The air was heavier here than in the city. Someone was walking — and on his back lay two unconscious children.
Ashwatthama…
"I thought these kids were full of enthusiasm. But after walking just a little, they both fainted. I can't even imagine what all they've been through…"
In the next second, Ashwatthama vanished from his spot.
He began leaping across rooftops, and within moments, reached a riverbank. He gently laid the two children on the ground and sat nearby to meditate.
---
A few moments later…
Yash opened his eyes. He looked at his hands.
"Was… was this a nightmare? Everything until now…?"
Suddenly, his eyes fell on Ishan, who was still unconscious.
Yash shook his shoulder, panic in his voice.
"Ishan! Get up… get up!! The monsters — they'll kill us!"
Ishan stirred, clutching his head.
"Ugh… why is my head hurting so much?"
Just then, Ashwatthama appeared behind them.
Ashwatthama (smiling softly):
"At last… you're both awake."
Yash and Ishan immediately bombarded him with questions.
"Who are you?!"
Ashwatthama chuckled and said:
"Remember…"
In that moment, the memories of their fight with the mantis monster came flooding back.
Ashwatthama smiled.
"You two were walking so confidently… but after surviving seven days without food or water — constantly running for your lives — your bodies finally gave up. You both fainted and collapsed. So I brought you here myself. Well… at least it saved time."
Yash and Ishan looked around, confused.
"But… there's nothing here!?"
Ashwatthama laughed lightly.
"Gurukul — The Ancient Academy — is a different world altogether. Only a few can enter it. Thousands of years ago, this place was known as 'The Mysterious Realm of Earth.'"
"But over time, both its name and the existence of Aura Energy faded into legend."
Suddenly, Ishan asked:
"You mean… the Aura Energy that recently appeared… it existed before too?"
Ashwatthama turned to him and nodded.
"Yes. It did. But due to certain reasons, it vanished over time. You'll learn everything… when the time is right."
Yash and Ishan nodded quietly.
Ashwatthama:
"Now, you must accept me as your master — only then can you become part of Gurukul: The Ancient Academy."
Yash and Ishan looked at him, unsure.
"What do you mean?"
Ashwatthama:
"No one can enter Gurukul unless they have a bond with someone already part of it."
The boys looked at each other — then slowly nodded.
They didn't fully understand what to do… but suddenly, their mother's words echoed in their minds:
"If you ever accept someone as your master — treat them as your father."
Moved by instinct, both knelt before Ashwatthama.
They touched his feet and said together:
"Master… from this moment, we will follow your guidance. We will learn all that you teach us. Your words will be our command."
Ashwatthama smiled with pride.
"Excellent. It seems… I've finally found worthy disciples."
He turned around, placed his hands above his head, and began chanting a mantra.
Suddenly, his hands began to glow with a blue light — and the very air around him began to tremble.
Then, he thrust his hand forward — a flash of light erupted, and a storm-like force swirled around him.
It felt like the air itself was being sliced apart.
Yash and Ishan stared in awe.
Then — a crack appeared in the air.
Space had opened.
Ashwatthama looked over his shoulder at them. The wonder in their eyes made him smile again.
"Follow me. You're about to taste life beyond the limits of this world."
And with that, he stepped into the crack in space.
Yash and Ishan sat frozen for a moment.
Then they looked at each other, held hands —
and stepped forward…
Into the unknown.
As soon as they entered the space crack, both Yash and Ishan closed their eyes. A blinding light forced them to shield their faces with their hands. But then, they realized something strange — their bodies had become weightless.
They opened their eyes in astonishment, and the sight before them left them speechless.
Yash: "Is… is this real!?"
Ishan: "It feels like we've entered heaven while still alive."
Ashwatthama: "Look ahead."
Yash and Ishan turned their gaze forward and immediately exclaimed together,
"Wow… those mountains are touching the sky!"
Ashwatthama: "This world is different from Earth.
From the Forest of Life to the Veils of Death, everything existed here. The aura of this world never fully vanished — it weakened, yes, but never disappeared. That's why the animals here evolved into Chakra Beasts."
Yash and Ishan (in shock): "Chakra Beasts!?"
Ashwatthama: "The creatures you were calling 'monsters' back there were aura-evolved beasts. If they awakened their own spiritual consciousness, they evolved into Chakra Beasts — beings who could cultivate chakra and grow more powerful."
Yash and Ishan scratched the backs of their heads and asked curiously,
"Master, what exactly is chakra?"
Ashwatthama (smiling): "Follow me."
He started walking ahead, and Yash and Ishan followed closely behind.
Suddenly, a massive shadow blocked the sunlight from above. Yash and Ishan looked up instantly.
It was an eagle... but something was off. Its size was nearly 100 times larger than a normal eagle. The wind created by its wings shook the trees below; the entire area felt like the beginning of a storm.
Yash (in awe): "Master… is this what a Chakra Beast looked like?"
Ashwatthama (with a small chuckle): "Yes, but this was the lowest-ranked one."
Yash and Ishan (shocked): "What… seriously!?"
Ashwatthama: "Yes."
Just then, they noticed something — two children sparring in armor with swords a little ahead.
They observed closely — one was a boy, the other a girl.
Suddenly, the girl noticed them, sheathed her sword, and waved her hand, calling out,
"Master! We're over here!"
Yash (asking Ashwatthama): "Master, who were they?"
Ashwatthama: "Before bringing you two here, I visited another city. That was where I found them. The boy's name was Kavir, and the girl was Asha."
Ishan: "Was there anyone else here besides us?"
Ashwatthama: "No one else. The Gurukul had no connection to the real world. That was why we couldn't bring too many people."
Asha came running toward them,
"Master! Who were these two boys?"
Ashwatthama: "They were your new companions. His name was Yash, and this was Ishan."
Asha smiled at them and said cheerfully,
"Hello Yash and Ishan bhaiya! I'm Asha. I'm happy to meet you both. Now we'll all grow stronger together!"
Yash (smiling back): "That's great! We're a team now!"
Then Ishan asked,
"What about that boy — Kavir — why didn't he come talk to us?"
Asha: "Actually, Kavir bhaiya didn't talk to anyone anymore."
Yash: "Why? What happened?"
Asha was silent for a moment, then said softly,
"He believed that it was his fault that his parents died. And now he was afraid that anyone he grew close to might also get hurt. That was why he stopped speaking to people."
Yash (after a thoughtful pause): "Honestly… none of our lives were the same anymore."
Just then, Ashwatthama cleared his throat, quieting everyone. He gestured to Kavir to come over.
Kavir: "Master, did you call me?"
Ashwatthama: "Yes. Yash asked me earlier — what was chakra? So today, I was going to explain that."
Even Kavir and Asha seemed intrigued, as if they had never been told this before. Curiosity was clearly evident on their faces.
Ashwatthama led them all to sit under a large mango tree.
"Sit down."
Everyone sat down beneath the tree. By now, night had fallen.
The moon shone brightly in the center of the sky.
Ashwatthama started explaining:
"In the human body, there were seven chakra pillars, which could be unlocked by cultivating the human aura. Each pillar had the potential to increase your power a million times."
Suddenly, Ishan asked,
"Did that mean we could cultivate them and break past our human limits!?"
Ashwatthama (smiling):
"You could go beyond your human limits — rise above ordinary humans."
"Now, I would tell you about the seven stages of the chakra..."
To be continued...