The night above Eastern Horizon Academy appeared peaceful.
Formation towers glowed softly across the mountains. Students moved through illuminated pathways while spiritual currents flowed calmly around the academy grounds.
Everything looked normal.
Yet atop the highest terrace—
Krishak stood silently beneath the stars with his hands behind his back. His silver-gray eyes remained fixed far beyond Earth's atmosphere.
He had already recognized it.
The moment that strange sensation brushed against his consciousness earlier—
He understood exactly what had awakened.
Not because he sensed it more sharply than others.
But because he had seen such existences long before this life began.
In his previous life—
As a peak Realm of Space-time Level standing near the peak of countless cultivation worlds—
Krishak had encountered civilizations erased overnight.
Ancient cosmic overseers.
Void-born observers.
Dimensional judgment systems.
Existences that viewed entire planets the same way humans observed insects beneath glass.
And now—
One of them had noticed Earth.
Or more specifically—
Noticed him.
Beside him, the unknown Saint quietly observed the night sky.
"You felt it too."
Krishak answered calmly.
"Yes."
The Saint narrowed his eyes slightly.
"You know what it is."
Not a question.
Krishak remained silent briefly.
Then gave the simplest possible answer.
"Something ancient."
That much was true.
The Saint studied him carefully afterward.
But Krishak's expression revealed nothing further.
Because there were truths humanity was not ready to hear yet.
Not the principal.
Not the Saints.
Not even his disciples.
Earth still believed Saints stood near the peak of cultivation.
They did not understand yet how insignificant Saint Realm truly was within the greater cosmos.
Krishak slowly looked upward again.
Far beyond the stars—
He could faintly sense the gaze lingering there.
Cold.
Detached.
Ancient beyond comprehension.
A lesser cultivator might have panicked.
But Krishak did not.
Because he understood something important.
The being watching Earth had only noticed irregularity.
Not certainty.
Not truth.
At least not yet.
The unknown Saint eventually spoke again.
"You seem unusually calm."
Krishak's gaze remained on the heavens.
"Panic solves nothing."
The Saint chuckled faintly.
"That answer sounds far older than your age."
Krishak simply smiled slightly.
If only the man knew how true that statement actually was.
Far below the terrace—
The academy remained alive with activity.
Students trained.
Instructors debated cultivation theory.
Young awakeners dreamed about future greatness.
Unaware that far beyond Earth—
Ancient eyes had already turned toward their world.
A communication formation suddenly activated nearby.
Arun's voice echoed urgently through the terrace.
"Master."
Krishak turned slightly.
"What happened?"
The respect in Arun's tone remained absolute despite the tension beneath it.
"Three public cultivation centers were attacked tonight."
Krishak's expression did not change.
He had already expected the first retaliation to begin.
"Locations?" he asked calmly.
"Europe. South America. Northern Asia."
Arun paused briefly.
"The attackers destroyed public cultivation libraries and targeted foundation instructors specifically."
The unknown Saint beside Krishak quietly narrowed his eyes.
Meanwhile, Krishak remained perfectly composed.
Because this too—
He had foreseen long ago.
Humanity's old cultivation powers were beginning to feel threatened.
And threatened powers always reacted the same way.
Not openly at first.
They attacked belief.
Systems.
Trust.
Meera's voice entered the communication formation next.
"Master… several organizations are already blaming anti-public cultivation factions publicly."
Rohon immediately followed afterward.
"The online networks are becoming chaotic."
Krishak quietly listened.
Then answered calmly:
"Do nothing publicly."
Silence followed instantly.
Then Rohon spoke again carefully.
"…Master?"
"They want instability," Krishak replied.
"They want emotional reactions."
"They want ordinary cultivators divided."
His voice remained steady.
"So we give them nothing."
Tara finally spoke quietly.
"…You already expected this outcome."
"Yes."
Of course he did.
Civilizations never changed peacefully.
Especially when power structures began collapsing.
The unknown Saint beside Krishak observed him silently now.
Perhaps realizing something strange.
Despite being twelve years old—
Krishak handled global pressure like someone who had watched countless civilizations rise and fall already.
The old Saint finally asked quietly:
"Who exactly are you?"
For the first time since arriving—
Krishak's eyes shifted slightly.
Then he calmly answered:
"A cultivator trying to prepare his world."
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
The answer sounded simple.
Yet for some reason—
The unknown Saint felt an inexplicable heaviness behind those words.
Far beyond Earth—
The unseen existence continued observing silently.
Ancient awareness stretched across the void while countless dimensional calculations unfolded around it.
And deep beneath the ocean floor—
The ancient dormant structure continued awakening slowly.
Its damaged systems flickered repeatedly while forgotten runes reignited after centuries of silence.
One command echoed endlessly through its ancient core.
"Evaluate planetary civilization trajectory."
"Determine deviation source."
Krishak already knew what it was.
An ancient civilization assessment mechanism.
One created by higher cosmic powers long before modern Earth even existed.
In his previous life—
Such systems were often sent toward developing worlds approaching dangerous evolutionary thresholds.
If judged worthy—
They were guided.
If judged unstable—
They were erased.
Krishak's gaze slowly lifted toward the distant stars again.
His expression remained calm.
But deep within his silver-gray eyes—
Ancient coldness flickered briefly.
This life belonged to Earth.
His disciples.
His people.
His civilization.
And unlike his previous life—
He had no intention of allowing anyone to decide humanity's fate again.