"Armaan!!" Advika cried as she dropped to her knees beside his motionless body. The others followed, their faces etched with concern.
With trembling hands, she placed two fingers on his neck.
Silence…
Thump… Thump…
A faint but steady pulse beat beneath her fingertips.
"He's alive," she whispered.
Everyone sighed in relief.
Reet exhaled hard. "Thank god…"
Manvi wiped a tear. "He really scared us…"
Advika gently began healing the gashes on his chest and arms, her eyes softening as she worked. Her hands glowed faintly, the healing prana flowing into his wounds. Slowly, the bleeding stopped, the gashes closed.
Once she was done, she lowered him onto her lap, brushing strands of hair from his face as he breathed softly.
"You idiot…" she whispered, a fond smile playing on her lips. "You really did it."
She looked up at the others.
"I'll admit it…" she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "He's… if not stronger than me… then at least just as strong now."
There was a pause. Then Reet chuckled.
"That's big coming from you, Advika."
Manvi smirked and leaned toward Reet, whispering just loud enough for everyone to hear:
"I think she's head over heels for him now."
Reet stifled a giggle, while Tara elbowed Manvi lightly.
Advika blushed a deep crimson. "Sh-shut up, all of you!"
But she couldn't stop the smile that curled on her lips as she looked down at the boy sleeping peacefully on her lap—
The boy who'd stood tall, who'd fought through pain, who refused to give up—
Just to protect them.
Just to prove he could stand on his own.
"Sleep well, warrior," she whispered, brushing her thumb over his cheek. "You've earned it."
While Armaan slept, the cave remained quiet… until some inferior Danawas tried to crawl in from the shadows.
"Tch, pests." Manvi rolled her eyes.
"We've got this," said Tara, cracking her knuckles.
"Time to stretch a bit," Reet added with a confident grin.
In a flurry of coordinated strikes and glowing blades, the three girls wiped out the weak Danawas with ease. A faint smell of burnt air and demonic dust lingered as the last one turned to ash.
After a while, things calmed again. Advika gently shifted beneath Armaan, her hand brushing against his hair.
Then—
"…mmh…"
A faint groan.
Armaan's eyelids fluttered open. He blinked a few times, adjusting to the soft golden hue of healing light and the warm lap pillow beneath him.
"Eh…?" He turned his head slightly—
And saw Advika looking directly at him, her face inches away, eyes wide in concern… and relief.
"You're awake…" she whispered.
"…!!!" Armaan's eyes shot wide open.
"Wh-Wh-Why am I on your lap!?" he blurted, immediately sitting up straight, his face burning red.
"Idiot, don't move so suddenly—!" Advika tried to steady him, but it was too late.
He winced, groaning in pain as his body reminded him of the slashes and the brutal fight.
"Told you," she smirked teasingly. "Lie back down before you tear a muscle again."
Tara chuckled. "Man really passed out like a knight and woke up like a blushing schoolboy."
Manvi nudged Reet. "He's lucky. Some people dream of lap pillows."
Reet nodded dramatically. "Divine treatment indeed."
Armaan, now even redder, scratched his head awkwardly and muttered:
"Uhh… thanks for the… y'know… the healing and all…"
Advika looked at him for a moment, her cheeks slightly pink too.
Then, with a gentle voice, she replied:
"You saved us, Armaan. I should be the one thanking you."
He looked at her, eyes softening.
"I said I'd handle it… and I did."
His voice was calm, proud, and a little emotional.
Everyone watched the moment in silence, knowing they'd just witnessed something deeper blooming between them.
Just as the calm settled again, Advika suddenly lowered her head, her shoulders trembling.
"I… I'm sorry…" she said in a broken voice, her hands clutching the hem of her robe.
Everyone looked at her, surprised.
"I shouldn't have tried to step in earlier," she continued, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I was doubting you, even for a moment… and I— I'm ready to accept any punishment, Armaan."
Her voice cracked.
Armaan's eyes widened, the warmth from before quickly replaced with concern. He leaned forward despite the pain, his voice gentle:
"Hey… no, don't say that."
She looked up, her eyes red and glistening.
"You were just worried. Anyone would be. But you didn't do anything wrong, and neither did I."
He paused.
"…I lost control back there," he admitted softly, "and I'm sorry if I scared you. That rage… it wasn't aimed at you. I just— I want to become someone strong enough to protect… without being a burden."
Advika bit her lip, sniffling.
"Then… we're even?" she whispered.
He smiled—that same disarming, pure smile that could silence a storm.
"Balanced."
Just one word, but it carried the weight of trust, forgiveness, and understanding.
And that smile—
Manvi: "GOD, that smile again."
Tara: "Is he doing this on purpose?"
Reet: "Nah, that boy has no idea what he's doing to us."
Advika turned her head quickly, trying to hide her pink cheeks, but the heat rising in her face betrayed her.
Armaan tilted his head, blinking innocently.
"Why is everyone looking at me like that…? Did I say something weird?"
All the girls: "NO!!" they chorused at once, too loud and too quick.
Armaan flinched slightly, totally confused.
"O-Okay…?"
Everyone shared a knowing laugh, while Armaan rubbed the back of his head, muttering,
"Seriously, what's wrong with everyone today…"
As the air finally calmed down, Tara stretched her arms and yawned dramatically.
"Ugh, it's already 8:30! My stomach's been growling since forever!"
Reet nodded.
"Same. And who knows when another danawa might jump us. Let's eat now while we've got this peace."
Tara quickly pulled out a bunch of lunch boxes from her bag, neatly packed with pasta, and tossed one to each of them.
Then she took out a few packets of mayonnaise, tilting her head toward Armaan.
"Hey, I brought a few mayo packs too. Just in case someone wants it. You like mayo?" she asked casually.
Armaan blinked, startled for a moment, then tried to act casual.
"Uh… yeah. I like it," he muttered, taking one of the packets and the lunchbox without making eye contact.
Advika raised an eyebrow, grinning slyly.
"Aww, so you do like it. Want me to feed you too? You've had quite a rough evening, hero," she teased with a cheeky smile.
Armaan nearly choked on air.
"W-what?! No! I can eat just fine!"
He turned around swiftly, ears going red, and marched a little distance away to sit beside a nearby rock.
**He sat down in an unintentionally perfect pose—**one leg stretched, the other bent, his hair a little messy, eyes glowing gently as he focused on opening the lunch. The soft cave lighting framed him like a scene out of a manga.
Reet whispered to Manvi:
"Does he know he's serving model-level visuals while eating pasta?"
Tara tilted her head.
"Nope. He's just built that way."
Manvi giggled.
"I feel bad staring. But also... not really."
Back at the rock, Armaan let out a tiny sigh, hearing their whispers loud and clear.
He squeezed some mayo onto the pasta, mixing it just how he liked. As he took the first bite, a small smile curled on his lips. He didn't turn back.
Advika watched him, her expression softening.
"Even when he's flustered… he's just so him."
Just as everyone was halfway through their meal, finally relaxed and chatting softly, Armaan suddenly paused mid-bite—his fork hovering in the air, eyes narrowing.
Advika noticed first.
"What is it?"
Armaan's brows furrowed.
"...Danawas. A lot of them. Inferior ones. Heading right this way."
Everyone tensed immediately, getting ready to drop their lunch—
But then, Armaan suddenly stood up, his pasta still in hand, and shouted in the direction of the incoming enemies:
"NOT NOW! I'M EATING PASTA, YOU BASTARDS!!"
The voice echoed through the cave like a child being denied their favourite chocolate. His tone wasn't heroic—it was frustrated, whiny, and absolutely done with their nonsense.
Reet blinked.
"Did… did he just throw a tantrum mid-battle?"
Manvi snorted.
"Yes. Yes, he did."
Tara laughed, trying not to choke on a bite.
"I swear if he had a choco bar instead of pasta, he would've hugged it and cried."
Advika just smirked, standing up slowly.
"Looks like someone really, really loves their pasta."
Meanwhile, Armaan was already marching toward the mouth of the tunnel, fork in one hand, blade in the other, grumbling:
"Can't a guy enjoy dinner in peace?! You all are gonna regret ruining this!"
And with that, the fight was about to start again—but this time, fueled by the fury of a boy whose dinner got interrupted.
As the footsteps of the incoming Danawas echoed louder, Armaan stood his ground, still munching furiously.
"I'm not wasting this pasta—not today!" he muttered with determination.
Everyone else was half-ready to join the fight, but then froze as they noticed Armaan literally eating during a standoff.
He scooped up the last bite and tried to gulp it down quickly—
"Mmh—ghkk—"
He suddenly choked, his face turning red.
"Armaan!!" Advika shouted, immediately rushing toward him.
She slapped his back once and quickly handed him her water bottle.
"Idiot! Who the hell rushes pasta mid-battle like that?!"
Armaan chugged the water, coughed twice, and gave a sheepish grin.
"Still… worth it."
Manvi shook her head.
"This guy's gonna die of pasta instead of Danawas someday."
Reet chuckled.
"Legend says he defeated demons... while choking on penne."
Tara grinned.
"At least now we know his weakness: overeating."
Advika sighed, holding her forehead.
"And this is the same guy who sliced a high-class Danawa in two..."
Armaan wiped his mouth, stood tall, and drew his blade once more, now serious again.
"Alright. Let's clean this up. I had my dinner. Time for dessert—slashing those pests."
And with that, he dashed toward the horde incoming from the shadows.
As Armaan wiped his mouth and took a deep breath, his playful glow faded, and a shadowy seriousness returned to his face.
His silver eyes gleamed again.
He lifted his blade slowly, and his voice dropped—calm, focused, commanding.
"Everyone, hold your ground. Take them head-on."
Tara, Reet, Manvi, and Advika nodded, drawing their weapons. The cave filled with the sound of growling Danawas approaching in a flood.
And then—chaos erupted.
The first wave charged in, their screeches echoing off the stone walls.
Armaan vanished again in a blur, reappearing mid-air and slicing down two Danawas with a single slash, black energy trailing his blade.
Manvi spun like a tornado, cutting through three low-rankers with her crescent blade, her form elegant but deadly.
Reet fought with sharp rhythm, backing Tara up by slicing a Danawa that almost got behind her.
"I owe you one!" Tara yelled, elbowing another Danawa in the face before stabbing it through its skull.
Advika was in her own graceful trance, dancing through enemies—until—
Tara spun to strike a Danawa and accidentally knocked Advika off balance.
Her foot slipped on a wet rock.
"Ah—!"
Before she could hit the ground, a hand caught her waist.
Armaan.
He'd appeared in a blink, his face close to hers.
Their eyes met—hers wide in surprise, his steady but soft.
She blushed furiously, his hand still on her waist.
But he simply whispered, "Focus."
She nodded, pulling herself together as they both turned—back to back—ready to slice through the next wave.
The enemy numbers kept growing. For every group they cut down, another came from deeper inside the cave.
Armaan shouted,
"Don't waste energy on showing off—go for the core, quick kills only!"
Sweat glistened on their brows.
Breathing grew heavier.
Cuts and bruises formed on their arms and legs.
Even Armaan's shoulder was gashed by a sudden sneak attack, but he gritted his teeth and cleaved through the attacker instantly.
Manvi yelled,
"How many are there?! It's endless!"
"Just keep going!" Reet screamed back, stabbing two Danawas through the chest.
They stood shoulder to shoulder, their clothes torn, bodies battered, but their will—unshaken.
Tara yelled out,
"This is no longer survival—it's a test!"
Armaan nodded silently, his black aura flaring again.
"Then let's show them our answer."
With one final synchronized cry, they all charged into the next wave, blades glowing, eyes burning, ready to fight till their last breath.
Half an hour into the unending slaughter, Armaan's breath was heavy, his uniform torn, and blood trickled from his temple—but his eyes burned with clarity.
He cleaved another Danawa through the chest, its screech fading into the chaos around them.
But then it hit him.
"Damn it…" he muttered, scanning the area.
They were still fighting in the same spot—a mountain of corpses behind them, yet they hadn't moved an inch forward.
"We're trapped in our own loop," he realized, parrying another claw.
Then, an idea sparked in his mind.
"EVERYONE LISTEN!" Armaan shouted, slicing clean through a charging Danawa as he turned to the group.
"When I yell 'GO'—you all charge forward with everything you have. I'll use long-range blasts to clear the path!"
Tara, Manvi, and Reet nodded, gripping their weapons tighter.
But Advika frowned, panting slightly, her face dirty with dust and blood.
"What about you?" she asked, her voice strained but worried.
Armaan gave a small grin even while his blade spun through a Danawa's neck.
"Don't worry about me. I'll slice through every last one of these bastards and catch up. Trust me."
Advika stared at him for a second, lips trembling, then nodded.
"Alright… We'll wait for your signal."
Armaan's eyes sharpened. He leapt into the air, flipping, and drew energy into his blade.
Armaan's eyes lit up with overwhelming power, his aura crackling with heat and fury as he took a deep breath and yelled—
"Ready…? NOW BACK OFF!!"
Everyone jumped away from him instantly, forming a loose semicircle. The cave trembled as he planted his feet and raised his blade high into the air.
"Ryū no Keishō… PHOENIX FURY… THE DRAGON OF FLAMES!!"
His shout thundered through the cave like an explosion.
From the tip of his blade, a colossal Chinese dragon, colored in vibrant crimson and jade green, erupted with a roaring cry, flames trailing its entire body.
The fiery dragon surged forward as Armaan slashed in an arc, cutting through dozens of Danawas like paper.
They screamed in agony, disintegrating in the wave of molten energy, the dragon following the path of Armaan's blade with divine precision and speed.
"GOOOOOOO!!" Armaan bellowed, his voice echoing like a war horn.
Without hesitation, everyone charged forward, channeling their prana into their legs.
They blurred into motion, tearing through the remains of the Danawas. Each cleared 2–3 enemies with coordinated strikes, their movements in sync like flowing lightning.
They reached a fork—a two-headed path—where the stream of Danawas had been pouring in.
Advika skidded to a stop, her senses flaring.
"The right path…" she whispered.
A wave of intense, ancient prana radiated from the darkness—it was overwhelming, terrifying, unquestionably Daitya-level.
She turned and slashed, collapsing the left path with a blast of concentrated prana, sealing it off so no more Danawas could flood in from that direction.
But behind them—Armaan was still standing alone.
The cave rumbled as a hundred remaining Danawas encircled him. Their claws clicked, their grotesque faces twitching, their bodies snarling like beasts hungry for flesh.
And yet, Armaan stood still.
His shoulders relaxed, blade dripping with flames.
A drop of blood fell from his lip—but he didn't care.
He slowly looked up, smiling.
"A hundred of you left? That's all?"
His aura flared again, hotter than ever.
"Come then… Let's see how long you can last."
The air was thick with bloodlust.
Armaan screamed, voice raw with fury, his black-shadow aura erupting around him like a storm of death. It pulsated so violently that even the girls far ahead could feel the crushing pressure.
He dashed in—blades flying, limbs dancing, slicing through Danawas like a raging phantom. His body moved with inhuman grace—smooth, precise, relentless.
Then—
Swish—THUNK!
He hurled his blade, impaling a Danawa right through the eye.
In the next instant—BOOM—he was gone.
"Wha—" Advika gasped.
Everyone could watch his fight because of their long ranged vision by focusing some prana in their eyes.
He had appeared right where the blade was, as if reality itself bent to his will.
He yanked the sword free, spun midair, and cut the throat of another demon in a blur.
But now—his breath wavered.
He was getting dizzy.
Sweat dripped down his chin, blood trickled down his shoulder.
"…I think it's time for it…" he muttered under his breath, a smirk twitching at the edge of his lips.
The ground beneath him shattered. A shockwave of silver-black aura burst out like a dying star.
He raised his blade.
"Ryū no Keishō… VOID STRIKE!"
In that moment, everything paused.
He vanished—and for a single second, he was in front of the girls.
Manvi blinked. "He's—?"
But he was gone again.
And then—BOOM—he reappeared in front of them, walking slowly, blade still glowing.
Behind him… chaos.
A monstrous silver dragon—with the face of a crocodile and body glimmering in shattered void-light—erupted from the cave floor and slithered through the air like a comet of destruction.
It sliced through the necks of every remaining Danawa, clean and merciless.
And then—KRA-KOOOM!!
The entire cavern behind Armaan exploded, as the dragon's effect activated—massive detonations consuming the remains of the Danawas, the ground shaking as if a bomb had gone off. The roar echoed like the end of a war.
Armaan stood in front of the shockwave.
Not flinching. Not blinking. Calm.
He gave a devilish smile, eyes half-lidded, silver strands falling over his face.
"…The Dragon of Chaos."
He exhaled, slicing the blood off his blade in one clean motion, then slid it into his sheath with silent elegance, the click of metal ringing like a bell.
Then he slowly walked toward the group, every step confident, effortless.
And the girls?
Speechless.
Blushing.
Starstruck.
"Yo, I'm back," Armaan said coolly, flashing a confident smirk.
He lifted his hand, forming a stylish salute—two fingers and a thumb out, hand tilted sideways like some warrior from an anime. His silver hair swayed with the wind still flowing from the aftermath of the explosion behind him.
Advika smiled, relief clear on her face.
Then—whack! She softly punched his shoulder, her cheeks slightly puffed in mock annoyance.
"Ow—what was that for!?" Armaan asked, genuinely confused, rubbing his shoulder.
His expression was like a puppy trying to understand why it was scolded for being cute.
"For scaring us, idiot," Advika muttered, looking away, trying to hide her smile.
Armaan tilted his head, even more puzzled.
"I just wiped out like… a hundred Danawas. That's a good thing, right?"
Everyone chuckled.
Tara whispered to Reet, "He's such a clueless cinnamon roll."
Reet nodded, "And somehow… that just makes him even more dangerous and adorable."
Armaan stood there, still confused, still heroic—completely unaware of the effect he had on everyone around him.