The rain continued long after Ravi vanished, soaking the empty street in quiet reflection. Mohit remained standing under the dim glow of a flickering streetlamp, his thoughts swirling faster than the falling droplets.
Neutrality will become impossible…
Ravi's words echoed repeatedly in his mind.
He slowly turned and walked home, hands buried in his pockets, feeling the steady warmth of energy circulate through his body. His reverse cultivation defect tugged faintly, reminding him of his limits — of the fragile balance he had to maintain.
Power came with cost.
And choices carried consequences.
That night, Mohit didn't cultivate immediately.
Instead, he sat on his bed, staring at the dark ceiling, replaying the conversation over and over. Ravi wasn't aggressive. He wasn't threatening. But that calm certainty — that quiet authority — was far more dangerous than brute force.
Someone like that didn't make empty predictions.
The awakened world really was organizing.
If factions formed, smaller independent cultivators like Mohit and his team could easily be swallowed or crushed between larger powers.
Yet joining blindly wasn't an option either.
I won't let anyone control my path, Mohit thought firmly.
The next morning, Mohit gathered Arjun, Meera, and Siya at the training ruins.
"I met someone last night," Mohit said calmly.
Their expressions sharpened instantly.
"A strong one," he continued. "He's part of an organized group watching awakenings."
Meera's eyes narrowed. "Recruiters?"
"Yes," Mohit nodded. "Eventually."
Siya hugged her arms nervously. "Are we in danger?"
"Not immediately," Mohit replied. "But the world is shifting. We can't stay passive anymore."
Arjun crossed his arms thoughtfully. "So what's the plan?"
Mohit took a slow breath. "We strengthen ourselves. Quietly. No unnecessary exposure. No reckless actions."
Meera nodded. "Controlled growth."
"And unity," Mohit added. "If anyone feels something strange — pressure, surveillance, unfamiliar energy — we regroup immediately."
They all agreed.
Training began again — more focused than ever.
Mohit emphasized mental discipline, teaching them how to suppress unnecessary energy leakage, mask their aura, and remain undetectable in crowded environments.
This wasn't about fighting.
This was about survival.
Siya practiced stabilizing her energy under distraction — loud noises, moving objects, shifting environments. Arjun refined precision strikes instead of raw output. Meera focused on rapid response control and energy redirection.
Mohit monitored everyone carefully while managing his own defect cautiously.
As the days passed, something subtle changed in the group.
Their movements synchronized naturally.
Their awareness expanded.
Their confidence matured.
Yet deep inside Mohit felt an invisible clock ticking.
The city's hidden currents continued rising.
More awakenings.
More watchers.
More unknown variables.
One evening, as Mohit stood on a rooftop watching the sunset bleed into the skyline, a quiet realization settled into his heart.
Running forever wasn't possible.
Sooner or later, he would have to choose a stance.
Not today.
But soon.
And when that moment came…
He intended to stand prepared.