"Because you're weak."
The words dropped like a blade, slicing through the noise of the corridor.
And then… everything froze.
The hallway, once alive with laughter, footsteps, and whispers, suddenly turned dead silent. Even the wind seemed to vanish. It was as if the air itself had stopped moving.
Raghav's gang blinked in confusion, their expressions stiff, eyes wide.
Even Arjun, deep inside his own mind, started screaming.
"What did I just say?! What am I doing?! That's it—I'm dead! I'm so dead!"
His body — injured, tired, trembling — started rising.
"NO, NO, NO — why is my body moving on its own?! Just stay down! Just lie there and let it pass!"
But it didn't.
His legs pushed up off the floor, slowly. His shoulders straightened. His breathing leveled. And his expression…
Calm. Cold. Silent.
Raghav's face twisted in confusion. "What did you say?" he growled. "I'm… weak?"
Arjun's mouth opened again — but this time, it wasn't him who spoke.
"Just shut up."
The voice was low. Solid. Unbothered.
"Why are you shouting like a child? Do you even know who you're talking to, little one?"
Another wave of silence.
Even Raghav took a step back. He glanced at his friends — Sohail and Naveen — looking for confirmation.
Their faces were pale. Blank. Their eyes wide, staring.
They heard it too.
It wasn't a joke. It wasn't nerves.
That wasn't the Arjun they knew.
Raghav looked again. Arjun's face hadn't changed — still quiet, still serious, but now filled with something terrifying.
Confidence. Control. Clarity.
No fear.
No pain.
Just stillness.
Raghav clenched his fists, trying to steady himself.
"What if I don't shut up?" he said slowly. "What, huh? You gonna hit me?"
Arjun didn't flinch.
"I don't even know who you are. Just leave. I don't have time for children like you."
That did it.
Raghav's face twisted into fury.
"Are you acting stupid or have you finally lost your brain after that little kitty of yours died?"
Arjun didn't respond. He walked forward, emotionless — like Raghav wasn't even worth acknowledgment.
That pushed Raghav over the edge. He shoved an arm out, blocking Arjun's path.
"OY! Don't walk away from me! You're already making me angry. Don't make it worse!"
Arjun turned slightly, his golden-like eyes locking with Raghav's.
"Boy," he said, voice ice cold, "don't tell me later I didn't warn you."
He raised a finger.
And whispered:
"Chāt the Weak — Fireball."
...
Nothing.
No fire.
No spark.
Not even warmth.
Silence. Again.
Arjun — inside his head — was spiraling.
"WHAT WAS THAT?! WHY DID I JUST SAY A SPELL? WHY AM I RAISING MY HAND?! WHAT FIREBALL?! WHO EVEN AM I ANYMORE?!"
"Wait—my body moved again! That wasn't me! That was definitely not me! Am I watching my own life like a TV show?!"
"I'M GONNA DIE FOR REAL THIS TIME!"
Outside, Naveen blinked. "He's actually lost it now. What fireball?"
Even the Dragonlord inside the body was confused.
He focused inward. Tried to summon magic.
Nothing.
"…My magic's gone?"
He reached for the ambient magic — the world's natural energy.
Still nothing.
"Empty. Dead. No flow at all..."
"What is this place…?" he wondered, looking around.
The hallway was real. Everything else felt wrong. Cold. Hollow.
"I've been reborn in a cursed world…"
Raghav didn't wait.
He threw a punch — full force — aiming straight for Arjun's stomach.
Dragonlord saw it coming easily. He dodged.
Gasps echoed.
Even Arjun inside went wild.
"I dodged again?! TWICE?! I'M ALIVE!"
Then came the second punch — faster. Closer.
Dragonlord saw it, but the body couldn't keep up. Sluggish. Soft.
CRACK.
The punch landed in his ribs.
Pain exploded. But Dragonlord didn't fall.
"This pain... is nothing."
He struck back — a jab to Raghav's jaw. Clean hit.
But Raghav didn't even blink.
"No damage."
This body… it couldn't follow through.
Raghav began hammering him with punches — wild, chaotic.
Some were dodged.
Most landed.
The Dragonlord pushed through, hitting back where he could. But nothing slowed Raghav.
Each punch broke the body more.
His vision blurred. His legs buckled. One eye nearly swelled shut. Ribs felt cracked. Breathing grew shallow.
Still — he stayed standing.
Until—
"RAGHAV!"
A voice cut through the chaos.
Everyone turned.
Tanvi.
She stormed forward, face burning with anger. "What the hell are you doing?! Just stop it already!"
Raghav blinked, caught off guard.
Tanvi pulled out her phone, raising it slightly in front of her.
"I recorded everything, Every second. You want to see how fast I can send this to the principal?"
The threat landed.
Raghav hesitated. His smirk faded.
Tanvi stepped closer. "If you don't leave now, you're in serious trouble. So go."
Sohail nudged Raghav. "Dude, seriously…"
Glaring at Arjun one last time, Raghav spat on the ground.
"You're not worth it."
Then they walked off.
Silence followed.
Tanvi looked at Arjun — bloodied, barely upright.
His body shook. His breath was ragged. His legs gave way—
He collapsed.
But instead of darkness…
There was white.
A glowing void. Weightless. Endless.
He floated — no pain, no breath, just drifting in pure light.
Then he heard a voice.
Not Dragonlord.
Not Arjun.
Not a god.
Something else.
"He is far too early."
Another voice answered softly:
"We knew this would happen. The cage was never meant to hold him long."
Then a third voice — calm and final:
"Let him break... but not yet. Watch him. Let him feel what it means to be powerless."
A heartbeat passed.
Then—
Darkness.
[End of Chapter 12]