The morning sun filtered softly through the bamboo blinds, casting golden lines across the dining room table where three plates steamed with freshly made poha, buttered parathas, and a shared bowl of sliced fruits. The air carried the mouthwatering aroma of ghee and coriander, blending with the subtle crispness of a new day.
Rivan sat at the corner seat, one leg folded beneath him, animatedly narrating the events of yesterday like a performer in front of a live crowd. His eyes were wide with enthusiasm, his voice rising and falling like the beat of a drum. Vaidehi and Yug sat opposite him, chewing thoughtfully with amusement dancing in their eyes.
"I'm telling you," Rivan said between bites of paratha, waving his spoon for emphasis, "I've never seen anything like that before. An S-Rank gate! Do you even understand what that means? Cities fall when those open. These people... those hunters... they walked in like it was just another Tuesday. Not a flicker of fear, not a drop of hesitation."
Yug chuckled, nearly choking on his fruit. His gaze narrowed with a mix of teasing and seriousness. "Did you actually see them fight? Or were you planning to help them this time... or hide your identity again, Rivan?" He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice so only Rivan could hear. "You and I both know you're not just some helper.
Satya mock-glared. "I was helping logistics, thank you very much. And yes, I saw it! Not clearly—their faces were masked—but the power, man! One guy punched a demon so hard its body shattered midair like glass. Another conjured a storm with just a step. It wasn't even a battle. It was a performance of death. Precise. Ruthless. Beautiful."
Vaidehi leaned forward, brushing a few crumbs off her skirt, then glanced at Satya with a curious but serious glint in her eyes. She lowered her voice, ensuring Yug was distracted by his fruit. "Rivan... those hunters you mentioned, the ones who cleared the S-Rank gate so easily... do you think they're more powerful than you and father?" Her words were quiet, meant only for him. "Be honest. I need to know."
Rivan paused mid-chew, his smile faltering as a heavy thought crossed his mind. He leaned in slightly toward Vaidehi, his voice dropping to a whisper only she could hear. "I think... they're at least on the same level as Your Father was in his prime. Maybe even more refined in control and tactics. But me? I'm still trying to come to terms with Vayunanda's legacy... to control the power he left behind after his death."
He stared at his half-eaten food, expression darkening slightly. "For now, yes... they're more powerful than me. That's the truth."
Just then, the door burst open with a bang.
Agneyi stepped in, his usually composed demeanor replaced with urgency. His aura rippled with restrained fire, and his eyes scanned the room like he was searching for missing soldiers on a battlefield. He didn't wait for greetings or explanations.
"Meeting. Now. Hunter Association HQ. All four guilds. President's command. Emergency level priority. Rivan stood up so fast he almost tripped, a piece of fruit still halfway to his mouth. "What? Now? What happened? Why so suddenly?"
Agneyi didn't answer. He simply turned and left, already relaying the same message through his comm-crystal as he walked out. Satya glanced at Vaidehi and Yug.
"Why do I feel like I forgot something really important again?"
Yug raised an eyebrow, dry as ever. "Maybe because you still haven't met the new president. Ever consider he might be the traitor? Think about it—Ravanox appears, chaos erupts, and suddenly he becomes president? Suspicious timing, don't you think?"
Rivan blinked, smacked his forehead. "Damn. I really haven't."
By the time they reached the colossal glass-and-marble dome that was the Hunter Association Headquarters, the entire building thrummed with energy. Like a giant beast awakening from slumber.
Every corridor buzzed with movement. Members from all four guilds flooded in from every direction—uniforms of Ashvins, Agneyastra, Garuda's Roar, and Vajra swarming the grand atrium like a sea of warriors preparing for war.
Rivan walked beside Agneyi, his senses heightened, eyes darting across the crowd. He saw battle-scarred veterans, fresh recruits burning with potential, and elite operatives walking like they owned the earth.
His eyes locked on familiar figures—Shravani from Vajra, striding with her usual commanding presence. Dhruv, the towering and stoic leader from Garuda's Roar, stood silently like a mountain unmoved by storms. Ishan of the Ashvins, sharp and calculating, was quietly exchanging glances with his core members.
Agneyi walked ahead of them all, calm and composed, but Satya could see the barely concealed fire burning behind her eyes. She wasn't here to observe. She was here to dominate.
Finally, the great chamber doors opened.
The Central Hall of Strategy was an architectural marvel—half stadium, half war chamber. At the center stood a round obsidian platform, shimmering faintly with embedded mana circuits. The dome overhead reflected every movement like a god's eye watching from above.
And there she stood.
Shakti Mehra.
The newly appointed President of the Bharat Hunter Association.
Clad in a sharp, functional combat suit overlaid with tactical plates, her presence radiated command. She had the bearing of someone who had fought on frontlines, not someone who drafted policies. Her eyes—clear, piercing, and unwavering—could silence storms.
The moment she raised a hand, the entire chamber quieted like obedient children.
Her voice rang out like a war bell.
"This is not a ceremonial gathering. This is war preparation."
Rivan felt a chill crawl down his spine.
"This morning, we received credible intelligence. A new surge of demonic activity has erupted in the Bharat Sea. The long-forgotten island known as 'Kaal Dweep'—Demon Island—has reappeared."
Gasps rippled through the chamber.
"Kaal Dweep? That's suicide."
"Didn't Vayunanda fail there multiple times?"
"Three missions. No survivors except one."
Shakti Mehra raised her hand once more, and silence returned like a leash snapping tight.
"Yes. Vayunanda led three missions. All failed. The final one saw total squad loss—only he returned, barely alive. The land mutates mana. It corrupts reality. The demons evolve faster than we can kill them. But now... it's back. Bigger. Louder. Hungrier."
Rivan clenched his fists, heart racing.
"This time, we're not testing it. We're claiming it."
The lights dimmed. Above the room, a massive hologram flared to life, depicting the storm-wrapped island with a monstrous crater at its core. Lightning danced around it like a crown of wrath.
"In forty-five days, we initiate Project Kaal Dweep."
Her words struck like a war horn.
"Each of the four major guilds will now contribute to a single, unified elite assault force. The team will consist of twenty-four core members: eight of the finest elite combat hunters trained specifically in anti-demonic warfare, eight top-tier support operatives , and eight advanced healers equipped with regenerative spells and high-level purification techniques to counter the island's corruption.
In addition to these twenty-four, five of the country's highest-ranking National Hunters—including the Agneyastra guild leader Agneyi herself—will also be part of the operation. That brings the total number of deployed frontline operatives to thirty for this high-stakes mission. Each one has been handpicked for their exceptional performance, resilience, and compatibility with unstable mana environments like that of Kaal Dweep."
More murmurs followed.
"They'll be trained to withstand mana corruption, demonic adaptation, spatial instability, and psychological warfare. The chosen will be the best. The rest will serve in recon, surveillance, and emergency extraction roles."
She allowed a beat of silence, then dropped the next thunderclap.
"Before that, you will face each other."
The hologram shifted. Four emblems burned in the air: Ashvins, Agneyastra, Garuda's Roar, Vajra.
"In twenty days, a Grand Guild Ranking Trial will be held. A multi-format tournament including one-on-one duels, team battles, simulated gate clearances, and formation combat."
"Your performance will decide your rank: First, Second, Third, and Fourth."
Gasps. Whispers.
"Top guild gets strategic advantage in deployment and island entry. Bottom guild will act as scouts and path-clearers."
She looked around, letting her words settle like iron weights.
"This will not be a tournament for fame. This is war rehearsal. The price of failure is death. The reward... is survival."
Then came her final words:
"Only one team may leave that island alive."
A silence deeper than fear followed.
As the guild leaders and members filtered out, stunned and buzzing with tension, Rivan stood frozen. The world around him had changed shape.
His gaze drifted to Ishan, to Shravani, to Dhruv—the three masked hunters from the S-Rank gate missions. It hit him like a thunderclap.
"Those... it was them... they were the ones I saw fighting in the S-Rank gates... I worked as a helper in those missions. Their faces were hidden. But now..."
His breath caught in his throat.
"They're guild leaders? National rank hunters?!"
He felt as though the ground beneath his feet had tilted.
He wasn't just facing powerful opponents.
He was stepping into the arena with legends.
And he had twenty days.
Only twenty... to rise or be forgotten.