One of the most extraordinary places in the northern region—
Until a few moments ago, the Sun had been illuminating not only the sky, but the earth itself with its fading light. As it slowly moved toward the western horizon, clouds spread across the sky, claiming it entirely—
as if they had been waiting for this very moment.
The ocean waves, restless until now, suddenly began to calm. Fish and other sea creatures retreated into the depths. Watching the sunset, one could almost believe that the Sun itself was sinking into the sea.
Then—
From the clouds descended a single snowflake, shaped like a frozen flower.
The instant it touched the ocean's surface, it changed from white into something transparent.
In the next moment, countless snow-flowers began to fall.
The wind slowed, turning cold and gentle.
For a brief instant, it felt as though even the Sun had paused—
Blending its final light with the falling snow, it formed a rainbow that enhanced the silent grandeur of Mandak Mountain.
"Mandak Mountain…"
"It is a place unlike any other."
Guru Mohan spoke these words to his disciples.
They were aboard a vessel positioned on the ocean, nearly ten kos west of the mountain.
This was no ordinary vessel—
It was a Peru, a war-craft capable of traveling at great speed not only across the surface of the water, but beneath it as well.
Alongside Guru Mohan stood ten young disciples—
Four girls and six boys.
"Until now, I thought we lived on an island,"
one of the girls said in surprise.
"That's exactly why I keep telling you—massage your knees!"
a boy laughed.
"I already knew it was a mountain,"
another boy said proudly.
"I thought… maybe that's why it has that name,"
the girl added shyly.
"Why would anyone name an island a mountain?"
someone scoffed.
Laughter echoed across the Peru.
Suddenly, Guru Mohan's serious gaze fell upon the boy.
He fell silent at once.
The girl lowered her head. Innocence and mild embarrassment crossed her face.
Guru Mohan gently placed his hand on her head.
"There's no need to feel bad,"
he said calmly.
"When I was young, I thought the same.
The confusion comes from the sheer scale of this mountain."
He continued,
"Mandak Mountain is triangular in shape. Each side measures nearly fifteen kilometers."
"What?!"
the earlier boy exclaimed.
"I always thought it was round!"
"So now—who actually needs knee massages?"
another boy teased.
"But Guruji,"
someone else said,
"I've walked around the entire outer path. It looks completely circular."
Guru Mohan smiled faintly.
"The true nature of anything cannot be understood through surface observation alone.
To truly understand something, one must examine it completely.
The path you speak of is a three-layered circular route carved into the mountain.
But when viewed from above, the mountain's original shape becomes clear."
"From above the mountain?"
a boy burst out laughing.
"Guruji, you're getting old. No one can reach the top of Mandak!
Does its height even have an end?"
In the very next moment—
Guru Mohan gathered seawater into his hand, shaped it into a staff, and struck the boy lightly on the arm.
"Ma!"
the boy cried out.
The others struggled to hold back their laughter.
"One should avoid speaking,"
Guru Mohan said calmly,
"about things they do not understand."
He then looked toward the sky.
"Evening has arrived.
Before this calm wind turns into a storm and the sea becomes violent—we must return."
The Peru began moving toward Mandak.
Snow continued to fall.
As the Peru drew closer, the true nature of Mandak Mountain became increasingly overwhelming.
From the outside, the mountain appeared vast and beautiful.
From within, it was even more immense—and deeply mysterious.
Mandak Mountain possessed twenty gateways in total—
Thirteen located above the surface,
and seven hidden beneath the sea.
Among the underwater routes, the **fourth gate on the northern side** was the largest. Passing through this gate, the mountain's outer region divided into two distinct halves—north and south.
The southern region was structured and alive. Farmlands stretched across the land. Ponds shimmered under the dim sky, waterfalls flowed endlessly, and multiple combat training grounds were active. Five massive residential sectors dominated the area, built with discipline and order.
On the opposite side lay a dense forest.
Towering trees rose toward the sky. Rare plants thrived within its depths, and wild creatures made it their home. This forest path was sealed behind a fortress-like wall nearly forty feet high.
There was only one entrance—
and that gate remained closed.
Toward the western region, thick layers of snow had begun to settle over trees, rocks, and open land. Despite the cold, this area remained rich with flowers and greenery.
Near the seventh gate, children laughed as they played, shaping snow into balls and throwing them at one another.
The farmlands were protected by cylindrical habitation units forged from iron, forming a defensive barrier around the cultivated land.
At that very moment—
At the entrance of the wepons, the armory where weapons were stored, stood a nine-year-old boy.
His face carried innocence.
He is wearing a warm jacket.
In his hand rested a iron key.
Guru Kashyap stepped out after securing the weapons inside.
"Your Highness, Yuvraj,"
he said in a low but firm voice,
"what you are doing has no effect on me.
It would have been better if you had stayed with the other children, or gone with Guru Mohan. Believe me—Guru Mohan is a far better teacher than any of us."
With those words, he shut the gate and began locking it.
Then his gaze fell upon Om.
"Have you ever seen us teaching anyone?"
he asked, looking directly at him, as if the answer should already be clear.
Om said nothing.
He simply extended the key in his hand.
Guru Kashyap's expression tightened.
As though he had received his answer.
He took the key and secured the lock.
Elsewhere—
As the snowfall intensified, the remaining children began moving together toward the seventh gate, talking among themselves.
"Evening has passed, but not a single star is visible,"
one boy said.
"Idiot! With clouds like this, how would you see stars?"
another laughed.
"I can see one!"
A third boy suddenly pointed toward the southern sky.
Everyone turned to look.
"It looks like a star breaking apart and falling toward us,"
someone said.
"Yes… and it's getting bigger,"
another added.
"It's not getting bigger,"
the third boy said calmly.
"It's coming closer—that's why it looks larger."
All of them murmured together—
"Hmmm…"
Then—
From the second level of Mandak Mountain, a sharp beam of light burst outward.
Along with it came a violent energy wave and a thunderous roar.
Both Guru Kashyap and Om turned their attention in that direction.
In the very next instant—
The beam of light collided with the falling star.
The impact was catastrophic.
For a brief moment, the sky and the entire mountain were flooded with light.
The echo of the explosion rippled in every direction.
At the shoreline—
Guru Mohan and his disciples witnessed the event as well.
"Ansh,"
Guru Mohan commanded,
"take the Peru inside through the third lower gate. Something serious has happened."
"We'll come with you,"
the disciples said together.
"No."
Guru Mohan's voice hardened.
"This is not the time. Do exactly as instructed."
With that, he leapt from the Peru.
He ran across the surface of the sea.
Suddenly, the water beneath his feet lowered. Controlling the water, he formed a massive whirlpool around his legs and compressed it as he reached the shore.
Using the pressure, he launched himself upward—
Straight toward **Guru Kashyap's** position.
For a brief moment, everything fell silent.
The falling star.
The beam of light.
All of it—gone.
Then—
Cutting through the smoke, a figure of fire emerged.
The light had transformed into flames.
And it was moving toward Guru Kashyap.
"This cannot be a weapon…"
Guru Kashyap thought as he stared at the advancing flames.
"This is something else."
Then—
His eyes widened.
"No…!"
His breath caught.
"That form… it's a girl.
And she's coming straight toward this place. But why?"
Fear and concern surfaced together on his face.
In the very next moment, realization struck him.
"Yuvraj… yes."
His voice hardened.
"As long as I am alive, no harm will come to Yuvraj."
Beside him, Om stood frozen, his eyes locked onto the figure of fire.
"Yuvraj, go inside—"
Guru Kashyap ordered.
But Om did not respond.
His entire focus was fixed on the Firegirl.
Guru Kashyap glanced at the metal bracelet on his left wrist.
Eight beads were embedded within it—
each engraved with a different mantra.
He removed the blue bead, closed it tightly in his fist, joined his hands, and took aim at the Firegirl.
In a low voice, he spoke—
"Varun-Faas."
In the next instant, two high-speed streams of water burst forth from between his palms.
The force cracked the ice and ground beneath his feet.
The twin streams twisted together midair, forming iron-like chains of water that wrapped around the Firegirl, binding her in place.
She had come very close—
Yet she halted herself in midair.
The moment her feet touched the ground—
The winds turned fierce and hot.
The ice on the ground vaporized into steam.
Leaves, flowers, and shards of ice rose into the air, spiraling violently around her.
It felt as though Mandak Mountain itself was bowing in respect.
Guru Kashyap focused fire into his hands and feet.
"Now is the right moment."
With a burst of flame beneath his feet, he launched himself toward her.
Light erupted from the ring on his finger, engulfing his fist.
In an instant, that light condensed into an intensely dense blue flame.
He was about to strike and end her—
When—
With her right hand, the Firegirl not only shattered the water chains,
but in the same motion, delivered a devastating blow to Guru Kashyap.
The impact hurled him into the mountain.
The blue flame vanished instantly.
Guru Kashyap collapsed, unconscious
"AAAAAH—!"
The Firegirl screamed.
Flowers, leaves, and ice fragments exploded outward, forming a violent storm.
Om still stood there.
His body had gone numb, as if his feet were rooted to the ground.
The storm surged toward him.
Instinctively, he raised his right hand before his face.
Everything passed through him—
Without harming him.
The storm and the roar faded.
Silence returned.
Then—
The Firegirl's full form became clear before Om.
She stood nearly twenty meters away.
Her height was close to nine feet.
Her body and armor were forged entirely of fire—
Vast. Majestic. Terrifyingly beautiful.
Her armor and form bore countless scars.
Her face and body were beginning to disintegrate,
yet she was somehow holding herself together.
Fire and smoke poured continuously from her body.
It was clear—
She had only moments left to live.
Her expression carried exhaustion and rage.
Her eyes searched desperately for someone.
From the direction of the sea—
Guru Mohan leapt onto the scene.
His gaze fell instantly upon Om and the Firegirl.
They stood at equal distance from him.
"Why is Om here?"
"Is he alone?"
"And who… is this girl?"
Questions flooded his mind, but he steadied himself and advanced.
"Who are you?"
he shouted.
"Why have you come here?"
"Leave this place immediately!"
"Otherwise, you will pay for it with your life!"
But his words had no effect.
Then—
Her gaze fell upon Om.
The moment she saw him, her fury faded.
An unnatural calm settled over her face and eyes—
As if she had finally found what she had been searching for.
Her steps turned toward Om.
Sweat formed on Guru Mohan's face.
"I said—stop!"
He rushed forward.
Extending his hand toward the sea, he seized control of the water and hurled it at her with immense force.
Her movement did not slow.
Guru Mohan's anger flared.
He launched multiple water orbs at her in rapid succession.
Still, they barely affected her.
She continued advancing—
Bearing the injuries.
Her expression held compassion,
as though Guru Mohan's attacks caused her no pain at all.
Om's eyes remained calm.
Seeing the towering figure before him, a strange feeling stirred within him—
As if he had known her long before this moment.
He stepped forward.
Guru Mohan froze.
"Om! What are you doing?"
"Stop! Go back!"
But Om did not listen.
Seeing this, Guru Mohan halted.
He removed a bead from his bracelet.
Drawing an enormous volume of water from the sea,
he formed a massive water sphere above his head and embedded the bead at its center.
"Varun-Sharp!"
He cast it forward.
The water transformed into a massive serpent, surging forward and swallowing the Firegirl whole.
The impact forced her back—
Yet even from within the serpent, she continued moving toward Om.
The serpent coiled, swallowing its own tail,
forming a rapidly spinning ring around her.
Again and again, it constricted.
Deep wounds tore through her form.
Yet she continued forward.
Using the last of her strength, she reached Om.
They faced each other—
She within the water serpent,
Om outside it.
Both extended their hands.
Their expressions were pure.
Om's finger touched the water from outside—
Her hand touched it from within.
Their fingers were about to meet—
When—
An explosion erupted.
The Firegirl disintegrated.
Om was about to be thrown back by the blast—
When Guru Mohan caught him.
Darkness spread in all directions.
Om lost consciousness.
Guru Mohan stood frozen, staring at the place where she had vanished.
Then—
From the sky, a golden axe fell.
Guru Mohan stared at it, stunned.
"This… this is impossible…"
CHAPTER END.