With time, everything changes… and so do people.
Seventeen years had passed since that fateful night, yet Dev still couldn't escape the grasp of his memories. Sitting by the riverbank, he gazed at the flowing water, lost in thought.
"One regret still haunts me... I was never strong enough to save you."
His voice carried the weight of sorrow as he spoke to Vasudev, who stood silently before him.
Vasudev was no longer a helpless child. Now seventeen years old, he gripped the sword his father had left behind, its weight a reminder of his legacy.
"It doesn't matter, Dev bhaiya… Everyone has the right to live, to be happy, to smile. But no one has the right to destroy the happiness of others."
As he spoke, he raised his sword toward the sky. The wind howled around him, his long, dark hair flowing wildly.
"I don't know if I will succeed or not… but I trust my father. If he believed in me, then I will make sure I prove him right."
Turning toward Dev, Vasudev gave a faint but determined smile.
"And you, Dev bhaiya… You did everything you could to protect me. That's what truly matters."
"Whether it's me, you, or anyone else… as long as we fight for this world, as long as we fight to protect others, that alone is enough reason for me to keep moving forward."
As soon as Vasudev finished speaking, a portal suddenly tore open before him.
"YOU ARE SUCH AN INTERESTING PERSON."
A girl stepped out of the swirling portal, her presence radiating an aura of mystery and immense power. Vasudev's expression hardened as he instinctively raised his sword.
"And who are you?"
His tone was sharp, filled with suspicion.
The girl took a step forward, her gaze unwavering.
"Me? Fight me first. Then we'll talk."
Seeing her confidence, Vasudev gripped his sword tighter.
"You seriously want to fight?"
The girl smirked.
"Any doubts?"
Vasudev let out a soft chuckle.
"Tathastu…"
With that single word, he lunged at her.
A Battle Begins
"LIGHTNING BLADES, ACTIVATE!"
The moment the girl uttered those words, her speed tripled. She charged toward Vasudev like a lightning bolt.
"Hah… That's all?"
Vasudev smirked, sidestepping her attack with ease. In a flash, he countered, his sword slashing toward her.
"IGNIS!"
The girl froze mid-motion, her body locked in place.
"W-What is this?! My body… I can't move!" she snarled, struggling.
"This is the power of my sword. It doesn't just cut… it controls."
Vasudev's voice was calm, confident.
"No one has ever broken free from my Ignis technique."
Just as he finished speaking—
A blinding golden light erupted from the girl, sending shockwaves through the air.
"When your enemy is behind you… don't turn your back on them."
Her voice came from behind Vasudev.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
"W-What?! She… bypassed my technique?!"
For the first time, doubt flickered in his mind.
"Give up. Your strength is nothing compared to mine."
A crimson aura erupted from the girl's body, distorting the air around her.
But Vasudev refused to yield.
"Absolutely not!"
His sword blazed with energy as he charged forward with everything he had.
A sudden red flash illuminated the battlefield—
"AMENTIS!"
The girl's voice rang out like an unbreakable law.
Vasudev's entire body froze, his consciousness spiraling into a void. Before he even realized it—he had collapsed.
"Vasu!" Dev shouted, rushing toward him.
The girl landed softly, watching Vasudev without emotion.
"Relax. He'll be fine in a moment."
She waved her hand slightly.
"DECLINE."
A sudden jolt of energy surged through Vasudev, and he gasped, struggling to sit up.
"W-What did you do to me? My body… feels different."
Before he could process it, the girl stepped closer, her gaze piercing into his soul.
"YOU REALLY ARE INTERESTING…"
She studied him before speaking—
"Do you truly wish to save this world? Answer in a single word."
Vasudev didn't even blink.
"YES!"
The girl sighed.
"Then you must become stronger. You fought me just now. Be honest—do you believe you could win?"
Vasudev clenched his fists.
"I don't care if you're a DEVIL, a GOD, or something else entirely… If you threaten this world, I will fight you with everything I have!"
With renewed determination, he attacked once again.
This time, the girl's face hardened.
"Foolish."
She stopped his blade with a single finger.
"You still don't understand… There exist forces far beyond your comprehension. Compared to them… you are nothing."
But Vasudev refused to give in. His eyes burned with unwavering resolve.
"Then I will surpass them all!"
Once again, he charged forward.
For the first time, the girl looked uneasy, as if something urgent was calling her.
"I don't have time for this… and you won't listen otherwise."
She rose into the air, her eyes glowing like burning stars.
"KAAL CHAKRA… FIRST SEAL: RELEASE!"
Lightning crashed from the sky as fourteen mystical rings formed around her. Each one pulsed with unimaginable energy.
"Release!"
The rings began to rotate at blinding speed around Vasudev.
One ring moved above him.
One ring moved below him.
The remaining twelve rings surrounded him in a perfect sphere.
The ground shook violently as Vasudev was lifted into the air.
"CREATION… DESTRUCTION!"
The fourteen rings connected, forming a bipyramidal structure around him.
The girl narrowed her eyes.
"There's… something inside of him."
Suddenly, a bright light exploded from Vasudev's chest.
A massive YETI emerged, its presence overwhelming.
The girl's eyes widened in shock.
"Who… are you?"
The Yeti bowed slightly.
"I am Volacno, Supreme Commander of the Ice Element."
Before the girl could react, a deep, chilling voice echoed behind her.
"You saved Vasudev so quickly…! UNEXPECTEDLY, EXPECTED…"
Suddenly, a golden streak of light burst into existence. A man emerged, holding a radiant golden sword in his hand.
His face bore a mysterious smirk, and his very presence sent an unsettling aura rippling through the air.
"You…!"
The girl's eyes widened in shock as she took a step back.
The man chuckled, his gaze locking onto hers.
"Yes… who else could it be?"
His voice echoed through the battlefield, carrying a sense of inevitability.
"FORMER SQUAD CAPTAIN, VORRATH!"
The girl uttered his name in fear, her voice barely above a whisper.
At that moment, a familiar voice called out from behind her.
"Samriddhi, fall back!"
The moment she heard the voice, Samriddhi's entire body stiffened with fear. A cold sweat ran down her spine. She was so shaken that she couldn't even move.
"Y-Yes, CAPTAIN!"
Without hesitation, she rushed to Vasudev's side.
"SHIELD, FROSTWARD!"
As soon as Samriddhi spoke, a protective barrier formed around the riverbank.
On one side stood Samriddhi, Vasudev, and the others.
On the opposite side, stood Vorrath and the mysterious man, their gazes locked in a deadly standoff.
The stranger stepped closer to Vorrath, his eyes gleaming with an eerie white glow.
"Impressive… 'FORMER SQUAD CAPTAIN, VORRATH'! I didn't expect this from you!"
The man's tone was mocking, yet strangely amused.
He was clad in a deep crimson robe, and right at its center, a black gemstone pulsed ominously—its dark energy distorting the air around it.
Vorrath's expression remained unreadable as the man approached.
"RETREAT!"
As soon as Vorrath spoke the command, multiple purple portals materialized across the battlefield.
The man's smirk deepened.
"CAPTAIN OF THE ZERO SOCIETY, MR. ABINASH… I never expected you to arrive here personally."
Before anyone could react—Vorrath vanished, disappearing into one of the portals.
The moment Vorrath left, Samriddhi lowered the barrier and immediately ran toward Avinash, her face filled with guilt.
"CAPTAIN, please forgive me! I should never have come here alone!"
Avinash simply let out a booming laugh.
"You did the right thing, Samriddhi. If not, this situation might have been far worse."
With that, he turned and began to walk away.
Meanwhile, Vasudev was still trapped within the BIPYRAMIDAL CHAMBER, the mysterious energy binding him.
Avinash stopped for a moment and gave a final command—
"Samriddhi, take them all to the SOCIETY.
THE WAR BEGINS NOW…!"
Who exactly is Avinash? And why is Vasudev so important?
Stay tuned for the next chapter of The Infinite Emperor!