A gentle breeze swept across the rooftop, carrying the sharp, metallic stench of fresh blood. Red liquid was scattered across the concrete, pooling around three lifeless bodies.
The rooftop had fallen strangely silent.
Lavanya's body was nowhere to be seen. In her place lay the corpse of another woman, motionless in the gore. Kruti stood nearby, staring at the horrific scene. But the most disturbing part was that Yug was completely gone. Her teeth were clenched so tightly her jaw twitched beneath her mask. She didn't move an inch.
Anger boiled inside her as she analyzed the situation, desperately searching for any clue about Yug's whereabouts. Yet only one answer kept echoing through her mind.
Lavanya... Lavanya... Lavanya...
Her name repeated on an endless, furious loop in Kruti's mind.
Then came the heavy thuds of people landing.
One after another, Breathers and Cultivators descended onto the rooftop. More followed behind them until the empty space was packed with hostile forces. The two sides naturally spread out across from each other, their greedy gazes sweeping over the rooftop and the bodies scattered across it.
Then their eyes stopped. Kruti stood dead center between them. For a brief moment, nobody spoke. Every gaze locked onto her.
"Hey, you! Where is the newly awakened Breather? Speak clearly, or we'll have to force the words out of your mouth!"
A scream broke the silence from Kruti's left. Frustrated by the loss of their prize, someone in the crowd shouted without thinking, directly blaming her. Others quickly joined in, glaring at her with murderous intent.
Their lives were on the line, and each of them had their own motive—to obtain the reward, secure the new Authority, and seize the opportunity to rise in power. But everything had changed when the newly awakened Breather vanished without a trace.
They had two choices: find the Breather, or replace it with someone else. But finding a rogue Breather in the vastness of the world was like searching for a needle in the dark.
Kruti was in a daze, her mind unable to break away from the thought of Lavanya. Suddenly, another shout erupted from her right.
"Yes, you bastard! Speak louder, or you'll regret not telling us immediately!"
Kruti's frustration flared at the noise. She could not ignore their voices anymore. It wasn't just one or two shouts; the entire crowd started yelling in agreement, acting as though they were a united front. Yet Kruti knew the truth—none of them actually knew each other. They had only one thing on their minds: sheer, filthy greed.
She could see the hunger hidden behind their words, but it didn't concern her. To her, this was nothing more than a game. She had the Breath Mark. As long as she wasn't the one to strike first without reason, the Mark's logic would support her if things went too far.
So, she didn't bother answering them. Her only concern was Yug.
"Hey, why aren't you speaking?"
Finally, a man stepped closer, eager to assert his dominance and put her in her place. He slammed a heavy hand onto her shoulder.
Kruti's expression hardened. She was already in a foul, murderous mood, and this situation was the breaking point.
"Don't make me laugh. Get the fuck off me before I kill you."
The moment she felt his touch, she snapped. She unleashed her Breath Authority without a second of hesitation.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH...!"
He screamed in pure agony, dropping to his knees beside her as tears welled in his eyes. Kruti didn't hold back. Using her Authority, she viciously twisted his arm, making it perfectly clear that she wasn't someone who could be pushed around.
Crack! Crack!
The walls of the adjacent buildings began fracturing from all sides, breaking apart under the sudden, suffocating pressure of so many suppressed Authorities flaring at once. The deep groans of concrete echoed through the area, making both Kruti and the crowd realize the exact same terrifying truth.
They had to settle this quickly.
Everyone scattered across the rooftop, stepping back toward their respective sides and putting distance between themselves. They observed their surroundings with deep distrust, their priorities shifting the moment they processed the reality of the situation.
It was no longer about capturing anyone. It was about their own safety.
Escape.
That single thought rang loudly in every Breather's mind. The Cultivators, however, saw a massive opportunity.
Now, all the Breathers knew exactly what had happened.
Their grand opportunity had become a deadly trap.
From above, Vidyut watched the scene unfold, his eyes narrowing slightly. His expression twitched when he turned toward Kant and saw the deep displeasure written all over the faction leader's face.
Vidyut could easily assist him. He had the intellect to turn this entire battlefield in Kant's favor. If Vidyut had even a single drop of loyalty, he might have done it.
But there wasn't a trace of loyalty in a Breather's blood when it came to outsiders. It was their very nature—they refused to be restrained by others. They chased absolute freedom. They didn't follow orders or blind admiration; they believed only in themselves.
"Great. Lavanya escaped," Nitya whispered, the words barely escaping her lips. It was too quiet for anyone else to hear, but Vidyut caught it.
He turned his gaze toward Nitya, meeting her eyes, easily guessing the relieved expression hidden behind her mask. She was pleased.
She had absolutely no idea what was actually coming.
He stared at her for a brief moment before letting out a quiet sigh.
"No, Nitya. No. You're completely misunderstanding our situation," Vidyut suddenly transmitted directly into her mind.
The sudden telepathic voice shook her. His tone rang sharply through her head, pulling her attention away from the rooftop below. Nitya turned toward him, trying to read his expression. Yet his face remained hidden beneath the mask and black robe. Only his eyes were visible—cold, calm, and highly analytical as they stared across the battlefield.
"This isn't what we thought. Can't you see? This is the worst possible thing that could have happened to us. Everything has shifted. The target is gone, which means we—the remaining Breathers—are now surrounded by Cultivators. Don't you understand? They won't care if one newly awakened Breather disappears when they still have all of us trapped here as alternative options."
He glared at her, disappointment filling his eyes. He couldn't believe she hadn't seen through the shifting dynamic. It made no sense to him.
"What the hell are you talking about? Why do you care this much?" Nitya transmitted back, clenching her teeth. Her expression twisted with frustration. She almost felt like punching him. "Fuck it. The Breath Mark will disappear once this situation is over, and we can leave as usual. Fuck the Cultivators. If they interfere with me, I'll kill them."
Vidyut understood the anger in her tone and her deep hostility toward the Cultivators.
Just as I thought. She's tougher than she looks. She suppresses her anger and truly believes she can punch her way out of any situation. That's great... great.
Then his thoughts shifted, a heavy knot forming in his chest.
But, man... Kruti, what is your intention? Why aren't you leaving this place? Why can't I understand you?
His gaze moved back to Kruti.
She still stood dead center between the Cultivators and the Breathers. Behind her, the Breathers trembled, desperately waiting for an opportunity to escape. Yet Kruti stood there without a trace of fear.
She looked as though she fully intended to face the Cultivators alone—people who had always viewed Breathers as nothing more than nourishment for their cultivation. An endless resource.
Vidyut's eyes remained fixed on her.
Don't die on me, Kruti.
"Will you speak now? I have no patience left," Nitya demanded aloud, interrupting his thoughts. "If you won't tell me what's on your mind, I'm leaving and following my own plan. You have a contingency in mind, don't you? That's why you've been talking nonsense, right?"
Her irritation hadn't faded. Yet, despite the confidence in her voice, instinct told her she wouldn't be able to just walk away. She knew exactly how dangerous the situation was and realized Vidyut must have noticed a backdoor. Otherwise, he wouldn't be this calm.
Vidyut noticed her impatience.
"Yes."
He turned his gaze toward a woman standing on the far side of the rooftop.
Sneha.
Unlike them, she hadn't concealed herself. She had openly revealed her identity and embedded herself with the other side.
Vidyut gave her a slight, barely perceptible nod.
A dark, narrow alleyway lay in the shadows of the adjacent buildings, a highway running just past its mouth. Green, yellow, and red traffic lights bled through the darkness in the distance.
Midnight had already passed. The faint blare of car horns echoed as a few vehicles sped along the road. Inside the alley, rats scurried around piles of rotting trash scattered against the walls. The distant bark of a dog echoed through the gloom.
Behind one of the massive dumpsters, a woman in torn, worn-out clothes hid, breathing heavily. Buried in the suffocating darkness, she was barely visible—nothing more than a shadow without a distinct form.
Hahaha... This is it. I completed it. I finally understood it.
Lavanya laughed inwardly, her mind racing with manic euphoria.
She had never felt this powerful before. The feeling was completely overwhelming, as though a desperate dream she had carried her entire life had finally come true.