name…"
A slight pause.
"…is Reyansh."
Another step.
"Reyansh Oberoi."
And then—
He left.
Silence remained behind.
Kabir blinked.
"…Oberoi?"
Aisha's expression shifted slightly.
"…That Oberoi?"
Ishaan said nothing.
But something about that name—
Felt heavy.