Chapter 5 Beyond the Flesh

Rudranath drove a right cross to Sekhar’s chin. Sekhar neither blocked nor dodged. He stood in place with a smile. Rudra’s knuckles touched Sekhar’s chin with a loud crack. White sparks screamed against the green. Sekhar’s head snapped to his left. His jaw hung loose for a second under the impact.

Rudra’s breath hitched. Sekhar’s body broke into tiny, green particles and dissolved in the air. Then his voice giggled in Rudra’s ears.

“You have experience in mixed martial arts for fifteen years as per your data, Mr. Bhattacharyay…”

Rudra turned his head toward the sound. Green particles appeared out of thin air, swirling in like a portal. In an instant, Sekhar emerged from the swirling particles.

“…So obviously I don’t stand a chance in a fist fight with you.”

Then his frame broke into particles once again. They swarmed forward like green dust carried by the wind. The air in the vault felt sticky. With every breath drawn in, the particles seeped into Rudra. His throat tightened. He coughed, but the green dust only sank deeper into his lungs. His chest began to burn. He blinked his eyes.

But when his eyelids opened, the vault was gone. Aarohi was gone. He was standing in thick darkness. A chilling air touched his skin, forcing his muscles to shiver. Nothing could be seen in that grim darkness. His heart pounded in his ears.

Sekhar’s chuckle drifted amid the darkness.

“But physical strength is merely a fraction of the true power in the world of souls, Mr. Bhattacharyay.”

A foul stench of rotten flesh filled his senses. Then came the sweet scent of flowers. Thin grey smoke coiled around him, drifting upwards as it spread a burnt smell in the air. Rudranath swallowed.

“This is marigold…”

Then his brows drew together. How could he name the flower just like that? The shivering in his muscles faded. A whisper slipped free from his lips.

“This mixture of smells… is this a cremation ground?”

The moment the words escaped, he swallowed. How the hell was he coming to these conclusions? The atmosphere somehow felt very soothing, as if he had returned home after long years. The chill air, pressing against his skin, felt as if it were welcoming him back. The realizations were his own, yet they seemed to belong to a different consciousness entirely.

Sekhar’s question rattled him.

“Finally feeling comfortable…?”

Rudranath snapped to his right. His fists tightened at his sides. But still nothing could be seen. He closed his eyes and shouted.

“Do not hide behind shadows, coward!”

“Hahahaha!”

Sekhar laughed out loud in the darkness.

“You need to find me yourself, Mr. Bhattacharyay.”

Rudranath tried to move forward. But his legs felt heavy. He hadn’t noticed it until now. It felt like he was standing inside a cold, muddy swamp. Suddenly Saanvi’s scream echoed inside the darkness.

“Rudra…help me…”

Rudranath’s blood boiled in his veins. He turned his head around.

“Saanvi! Saanvi…where are you?”

No one answered. His own voice returned to him, echoing inside the darkness. His knuckles went white under his own grip. He had no idea where he was heading. Yet he pushed through the mud. Sekhar laughed.

“You have power, but you don’t understand what it is at all.”

Rudranath clenched his teeth as he walked forward.

“Shut up…”

Sekhar mocked.

“You can’t protect anything unless you understand your own powers, Mr. Bhattacharyay.”

Rudra roared.

“Shut the hell up!”

His muscles were growing heavier with every step. He had lost count of steps. He had completely lost his sense of direction when a green spark crackled to life ahead of him. His fading strength suddenly returned. Saanvi’s voice was drifting out of it.

“Rudra…are you there?”

He nodded desperately, shoving through the swamp beneath.

“Yes! Yes…I am here.”

He reached for the spark. But the spark snuffed out the moment his fingers reached it. Something struck his jaw from the right.

Thud!

He was hurled onto his side against the swamp. He could feel the thick liquid touching his skin, yet he was not wet. Another spark flared to life, only inches from his grasp.

“Rudra, why didn’t you protect me?”

“Saanvi…”

His voice trembled as he pulled himself up. His fingers reached forward. But again, the spark snuffed out. This time, he clearly felt a knee slam into his chest. His body hunched forward under the strike before he was thrown backward. His chest burned as blood splattered out of his mouth.

Rudranath lay on his back against the swamp. His eyes narrowed at the new spark coming to life ahead of him.

“Why did you let them take Aarohi away, Rudra?”

Rudranath shook his head. This voice was the same as his wife's, but it couldn’t be his wife. She would have never said such words. He crouched up, stepping slowly toward the spark. He didn’t reach for it this time. Instead, he kept looking at it. The spark faded within a moment, and a kick landed on his jaw, forcing him to his knees. Pain bolted through his skull. His vision went blurry.

Another spark was about to flare as a whisper slipped through his lips.

“What the hell?”

Saanvi’s voice came out giggling.

“Poor Rudra, you will die at this rate?”

Rudra’s gaze hardened. Saanvi would never giggle like that in this situation. He looked around expecting an attack, but it came from below. He felt a knuckle touching his chin—An uppercut. He braced his teeth as he expected to feel the pain next.

But nothing happened. His gaze looked at the fading spark. It had stopped fading. It was not even crackling. The spark hung motionless before him. The fist remained pressed against his chin. He could feel the warmth of it on his skin.

A familiar deep voice echoed in his head.

“Nikhilesh must be crying in hell now, seeing his descendant powerless in front of a mere Avasesha’s cry.”

The system screen appeared before his eyes.

[Annihitep is trying to force a communication through the seal.]

Time had stopped once again. But this time, even Rudranath was frozen inside it. He could neither move his muscles nor his eyes. A white silhouette came to life before his eyes—a human figure. White flames wrapped around his waist like a dhoti. His upper body was completely bare. He also had no mass in him, only detailed outlines.

“Annihitep…?”

Rudra finally found his voice. The dark world stayed frozen—but he alone found movement again. The silhouette turned to him with a wide grin.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, child.”

Rudranath stepped back. The knuckle that had touched his chin slid forward. He rushed forward and fell to his knees.

“You have saved my family that night…”

Tears were rolling down his cheeks.

“Help me save my daughter…”

Annihitep’s eyes narrowed. The smile on his face vanished. He pointed a finger at Rudranath.

“You think I am your guardian or something?”

Rudranath’s lips remained sealed. Annihitep stepped closer.

“You are the one who wants to save your family, not me.”

His eyes widened.

“But…”

The system interface showed the skill list once again.

[Soul Skills]

[Soul Skill 1: ???]

[Soul Skill 2: ???]

[Soul Skill 3: ???]

[Soul Skill 4: ???]

Annihitep leaned forward, pointing at the skill interface.

“See, you have what it takes to save your family yourself.”

Rudranath hurriedly tapped on the first skill. But nothing happened. His breathing quickened. He tapped on every skill, but the result was still the same—nothing. He snapped his head at Annihitep. The silhouette laughed out loud, tilting his head back.

“Hahaha! Look at you. So much for a descendant of Nikhilesh.”

Rudranath’s heart hammered against his ribs. His family was in trouble. He had no idea what to do. And now a silhouette stood before him, mocking him. He clenched his fist.

“Who the hell is Nikhilesh?”

But the moment those words escaped him, he realized his mistake. It felt like two invisible hands were squeezing his throat so hard that his life would snuff out any moment. Annihitep had snapped his fingers; his eyes were burning.

“Do not speak in an insulting tone while you speak that name, else…”

Rudra’s jaw opened wide. He was trying his best to draw in a breath. His face slowly turned pale. His eyelids grew heavier while his body writhed where he knelt. Annihitep’s voice hissed in his ears.

“Are you willing to lose everything to protect them?”

He wanted to say yes, but the words were trapped in his throat. He somehow managed a slight nod. The invisible grip around his throat loosened. Rudranath rubbed his throat. It was still aching as he drew in long breaths. His vision was spinning.

Annihitep placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Then stand up and find yourself first.”

But Rudranath could not feel his touch. He looked at the white hand on his shoulder. Annihitep tapped his shoulder twice, then phased through his body.

“What are you, child?”

Rudranath turned his head back. Annihitep was smiling again. His voice had softened.

“Are you a mere government officer who trained in martial arts for years?”

He met Rudranath’s gaze.

“Or are you the one for whom Nikhilesh had sacrificed himself?”