Chapter 13: The Himalayan Void
Vikram looked at the swirling silver portal. He felt the weight of his own muscles—the L10 Strength that could pulverize boulders—and realized it was a heavy, physical burden. In the Treta Yuga, true power wasn't just mass; it was the ability of the spirit to command the material.
"I choose the Ascension," Vikram said, his voice steady. "A sword that cannot break the wall is but a toy."
[ SYSTEM MESSAGE ]
Transaction: Entering the Himalayan Void.
Punya Deducted: 8,000.
Current Punya: 5.
Initiating Soul-Transfer...
The world of the Dandaka forest dissolved. The heat of the tropics was replaced by a cold so absolute it didn't freeze the skin—it froze the breath of the soul.
The Domain of Silence
Vikram found himself standing on a needle-thin peak of translucent ice, suspended above a sea of clouds that didn't move. There was no wind. No sound. This was the Mahashunya—the Great Void where Lord Shiva meditates.
[ TEST OF THE VOID: HEARTBEAT 1 ]
Challenge: Loss of Identity.
Effect: Your Title [The Savior of the Gurukul] is stripped.
Vikram felt a part of his pride vanish. He wasn't a hero anymore. He was just a boy.
[ TEST OF THE VOID: HEARTBEAT 3 ]
Challenge: Loss of Power.
Effect: Your Attributes (Strength, Speed, Reaction) are suppressed to L0.
Suddenly, Vikram felt the crushing weight of the atmosphere. His Vajra-bones felt like brittle glass. His breath came in ragged gasps. He felt small. Insignificant.
[ TEST OF THE VOID: HEARTBEAT 5 ]
Challenge: The Mirror of Ahankara (Ego).
Vision: A shadow-version of Vikram appeared, draped in royal silk, sitting on a throne of ten thousand skulls. "Why struggle?" the Shadow hissed. "With your Charm, you could rule the world as a King. Why be a servant of Dharma?"
Vikram looked at the Shadow. He didn't use his sword. He didn't use a mantra. He looked deep into the Karmic System within himself. He saw his Paap: 0.
"I am not a King," Vikram whispered, his voice cracking in the cold. "I am the hammer that strikes the iron. The hammer does not own the sword it creates. It only serves the forge."
The Seventh Heartbeat
The Shadow screamed and shattered into a million ice crystals.
The silence of the Void changed. It became a vibration—a deep, resonant "OM" that shook the very foundation of the mountain. From the center of the clouds, a massive eye opened. It wasn't physical; it was an eye of pure, destructive blue flame.
The Third Eye of the Mahadev.
[ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ]
Tapasya Successful.
Ego Purged.
BLESSING RECEIVED: RUDR-SHAKTI.
A bolt of violet lightning struck Vikram directly in the Muladhara Chakra (Root).
[ ATTRIBUTE BREAKTHROUGH ]
Strength: L10 ➔ L11 (Transcendent).
New Ability: [Prithvi-Kampana] — Your physical strikes now bypass the durability of any material object. You can shatter concepts.
The Return
Vikram was thrust back into the Dandaka forest. The portal closed behind him. He stood in the clearing, and the ground beneath his feet cracked—not because he was heavy, but because the Earth itself was struggling to contain the L11 Strength vibrating in his marrow.
The Messenger of Vishnu smiled, his four arms shimmering. "You have the touch of the Destroyer now, Vikram. The Southern Wall will tremble."
"Where is the wall?" Vikram asked. His voice now carried a sub-harmonic frequency that made the trees bow.
"Five hundred miles south," the Messenger said, pointing toward the ocean. "But be warned. The Dashanana (Ten-Headed) has sensed your ascension. He has sent his second-born son to intercept you at the Bridge of Rama."
[ NEW TARGET IDENTIFIED ]
Name: Meghanada (Indrajit).
Rank: Atirathi (Level 75).
Status: Wielder of the Vasavi Shakti.
Threat Level: CALAMITY.
Vikram looked at his hands. He felt a power that didn't belong to a human. He felt like he could reach out and pluck the moon from the sky.
Vikram is now L11 in Strength, but Meghanada is L75 in Rank and a master of illusions.
The Direct Charge: Use Flash-Step and L11 Strength to try and end the fight in one punch before Meghanada can cast his higher-tier illusions.The Sage's Preparation: Use your remaining 5 Punya and the [Iron-Vulture Feathers] to trade in the Shop for a [Vedic Anti-Illusion Charm].The Stealth Approach: Use your Charm (L10) and Speed (L10) to bypass Meghanada's camp entirely, aiming straight for the heart of the South.
What is the plan, Transcendent Sage?