We finally arrived at the airport.
My legs ached from standing too long on the overcrowded bus. Noah, thankfully, was tucked safely inside my backpack, hidden from sight.
Aelira went to the ticket counter to confirm our flight to Nexora. I followed behind, still trying to process it all. I had never been there before—this was my first time even flying.
Now I sat on a bench in the waiting area, staring blankly at the terminal screens. My phone was still broken from the last fight. I didn't even have enough money to buy a book to pass the time.
I'm just wasting time here…
Aelira returned with two tickets in hand.
"Stay here. I'll be back in a minute," she said, handing me mine.
I nodded and watched her walk off.
Our flight was still an hour away. My eyelids felt heavy—training all day had drained me completely. I hadn't rested even once. It was already 10 PM. Just a short nap… I thought, letting my head fall back.
The next thing I felt was a light shake on my shoulder.
I blinked awake to see Aelira standing in front of me. She had changed clothes.
She looked stunning—so much that I froze for a second.
"Well?" she asked with a small smile. "How do I look?"
"You look… good. That dress really suits you," I replied honestly.
She smiled, then reached into her bag and pulled out a small box.
My heart skipped a beat when I saw the label.
"A new phone?" I asked.
"Yours was broken, right?" she said. "So I bought this for you."
I was speechless.
It wasn't just a phone—it was a top-tier model. I flipped it over and glanced at the price.
₹200,000…?!
My old phone barely cost ₹8,000. This was something only the super-rich bought. I looked at her in disbelief.
Just how much money does she have…?
"Th-thank you. Seriously… thank you for this," I said, holding the box carefully like it was made of glass.
"I already added a new SIM card," she added casually.
"Thanks... again."
I opened the box and lifted the phone. It felt smooth, sleek, expensive—luxurious in every sense. I couldn't stop staring at it.
I made a quick call.
"Hey, Mom. I'm staying at a friend's place for a few days. I'll be back in four days."
My mom's voice came through the phone, soft but clearly worried.
"Are you safe, kian?"
I smiled a little and answered calmly,
"Yeah, Mom. I'm safe. Don't worry."
Aelira glanced at her watch. "It's time. We need to board."
"Right," I said, gently placing the phone in my pocket.
Still in a daze, I followed her into the boarding area. We handed over our tickets, and I stepped into the flight, looking back only once.
Inside, I placed my bag in the overhead bin and sat down by the window and she sit on my side.
But my eyes… they were still glued to the phone in my hands.
I finally closed my e-book with a yawn.
When I glanced at the time, it was already 1:00 AM.
This is the first time I've stayed up this late… I usually fall asleep by ten.
I stood from my seat and stretched. Quietly, I made my way to the plane's restroom. After washing my face, I opened the door—
—and froze.
A man stood right outside.
His sharp gaze. His calm, threatening aura. The way he carried himself…
He looks like an Astryx member…
"Can you move aside?" he said flatly.
"O-oh! Yes," I replied quickly and stepped aside.
Still unsettled, I returned to my seat. Aelira was beside me, sound asleep. I adjusted my eye mask and leaned back.
Maybe I'm just overthinking.
I closed my eyes.
Not long after, a loud voice shattered the silence.
"This plane is hijacked!"
I ripped off the mask.
One man stood in the aisle with a gun. Passengers screamed and scrambled. Then, one by one, more men stood up across the cabin—each holding a weapon.
Aelira jolted awake next to me.
"Everyone, place your phones in the bucket!" one of the hijackers shouted.
Passengers obeyed, trembling as they dropped their phones into the bucket.
In front of me, a man looked terrified—his hands shaking.
I leaned forward and whispered, "Don't worry. It'll be over soon."
He slowly turned to face me… but instead of relief, there was rage in his eyes.
Without a word, he pulled a gun and pressed it to my forehead.
"Give me your phone," he said coldly.
I acted calm, slowly pulling the phone from my pocket.
But before handing it over, I dropped it.
And in that exact moment—I moved.
Time seemed to slow.
In a flash of speed, I vanished. Within seconds, I had stripped every terrorist of their weapons, dashing from row to row faster than the eye could follow. I dropped the entire armful of guns near the air marshal, then rushed back and caught my phone before it could hit the ground.
The hijacker looked down, confused.
His gun was gone.
Panic spread across the group of armed men—now unarmed and vulnerable.
The air marshal and crew acted fast. They charged the hijackers, beating them down, tying their wrists with rope, and dragging them into the secure staff room.
The cabin returned to calm—though still tense with shock.
I returned to my seat. My heart was steady. My breathing normal.
Aelira stared at me, stunned.
Then… she smiled.
"Good job, Kian," she said softly.
"Ah… thanks," I replied, scratching the back of my head.
I take sleep and in morning The plane finally landed.
We walked through the airport gates and stood near the pickup area, waiting. I glanced around, still trying to shake off the memory of the hijack.
A few minutes later, a sleek black car pulled up in front of us. The tinted window rolled down, revealing a girl behind the wheel.
Aelira recognized her immediately and walked over.
Without saying a word, she got into the passenger seat.
I followed and slid into the back seat. After closing the door, I rolled up the window and opened my bag.
Noah popped out and quietly settled next to me.
"Where are we going?" I asked, eyeing the road ahead.
"You'll find out soon," the driver replied calmly.
Aelira glanced back. "She's Liya. She works with us."
I nodded.
The car weaved through the city for a while before stopping outside a small shoe shop. It looked ordinary—nothing out of place.
Aelira and Liya got out, and I followed close behind.
Inside, the shop was quiet. They walked straight past the counter and into the storeroom.
There, behind stacks of boxes, was a hidden metal door. Liya tapped a small code on a panel, and it slid open with a hiss.
Inside was an elevator.
We stepped in, and the door closed behind us. The lift hummed softly as it descended deep underground.
Where are we going…?
When the doors opened, I stepped into a large underground lab—high-tech. It was massive, filled with machines, equipment, and sealed rooms.
A man in a lab coat approached us, raising his hand in greeting.
"Hi. I'm Dr. Ron," he said with a smile.
I shook his hand.
"Come with me."
Aelira, Noah, and Liya stayed behind as I followed him through a corridor into a small room.
There was a single chair in the center.
"Please, sit."
I sat down. Dr. Ron opened a kit and took out a small syringe and a thin glass vial.
"I need a blood sample," he said.
"Okay. Go ahead."
He carefully took the sample and placed it into a scanning machine nearby. The device lit up and began analyzing the blood.
Ron pulled up a chair and sat across from me, eyes sharp and focused.
Dr. Ron stared at the scanner for a moment, then looked at me.
"Before the results come in… I want to tell you everything," he said calmly.
I stayed silent, listening.
"I don't know about Astryx… but I do know why they're after you. And it's something so important, we've kept it hidden even from our members."
He leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice.
"Three thousand years ago, there was a great king—Korel."
I shocked
"He died young," Ron continued. "At just twenty-five. But even after all these centuries… about thirty years ago, a group began searching for something."
He paused.
"They were looking for his descendant. The heir to King Korel's bloodline."
I stared at him, stunned.
"Because it's been 3,000 years, there are many distant descendants of Korel scattered across the world. Most don't even know they carry his blood."
He turned to the machine, watching the data load.
"But here's the key: they're searching for a boy between the ages of 18 to 21. Why that range specifically, we still don't know."
"If your DNA matches Korel's lineage… then you're the one they want. If not…"
He looked back at me.
"…we'll erase your memory and send you home."
I swallowed hard. "How many people have come here before me?"
"Two hundred," he said. "None matched."
I looked down at my hands.
Me… a descendant of King Korel?
A few days ago, I had been researching him out of curiosity. I never imagined the connection would be real.
Suddenly, the machine beeped. The screen flashed with numbers and data.
Dr. Ron's eyes widened.
"Match: 99.9%."
He turned to me, eyes shining.
"…We've found him."
I shocked my DNA is match with king korel.
"get up we have to go to master kael" he say
Dr. Ron stared at the machine's result, stunned—eyes wide with disbelief and excitement.
He quickly shut off the scanner and stood up.
"Come with me," he said urgently.
I followed him out of the room, my heart racing.
He walked straight over to Aelira, who stood waiting near the lab entrance.
A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "We found him," he said breathlessly. "Take him to Master Kael—right now."
Liya nodded and turned toward the exit. As she reached the security door, she placed her hand on the panel to open it.
But the moment it slid open—
A red alarm blared across the lab.
Warning. Breach detected.
Without warning, Kol dropped into the elevator shaft from above, crashing down like a meteor.
BOOM!
Before anyone could react, he slammed his fist into Liya's chest, sending her flying into a glass wall with a sharp crack!
A second later, Oliver stepped out of the shadows. His eyes locked onto Aelira—and they narrowed with fury.
"You again," he growled. "This time, I'll defeat you."
Oliver charged at her with deadly intent.
Meanwhile, Kol turned his gaze toward me and began to advance. His steps were heavy, slow, relentless.
He's coming straight for me.
Dr. Ron stepped in front of me, unsheathing a glowing energy sword from thin air.
"Noah—take him and run!" he shouted.
Noah opened his mouth wide—and in the next instant, he swallowed me into his stomach.
"I have power let me help them" I say
"no we have to escape from hear" Noah say
Behind us, Ron clashed with Kol in a flurry of strikes. Kol fought barehanded—but even without a weapon, his strength was terrifying.
We sprinted through the lab, but Kol wasn't far behind.
"I won't let you escape again!" he roared.
He grabbed a steel table and hurled it at us like a projectile.
Noah twisted mid-run and narrowly dodged it, veering sharply to the right. But Kol was too fast—he lunged and slammed his fist into Noah's stomach.
Noah let out a painful cry—and vomited me out.
I hit the floor hard, dazed. Kol reached for me again—
—but a flash of lightning exploded across the lab.
Liya, blood dripping from her lips, charged at Kol with a thunder-infused punch. Her blow slammed him into the wall, cracking the stone.
But Kol wasn't down for long.
He stood, eyes burning, and rushed back into the fight—only to be intercepted by both Ron and Liya.
"GO!" Ron shouted again. "We'll hold him!"
I pulled myself up and cradled Noah, who was groaning in pain. His stomach was bruised.
Without thinking, I grabbed him tight and sprinted toward the lift shaft.
Using the ledge, I jumped—channeling every ounce of strength in my legs.
Up.
Up toward the top floor.
And with one final push—I made it.
I ran.
Faster than I ever had.
Through alleys, across empty roads—my heart pounding as I held Noah tightly in my arms. His breathing was weak, his body trembling.
Then I saw it—a glowing sign in the distance.
A veterinary clinic.
I rushed inside.
"Please! Help him!" I shouted, placing Noah gently on the examination table.
The doctor stared in shock, but quickly moved to assist.
I didn't wait to hear more. I clenched my fists, turned around, and ran back.
My anger burned with every step.
Back near the hidden shoe shop… I arrived.
Kol.
He stood in front of me, unharmed. His eyes glinted with a cruel satisfaction.
"So you came back," he said with a grin. "I like that. Most people run. But not you."
"Where are Ron and Liya?" I demanded.
He chuckled. "they are Dead I smash that girl from my hands. And Oliver's busy playing with Aelira soon she will also die."
My blood boiled.
"I'm going to kill you," I growled.
He tilted his head slightly. "Your eyes… they're blue now. Last time, they were black." He smirked.
"That means Aelira must've transferred Joe's power into you."
Without another word, I shot forward at full speed and launched a punch.
But Kol raised his arm and blocked it easily.
Not even a scratch.
He grinned. "That all you've got?"
Then his fist crashed into my chest—
I flew backward, skidding across the ground.
"You've got speed," Kol said, slowly walking toward me. "But your physical strength? Nowhere near Joe's."
I clenched my fists and got back up.
Again—I rushed him.
I struck once. Twice. A third. A fourth—each punch hitting its mark.
But Kol didn't flinch.
He just smiled.
"you have speed of joe but not physical energy."
No. I can do more…
I focused. My breathing steadied. I could feel it—the aura.
Energy gathered in my palm, warm and sharp.
My eyes locked onto him, tracking his every move.
Then—
Now!
In a flash, I dashed forward and delivered a punch straight to his gut.
CRACK!
Kol staggered back.
Blood dripped from his mouth.
He wiped it away slowly… and smiled.
"There it is…" he said. "Now you're starting to come into form
He kol being serious.
My aura was fading.
I could only manage five punches before it started to weaken.
Kol moved toward me again. His fist shot out like a cannon. I dodged, feeling it graze just past my head.
Then came a second punch—just as fast.
I narrowly avoided it too.
Too dangerous. If I fight here, others will get hurt…
There were civilians nearby—terrified, frozen in place.
I couldn't let them get caught in this.
Gritting my teeth, I charged forward with all the speed and strength I could muster and landed a clean punch to Kol's face. The impact sent him flying across the street.
BOOM!
He smashed into a building wall, leaving deep cracks in the concrete. Blood streamed from his mouth as he staggered to his feet.
Just then, a man—possibly a passerby—ran toward Kol with a bottle of water, likely trying to help.
Big mistake.
Kol brought his hands together.
Between them—was the man's head.
CRACK.
In an instant… he crushed it.
Blood sprayed across the street.
Kol turned toward me, trembling with rage—his breathing deep and animalistic.
And then… he began to change.
His skin darkened, taking on a bloody red hue.
His eyes turned jet black.
Claws extended from his fingers, his teeth sharpened, and his body grew in size—towering and monstrous.
Gasps filled the air. People screamed and ran in panic.
He had transformed into something inhuman.
His power surged.
In a blink, Kol was right in front of me.
So fast—!
He grabbed me by the throat, lifted me off the ground, and leapt high into the sky.
Then—
He slammed me down with monstrous force.
But just before we hit the ground, I twisted my body, grabbed his fingers, and yanked them apart.
His grip broke. I dropped out of his grasp and darted away at full speed.
CRASH!!!
Kol hit the ground hard—so hard that the impact created a massive crater.
Dust exploded into the air. The shockwave shattered nearby windows.
Several buildings collapsed.
People nearby screamed.
Some… didn't make it.
When Kol looked up again—
I was gone.
I had escaped, just in time.
His body trembled in fury.
A thunderous roar echoed across the city.
Meanwhile, back in the underground lab—
Aelira clashed blades with Oliver. Sparks flew as their powers collided.
Their strength was evenly matched.
But Aelira could feel it—Oliver had grown stronger. Much stronger.
A single strike sent them flying apart, crashing into opposite walls of the lab.
They caught their breath, eyes locked.
Then—
BOOM.
A powerful shockwave shook the facility.
It was Kol.
His body had slammed into the ground above them—breaking through the upper floor and collapsing the lab ceiling.
The rubble came crashing down—
CRASH!
Oliver looked up—too late.
Tons of rock and debris buried him beneath the lab's remains.
Aelira landed safely on the far side, panting.
"…Oliver."
She didn't know if he survived.
But there was no time to check.
I arrived at the lab.
But the entrance was blocked—completely buried in rubble.
Without hesitating, I began pulling the rocks away one by one. My body ached, but I kept going.
Eventually, I made it inside.
It was dark. Dust still hung in the air. The lab was destroyed—walls cracked, debris everywhere.
Then I saw her.
"Aelira…"
She was alive—leaning against a slab of fallen concrete, bruised but conscious.
But nearby…
Liya and Dr. Ron lay motionless.
Aelira turned to me weakly. "Where's Noah?"
"He's at the clinic. I took him there—he's stable now," I replied.
I stepped closer, preparing to lift Ron's body.
But then—
His hand moved.
Faintly, he grabbed my wrist.
He was still alive.
"I… I don't have much time," Ron whispered, voice fading. "Listen carefully… there's a man in Gatlong. His name is Kan. You need to find him…"
And then—
His hand went still.
He was gone.
I stood there, frozen, the weight of his words sinking in.
"Take Ron's sword," Aelira said quietly behind me.
I turned toward her, expecting to see pain in her eyes.
But there was none.
No tears.
Just silence.
"…Aren't you sad?" I asked, my voice shaking. "He was your comrade. You lost Liya and Ron. Don't you feel anything?"
She looked at me, calm and detached. "I've lost too many friends over the years, Kian. So many… that I've forgotten how to mourn."
Her voice didn't tremble. She had seen death too many times.
This world… had hardened her.
She walked over and looked at the blade near Ron's hand.
"That sword… is forged from asteroid metal. One of a kind. It's yours now."
I reached down and picked it up. The hilt was warm. Heavy.
Carrying it… felt like taking a vow.
Suddenly—
The rubble shifted again.
Rumble…
And from beneath the fallen debris—
Oliver emerged.
Bloodied. Furious.
Still standing.
He looked at me, eyes narrowing.
"…You've got Joe's power."
He reached for his sword.
But I knew we couldn't fight. Not like this. My stamina was nearly gone, and Kol could appear any second.
I gritted my teeth.
Then made a decision.
In a blink—I grabbed Aelira and dashed out of the ruins, moving at full speed.
Oliver didn't chase.
He couldn't catch me.
We reached the veterinary clinic.
A doctor was standing by the entrance, smiling slightly.
"Your pet is safe. He's recovering well."
Aelira nodded and handed him a thick stack of cash without a word.
We carried Noah out and made our way into the city.
To disappear, we needed to blend in.
So we stopped by a clothing shop and bought what we needed—masks, hoodies, long coats.
Something simple. Something to hide our faces.
To escape.
We sat quietly inside the metro.
I leaned back against the seat, removed my mask, and stared out the window.
But my mind wasn't calm.
Kol…
That fight kept replaying in my head—his monstrous strength, the sheer pressure of his power.
If I want to survive… I need to get stronger. Much stronger.
But one thought kept circling back.
How did they find us?
My eyes drifted upward—and then I saw it.
A CCTV camera mounted in the corner of the metro car.
But something felt… off.
No. It's not that simple.
"They're not tracking us through the CCTV," I muttered.
Aelira glanced at me. "Put your mask back on. We're exposed here."
But I shook my head. "It's not the cameras. Someone's watching us. Directly. I can feel it." I stood up from my seat.
"Stay here. I'll be right back."
Aelira's eyes narrowed slightly. She didn't argue—but she looked alert now. Someone is hear keeping eye on us.