The massive, silent ship cut across the heavens like a continent torn from another realm. Its hull, woven from something harder than metal, shimmered with ancient, crystalline runes, glowing faintly against the morning light. Every pulse of the vast vessel echoed like a low, resonant heartbeat in the sky.
From the ground, the collective human reaction was one of shattered order. In villages across the Himalayas, elders bowed with folded hands, their faces etched with awe. "The gods have returned," they whispered, voices trembling with reverence. In Delhi and Beijing, chaos stormed through the streets; panicked protests clashed with military lockdowns. Some cried that it was the end of days; others shouted that salvation had arrived.
On television screens, news anchors barely kept their composure, their voices strained.
"The unidentified object—no, vessel—remains visible to the naked eye across three nations…"
"Local populations are staging mass pilgrimages toward Kailas despite heavy military barricades."
"U.S. satellites confirm the object's size is greater than the largest aircraft carrier. Experts say no known technology could possibly—"
The words blurred into white noise.
Standing Above the World
Inside the ship, Karma stood by a towering crystalline viewport, watching the world shrink below. Mountains rolled like stone waves, rivers gleamed like veins of silver, and far in the distance, the impossibly bright beam of Mt. Kailas still clawed into the heavens.
He pressed a hand against the cool, vibrationless surface of the glass. "So this is… what it feels like, standing above the world."
Mira's voice stirred in his mind, calm but edged.
Host, observe carefully. Even your myths couldn't describe this. But do not forget—what inspires awe also breeds fear. The nations below already see you as threat and miracle both.
Karma exhaled slowly, watching a patch of cloud slide silently beneath them. "Fear or not, my sister is out there. I won't let whatever is happening here stop me from finding her. If it causes chaos and disturbs the world, I'll walk into the light itself to clear whatever is in there."
Behind him, Su Liana approached with soft footsteps, her presence quiet but commanding. "You are steady," she observed, her eyes measuring his profile against the vast window. "Even when your body is not strong enough to stand against my brother's aura. That is rare."
Karma gave her a faint, self-deprecating smile. "Steady? I coughed blood in front of him."
Her lips curved slightly in response. "And yet you didn't kneel."
Before he could offer a reply, Su Chen entered the compartment with Elder Yuan. Su Chen's eyes still burned with contempt, but this time, he spoke only a single, dismissive word:
"Weak."
Karma felt a spike of hot irritation, followed by a familiar, frantic whisper in his mind.
Quest Reminder: Slap Su Chen. Timer ongoing.
He nearly choked again, this time on air, subtly clearing his throat to hide the sudden inner turmoil. Are you serious right now? he mentally shot back at Mira, ignoring the sheer absurdity of the demand.
Elder Yuan ignored their friction entirely. His gaze was fixed outward, on the pillar of light that split the clouds ahead. His voice was grave, ancient, carrying the weight of experience. "That mountain is no longer a place of worship. It is a threshold. Beyond it lies something even my Pavilion has not seen in countless eras."
Su Liana bowed her head slightly. "Master, then our path is clear."
Yuan nodded. "Yes. But remember—this world is fragile. Do not tear its veil more than it can bear. Let the mortals see only what they must."
The World Holds its Breath
Below the colossal ship, the world scrambled.
In India, armored convoys roared through mountain passes, the soldiers chanting prayers under their breath even as they prepared for war. Commanders barked orders, their minds torn between faith and duty.
In China, jet squadrons shadowed the warship from afar, never daring to close the distance. State media declared calm, but fear leaked through every constrained broadcast.
In Russia, elite Spetsnaz units were flown toward Tibet, their orders sealed, their intentions veiled.
In Washington, the President's advisors argued over red phones, while generals demanded a preemptive strike. Yet the wealthiest—those who had bowed before Karma at the Ritz—whispered directly into their ears: Do nothing. Observe.
The stalemate held, as if the world itself waited for the warship's next move toward Kailas.
The warship slowed as it neared the towering peak. From above, Mt. Kailas was not just a mountain—it was a beacon of pure, twisting power. The column of crystalline light twisted higher, shimmering with colors beyond mortal sight. Runes etched themselves into the very clouds, a language older than humanity.
Karma's chest tightened. He whispered, half to himself, half to Mira: "Is this where gods wake up… or where worlds collide?"
Mira's reply was unusually quiet, lacking her usual certainty.
I don't know. But the pulse of this place… it is not foreign to me. As if it has been waiting for something.
Her words unsettled him more than silence ever could.
Elder Yuan finally stepped back from the viewport, his expression grim. "Prepare yourselves. What stirs within this mountain is not just energy. It is will. And if will awakens, it will test us."
His gaze flicked to Karma, holding the youth's eyes. "Even you, mortal-born."
Karma's fists clenched, his knuckles white. For his sister, for answers, for survival—he would walk into the storm.
The air around the ship compressed, groaning under the sheer force of the mountain's light. With a final, terrifying lurch, the warship began its steep descent toward the peak of Mt. Kailas, and the world below held its breath.