After those two wounded Grandmasters finally disappeared into the night sky, flying away with all the strength they had left, Eklavya stood still, watching their silhouettes shrink into the distance. One of them was an elder—a six-star Grandmaster—and the other was a core disciple of the sect, a one-star Grandmaster. Both were heavily injured, yet still fleeing with everything they had, their figures wobbling slightly as they crossed the canopy and vanished beyond the dark ridges of the forest.

  The storm clouds above had gathered once again, swallowing the moon little by little until the silver light dimmed completely. Only the rustling of wet leaves and the distant rumble of thunder filled the air.

  Anshvi stepped beside Eklavya, looking at his composed face. “Why did you let them go,” she asked softly, “instead of killing them?”

  Eklavya didn’t answer immediately. His eyes followed the fading shadows slipping between the black outlines of the trees. The clouds shifted again, covering the moon fully, leaving only faint starlight filtering through the gaps in the branches. The world around them grew darker, colder, and quieter. Then he exhaled slowly.

  He didn’t respond because the answer wasn’t simple—not something he wanted to explain in a single sentence. He had a broader plan, a burden he was going to carry alone. Killing those two might have solved the immediate threat, but it would have created an even greater disaster.

  If he killed them, more people would come searching. The sect would send not just Elders and core disciples, but Spirit Warriors, perhaps even someone above that level. It wouldn’t take long before Trapura City—his home—was dragged into the chaos. His clan, the ordinary families who lived peacefully, would suddenly find themselves entangled in a conflict they were never meant to touch. He did not want their lives destroyed because of him.

  Letting those two escape alive would at least serve one purpose: they would report back the strength that he and Anshvi possessed. When the sect leader heard that both a six-star Grandmaster and a one-star Grandmaster were defeated, he would not recklessly send more people in haste. He would be cautious, possibly delaying further pursuit.

  And even if the sect wanted revenge for the wounded Yong master’s lost arm, the fact remained—the arm could be regenerated using high-tier pills. Such pills were expensive, but not impossible for a powerful sect.

  Although Eklavya and Anshvi had killed several elders and inner disciples, which meant the matter was no longer small, Eklavya still hoped the delay would give them a chance to escape and return safely. The sect leader would undoubtedly mobilize everything he had to hunt them down, but at least he might assume that the two were not from Trapura City. That city, despite being one of the significant cities of the Mati Empire, did not have strong warriors capable of such feats.

  This assumption alone might help protect his home.

  …

  Once the dark sky fully covered the moon and only the faint blue glow of distant lightning flickered across the clouds, Eklavya and Anshvi began walking again. The forest was damp and silent, except for the soft squelch of their boots sinking into wet soil. They searched for a cave or some natural shelter where they could spend the night, as the air smelled heavily of another incoming wave of rain.

  Remembering the attack Anshvi had taken earlier to shield him, Eklavya glanced at her. “How’s your injury?”

  She smirked lightly, the expression almost playful even under the dim light. “It isn’t serious. I’ll recover by morning after some rest.” She stretched her shoulders a little and continued, “So… what are we going to do now? Since we let them run?”

  Eklavya looked straight ahead as they walked. “We wore masks the entire time. Only the Young Master of the Falling Leaf Sect and the four people who were with him that day know our faces. So they won’t find us easily unless those five personally search for us.”

  He paused briefly. “And I don’t think the sect will send anyone immediately. The two we let escape are injured—they’ll likely rest and return tomorrow. That gives us enough time to leave.”

  As he finished speaking, they reached a part of the forest where the trees suddenly thinned out, forming a natural opening. Through that gap, a shimmering silver surface appeared—reflecting the faint moonlight slipping through the clouds.

  It was a lake. The moment they stepped closer, they both paused and surprised by the beauty of the surroundings.

  The lake was large and serene, its water unbelievably clear even after the heavy rainfall. For a brief moment, the moon peeked through the cloud cover, and the pale silver rays fell upon the surface, making it ripple with soft, glowing light. Fireflies drifted lazily above the water, leaving trails of golden particles behind them. On the edges of the lake, delicate flowers glowed faintly—petals emitting their own cold luminescence like small moons floating on the grass.

  Near the shallow parts of the water, luminous aquatic plants shimmered beneath the surface, painting the lake in drifting shades of blue, green, and white. The entire scene looked otherworldly, like a place untouched by time, hidden in the embrace of nature.

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  Beside the lake stood a tall, straight mountain that looked as if it pierced the clouds. At its base was a cave, carved naturally into the stone. The entrance glowed softly with a rich green colour—caused by the clusters of luminous leaves growing around its corners. Every flutter of wind made the leaves glow a little brighter.

  “Let’s check that cave,” Eklavya said.

  They walked along the edge of the lake, their reflections trembling beneath them. As they reached the cave, they stepped inside and followed the passage. A sharp ninety-degree turn appeared just a few steps in, almost as if the cave was trying to hide its interior from the outside world. After the turn, the space opened a little, forming a shallow hollow.

  It wasn’t too deep, but it was enough to keep them safe from the wind and rain. The ground was uneven and cold, the stone floor still holding the chill of the mountain.

  Anshvi stood up and dusted the dirt from her clothes. “I’m going outside,” she said. “Don’t come out until I’m back.”

  Eklavya simply nodded. He understood exactly why she said that. They were both drenched in rainwater, mud streaked across their clothes, arms, and hair after all the fighting and running.

  He sat quietly inside the cave, listening to the faint sound of ripples as she entered the lake outside. After some time, soft footsteps echoed through the entrance. When he looked up, she was walking back in.

  Her hair, long and purple, was dripping with water as she wiped it with a towel. She had changed into clean clothes, and despite the exhaustion visible on her face, she seemed strangely fresh under the dim green glow of the luminous leaves.

  She walked toward a corner of the cave and began drying her hair. Eklavya watched her silently without realizing it. The droplets of water sliding down her hair caught the faint light, making each strand shimmer lightly. When she noticed him staring, she paused—and then smiled softly. It was a small smile, but one filled with quiet amusement. It was the first time she had seen him look at her like that.

  Eklavya snapped out of it, embarrassed, and quickly turned his face away. Without saying anything, he stood up and walked outside to take a bath of his own.

  He removed his shirt and dove into the lake. The cold water surrounded him instantly, washing away the dirt and sweat from his body. Even under the dim moonlight, his slim but well-built figure could be seen clearly—muscles shaped from countless hours of hard practice. Before he received the inheritance, he had been like any ordinary person with only below average talent. In this continent, people with above average talent were rare. Yet Eklavya had managed to keep up with average talented people through pure determination, relentless training, and endless struggle.

  Pills had never worked on him for breakthroughs. No one knew why, not even himself. So he had trained harder than everyone else ever could.

  After a long bath, he came out of the lake, droplets sliding down his skin. That was when he realized he had brought only one extra pair of clothes and he had already used it. He checked his storage ring, but there was nothing more inside.

  He sighed and checked his second ring—the three-coloured one he received from the Soul Power Token. It usually contained only techniques and martial arts manuals.

  But surprisingly, when he focused his ki into it, he found a set of clothes inside.

  Why would Arvah put clothes for him? And if they had been there before, why hadn’t he seen them until now? He pushed the question aside. It wasn’t the right time to overthink.

  The clothes were pale white with golden borders and soft to the touch, their texture different from normal cloth. When he held them against the faint light of the cave entrance, he noticed the threads shimmered faintly. It was no ordinary clothes, it was made up of Ki threads.

  Clothes made of ki thread were incredibly expensive. One meter of ki thread cost around three hundred medium grade spirit stones. To put it in perspective, a family of four could live comfortably for a year with five hundred low grade spirit stones—and a thousand low grade spirit stones made just one medium grade spirit stone.

  The reason the ki thread was so valuable was simple: it couldn’t be torn easily and rarely got dirty. It was both durable and refined, something only nobles or high-ranking warriors wore. He changed into the clothes and wiped the water from his hair and arms before stepping back inside the cave.

  The temperature had dropped significantly. The air was cold, the stone floor colder, and occasional gusts of wind slipped inside with the distant rumbling of thunder. The rain outside had started again, tapping against the leaves in rapid beats.

  Neither Eklavya nor Anshvi had brought a blanket. They hadn’t expected to stay outside this long. Being beside a lake, the cave was naturally colder than the forest around it. Eklavya didn’t hesitate this time. He reached into the three-coloured ring again, hoping for some miracle. And just like before, he found a blanket in it.

  They hadn’t been there earlier… yet they appeared the moment he needed them. The blanket was slightly larger than a single-person blanket, soft and thick.

  Eklavya stared for a long moment. “What is going on…?” he whispered. He shook his head lightly, grabbed the blanket, and offered it to Anshvi.

  She took it but looked at him with narrowed eyes. “And you?” Eklavya smiled faintly. “I don’t catch colds easily.” He wasn’t lying—but he also didn’t want her to suffer the cold.

  He walked toward the corner of the cave where the ground was slightly warmer and lay down. His face toward the stone wall. The soft green glow from the luminous leaves cast a gentle halo around the cave. As he closed his eyes, he heard soft footsteps. Anshvi approached slowly.

  She stood for a moment behind him, looking at his shoulder blades rising and falling with steady breaths. Then she smirked faintly, turned around, and lay down close beside him—close enough to share the blanket she had spread over both their bodies.

  “Don’t turn this side,” she whispered. Eklavya froze for a second, then nodded lightly. “Hmm.” He didn’t dare say anything else. He was too shy, too aware of the warmth radiating from her body through the soft fabric of the blanket.

  Outside, the storm continued.

  Rain poured relentlessly, drumming against the leaves. Thunder roared in the distance like a sleeping beast rumbling in its dreams. But inside the cave, not a drop of rain entered, and the thunder seemed far away—as if the cave itself shielded them from the world.

  Only the soft hum of fireflies remained, their tiny glowing bodies flickering around the luminous grass at the entrance. And within that quiet, protected space, two exhausted figures finally rested side by side, sharing warmth in the cold night—unknowingly drawing a little closer. The night deepened, peaceful and calm. And neither spoke another word until sleep took them.