-------------🙏"Namaste"🙏-------------
A fierce glare passed between Raju and Shiven, each recognizing the intensity in the other's eyes.
"Kamna," Shiven spoke with determination, his voice firm. "You don't need to defeat him, just hold him back. And I believe you are best at it."
Kamna nodded, fully understanding her role in the upcoming clash. Activating the power of the nama energy within her blades, she charged at Updesh, whose daggers were brimming with pulsating energy.
Simultaneously, Shiven channeled his focus into khavyakta, and an inventory hole emerged out of his wrist to return his sword. He prepared to engage Raju in combat with his bare hands, ready to deliver calculated strikes. Raju's teeth clenched in frustration, his anger fueling his determination not to show the slightest bit of mercy to Shiven. The air crackled with tension as the two adversaries stood face to face, their fierce determination mirrored in their eyes.
The battle erupted into a frenzy of fierce blows, Kamna and Updesh clashed with dazzling energy, their movements swift and precise. Each strike exchanged between the opposing forces glowed like radiant stars. Meanwhile, Shiven's superior agility overwhelmed Raju, as he unleashed a relentless barrage of attacks from every direction, leaving Raju struggling to evade, his options limited to blocking. However, the attacks weren't doing much damage to Raju.
Amidst the ferocious battle, Raju found himself facing an emotional turmoil that distracted him from the fight. Childhood memories flooded his mind, bringing back the tragic loss of his mother due to a curable illness they couldn't afford to treat. In that moment, he reconsidered his position and contemplated what he could do now, finding himself in a similar desperate situation.
Suddenly, Raju's emotions took a decisive turn, igniting a newfound determination within him. This pushed him to harness the untapped potential of the Nama energy concealed within his gauntlets. With a surge of energy, the gauntlets became lighter and more potent than ever before.
For the first time, Raju unleashed the might of the Nama energy, using it to fuel his resolve and strength, ready to turn the tide of the battle in his favor.
Amidst the relentless assault from Shiven, Raju mustered every ounce of his strength and forcefully slammed both his hands into the ground, activating the dormant Nama energy within his gauntlets. The resulting impact unleashed a formidable wave of force that caught Shiven off guard, just as he was about to land a blow, sending him hurtling backward.
In the blink of an eye, Shiven regained his composure and swiftly launched another assault. However, Raju's newfound power allowed him to effortlessly block Shiven's advances and respond with a thunderous counterattack. The sheer force of Raju's blow sent Shiven reeling backward, stumbling all the way to the gate of the living room.
Shiven, fully aware of Raju's newfound power, quickly seized Nikhil's chakram and charged at Raju with renewed determination. Each strike intensified the battle, and it seemed that Raju had gained the upper hand, overwhelming Shiven with his increased strength. However, Shiven persisted, launching his own attacks and countering Raju's onslaught with patience and resilience.
Surprised by Shiven's endurance, Raju expressed his frustration, "Why can't you understand? If you don't stop, I'm ready to kill you."
In response, Shiven calmly stated, "What you're trying to do is wrong, and I can't stand by while I have taken responsibility."
Raju, dismissing Shiven's words, retorted, "You're just a child. You don't know anything about responsibility or," Raju's frustration found its way as he landed a powerful blow, he continued, "what is right and wrong."
Unfazed, Shiven regained his sitting position and replied, "So you think stealing someone's things is not wrong?" His voice filled with disappointment.
Raju, growing increasingly frustrated, landed another powerful punch on Shiven as he finished his words, sending him sprawling backward. Raju yelled, "It's a world where everybody robs each other in their own way. Some do it through legal means, while others resort to illegal ways. We're doing the same, just in our own way."
Shaken but resolute, Shiven struggled to regain his balance and stood up, declaring, "Maybe you're right. Everybody is robbing each other. But..." He paused, gathering his strength. "What you're trying to do is no different. If you can't stand against it, then you have no right to complain."
The intensity of the fight escalated as their perspectives clashed against each other. Raju began to view Shiven as a formidable threat, understanding that he needed to do everything in his power to defeat him. Exerting every ounce of energy from his weapon, Raju pushed himself to overwhelm Shiven in a battle that would determine their fate.
After a few clashes, Shiven found himself overwhelmed by Raju's relentless assault, enduring each blow as best he could. Raju launched attacks wherever he could see Shiven, Shiven dodged some attacks, countered a few, and even took a few painful blows in the process. However, as Shiven observed the fading Nama energy in Raju's gauntlets, an opportunity presented itself in his mind.
Seizing the moment, Shiven discarded the chakrams, returning them to the living area, and closed the distance to Raju. With precise timing, he countered Raju's first blow with his bare left fist, directing Raju's punch downward, resulting in a fatal exchange. Upon contact with the metal, some of Shiven's fingers broke, but he endured the pain without showing any outward expression. The clash made Raju lose his balance, causing his fist to fall down. Instinctively, Raju launched his right fist.
Swiftly evading the second blow, Shiven used a kick from Raju's blind spot, aiming for his head, leaving Raju with no chance to evade or block. However, Raju instinctively caught Shiven's leg. Unperturbed, Shiven launched another kick, but Raju managed to catch his other leg with his other hand.
Intending to break his bones, Raju tightened his grip, but as he failed to elicit any sign of pain from Shiven, he couldn't help but wonder about the resilience of this child. He questioned whether Shiven had grown accustomed to enduring pain or simply chose not to show any signs of it.
As Raju shook Shiven, preparing to smash him into the ground, Shiven drew his sword from khavyakta while suspended in the air. He launched a deadly strike, aiming for Raju's vulnerable brain. Caught off guard, Raju found himself unable to respond, unknowingly providing Shiven with an advantageous position.
However, in an unexpected turn of events, a kunai flew out from behind, evading Shiven's attack. It was meant for Kamna, but she had dodged it, inadvertently diverting the weapon towards Shiven. Raju swiftly released his grip on Shiven's legs, and as Shiven descended to the ground, Raju seized him by the neck, suspending him in the air.
Shiven's meticulously planned and executed strategy, which had required sacrificing his fingers, was shattered by the unforeseen intervention of the kunai. Raju didn't waste a moment to contemplate or question. With a powerful punch, he sent Shiven hurtling back, crashing into the hillside.
Shiven was left grappling with a multitude of questions. Exhausted, he pondered his next move, his body weary and heavy from the relentless battle. He reasoned, "What should I do? My body is tired, fighting with it feels like maneuvering a statue. It weighs me down, and after one blow, taking any further hits would leave me vulnerable. I can endure it, but it would require days of rest."
Shifting his mindset to a more ominous tone, Shiven contemplated the worth of killing Raju to save the precious herbs. He questioned himself, "Should I truly take his life for the sake of preserving the herbs? Is it an action worth making?"
As Shiven reasoned with himself, Raju closed the distance between them, determined to deliver a fatal blow. Concentrating all his remaining energy of the gauntlet to release in one blow, Raju aimed a powerful punch at Shiven's face. However, his attack was swiftly countered by a precisely thrown chakram from Nikhil. Another chakram followed, targeting Raju in a circular motion. Raju anticipated the return of the previous chakram and another one coming from the side, prompting him to take measured steps backward.
Nikhil still had pain in his left leg, making it difficult for him to stand or put weight on it. Despite this, he felt angry and frustrated.
Observing Nikhil's growing frustration, Shiven realized that something was bothering him, likely related to Shiven's fighting style. Shiven's eye contact with Nikhil reminded him of a valuable teaching from his dad. He recalled the memory of his dad sitting next to him, explaining, "Shiven, fights aren't good; that's an idiotic way to solve things. You should always try to prevent a fight from happening and do what you can to avoid it... But just before the fight starts. If a fight does start, it will eventually end. In that moment, you must only focus on achieving a favorable outcome. No room for hesitation, doubts, or reasoning. Just concentrate on the fight, nothing more." Shiven stood up with newfound clarification, muttering his dad's words, "It's a fight, and I have to fight, nothing more."
With a mischievous grin on his face, Raju swiftly redirected his focus towards Nikhil, charging at him with determination. But as Raju reached halfway, he encountered Shiven in his path, a formidable figure brandishing his gleaming sword with unwavering determination to attack. Shiven's eyes blazed with fierce resolve as he unleashed a relentless barrage of strikes, each aimed precisely at Raju's gauntlets, testing his defense to the limit.
Raju, skilled and agile, countered the strikes one by one, but he couldn't help but feel the growing strength behind Shiven's attacks. With each strike, Shiven seemed to tap into an unseen reservoir of power, intensifying the force behind his blows. Raju's gauntlets, once charged with boundless energy, now showed signs of depletion, the once mighty boost slowly diminishing.
In that moment, Raju could only rely on his own dwindling physical strength, a stark realization that the tide of the battle was turning against him. His heart raced as he sought a way to break through Shiven's formidable offense while defending against the relentless onslaught. The clash of metal echoed through the air, and beads of sweat trickled down Raju's forehead, a testament to the immense pressure he faced.
Shiven's focus remained unwavering as he honed in on the target - Raju's gauntlets. Aligning his sword with the center of his body, the blade parallel to his nose, he visualized the nama energy in sword. A faint glow appeared, flowing in every direction, like a dance of ethereal light.
With each strike, Shiven's mastery over the nama energy grew, and he felt the connection between himself and the sword deepen. Concentration etched on his face, with a few strikes, he created a visible crack in Raju's once impregnable gauntlets. The energy of his strike reverberated through the air, a testament to his newfound understanding and determination.
As the battle raged on, Shiven's superior agility came to the forefront. He moved like a swift gust of wind, maneuvering around Raju's defenses and leaving scratches on his knees, causing him to falter and bow down under the relentless assault.
But Shiven wasn't finished yet. With precision, he struck the hilt of his sword against a pressure point on Raju's head, rendering him unconscious, his body giving in to the overwhelming force of the strike. Raju, defeated and dazed, had no choice but to accept the outcome.
Meanwhile, Updesh's agility was starting to fade away, and he was left with minimal energy. Kamna, who was more energetic and agile, continued to dodge and strike when needed. Updesh realized that he had to act swiftly before he lost the battle. Formulating a plan, he executed it, but Kamna was not easily deceived. She unleashed an unexpected series of attacks, leaving Updesh vulnerable. Putting himself at risk, Updesh resorted to using an explosive bomb. The blast pushed both of them back, rendering Updesh unconscious, while Kamna remained conscious but unable to stand due to her injuries.
In the midst of Shiven's strike at Raju, he was struck by an energy bullet from a figure standing on the edge of the hill. It was Tanuj who had returned to assist his friend, making a timely entrance.
----: End of the Chapter:----
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