"Since the moment you two entered Uttar Pradesh, I had awakeners on your tail to check what you were up to," Rudra revealed, walking towards me. "I was thinking of some method to frame you for a crime and kill you, but then you offered me the opportunity yourself by entering that gate."

"Wh-why are you... going to such—cough... cough—lengths when this was... the first time... we met each other?" I asked, coughing blood from my internal injuries.

"Blame your brother for that. He humiliated me in front of the whole world five years ago. I'm merely taking my revenge," Rudra replied, reaching before me.

"But you... will be... jailed for life... on the charge of... murder. Is it worth it... spending your remaining life behind prison... for the sake of revenge?"

"Do you think the government can arrest me? I'm an S-Rank Awakener and a symbol of the power of this country. They do not have the guts to offend me."

The tip of his sword pointed at me, and in one swift motion, he thrust the sword forward to pierce my heart.

Just as the tip reached a nail's length from my skin, the sword stopped.

Rudra's shadow had physically materialised and coiled around his hand, stopping the blade from moving any further.

"Ha... haha... She finally decided to make a... move," I murmured, my blurry gaze fixed on the wall where she stood, commanding the shadow around Rudra's arm with her finger.

Her upper half was covered in a black leather jacket, with a bandeau top beneath, while she wore damaged black jeans on her legs.

Her forehead was covered in bangs, and her black hair was styled into a high ponytail.

Her eyes were still the same deep black as they were before I teleported to Vyoman.

"Shadow Monarch, what are you doing on my turf?" Rudra demanded, staring at Saya.

She raised her foot and descended from the high wall. When her feet touched the ground, no sound came, no dust spread. Her movements were so silent it felt like she wasn't even there.

"He has received his punishment for clearing the dungeon in your territory," Saya said, moving forward. "You will stop here, Sword King."

"Hah! Who gave you the right—"

The grip of the shadow on his arm suddenly tightened, turning it red from blood congestion.

An energy blade materialised along Rudra's free arm, and with a single swing, he severed the shadow and freed himself.

"Why are you interfering, Shadow Monarch?" Rudra demanded. "This has nothing to do with you."

"If you kill that man, the Blood Demon that has been sleeping for the past five years will wake up again," Saya declared, her face serious. "I don't think I need to explain what will happen then."

For just a split second, a wave of terror appeared on Rudra's face, and his body instinctively trembled before he immediately collected himself.

"I'm not afraid of him!" Rudra shouted. "His rank has been stagnant for many years. I surpassed him a long time ago!"

Saya stepped closer and stood between me and Rudra, asking, "Are you sure the reason behind his stagnant rank is because he is talentless, or..."

Taking a brief pause, she continued, "is it because he didn't choose to rank up?"

"Th-that's impossible!" Rudra stammered. "Do you think I'll get scared by your baseless bluffs!?"

"It's your choice whether to believe them or not," Saya calmly replied before turning to me.

"It hasn't even been a month since you woke up, and you're already in this condition?" Saya asked, looking at my battered body.

"Long time... no see," I murmured, a smile tugging at my injured face.

"How dare you turn your back on me!?" Rudra muttered and suddenly swung his sword in a horizontal slash.

"Hey, look out!"

In the blink of an eye, a circular sheet of shadow spread across the land, and from it several razor-thin energy bindings snapped into existence, wrapping around Rudra's sword and limbs like living restraints.

"You sure you want to fight me?" Saya demanded, a black aura radiating from her body.

"Don't look down on me, Shadow Monarch!" Rudra muttered, surging his Soulforce outward, which began slicing through the shadow bindings.

The pressure their Soulforce carried was so intense that the ancient ruins and historical mounds of Hastinapur began shaking.

Saya's black hair turned even darker and flowed violently, snapping the rubber band on her head, while Rudra's longsword shone blue and screeched like a beast unleashed.

Rudra attacked first—his move the same as when he descended his sword and sliced trees and ground alike.

Before the sword could fully descend, Saya coiled her fingers into a fist, and following her hand's movement, a fist of shadow emerged from the dark energy circle beneath and struck the blade from the side, shifting its trajectory toward old Hastinapur.

Several ruins and mounds were caught in Rudra's sword intent and broke apart.

"Hehe, her Soulforce reminds me of a familiar figure," I chuckled inwardly, leaning against the front half of the sliced car. "Oh, I shouldn't be glad. They just destroyed ancient ruins."

Saya flicked her index finger outward. In perfect synchronisation, the shadowy fist looming before Rudra mirrored the motion, its own index finger shooting forward and slamming into his body.

The impact sent Rudra flying toward the ruins of Hastinapur, where he crashed into a structure, breaking another historical monument.

At the same time, two shadow ribbons appeared from the ground and, forming a half-circular arc, grabbed Saya's hand from the front.

"Is she going to—"

Before I could complete my sentence, the ribbons stretched tight and launched Saya into the air toward Rudra, who had already risen to his feet on the other side.

Just as the two were about to clash again, a deep male voice echoed through the area.

"You are not allowed to fight here!"

The words sent a thick wave of Soulforce toward Rudra and Saya, immediately suppressing their power.

My eyes quickly scanned the area to locate the source of the voice.

Leaning against a ruined pillar, an old Brahmin sage wrapped in a ragged grey shawl sat. Instead of modern-day slippers or shoes, his feet were covered in paduka.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.