Location: N.D.A.I. Strategic Command Center, New Delhi
Time: 09:30 AM
Date: November 28, 2025
Nearly 200 feet underground, the air pressure inside the high-tech N.D.A.I. command center was noticeably different from the surface. Massive holographic screens displayed the 3D layout of New Delhi, real-time mana-density graphs, and synchronized traffic flow.
The room was filled with the nation's top military generals and tech-mages, but the authority was centered entirely on the 24-year-old Sovereign standing at the main table. Adiraj's eyes scanned the map with surgical precision. Beside him, Aaryan (his brother-in-law) stood with folded arms, while Shiva sat in a nearby chair, casually sipping black coffee. Despite Shiva's calming 'Aura of Hope,' the beads of sweat on the generals' foreheads were clearly visible.
A general stepped forward to present a file. "Sir, for December 4th, we have divided Central Delhi into three zones. Civilian movement on VIP routes will be blocked, and we will impose a 24-hour curfew on the main highways—"
"This plan is garbage," Adiraj's cold, cutting voice interrupted the general mid-sentence. He dropped the file onto the table without even opening it.
Silence fell over the room. Adiraj zoomed in on the holographic map. "A leader's job is not to spread fear, but to eliminate it. If we clear the streets, set up barricades, and impose curfews just because 40 S-Rankers are arriving, what message does that send to the world and our citizens? It says we are afraid. Security should not be 'Visible'... it must be 'Invisible'."
The Biological Threat
Adiraj turned to the N.D.A.I. chief tech-mage. "Your greatest threat isn't terrorists. It is the Passive Mana Radiation emitted by these 40 S-Rankers. When monsters like Mason Steele (20 Billion MP) or Victor Stellar (298 Million MP) breathe the air of Delhi, their auras will physically replace the oxygen, drastically increasing the mana density. An ordinary human's lungs cannot filter mana at that concentration. They will suffer cardiac arrest while simply walking down the street."
The room went cold. This was a pure biological and physical threat the military had failed to account for.
"At midnight," Adiraj continued, highlighting the underground metro network, "we will install Magitech Mana Siphons in all ventilation shafts and tunnels under the guise of maintenance. These machines will pull the heavy mana from the surface and discharge it underground. The air civilians breathe must remain pure."
The tech-mage asked hesitantly, "But Sir... Mason Steele's 20 Billion MP? The Siphons will incinerate trying to absorb that much energy."
"They don't need to absorb it," Adiraj replied with cold calculation. "Redirect it. Set the magnetic frequencies to bind that 20B radiation into an invisible 'Slipstream'—a tube that pushes the mana directly into the stratosphere. From the ground up to a height of 15 feet, the air must remain completely normal."
The Camouflage Strategy
Aaryan stepped forward, opening the traffic control grid. Despite being Unawakened, his mind operated like a supercomputer.
"Civilian disturbance during VIP movement must be zero," Aaryan stated in a sharp tone. "I am syncing the Asura Guild hackers with the Delhi Traffic AI. When a foreign S-Ranker leaves the airport for their hotel, the AI will automatically set the next three signals on their route to 'Green.' Their convoy will move through ordinary traffic in a smooth flow at 70 km/h. No sirens, no roadblocks. The S-Rankers will see a flawless system, and the public will think they just passed a standard VIP."
Adiraj gave a slight nod. It was the perfect camouflage.
The Death Ring
"Now, for the borders," Adiraj adjusted the map to a 20-kilometer radius. "Aaryan and I will handle the interior, but a Hell Gate opening on the outskirts would alert the S-Rankers inside. That would be a stain on our absolute security."
Adiraj divided the border into three sectors. "The Elite forces of the Top 3 Guilds will form a 'Death Ring.' Garud Vajra will cover the western industrial borders. Asura's elites will set ambushes in densely populated zones. And Karn has already ordered the Red Wings elites to lock down aerial routes and highways."
"We have activated Mana-Seismographs along the perimeter," Adiraj explained. "Before a Hell Gate forms, space begins to tear. The temperature drops by exactly 5 degrees, and local gravity fluctuates by 0.001%. The moment a sensor detects these fluctuations, the nearest elite team will deploy a 'Sound & Space Isolation Barrier.' The gate will open, the monsters will emerge, and they will be turned to ash without a single sound reaching the city. The world won't even know they existed."
Shiva set his coffee cup down. "Phase 1 is locked. Delhi won't even realize the massive web of death surrounding it."
Adiraj's eyes remained fixed on the holographic screen. "This is only the beginning."
Chapter Summary
Invisible Security: Adiraj rejects visible military presence in favor of a covert, high-tech approach to maintain public morale.
Passive Mana Management: The introduction of Magitech Mana Siphons to redirect Mason Steele's lethal passive radiation into the stratosphere.
The Green Wave: Aaryan uses AI synchronization to move S-Rankers through Delhi traffic without disrupting civilian life.
The Death Ring: A joint operation between Garud Vajra, Asura, and Red Wings to eliminate Hell Gates on the border using Sound & Space Isolation Barriers.
Mana-Seismographs: A tactical explanation of how Hell Gates are detected via temperature and gravity fluctuations before they manifest.
Status Log
Current Location: N.D.A.I. Strategic Command Center, New Delhi.
Adiraj's MP: 255 Million (S-Rank).
Shiva's MP: 288 Million (S-Rank).
Aaryan's Status: Lead Strategist (Unawakened).
Mason Steele's MP: 20 Billion (SS-Rank - Threat Analysis).
Countdown: 6 Days until the Gathering.