The night was quiet—but not peaceful.
Deep inside the misty woods that bordered Sector 5, Aryan sat cross-legged beneath an ancient banyan tree, its roots curling like veins into the ground. The glow of his **Brahma Vajra mark** pulsed on his forehead. He could feel the energy inside him growing—slowly, but surely.
But something was off.
He wasn't alone.
---
### **Scene 1: An Unexpected Visitor**
A shadow flickered. A soft crunch of leaves.
> **Aryan (calmly):** "You've been following me since morning. Show yourself."
From the mist stepped a young girl, no older than Aryan—dark maroon hair, twin daggers at her side, and eyes that flickered like embers.
> **Girl:** "You passed the first two floors of *that* temple. You're not normal."
> **Aryan (dryly):** "Neither are you. Who are you?"
She hesitated, then unsheathed one dagger and pressed it lightly against her palm. Blood dripped into the soil.
> **Girl:** "I'm Yasha. Exiled heir of Sector 3. I seek power… like you. And I offer a pact."
---
### **Scene 2: The Pact of Blood**
The moment Aryan accepted her offer, a mark formed on his hand—glowing red. The pact was sealed.
They were now **linked by Qi**—able to sense each other's presence, pain, and even short glimpses of thought.
> **Yasha:** "This bond doesn't make us friends. Just allies. You survive—I survive."
> **Aryan:** "Good. I'm not looking for friends. Just revenge."
---
### **Scene 3: Training Begins**
The following days were brutal.
Yasha was a speed-based assassin cultivator, having mastered the **2nd stage of the Soul Realm**. She trained Aryan relentlessly in combat tactics, body movement, and sensing hostile Qi.
> **Yasha (kicking Aryan's shoulder):** "Too slow! You've got power but no instinct. That'll get you killed."
Aryan coughed blood but stood again.
> **Aryan (panting):** "Then I'll learn. Beat me until I'm faster."
Day after day, bruises became reflex. Pain became progress.
By the end of the week, Aryan's movements were sharper. His **Future Sight** helped him dodge attacks a split second before they landed. The glow of the Vajra mark had begun to seep into his muscles.
---
### **Scene 4: The Brutality Beyond**
Far from the woods, in a forgotten underground chamber, a hooded figure stood before a sealed statue.
He raised his hand, drenched in blood.
> **Villain (smiling coldly):**
> "Two have awakened. The first floors stir. Good… Let them grow. Let them crawl. When the 9th opens, I'll be waiting… to erase them."
Behind him, **rows of corpses** hung from chains—each a failed attempt to recreate divine power.
His name was still unknown. But soon, all five sectors would hear of the **Devourer of Qi**.
---
### **Final Scene: Aryan's Vow**
That night, beneath the moon, Aryan carved a line on a tree bark with his blade.
> **Aryan (to himself):**
> "I was broken… discarded… forgotten. But now I rise. Floor
by floor. Realm by realm."
**To be continued in Chapter 7: The Devourer Awakens