Kruti, Nitya, and Vidyut were all dressed in black robes, their faces completely concealed behind featureless masks. They stood close together, hovering in midair. They kept their heads on a swivel, scanning the surrounding shadows and gauging the massive number of rival Cultivators and Breathers positioned across the rooftops.
Vidyut's restless hands betrayed his growing panic.
"What now? How should we proceed? There are too many people surrounding us... and they're strong," Vidyut whispered, his eyes never stopping as he frantically searched for a safe way out of the perimeter.
Nitya and Kruti gritted their teeth, biting their lips in pure frustration. Vidyut's panicked words only made them more irritated as their situation continued to fall apart. Sweat trickled down their faces. The air seemed to grow hotter with every passing second, but it wasn't the atmosphere—it was the suffocating, mounting pressure as the standoff reached its breaking point.
"What do you mean? None of us expected Lavanya to do something like this!" Kruti snapped.
She didn't care what happened to Lavanya. If anything, Lavanya's distraction had worked in Yug's favor. Yet, because of it, Yug was now bleeding out, teetering on the brink of death right across the gap.
"Listen carefully, both of you. If anything happens to Yug, I am personally going to kill her. And don't even think about trying to stop me."
Kruti pointed a trembling finger at them, her hand shaking with restrained anger. Deep dissatisfaction was written all over her face. She had wanted to step in and pull Yug away herself before the attack landed, but the other two had stopped her to maintain their cover.
"Kruti, you have to listen to us. We don't have time for this," Nitya urged, desperately trying to calm her down, though she doubted Kruti was thinking rationally anymore. "We have to secure Lavanya. She's in far greater danger now, and we have to follow the plan. We'll bring Yug with us too, don't worry. No one is paying attention to him right now. Paradoxically, he's the safest person here."
At that precise moment, Kruti shot Nitya a cold, piercing glare.
Nitya stopped mid-sentence. Without saying another word, she shifted her gaze toward Vidyut, silently signaling him to take over.
Kruti understood their true intentions immediately. They had only come here to gain the favor of the newly awakened Breather—or at the very least, witness the awakening and steal whatever power they could.
"Kruti, you have to calm down. We're bound by the Breath Mark," Vidyut stepped closer, his tone placating but firm, reminding her that a single mistake could cost her life. The situation was already stacked against them; if she continued arguing, the consequences from the Mark would be severe.
He gently placed both hands on her shoulders and met her eyes.
"We have to be careful. You already know that. The reality is, we can save Yug at any time. But Lavanya has to be our priority. She's the focal point of all this danger and needs immediate assistance."
Vidyut had absolutely no intention of saving Yug. In fact, he doubted anyone else in the world cared about the boy anymore.
Kruti saw right through him the moment he spoke. His actions, his calculated expression... they revealed his utter indifference.
"Don't touch me."
Kruti's reply was like ice. She lowered her head, her eyes falling to the thin air beneath her feet as it rippled and distorted, holding her weight aloft.
"I'll handle my own problems."
She raised her head, locking her fierce gaze with Vidyut's. "Just remember... don't get in my way, or you'll regret it."
She took a step back in the empty air, delivering one final warning. "If you know what's good for you... stay out of my way."
With that, she turned her back on them and darted away into the shadows.
For a brief moment, Vidyut stood completely frozen, watching her disappear. A sharp shiver ran through his body before he unconsciously shook himself back to reality.
"Vidyut, she's gone. Things just became much more dangerous for us," Nitya said, her worried voice breaking the silence.
Kruti was far stronger than both of them, and the worst part was that there was no genuine bond connecting the three of them. Nitya couldn't even fully trust Vidyut. If betrayal ever sparked between them, everything would collapse instantly. She had desperately hoped Kruti and Vidyut would grow closer; if they had formed a real bond, she could have relied on the natural trust between them to keep the group stable.
"Hmm... she'll have to come back," Vidyut reassured himself, speaking in a low mutter. "You already know what the Breath Mark will do. If she disobeys the pact, it'll burn her soul to ashes. We just have to approach this patiently."
Even as the words left his mouth, he doubted them. There were far too many loopholes when it came to the Authority of Breathers, and in this chaos, anything could happen.
Still, he clenched his fists tightly. Compared to Kruti, they were the ones in far greater danger now. They could simply abandon Lavanya and flee, which would make things significantly easier. However, Vidyut refused to let this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity slip away. A newly awakened Breather was an invaluable prize. The insight and power gained during an awakening was a treasure beyond measure.
"But..." Nitya began, only for a booming voice to echo through the night air.
"Everyone... listen to me!"
Kant's shout drew every eye toward him. A vanguard of ten elites stood at attention behind him. Everyone present in their faction—including Nitya and Vidyut—snapped their attention in his direction.
"We're charging in, and we have permission to do whatever it takes!" Kant paused, his sharp, predatory gaze sweeping across his assembled mercenaries.
"YES! HAHAHAHA!"
The group erupted with vicious excitement, raising their fists and weapons into the air. Cruel laughter spread through the ranks.
"But..." Kant's cold voice cut cleanly through the noise, silencing the bloodlust instantly. "You must either bring the Breather to our side... or bring back their Essence. If the Breather falls into someone else's hands, the consequences will not be in your favor."
"Essence" meant slaughtering the target and harvesting their core. His expression remained deadly serious as he made sure everyone understood the absolute finality of his order.
"Hmm... I expected this," Vidyut whispered, lifting his head. His expression behind the mask didn't shift.
"MOVE NOW! We're not waiting any longer!"
"Yes, sir!"
Some of them flinched at the sudden shout, momentarily caught off guard before springing into action. Like shadows detached from the night, they rushed blindly toward the adjacent rooftop.
Within moments, only Nitya, Vidyut, and Kant remained behind.
Kant turned, watching the two of them with deep suspicion. He had been observing them for a while, and something about their demeanor felt completely off. He had already checked their Breath Marks, which confirmed they held no active intention of harming his faction, the 'Knight Colony.' Even so, their true motives remained an irritating mystery.
What puzzled him most was why they were still standing here instead of following his direct orders to charge.
Then, a realization crossed his mind. His eyes narrowed. Someone is missing.
He quickly realized the third masked figure was gone. He raised his guard, his hand hovering near his weapon.
"What are you two planning? And where is your third teammate?"
Vidyut didn't flinch. He faced the faction leader directly, exuding total confidence. Nitya stood silently beside him, following his lead.
"Don't worry," Vidyut replied smoothly, his glitched voice projecting calm professionalism. "We are following your orders exactly. Our third member has already moved ahead to join the vanguard. We stayed behind to act as a safety net. In chaotic bloodbaths like this, targets often try to flee through the cracks. We are holding the perimeter to ensure no one escapes. You've already checked our Breath Marks; you know we aren't lying. We are simply covering your blind spots to guarantee the Colony's success."
Kant tilted his head, a reluctant nod of tolerance escaping him. He gripped his fists tightly. He wasn't irritated by Vidyut's words; he was frustrated because the logic was absolutely flawless. There was no lie in the masked man's explanation. As a leader of the Knight Colony, Kant was bound to accept any strategy that genuinely benefited his faction.
He parted his mouth, trying to find a flaw to exert his dominance over them, but there was none. He instinctively knew that arguing against such sound logic would only make him look foolish and incompetent.
"Alright. I'm letting you stay here."
Kant couldn't afford to show weakness to independent freelancers like them. The Knight Colony believed themselves to be the protectors of the world, and he had to maintain that arrogant superiority.
"Thank you. I knew you would understand the tactical advantage," Vidyut smiled behind his mask, deeply satisfied with Kant's reaction.
He could see the suppressed frustration written all over Kant's face. Vidyut reveled in this. He loved having absolute control over his surroundings, manipulating situations with just a few carefully placed words. Watching his plans execute perfectly and observing the helpless expressions of those he manipulated always brought him immense pleasure.
It was precisely for this reason that he was so dangerously obsessed with Kruti. She was the one anomaly in his life—the only person he could never control, and whose true intentions he could never fully perceive.
"Yes, yes," Kant scoffed, turning away to save face. "Just remember this isn't a favor. You're staying only because it benefits us."