The sounds of battle echoed through the sky—lightning cracking, monsters roaring, buildings collapsing.
But inside A-Block, a different kind of battlefield unfolded—a battlefield of decisions.
Haritha stood in the command center hastily set up on the third floor: the corridor outside the old anatomy lab. Whiteboards had become maps. Desks had become barricades. Tablets, phones, and even chalkboards were used to organize information.
> I never thought I'd lead anything—but now, lives depend on me.
Her ability let her sense movement, heat signatures, and pulse energy in a radius of almost one kilometer. The signals came like echoes in her mind—every heartbeat, every footstep, every unnatural movement.
Since network is not interrupted we used common whatsapp group to communicate.
> "Team Bravo, fall back! Three monsters are flanking from the east street. Get behind the B-block wall!"
A moment later, the building shook.
> "Confirmed. Explosion near B-block! Haritha was right again!" someone shouted from the team on the ground.
Her strategy was clear:
Zone A: Near the main road – Rescue Teams
Zone B: Admin Block – Medical and Evacuation Teams
Zone C: Stadium area – Combat Engagement Teams
Every team had a leader, a healer, and two fighters minimum. Haritha rotated teams every 30 minutes.
> "Rotation Alpha-3, prepare to fall back in 3 minutes. Fresh unit taking your position. You've done enough."
She kept a mental clock for stamina cycles, never overusing her best units.
Behind her, Sneha stood ready with glowing hands, healing a badly injured senior whose ribcage was crushed.
> "Sneha," Haritha said gently but firmly. "That wound is minor. Prioritize this boy—he's internally bleeding."
Sneha nodded and switched without hesitation.
> "Got it."
Suddenly, a sharp pulse hit Haritha's mind—fast, flying, high-speed—coming toward A-Block from the north.
> "INCOMING!" she shouted. "All non-combatants get down! Junior shield-user—front now!"
The boy who had earlier shown the energy shield ability stepped forward, terrified but focused.
> "Can you cover the entrance?"
> "I—I'll try!"
Haritha placed a hand on his shoulder.
> "You're not alone. You shield. We defend behind you."
He nodded, sparks forming a glowing blue dome at the front entrance.
CRASH!
A birdlike monster the size of a truck slammed into the shield. It cracked—but held.
Then a volley of fire and wind hit it from behind—Lavanya and Rohith had returned in time, coordinating a perfect strike.
> Good… They're learning to work together.
---
Elsewhere, Sathish hovered above the battlefield.
> "Haritha's predicting everything… She's like a human satellite system."
Mohan stood beside him, eyes scanning the field.
> "She's not just sensing. She's calculating outcomes. Guiding like a general."
---
Back in command, Haritha took a deep breath.
She checked the surrounding area. Five new monsters had spawned near the collapsed 9th dorm.
> "Team Delta, I need Dhaya's earth walls to block the north path in 60 seconds. Use parked buses for cover. Bhuvanesh, cover him with laser eyes."
> "Already on it," said Dhaya, grinning.
A moment later, massive earth barriers rose to box in the monsters—creating a kill zone where the team easily wiped them out.
The phone buzzed again.
> "This is Lavanya. West street cleared. 20 civilians rescued."
> "Copy that. Proceed to Zone B for rest. New team will replace you. Good work."
Haritha didn't smile.
She couldn't—not yet.
Too many signals. Too many people still fighting.
But deep inside, something clicked.
> This is what I'm meant for. Not just fighting. But leading. Protecting.
---
Outside, the thunder roared.
Somewhere above the ocean, Akash was locked in a deadly duel.
But inside the battlefield of strategy and survival…
Haritha was winning.