The night air was unusually still.
Mohit sensed it the moment he stepped onto the balcony. The faint hum of the city felt muted, as if something unseen had pressed pause on the surrounding noise. Even the distant traffic seemed softer, swallowed by a strange calm.
His instincts tightened.
This wasn't normal silence.
Closing his eyes, Mohit allowed his awareness to spread gently outward. The weak energy inside his body responded, flowing slowly like a cautious stream. He didn't force it — control mattered more than speed.
That was when he felt it.
A ripple.
Not physical.
Not emotional.
Something spiritual had shifted nearby.
Mohit's eyes opened sharply.
The ripple carried unfamiliar frequency, unstable and raw — similar to what he had sensed earlier near the students at school, but far stronger this time. It felt like someone had accidentally opened a door they didn't understand.
An awakening.
Somewhere close.
Mohit hesitated.
His rational mind warned him not to interfere. His strength was still limited. The reverse cultivation defect made prolonged exertion dangerous.
But curiosity — and responsibility — nudged him forward.
He quietly left his house, moving through narrow streets under dim streetlights. The ripple grew clearer with every step, guiding him like an invisible thread.
Soon, he reached an abandoned warehouse at the edge of the block.
The air inside felt distorted.
A faint glow flickered behind broken windows.
Mohit slowed his breathing and approached cautiously.
Inside, a teenage boy stood near scattered metal crates. His hands trembled as faint sparks of distorted energy jumped uncontrollably from his palms. Fear was written clearly on his face.
"I… I can't stop it…" the boy whispered to himself.
The energy around him surged unpredictably, slamming into nearby walls and rattling loose debris.
Mohit stayed at a safe distance.
"Don't fight it," Mohit said calmly. "Breathe. Slow."
The boy turned sharply. "Who are you?! Stay back!"
"I'm not here to hurt you," Mohit replied. "If you panic, it'll get worse."
The boy hesitated, desperation overpowering fear.
"Just copy my breathing," Mohit instructed, demonstrating slow controlled breaths.
At first, nothing changed.
Then — gradually — the chaotic sparks weakened.
The energy stabilized slightly, no longer exploding outward randomly.
The boy collapsed onto a crate, breathing heavily.
"I thought I was going to die…"
Mohit watched carefully, relief mixing with concern.
This was only the beginning.
Awakenings were accelerating.
And the world wasn't ready.
As Mohit turned to leave, a faint vibration stirred inside his chest — not pain, not weakness — but recognition.
Something within him had responded to the act of guiding another.
A seed had been planted.
He didn't yet know what it would become.
But the ripple had begun.