The snowstorm had transformed into the wrath of nature itself.
The wind howled between the Himalayan peaks like the voices of thousands of mountain spirits awakened from an ancient slumber. Snow whipped violently through the air, swallowing the sky and the earth in one deadly sheet of white.
In the middle of the valley—
Himal Yaksha stood like a mountain brought to life.
Its enormous body was formed from ancient stone cracked by cold blue light. Energy flowed through the cracks like rivers of stars. Its horns rose like two massive crescents of ice. Thick mist poured from its mouth, freezing the air the moment it escaped.
FROOOOOOSH.
Its eyes glowed.
Ancient.
Deep.
Unfathomable.
And now—
those eyes were fixed on Arga.
Not with anger.
With recognition.
Arga stood several meters away, his body trembling beneath the overwhelming energy filling the valley. In his hands, the MBG lunchbox was glowing brighter and brighter.
Inside—
twenty glowing grains of rice spun rapidly.
Their golden light pierced through the raging snowstorm.
Kai stood beside Arga, staring at the ancient creature without blinking.
"He recognizes you."
Arga swallowed heavily.
"Not me…"
He looked down at the lunchbox.
"This energy."
But before anyone could move—
the ground shook.
Harder than before.
RUMMMMMMMMMBLE!
The surrounding mountains trembled with it.
Cliffs cracked.
Snow cascaded from the peaks like enormous white waterfalls.
Farhan stared at his laptop screen.
His face immediately went pale.
"No…"
Lila turned toward him.
"What?!"
Farhan took a step backward.
"The Core energy has exceeded its maximum threshold!"
Beneath Himal Yaksha's feet—
blue cracks of light appeared.
They grew wider.
Deeper.
Then—
the valley floor exploded.
BOOOOOOOOOOOM!
Rock and ice were hurled into the sky.
A wave of energy swept across the entire area.
Dominion soldiers were thrown backward.
Drones in the sky dropped like burning insects.
Bimo shielded his face with his arm.
"This is insane!"
Dika laughed nervously.
"No…"
"This is beyond insane!"
From within the massive fissure—
something began to rise.
Slowly.
A gigantic sphere of blue light emerged from the heart of the mountain.
The Mountain Core.
Its radiance illuminated the entire Himalayas like a second sun rising from deep within the earth.
Everyone fell silent.
Even the storm seemed to hold its breath.
Himal Yaksha lowered its head before the Core.
The ancient creature did not attack.
It guarded it.
Just as it had for thousands of years.
Bimo whispered,
"…I'm getting goosebumps."
At the same time—
the MBG lunchbox in Arga's hands began shaking violently.
Golden light poured wildly through its seams.
Arga closed his eyes.
His chest felt as though it were being torn apart from within.
"Arga!" Sinta shouted.
Arga dropped to his knees in the snow.
THUD!
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
His hands trembled violently.
But he refused to let go of the lunchbox.
Inside—
the twenty glowing grains of rice spun faster and faster.
Then—
a new light appeared at the center of the vortex.
Small.
Gentle.
Yet the moment it was born, the entire valley shook.
Farhan stared at the energy graph as it skyrocketed.
"No way…"
Lila covered her mouth.
"The twenty-first grain…"
Golden light exploded from Arga's body.
WHOOOOOOM!
A wave of warmth swept through the snowstorm.
The freezing wind split apart.
The gray sky seemed to crack beneath the golden radiance.
But the price was too high.
Cracks of light appeared across Arga's arm.
Beneath his skin.
As though his body could no longer contain the energy surging through it.
Kai immediately caught him before he collapsed.
"Arga!"
Arga was barely conscious.
Yet his eyes remained fixed on the Mountain Core.
"I… can still…"
He forced himself to stand.
His knees trembled.
Every breath felt like swallowing a blade.
On the other side of the valley—
the Dominion generator began shaking violently.
Its panels exploded one after another.
The man in the hat shouted in panic,
"The reactor is losing control!"
But the Dominion leader remained calm.
Instead, he smiled as he watched Arga.
"Interesting…"
He took one step forward.
"So this is what a true Guardian looks like."
Bimo tightened his grip on his metal staff.
"I am so sick of looking at your face!"
He charged.
But before Bimo could reach him—
Himal Yaksha moved.
One massive stomp struck the ground.
BOOOOOOOM!
The entire valley cracked.
A gigantic stone wall erupted from the earth like a living fortress, separating the team from the Dominion forces.
Everyone fell silent.
Kai whispered,
"He controls the mountain…"
Then Himal Yaksha raised its head toward the sky.
And roared.
MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
The roar wasn't merely a sound.
It was a command.
The entire Himalayas answered.
Avalanches thundered down the cliffs.
Stone pillars collapsed.
Ice shattered.
The sky itself seemed to tremble.
The Dominion generator finally collapsed completely.
CRAAAAAAAAASH!
A massive explosion of blue energy tore in every direction.
The Dominion forces scattered and retreated.
The Dominion leader stared at the wreckage of his machine.
Then he looked at Arga, who was barely able to remain standing.
His expression changed.
It was no longer simple curiosity.
Now—
there was caution.
He retreated toward the last remaining airship.
"See you again, Nutrition Guardian."
The airship door closed.
Its engines roared to life.
The Dominion fleet disappeared into the storm.
The valley fell silent once again.
Only the Mountain Core remained suspended in the air, glowing with blue light.
Arga finally collapsed.
Kai and Sinta caught him before he hit the snow.
"Arga!"
His eyes were half-open.
His breathing was weak.
Yet he still managed a faint smile.
"We… won…"
Sinta gripped his shoulder tightly.
"Don't talk."
Several meters away—
Pak Rahmat stood alone.
Silent.
Watching the Mountain Core.
No one noticed when he had appeared there.
Snow slowly swirled around him.
Then he spoke quietly—
but clearly enough to make Kai freeze.
"Five have awakened…"
He lifted his gaze toward the sky.
"…and the final two are finally beginning to open their eyes."
Farhan immediately reopened his laptop.
A map of the world's energy network appeared.
Five points of light shone brightly.
Then—
the final two points that had remained dark all this time…
lit up simultaneously.
One glowed dark red in the middle of the western ocean.
The other burned with a blackish violet hue in an uncharted region.
The screen immediately malfunctioned.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Lila stepped backward, her face pale.
"This isn't an ordinary awakening…"
Farhan swallowed hard.
"Their energy…"
"It's calling to each other."
Kai looked at Pak Rahmat.
"Who are you, really?"
Pak Rahmat didn't answer.
He only gave a faint smile.
A smile none of them had ever seen before.
In the distance—
a flash of red lightning suddenly split the Himalayan sky.
And somewhere far away—
something far older than any Guardian they had ever encountered…
finally awakened.