Mohit's heart pounded as he stared into the darkness of the alley.
Two glowing eyes hovered near the broken wall, unmoving, silent… watching him.
His instincts screamed danger.
"What… what is that?" Mohit whispered, his voice barely audible.
The air felt colder. His skin tingled as if invisible needles brushed against him. His newly awakened senses reacted on their own, sending strange signals through his body. He could feel a faint pressure in the air, like a hidden presence breathing slowly.
The glowing eyes moved.
Not fast — but deliberate.
Mohit stepped back cautiously. His heel scraped against a loose stone, making a sharp sound in the silent alley. The moment the noise echoed, the eyes narrowed.
Something growled softly.
It was not a normal animal sound. It was deeper, layered, almost vibrating through the walls.
Mohit swallowed hard. His mind raced.
A dog? A wild animal? Or… something else?
He remembered the glowing words from the strange space.
Void Sense.
Without fully understanding how, Mohit focused his mind. He relaxed his breathing and allowed the strange awareness to spread outward, just like the warm current he had felt before.
Suddenly, the world changed.
The alley was no longer empty in his perception. Thin waves of energy flowed through the air like invisible mist. Near the broken wall, a dense knot of unfamiliar energy pulsed slowly, darker and heavier than the surroundings.
Mohit's eyes widened.
"So that's you…"
The shape behind the wall shifted. A shadow slowly stepped forward into the dim streetlight. It looked like a wolf — but not entirely. Its body was lean, its eyes glowing faint blue, and strange patterns shimmered under its dark fur like moving smoke.
A spiritual beast.
Mohit's breath caught in his throat. Every cell in his body warned him that this creature was dangerous.
The beast tilted its head, studying him. It didn't attack immediately. Instead, it sniffed the air, clearly sensing something unusual about Mohit.
His awakened energy.
The beast took one slow step forward.
Mohit's legs felt stiff, but he forced himself to stay calm. Panic would only make things worse.
Think. Don't panic.
He remembered the floating message again.
Shadow Step (Locked – Requires Energy).
"Energy…" Mohit muttered.
He closed his eyes for a brief moment and focused inward. That faint warmth inside his chest responded, slowly gathering like a small flame.
The beast growled again, this time louder.
It crouched slightly, muscles tightening.
Mohit opened his eyes.
A thin shimmer of purple light flickered around his fingers.
It was weak. Unstable. But real.
The beast suddenly lunged forward.
Mohit reacted on instinct. He jumped sideways, barely avoiding the creature's snapping jaws. His shoulder slammed against the cold brick wall, sending a jolt of pain through his arm.
His heart raced violently.
That was close…
The beast turned smoothly, its eyes locked onto him again. It circled slowly, testing him like prey.
Mohit's breathing became heavy. His body was still that of a normal teenager — slow, fragile, inexperienced. One mistake could be dangerous.
But something inside him refused to give up.
He clenched his fists and focused harder. The warm energy inside him trembled and slowly spread through his arms and legs. His senses sharpened further. The world seemed slightly slower, clearer.
"I won't run," Mohit whispered to himself. "Not anymore."
The beast suddenly stopped moving.
Its ears twitched.
For a brief moment, both of them stood frozen — human and beast — staring at each other in the quiet alley, waiting for the next move.
Somewhere deep inside Mohit, a strange excitement mixed with fear.
This was no longer a normal world.
And this… was only the beginning.