The sun dipped low over the horizon, casting golden light on the broken cityscape. Survivors moved slowly through the rubble, their steps lighter now—not just from relief but from newfound strength.
Inside the A-building's rooftop lounge, Akash opened his status screen, a slight smile tugging at his lips.
---
[System Status]
Name – Akash
Rank – 4 (Early Stage)
Power Level – 1236
Ability – Viltrumite Physique, Thunder & Lightning Manipulation
---
"So… this is Rank 4," he thought. The crackling current under his skin, the subtle hum of power in his veins—everything felt sharper. Stronger. Faster.
And he wasn't the only one.
All around, others were awakening or advancing. Praveen's eyes glowed faintly in the dark; Haritha's senses seemed broader, more alert. Rohith now caused gusts of wind just by swinging his arm.
"Everyone's growing," Akash thought proudly.
Then he noticed three figures walking toward him.
The tall Chinese youth with glowing red-gold eyes and fire-kissed aura was flanked by a snow-blonde girl whose icy breath curled visibly in the warm air, and a muscular guy with tiger-like eyes and subtle stripes along his neck.
They stopped in front of him.
"Hello," said the Chinese youth, offering a respectful nod. "I'm Li Feng. I saw your battle... you're the strongest person I've ever met."
The tiger-transformed Russian grinned. "I'm Ivan. And this is my girlfriend, Maria."
Maria smiled slightly. "Thank you… for helping us survive."
Akash stood and extended his hand. "I'm Akash. And I'm glad we're all on the same side."
Li Feng chuckled. "Honestly, I thought I was strong. But after watching you kill that golden eagle... I realized I've still got a long way to go."
"We want to be your friends," Ivan said without hesitation. "We'll stand together. It's the only way to survive what's coming."
Akash looked at the three of them—fighters from different nations, each with fire in their eyes—and nodded warmly. "Yes. We have to stick together. The world has changed. Only unity will keep us alive."
They exchanged contacts and went their way.
---
[System status]
Name – Li Feng
Rank – 3 (Early Stage)
Power Level – 193
Ability – Phoenix Transformation
Name – Ivan
Rank – 3 (Early Stage)
Power Level – 256
Ability – White Tiger Transformation
Name – Maria
Rank – 3 (Early Stage)
Power Level – 145
Ability – Ice control
---
As the trio walked away, Akash turned back to his classmates, noting each of their progress:
Rohith – 150 (Wind Manipulation)
Dhaya – 146 (Earth Manipulation)
Mohan – 189 (Metal Skin)
Sneha – 200 (Healing Aura)
Haritha – 210 (Life Detection and Sensory Expansion)
Praveen – 135 (Shadow Wolf Transformation)
Many others had surged to Rank 2, some nearing its peak. The air buzzed with rising potential.
But while Akash stood among allies and friends, far away, in dark conference rooms, powerful eyes were watching.
---
Inside a Military Research Bunker – United States
A general slammed a file on the table.
"Who is this person? This guy's not just awakened—he's a weapon."
A frozen frame from the battle video showed Akash mid-air, lightning bursting around him as he kicked the golden eagle from the sky.
"Physique-enhanced, flight-capable, elemental powers... he killed three Rank 3 peak beasts alone. No one in our registry matches his ability type."
A tech officer stammered, "Sir… we're tracing the source. No records. No awakened registration logs."
The general scowled. "Find out everything about him. Family, school, friends. Use every satellite, social channel, and intelligence asset. And if we find him—"
He leaned forward.
"Recruit him. Offer anything—money, citizenship, even... beautiful girls to tempt him."
Another voice, a stern woman in a lab coat, interjected, "If we can't recruit him… we control him."
---
Elsewhere – In a Presidential Office, Europe
"Who the hell is this person?" a foreign minister demanded. "He wiped out a Rank 3 peak flying monster with his bare hands."
An aide whispered, "We've sent the footage to AI analysis labs. So far, no known awakened shows comparable power levels."
"Begin immediate contact protocol. We must either befriend… or buy him."
---
Back at the ruins, Akash stood atop the A-building, arms folded, gazing at the setting sun.
He didn't know it yet, but his battle had awakened more than just beasts.
It had awakened nations.
And not all of them had good intentions.