"Finally," Meera said with a relieved smile, bending slightly as she patted Ajay's head."You've opened your qi channels. After all that training… you can finally use qi."
Ajay, who looked ready to collapse face-first into the dirt, managed a weak, trembling smile."T-Thank you…"
The Master and Meera had descended the moment the last Shadow Wolf fell. They found Ajay at his absolute limit, his body trembling, faint streaks of erratic light flickering across his skin—the unmistakable sign of newly awakened qi.
"Lay him down," the Master said calmly. "I'll stabilize him. You heal him in the meantime."
Ajay was gently eased onto his side. The Master knelt beside him and pressed both palms against Ajay's back, his expression sharpening into deadly focus as controlled streams of qi flowed into Ajay's body. At the same time, Meera activated her healing magic.
Soft light enveloped Ajay.
Warm golden hues flowed from Meera's magic, knitting flesh and easing strain, while a cool, shimmering blue from the Master's qi reinforced and stabilized the fragile pathways forming inside him.
The Master did not blink.
Newly opened qi channels were fragile—more delicate than glass.Too much qi would tear them apart.Too little would leave them unstable.
Here, precision mattered far more than power.
After what felt like an eternity, Ajay finally stirred.
He blinked slowly, awareness returning. The sharp pain he expected never came.
Confused, he pushed himself up slightly, checking his arms… his legs… his back… his chest.
I was sure I took a deep wound there… and those scratches…Then why do I feel so… light?
"Ahem. How are you feeling, Ajay?" the Master asked.
Nearby, Meera was curled up on the stone, fast asleep.
It was the first time Ajay had ever seen her rest.
"I feel… incredible," Ajay said honestly. "Lighter than I've ever been. Is Mrs. Meera okay?"
"She's fine," the Master replied, gaze drifting toward the distant horizon. "Healing you to that extent drained her. She absorbed your fatigue so you could wake up refreshed."
Ajay's chest tightened."She did that… for me?" He hesitated. "Is that why I am so light and don't feel the pain?"
"Partially," the Master said. "You feel lighter because your qi channels are open. You feel no pain because she healed you."
Then his tone hardened.
"But we have something more important to discuss."
Ajay sensed it immediately—the weight in the Master's voice. He didn't interrupt. Instead, his eyes flicked back to Meera, concern lingering in his gaze.
"Tell me," the Master said, "what did you feel at the end of the battle?"
Ajay hesitated. "Before that—" he began, frustration suddenly boiling over as he stood."You said there were only two wolves. There were five. Why didn't you help me? You didn't even let me retreat or call for help!"
THWACK.
Pain exploded across his head.
Ajay dropped to his knees, clutching the spot where the cane had struck him.
That thin stick terrified him more than Shadow Wolves ever could. Four months of relentless training had carved that fear deep into his bones. Even the sight of it sent chills crawling down his spine.
"Now speak," the Master said calmly, wiping the cane with a silk cloth.
Ajay groaned, forcing himself upright.
"It was… different," he said slowly. "Something I've never felt before. But at the same time… it felt familiar. Like it had always been inside me."
He swallowed.
"A burning sensation spread through my whole body. It hurt—more than your cane," he added quickly. "I felt like I was going to collapse. But I couldn't. Because if I did… I would die."
His fists clenched.
"At some point, the pain stopped feeling like pain. It felt like… energy. Still burning—but alive. Then something crossed my mind. The reason I wanted to become stronger. Why I—"
He stopped.
"A strong emotion," the Master said quietly.
Ajay nodded."When I faced the wolf… the energy went where I wanted it to. My body became tougher. Stronger."
He frowned. "But I don't really understand it."
"You opened your qi channels," the Master said. "The situation forced it. I intended to prepare you for real combat—but you achieved something better."
Ajay's eyes widened. "Does that mean I can use qi like you now?"
"Yes but after training," the Master replied. "That means the training ahead will be far harsher than before."
Ajay gulped.
The past four months had already been hell.
His days were nothing but training. His diet constantly shifted to reshape his body. Sometimes he was given massages—the only thing he genuinely enjoyed. The Master insisted they were necessary for circulation and endurance, but Ajay didn't care. Relief was relief.
For three months, it was pure physical training—three times a day—followed by meditation to expand his consciousness.
Body and mind must grow together, the Master had said.
Meditation, however, was agony at first. Ajay's thoughts wandered. Frustration built. Sometimes he wanted to scream.
It took fifteen days just to begin.Two full months to stabilize it.
Only then did combat training start.
"I can't believe he's reached this level in just two months," Meera whispered one night, patting Ajay's head as he slept. "At this rate… he might actually survive."
"This pace is the bare minimum," the Master replied coldly. "The hardships ahead will be far worse."
Ajay smiled faintly in his sleep feeling proud—until the next words reached him.
"Combat training begins now. And you will train him as well."
Meera stiffened.
"Do not go easy on him," the Master continued. "Mercy now will kill him later."
That was the last day Ajay saw gentle Meera.
From then on, there was only Mistress Meera—ruthless, unyielding, merciless.
Ajay would later struggle to believe they were the same person.
It was hard for Ajay… but even harder for Meera.
Changing overnight—for someone she had grown attached to—was not best of her traits.
One day, early in his training, Meera looked at him with strange sadness.
"You look so much like my son would have," she whispered. "If he were still—"
She stopped.
Ajay quickly joked, "I knew that I'm too good-looking. That's why the villagers were jealous."
They laughed—but the question stayed.
Meera leaned closer, lowering herself to meet his eyes.
"Oh?" she teased. "Are you calling me beautiful now? How bold of you."
Ajay froze. His face turned red.
"T-that's not what I—!"
Meera laughed, brighter this time.
"Quit teasing me will you," Ajay muttered, embarrassed.
But inside, something eased.
At least I can make her laugh, he thought—and that small relief warmed him more than he expected.
Later, as they sat before the bonfire after a long day of training and meditation, Meera rose quietly to fetch water from the nearby stream. The flames crackled softly, casting long shadows across the stone.
Ajay watched her leave.
When she was far enough away, he turned toward the Master.
"Master… who was Mrs. Meera's child?"
The Master paused.
It was an unexpected question.
Ajay usually asked about training—how to improve his stance, what herb did to his body, why a particular form strained certain muscles more than others. Even after complaining endlessly about how brutal the exercises were, he never backed down. Instead, he searched for ways to endure longer, adapt faster, become better.
That curiosity was something the Master respected.
He always made sure to quench Ajay's thirst for understanding.
But today, Ajay wasn't asking about strength or technique.
He was asking about her.
The Master studied him for a moment before speaking.
"Why do you ask?" he said, a faint note of surprise in his voice.
"She said I looked like him," Ajay replied. "Then stopped. I think it hurts her."
The Master's face, usually an unreadable mask, shifted into a look of deep, ancient sorrow. "Meera had a lovely boy. But due to an accident… she lost him."
"Lost him? How?"
"That is all you need to know," the Master snapped, the air around him turning cold. "Do not pry. Just support her."
At that very moment, Meera returned, carrying a pot they had fashioned themselves from hardened mud, filled to the brim with water. She placed it gently on the ground.
"What were you two talking about?" she asked casually.
Ajay flinched slightly, then laughed it off, rubbing the back of his head.
"Ah—nothing much. Just discussing my progress," he said, a bit startled.
Master stayed silent.
"You are progressing very rapidly," She said in a soft tone. "If you can keep this up, you will be ready in no time."
Meera smiled, and she and Ajay soon drifted into light conversation, their voices blending with the crackle of the fire.
The Master, however, remained silent.
His eyes stayed on Ajay, studying him—not his posture or breathing this time, but the stillness behind his expression.
What have you gone through, he wondered, to be this mature at such a little age?
[Dark Ruler's Castle]
"My lord! A problem!" A soldier burst into the courtroom, breathless. "The Prince is arriving. We couldn't stop him—he'll be here much sooner than expected!"
"What?!" The Dark Ruler surged to his feet.
High Counselor Vaelric stood as well, his eyes narrowing. "The Prince? Here?"
"We need to accelerate the process," the Dark Ruler growled. "Inform High Executor Draegor immediately."
"Yes, my lord," Vaelric said, vanishing into a plume of black fog.
The Dark Ruler slammed his fist onto the arm of his throne. "That brat… acting so cocky just because he received the Blessing of the Darkness." His shadow stretched across the room, an oppressive energy that began to suffocate the kneeling soldier.
"Summon the Dark Witch!"
The Dark Ruler's voice thundered through the chamber, heavy with barely restrained fury.
"Y–Yes, Your Majesty," the soldier stammered, his body trembling as he bowed hastily. He turned and fled the hall as fast as his legs would carry him.
Even after crossing the massive doors and stepping out of the chamber, he collapsed against the cold stone wall, gasping for air as if he had narrowly escaped death itself. His chest burned with each breath.
"I don't remember the last time His Majesty was this angry," one of the guards stationed at the courtroom doors muttered, glancing nervously back at the sealed entrance.
"Yeah," another replied in a low voice. "His Highness, the Prince, always gets on his nerves."
"Of course," the second guard continued, his voice dropping further, "His Majesty could not become the Dark Lord, but when—"
"Do you have a death wish?" the first guard hissed sharply, cutting him off mid-sentence. "Talking about that when he's right next door?"
The second guard stiffened instantly.
"Now move," the first added, straightening his posture. "You wouldn't want His Majesty's order to be delayed."
"Y–Yeah," the other replied quickly, lowering his head as he stepped away.
The corridor fell silent once more—but the tension lingered, thick and unshaken.
[Back in the Dungeon]
"Why did you stop? No slacking!" the Master shouted.
Ajay stood perfectly still, staring at a specific point in the shadows of the cavern. "I sense something over there."
The Master's eyes twinkled with a rare bit of pride. "Oh? Then go check it out."
"Is this another test? Did you hide another minion for me to fight?" Ajay asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Maybe. Maybe not. Why don't you find out?"
"Oh?" the Master smirked. "Then go check."
He turned away casually, as if the matter were already settled.
"And," the Master added, rubbing his palms together slowly, "be ready after this."
Ajay stiffened.
And?That single word sent a bad feeling crawling up his spine.
"Crap," Ajay muttered under his breath as he took a cautious step forward."Did I miss something… again?"
"Don't you think you are using your manipulation skill the wrong way" Ajay said frowning
"No I am not now go and check" Master said while jumping near him and kicking him on his back
"Master!"
…
"Oh you have returned from your training Ajay" Meera said while clapping her hands
"Yeah can we please skip theory please it bores me to death" Ajay said while sitting infront of Meera
"Ohh so you are saying I am boring" Meera said while pulling out the cane
"NO no no that's not what-"
THWACK!
"Lesson one," Meera said, cleaning the cane with a smile. "Never tell a lady she is boring."
It hurt like hell.
And worse—long after the strike had landed, the burn still lingered, crawling across his scalp like it had a will of its own.
Why did Master ever have to give her one… Ajay thought bitterly, rubbing his head as discreetly as he could.
"Now," Meera said calmly, wiping the dust from the cane as if it were nothing more than a practice tool, "let's begin with the lesson. After that, we'll have to move quickly—round two of your training awaits."
Ajay stared at the cane.
His nemesis.
Just wait, he muttered inwardly, eyes narrowing. The day I get my hands on you, I'll erase you from existence. Not break you. Not burn you. I'll make you disappear from this world entirely.
Ajay screamed internally.
Suddenly—
BOOM!
Suddenly, the sky above the training ground split open. A portal of shimmering white light appeared, and a battered spirit fell through, crashing onto the stone a short distance away.
"Frost!" Meera cried, leaping to her feet.
The Master was there in an instant, his face grimmer than Ajay had ever seen it. Ajay ran to catch up, frustrated by the gap in their speed. By the time he arrived, the spirit named Frost was gasping for breath.
"The Dark Ruler… he has sent Draegor," Frost rasped, his form flickering. "We can't stay here. You have to move the boy."
"Draegor?" Meera gasped, her face turning pale.
"But what happened to you frost why are you in such condition" Meera asked
Frost looked up, his eyes filled with terror. "After you three left… the Watcher appeared."