The air trembled.
Lioran's fist burned like a rising sun—
Golden energy roared around his arm, spiraling violently as he drove forward.
"GOLDEN BURST!!!"
BOOOOOOM!!!
The punch descended toward Bheem—
But Bheem didn't move.
Instead—
He shifted.
In a single instant, he condensed all of his Prāṇa cloak into his left arm.
The aura thickened.
Compressed.
Hardened.
Layer upon layer—
Until it became a dense, impenetrable shield.
Lioran's glowing fist collided with it.
KRAAAAAASH!!!
The impact shattered the ground beneath them.
Shockwaves ripped outward—
Trees bent violently.
Rocks cracked.
The forest screamed.
Bheem's body slid back slightly—
But he held.
His left arm trembled—
Yet it endured.
Lioran's eyes narrowed.
"…You think that's enough?"
His voice hardened.
"That only stops the first impact."
The air warped.
The energy inside his punch—
Shifted.
Deepened.
"Here comes the second—!"
A hidden force surged forward.
Invisible.
Unstoppable.
It pierced through the outer layer of Bheem's cloak—
Like a wave passing through water.
Bheem's eyes sharpened.
"…So that's how it works."
Lioran smirked slightly.
"Now it's over."
The second impact rushed inward—
Aimed straight for Bheem's body.
But—
Bheem smiled.
"…You're wrong."
Time seemed to slow.
Before the energy could reach his body—
Bheem moved.
His Prāṇa cloak… changed.
Flowing.
Shifting.
Like liquid under his control.
The incoming force—
Instead of breaking through—
Was redirected.
Guided.
Controlled.
Lioran's expression froze.
"…What?"
Bheem extended his Prāṇa cloak—
Stretching it across his body—
Creating a pathway.
A channel.
The second impact—
Was forced along that path.
From his left arm—
To his right.
Like water flowing through a river.
"…Impossible…" Lioran whispered.
The energy gathered—
Compressed—
Stored—
Inside Bheem's right arm.
Bheem clenched his fist.
Black Prāṇa coiled around it.
"…I won't hold back this time."
His eyes locked onto Lioran.
"Take it back."
In the next instant—
He struck.
BOOOOOOM!!!
The stored impact exploded outward—
Driven straight into Lioran's stomach.
"—UGHHH!!!"
Blood burst from Lioran's mouth.
His body folded from the force—
Then—
He was launched.
CRAAAAASH!!!
He tore through trees—
Splintering trunks—
Until he slammed into a massive rock.
The stone cracked.
His body embedded halfway into it.
Silence followed.
Broken only by the sound of debris falling.
Then—
A low groan.
Lioran's body trembled.
Blood dripped from his lips.
He struggled—
Pulled himself out—
Then collapsed onto the ground.
His hand clutched his stomach.
Pain surged through him—
Sharp.
Burning.
Unbearable.
"…How…?" he whispered, breath shaking.
"How did you… use my own attack…?"
Slow footsteps approached.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Bheem emerged from the dust—
Calm.
Composed.
Smiling.
"I condensed my Prāṇa cloak on my left arm," he began casually, as if explaining a lesson. "That blocked the first impact."
He raised his right hand slightly.
"But the second impact… is different."
His gaze sharpened.
"It travels through matter."
Lioran's eyes widened.
"So before it could reach my body…"
Bheem spread his fingers slightly—
"…I controlled the flow."
A faint ripple passed through the air.
"I redirected the energy within my cloak… and guided it."
His voice carried quiet pride.
"From one arm… to the other."
Lioran's breath caught.
"I created a path," Bheem continued. "A perfect channel for the energy to flow through."
His fist clenched again.
"And then…"
He smiled.
"I stored it."
Silence.
Heavy.
Oppressive.
"That's how I returned your attack."
Lioran stared at him.
Shocked.
Speechless.
Then—
A weak laugh escaped his lips.
"…I don't even know what to say."
He looked up.
Blood streaked across his face.
"But one thing's clear…"
His voice hardened.
"You're not human."
A pause.
"You're a monster."
Bheem chuckled.
"Call me whatever you want."
Lioran tried to stand—
His legs trembled violently.
His body screamed in protest.
His vision blurred.
His breathing turned uneven.
He was at his limit.
Before he could react—
Bheem moved.
A swift kick—
THUD!!!
Lioran was knocked away again.
He hit the ground hard.
Tried to rise—
But—
A foot pressed down on his chest.
Bheem stood over him.
Dominating.
Unmovable.
Lioran's eyes were bloodshot.
His consciousness flickered.
At any moment—
He could black out.
Then—
A voice echoed from the distance.
"Bheem… we're back."
Bheem glanced up.
From the shadows—
A woman stepped forward.
It was Kamali.
Behind her—
Several assassins followed.
Bheem's gaze narrowed slightly.
"You completed your mission?"
Kamali nodded.
"Yes."
Her voice was calm.
"We captured them."
Lioran forced his head to turn.
His blurred vision struggled to focus.
Then—
His heart stopped.
Sharin.
Aishwarya.
Both unconscious.
Bound.
"…No…"
His voice cracked.
"…No… this can't be…"
He struggled—
Tried to rise—
But Bheem pressed him down harder.
"Sharin…! Aishwarya…!"
His voice broke.
"Just wait… I'll—"
Before he could finish—
THAK!!!
A sharp strike hit the back of his neck.
Darkness swallowed him.
Bheem stood over his unconscious body.
"…You can't even save yourself."
He lifted Lioran onto his shoulder.
"Let's move."
Kamali smirked faintly.
"…Finally."
Her eyes gleamed.
"It's about to begin."
Bheem's expression darkened.
"Yes."
"They'll help us achieve what we want."
Without another word—
They disappeared into the forest.
A few hours later…
Darkness faded.
Pain returned.
Lioran's eyes slowly opened.
"…Where… am I…"
His body felt heavy.
Restricted.
He looked down—
His arms were bound.
Tied tightly to a thick wooden pole.
He struggled—
But couldn't move.
Then—
He looked to his sides.
"Sharin…!"
"Aishwarya…!"
Both of them were tied the same way.
Hanging.
Motionless.
"Wake up!" Lioran shouted.
"…Wake up!"
After a moment—
They stirred.
Groaned.
Slowly opened their eyes.
Then—
Shock.
"Lioran…?" Aishwarya said.
"You're… here too…?"
Lioran forced a bitter smile.
"…Yeah."
He lowered his gaze slightly.
"…Bheem… is stronger than I thought."
Sharin exhaled sharply.
"I lost too."
His fists tightened against the bindings.
"They overwhelmed me."
Lioran blinked.
"…They?"
Sharin nodded.
"Two against one."
Aishwarya spoke next.
"Same here."
Silence fell.
Lioran clenched his jaw.
"…That's not fair."
A voice interrupted.
"You're right."
All three looked forward.
Bheem stepped into view.
Calm.
Composed.
"But fairness doesn't matter."
His eyes darkened.
"Not when you're chasing something greater."
Lioran's expression hardened.
"You were hired to kill me."
His voice was steady—
Despite everything.
"So let them go."
Sharin shook his head.
"Don't say that."
Aishwarya added firmly—
"We're not leaving you."
Lioran clenched his fists.
"Just listen—"
But Bheem cut him off.
"…Who said I only want you?"
Lioran froze.
"…What?"
Bheem stepped closer.
"It's true. I took a contract to kill you."
His gaze shifted toward Sharin and Aishwarya.
"But I didn't expect to find two more skilled Prāṇa users."
A chill ran through the air.
"What do you mean?" Lioran demanded.
Bheem's allies stepped forward behind him.
"We didn't take these contracts… just for money."
His voice grew darker.
"We did it… to gather sacrifices."
Lioran's heart skipped.
"…Sacrifices?"
"For a ritual."
The word echoed.
"What ritual?" Lioran asked.
Bheem smiled.
"…I'll show you."
He raised his hand.
Prāṇa surged from his body.
Golden at first—
Then—
It changed.
Darkened.
Twisted.
Black energy consumed him.
It wasn't just Prāṇa anymore.
It felt…
Wrong.
Heavy.
Alive.
Sharin's eyes widened.
"…That's not Prāṇa…"
Aishwarya whispered—
"…What is that…?"
The black aura thickened.
Then—
It separated.
A shadow peeled away from Bheem's body.
Slowly—
It began to take form.
Twisting.
Shifting.
Growing.
Something monstrous.
Something ancient.
Something terrifying.
Lioran's expression hardened.
Recognition struck him like lightning.
"…No way…"
Sharin's voice trembled.
"…It can't be…"
Aishwarya's breath caught.
"…Is that…?"
Lioran stared straight at it.
His voice steady—
But heavy.
"That's a…"
A pause.
"…Narvan."
The forest fell silent.
As darkness rose once again.
TO BE CONTINUED…