Kaal lay quietly inside the dim cave, his body still aching but his maid restless. The conversation he had overheard earlier between Raj and Ravi kept echoing in his head. He could not shake off their words, especially when Ravi spoke about the Supremes.
Ravi's voice came back to him-cold, bitter, and heavy with truth:
"The first cracks appeared in the sky five hundred years... and with them came chaos. Humanity was crushed. Civilization collapsed. The world reached the brink of total destruction. But then... a few chosen humans received something new-the system. If gave them power, strength beyond imagination. Slowly, humans began to rise again. and from among them, ten of the strongest were chosen. They were called... the Supremes."
The word Supremes made Kaal shiver. He sat up slightly, whispering to himself, "Five hundred years? That's impossible. No human can live that long. The strongest people I've ever seen barely live past thirty years..."
Raj, who was sitting nearby, looked at him with calm eyes. "If is true, Kaal. The Supremes have ruled this world for over five centuries. They built their own kingdoms across absolute power. Only those with a System are allowed to enter their lands. The rest of humanity-the powerless-were cast to rot in hunger and despair. And the Supremes, they laugh at their suffering."
Ravi clenched his fists, his eyes burning with anger. "Disgusting monster! Feeding on the weakness of other... enjoying their pain."
Kaal looked at them both, confusion clouding his face. "But if you hate them so much... why are you both living behind walls? you have a system, don't you? If that's true, then you're no different from them"
Raj smiled faintly, but it wasn't a smile of pride-it was bitter. "No, Kaal. We don't have a system. If we did, we would have already been dragged into their kingdoms, forced to join their cruelty. The Supremes don't give you a choice. if you have a system, they claim you... or they kill you."
Kaal froze, his breath caught in his chest. "you... don't have System? Them how... how did you heal me so quickly? I still remember- when I was bleeding out, I saw a light from your hands. My wounds closed as if time itself revered."
Raj exchanged a quick look with Ravi. Ravi sighed and ran a hand through his messy hair. "That wasn't a System. That was the power of a mantra. You probably don't remember clearly because you were half-conscious... but yes, it was a mantra that healed you."
Kaal's eyes widened. "A mantra? I've seen my mother use something like that before... but she never explained what it was. What exactly is the power of mantra?"
For the first time, both Raj and Ravi fell silent. They glanced at each other, their faces tightening as if Kaal had touched upon a dangerous secret. Neither of them answered immediately.
Finally, Raj cleared his throat. "Enough for now. You're still weak, Kaal. Rest. These are thing you don't need to burden yourself with yet."
Kaal lay back down, but his mind refused to rest. Supremes... Too many questions circled in his head. In his frustration, he whispered inside his mind:
"Kapil... are they telling the truth? Are these Supremes really five hundred years old?"
The familiar calm voice of him System spirit, Kapil, echoed in his thoughts. Yes. They're not lying. You used your skill 'God's Eyes' when they spoke, didn't you? You already sensed the truth. they are right.
Kaal frowned. "Then tell me-what exactly is this System? What are these skills? And... my hand... where did they go? When I awakened, I had two other arms. They're gone now. Why?"
Kapil's tone grew more serious. Your body is still incomplete. What you saw before-those extra arms-was a manifestation of your power, but your current vessel couldn't sustain it for long. Until your body evolves further, that form will remain sealed. That's why your skills are temporarily inactive.
Kaal's eyes widened in shock. "Sealed? Evolved? What do you mean by that...?"
Kapil didn't reply immediately. His silence only deepened Kaal's unease.
The cave grew colder. The shadows pressed in closer. And for the first time, Kaal realized-this was only the beginning of truths far darker that he could imagine.