The mansion's dining table was no less than a warzone. On one side, Vima and Vikram ate peacefully, while on the other, Shiv and Arina glared at each other, practically tearing each other apart with their eyes. Arina wore the pink-white tee and jeans given by Sima—she looked stylish, but her anger? Same old volcano.
"Why this engagement... so fast?" Shiv said hesitantly. "I'm still learning how to smash monsters!"
Vikram, stuffing his mouth with daal, said, "Shut up yaar! You don't know how lucky you are—this girl is yours. It was Papa's promise, now honor it!"
Arina slammed her spoon on the table—CLINK! "I don't want this gavaar either! He tore my favorite dress!"
"I saved your life!" Shiv snapped angrily. "Stop crying about the dress, I'll buy a new one!"
Vima raised his hand—the whole room went silent. "Shiv, Arina... you're linked. Fight together and your Combined Aura will crush even mid-rank monsters."
Vikram blurted out, "Sir, doesn't make logic..."
Vima's cold gaze fell on him. "Come to the training ground. I'll teach you logic."
Vikram broke into sweat. "No no, sir you're genius! Family matter—I'm full!" And he bolted up the stairs.
Vima said, "Arina, our family fought Devils with Divine powers—Divine Essence remains in you. Shiv has pure Chandravanshi blood and God's blessing. Your Essence holds back Devils."
Sima teased Arina, "You said the Last Chandravanshi was so handsome..."
Arina turned red. "Maa!" And she ran to her room.
In the second-floor lounge, Vikram was watching TV. "Arina, you okay?" he asked, but she slammed her door. Her room was huge, garden view. Walls covered with posters of a golden-haired Japanese girl, next to her parents' photo—papa handsome, dark-skinned Indian. Looking at the photo, she said, "Papa, what do I do? He's total idiot."
Shiv couldn't sleep all night. Practicing Golden Tether in the garden. Arina arrived with sword.
"Stop crying Shiv. Want to stand equal to me? Double the effort."
Spar began. Shiv activated T-Sense—Arina was a blur! Dodged the swing, but follow-up sent him flying. "Pay attention!" she yelled.
Shiv got up, charged with explosive speed, feinted, and kicked her shoulder. Arina dodged, but rage exploded—she hurled her Chakra sword straight at him!
Time froze. Blade 3cm away! Shiv did an impossible twist, cold steel grazed his cheek—DHAM! Wall shattered.
Arina froze. Core strong? Or pure luck?
Sima arrived. "Arina, what's the noise? That's your sword?"
Arina snapped back, looked for Shiv—where'd he go? "No maa, his fault!"
"You're lying?" Sima grabbed her ear and dragged her away. From the garden, Arina's "Forgive me maa!" echoed.
Shiv was panting in his room. "Arina's a disaster... deadlier than monsters. One more second and game over. Better sleep before morning kills me."
At 4 AM, room shook—earthquake! Vikram yanked the blanket. "Wake up Chandravanshi! Death waits for sunrise!"
Shiv checked the time, his jaw dropping. "4 AM? Is this a joke? Arina tried to murder me last night!"
Vima smiled, "Want me to forget the wall? Move... or next sword won't miss." Shiv remembered 'BOOM'—bolted to garden.
Arina was there, ears red. Vikram handed suit. "Wear it."
Shiv lifted—veins bulging! DHAMMM! 6ft crater.
"How heavy is this?!"
"Just 1500kg," Vikram shrugged.
"1500KG?! Trying to kill me?"
Vima calm, "Your papa lifted more. Serious? Wear it. 100km run. Go!"
Arina-Vikram shot off like rockets. Vima floated in air. Shiv? Turtle crawl. Vima slapped his forehead. "This top student's son?"
Shiv gasping, "Floating is cheating!"
Vima: "Finish by 6? I'll teach power technique—beast in two days."
'Powerful' hit Shiv like lightning. He sprinted. Collapsed at 6—half-dead. Arina drenched in sweat, looking down.
"I knew it," she said. "Nothing special."
"What's nothing special?"
Arina blushed, turned away. "Forget it!"
Vima: "Arina, back to routine. Vikram help her." Then to Shiv.
Shiv sat straight. "What training?"
"Deep Meditation. Know Layers? Why some smash monsters with little Chakra? Invisible energy shells—not body."
"Normal human 4 layers. Martial arts makes 5. 90% stuck there. Last night's dodge? Layer power, Core just bonus. Like Lightning core gives speed, can't level up."
"Your Core?"
"T."
"T? What crap, bonus?"
"No clue. Mine's unique."
"Forget Core. 9 Layers total. Up to 5: quality-sharpness. 6-Light: predict moves. 7-Laser: pinpoint. 8-Vibe: internal damage on touch.9 Exhaustion: body-Chakra one, 0.1% waste—near chakra."
"NEXT LAYER?!"
"Vima mentions that a Neuro-Mirror Machine is required for Layer Training, but even the most basic Level-1 model costs a staggering 30 crore.
Shiv is stunned. 'This is pure hell... if the machine is that expensive, then maybe I won't be able to do Layer Training at all.'
Vima lets out a deep sigh. 'No, it's still possible without it, but that would be an incredibly dangerous training path, Shiv.'
Shiv clenched his fists, his eyes burning with determination. 'Yes. I'm in.'"