For several long moments, none of them moved.
The busy cultivation street around them had already fallen completely silent. Civilians nearby stared nervously at the overwhelming spiritual pressure radiating from the five Kings who had suddenly descended from the sky.
Yet none of them cared about the surrounding attention.
Because the person standing before them-
Had disappeared for three entire years.
Then suddenly—
Meera stepped forward first.
And punched Krishak directly in the shoulder.
Not hard enough to injure him.
Mostly because she probably couldn't anymore.
But the emotion behind it was real.
"You idiot."
Her voice trembled slightly despite her obvious attempt to remain composed.
"You disappeared for three years.
Krishak blinked once.
Then quietly accepted the accusation.
"...That's fair."
Rohon immediately burst out laughing afterward.
"You have any idea how terrifying it was dealing with your plans without you around?"
Arun rubbed his forehead tiredly.
"We almost started three international incidents during the second year.
"Technically," Tara added calmly, "it was five."
Karan sighed heavily beside them.
"One of those wasn't our fault."
"It absolutely was," Meera replied instantly
Krishak watched the chaotic exchange silently.
And for the first time in years—
The suffocating pressure lingering inside him relaxed slightly.
These people had truly become his family.
Three years earlier, they were talented students struggling to understand a changing world.
Now-
Every single one of them had become leaders.
Krishak's spiritual senses quietly observed them one by one.
Rohon's spiritual energy carried intense metallic density now, like a constantly burning forge. His foundation was incredibly stable, and traces of spiritual flame essence lingered naturally around him.
Meera's aura had become softer yet deeper, filled with life force and medicinal resonance. Even the spiritual plants around nearby shops instinctively reacted to her presence.
Arun's cultivation was the strangest.
Not overwhelmingly powerful.
Yet incredibly refined and balanced.
His spiritual fluctuations carried traces of mental strengthening and synchronization techniques clearly connected to management and resource coordination.
Karan's aura felt calmest among them.
Several distant spirit beasts hidden around the settlement unconsciously moved closer toward him without fear.
And Tara...
Krishak paused slightly while sensing Tara's spiritual fluctuations.
Formation energy naturally rotated around her body constantly now.
Not activated consciously.
Instinctively.
As though her very existence had begun synchronizing with formation principles themselves.
All of them had reached King Realm.
And none possessed unstable foundations.
Krishak smiled faintly.
"You really didn't waste these three years."
Rohon crossed his arms proudly.
"Of course not."
Then his expression immediately darkened again.
"But seriously."
He pointed directly at Krishak.
"You look terrifying now.
"
The others quietly nodded in agreement.
Because the difference was obvious.
Krishak's aura no longer resembled a normal cultivator.
Even while suppressing himself heavily-
The surrounding space subtly reacted to him.
His presence felt ancient.
Heavy.
Unnaturally calm.
Most importantly—
None of them could properly sense his cultivation anymore.
That realization unsettled them deeply.
Arun finally asked quietly:
"..What realm are you in now?"
Silence fell immediately.
Even nearby civilians unconsciously listened.
Krishak answered honestly.
"Saint Realm."
The street became completely silent.
Several nearby cultivators nearly dropped the spiritual materials they were holding.
One old awakened civilian stared with wide eyes.
"A.. Saint?"
Because Saints no longer belonged to ordinary society.
Kings were powerful.
Rare.
Important.
But Saints-
Saints stood at the top of modern humanity.
Every known Saint across Earth possessed enormous influence over regions, governments, or awakened factions.
And now-
One was standing casually in the middle of a public street.
Looking barely older than a university student.
Rohon exhaled slowly.
"...You're ridiculous."
Meera stared at Krishak carefully.
"No."
Her voice became quieter afterward.
"He's exhausted."
Everyone immediately noticed it afterward.
Beneath Krishak's calmness—
Deep spiritual fatigue still lingered.
Not weakness.
Exhaustion accumulated through years of endless cultivation and refinement.
Krishak noticed their expressions and simply shook his head slightly.
"I'm fine."
No one looked convinced.
Especially Meera.
Tara suddenly stepped forward quietly.
"..Did it work?"
Krishak looked toward her.
Then nodded once.
"The corruption is nearly gone."
The group froze briefly.
Then genuine relief appeared across all their faces.
For three years--
Despite humanity's growth
That hidden burden never truly disappeared from their minds.
Because they all knew what Krishak was enduring beneath the mountains alone.
And now-
He survived.
And succeeded.
Karan suddenly laughed softly in disbelief.
"You actually did it."
Even Arun looked genuinely stunned.
"You absorbed almost all of it yourself.."
Krishak remained calm.
"There's still a dimensional breach beneath the seal."
Their expressions became serious immediately again.
"But it's stable for now," Krishak continued.
"That's enough."
The surrounding civilians nearby had already begun whispering intensely among themselves.
A Saint.
Eastern Horizon cultivators.
The returned founder.
Arun immediately noticed the growing attention and sighed.
".We should leave before this becomes international news in the next ten minutes."
Rohon looked around.
"..Too late."
Multiple communication devices around the street were already recording openly.
Krishak simply smiled faintly.
"It was going to happen eventually anyway.
Then suddenly...
His expression shifted slightly.
He sensed something approaching rapidly from the academy direction.
Powerful.
Very powerful.
A moment later-
The sky above the settlement distorted faintly.
And several figures appeared instantly in the air overhead.
The principal.
Professor Devika.
Director Rao.
And behind them—
Two unfamiliar Saints.
The pressure descending across the settlement instantly became overwhelming.
Yet the moment the principal saw Krishak standing there-
His usually calm expression finally broke completely.
For several seconds
The old man simply stared at him silently.
Then finally smiled.
"....Welcome back."