Before Rudra could even process the explosive energy unlocking in his chest from Shakuni's touch, the spatial fabric of the forest ruptured. A massive, high-level vanguard demon from the Mokura Clan materialised from the shadows, its bloodlust locking instantly onto the weakened King. Rudra, caught completely off-guard and mid-transformation, wasn't ready to fight.
"Step back, Rudra!" a roaring voice echoed.
Pushkal surged forward, his eyes burning with an unyielding, vengeful fury. "This one is mine! I am going to butcher every single one of you bastards!"
Activating the forbidden Black Body skill, Pushkal poured every ounce of his grief into his right side. Instantly, his entire right hand and arm turned into a pitch-black, obsidian weapon of destruction. With a fierce battle cry, Pushkal violently swung his black arm through the empty air.
BOOM!
He didn't even touch the demon directly, but the sheer, raw kinetic displacement from his swing unleashed a terrifying atmospheric shockwave. The heavy vanguard demon stood its ground, not moving a single inch, but the colossal kinetic pressure passed straight through its body and blasted backward. A massive, towering boulder rock behind the demon instantly exploded, turning into absolute dust from the ambient shockwave!
The immense recoil of using such god-tier power violently threw Pushkal backward, and he fell heavily onto the dirt.
But the boy burning for revenge refused to stay down. Gritting his teeth, Pushkal forced himself up, closing the short distance between them. He threw a flurry of strikes, but the experienced demon casually deflected the blows. With a cruel smirk, the demon flicked its finger, sending a high-pressure shockwave that sent Pushkal flying through the air, crashing violently into a nearby rock formation.
"You are nothing but a pathetic, weak human, Pushkal," the demon mocked, walking over slowly. "You are so weak... no wonder your precious Geta died right in front of you. You couldn't save her then, and you can't save yourself now."
Hearing Geta's name used as a taunt snapped the final seal on Pushkal's sanity.
"SHUT UP!!!" Pushkal screamed, his voice breaking.
Suddenly, the volatile Black Body effect went completely out of control. The dark, metallic obsidian armor violently surged forward, spreading rapidly from his right hand, tracking up his muscular shoulder, and engulfing his entire neck in a shroud of pure, crushing negative mass.
The demon began to mouth another arrogant word, but before the sound could even leave its throat, Pushkal bypassed the laws of physics. Using his emotion to interact with the environment, Pushkal literally erased the physical distance between himself and the demon.
SHWIP!
He materialized instantaneously right in front of the monster's face. The demon's eyes widened in absolute shock. Pushkal unleashed an ungodly, relentless barrage of black-arm punches. The demon couldn't even track the speed, taking hit after brutal hit as its armor cracked under the obsidian force.
But the forbidden power demanded an immediate, deadly toll. A normal human frame was never meant to channel this much dark cosmic weight.
Mid-strike, a sickening twist of reality occurred. Under the extreme, crushing pressure of the Black Body armor tightening around his neck, Pushkal's heart suddenly stopped beating.
His lifeforce flickered out in an instant, but the sheer momentum of his final, dying wish carried his fist forward. With one last, cataclysmic strike, Pushkal smashed the demon dead in the chest, sending the monster rocketing through the trees, broken and bleeding.
Pushkal's body collapsed forward into the dirt, completely still, his chest no longer rising.
Master Madhu materialized beside Rudra, his face incredibly grim as he looked down at the fallen boy. "To force the Black Body to spread that far without months of physical conditioning... it is an absolute uncertainty for a normal human body to survive. His he
art has collapsed."The atmosphere in the chamber turned deathly cold, a stark contrast to the urgency vibrating through the room. Shakuni stood over Rudra's still form, his trembling hand just pulling away from the point of contact. Where his skin had touched Rudra's shoulder, a sickening, gray blight had begun to bloom—Rudra's flesh was literally beginning to decompose.
A collective gasp echoed through the room. The sight of a living person wasting away in seconds shattered the group's composure.
Madhu stepped forward, her eyes narrowing as she studied the spreading rot. "It's the Suka Position," she announced, her voice tight with grim realization. "It's a forbidden skill—a technique that forces the body to return to dust by attacking its very essence. It's an advanced, malicious art."
"Can we stop it?" Isha whispered, rushing to Rudra's side and grabbing his cooling hand.
Madhu looked at the clock, then back at the group. "Only if we act now. We have forty-three hours before his body completely dissolves. After that, no soul can bind itself to him. He will be gone forever."
The air grew heavy as she mapped out their salvation. "To reverse the Suka Position, we need three rare components. One: the Jala Kone flower, a bloom so rare it's considered a myth. Two: the Bhuta Hala poison—incredibly, it acts as an antidote when applied in the right concentration to halt the decay. And three: the Golden Asta Mudra."
Madhu scanned the room, her voice commanding. "We split into three teams. Time is our greatest enemy."
She pointed to the first group. "Shanthi, Manasa, Aadhya—you three search for the Jala Kone. It won't be easy to find, so do not return without it."
"Understood," Shanthi said, her face set with grim determination. "We'll move like the wind."
"Annaya, Sara, Keerthi," Madhu continued, "your task is the Bhuta Hala poison. Be careful; handle it with extreme caution. If you fail to contain it, you'll be the ones needing saving."
"We won't let you down," Annaya replied, ushering the others toward the exit.
"And finally," Madhu said, turning to the last group, "Uma, Aarini, Mouni—you go for the Asta Mudra. It is protected by ancient wards. Stay sharp."
Uma nodded, adjusting her gear. "We'll be back before the forty-three hours are up."
As the teams scrambled to organize, Madhu turned to Isha, who remained glued to Rudra's side, desperately trying to channel her own energy to stave off the rot.
"Isha," Madhu said, placing a steadying hand on her shoulder. "You stay here. You are the only one who can keep his spirit tethered to this plane. If his heart stops or his spirit wavers, you must draw him back. Do not leave him."
Isha nodded, her eyes fierce. "He isn't going anywhere, Madhu. I won't let him."
With a final, shared look of resolve, the teams darted out into the unknown. The room fell into an eerie silence, broken only by the faint, raspy breathing of Rudra and the ticking clock that marked the dwindling seconds of his life.
The race to save Rudra had begun.