The sun had barely risen, painting the city in muted gold, when Mohit met Arjun and Meera again near the quiet park on the outskirts. Today's plan was simple — exploration and practice. But the calm morning air hinted at hidden ripples, subtle disturbances Mohit's senses could already detect.
"Morning," Meera greeted, her energy already flickering like a controlled flame. "Ready to push a little further today?"
Mohit nodded. "I'm ready… as long as we take it slow."
Arjun smirked. "Slow? Don't worry. I won't let you overexert yourself… much."
The trio walked toward a secluded training area, abandoned for years, overgrown with weeds and broken stone paths. As they reached the center, Mohit noticed subtle energy fluctuations he hadn't felt before — faint, irregular pulses, almost like whispers of awakening scattered nearby.
"Do you feel that?" he asked quietly.
Meera's eyes narrowed. "Yes. Someone's here… but they're hiding."
Arjun tilted his head. "Not aggressive. Just curious. Could be another awakened one. Or just unstable energy like the zone last time."
Mohit's pulse quickened. "Let's see."
He stepped forward cautiously, his senses scanning. The air shivered faintly, responding to his presence. Then, from behind a broken wall, a girl appeared. She looked around twelve or thirteen, with short, spiky hair and an intense gaze. Her small hands glowed faintly with unstable energy.
"Who are you?" Mohit asked gently.
The girl didn't answer immediately. She crouched slightly, like preparing to sprint, her energy flaring and contracting unpredictably.
Meera stepped forward. "Easy. We're not here to fight."
The girl's eyes flicked toward Meera, then Arjun, then finally Mohit. The glow in her hands pulsed faster — fear, curiosity, and raw potential mixing together.
Mohit raised a hand calmly. "I'm Mohit. My name is all you need for now. No tricks. We just want to help."
The girl hesitated. Then, slowly, she lowered her hands. The energy trembled, not attacking, just fluctuating wildly.
"I'm… Siya," she whispered.
"Siya," Mohit repeated. "It's okay. You're safe here. But you need to control your energy. Let me help."
Siya's eyes widened, unsure. Arjun whispered to Mohit, "She's raw… extremely unstable, but her potential is high."
Mohit nodded. "I know. We'll start small."
The next hour passed in careful training. Mohit guided Siya's breathing while subtly stabilizing her energy, showing her how to let it flow rather than fight against it. Meera and Arjun monitored, occasionally giving pointers.
Siya's energy pulsed irregularly at first — spiking, collapsing, then surging again. But under Mohit's guidance, it gradually became steadier, more responsive.
"You're learning quickly," Mohit said softly. "Keep breathing. Focus on feeling the flow, not controlling it."
Finally, Siya relaxed, letting the energy settle into a quiet rhythm. She looked at Mohit with a mix of amazement and relief.
"I… I didn't think I could do that," she said.
"You can," Mohit replied, smiling faintly. "You just needed someone to show you how."
Arjun clapped lightly. "Good. That's the first step. Now, we need to prepare her for real challenges. The world won't wait for us to be ready."
Meera nodded. "And the reverse cultivation defect isn't going away. Mohit, you need to keep training too. Pushing too hard too fast could backfire."
Mohit's gaze hardened. "I know. But today… we've gained an ally."
Siya's small form flared slightly with energy again, controlled this time. Mohit could feel her potential radiating — unpredictable, wild, but strong.
For the first time, Mohit felt that their team wasn't just surviving anymore. They were beginning to grow — together.
And somewhere in the shadows beyond the park, another ripple moved — subtle, silent, but unmistakable.
Someone, or something, had noticed.
The game was about to change.