...

  The Kaalminar Auction House, nestled in the lap of Indrasan mountain...

  Now, light snow flurries had begun on its upper platform.

  The flurries augmented the commotion, and the sounds of footsteps intensified, along with people's astonishment...

  What was before them was so bizarre, so difficult to reconcile, that they couldn't grasp what to say.

  "So... this is what caused the entire Kaalminar to shake?!"

  Tushar's voice was certainly skeptical, because what stood before his eyes was an injured boy, not some Supreme-Level Fighter.

  "The power resides in this butterfly, not in that child."

  When Pranali spoke, everyone had to concede. They all knew she could gauge the strength in anyone from a distance. And that is precisely what she was doing now...

  "So, Ma'am? If I have your permission, shall I save this boy?"

  Ukti drew everyone's attention to his wounded state; only then did everyone notice that, despite the potential threat, someone's thread of life was on the verge of snapping.

  "Alright—"

  "Wait a minute!"

  Interrupting Pranali, Amogh and Chirayu, who had been standing near the rotating spheres, now began to approach Pranali.

  "Forgive us, Ma'am. But it's dangerous! When we attempted to go near that butterfly, we felt a very strong jolt. Like an invisible obstruction... a barrier that prevented us from approaching him."

  When Amogh said this, rubbing the area behind his neck, everyone knew there was truth in his statement, and the fellow had genuinely taken a hard hit.

  Pranali patted his shoulder to show sympathy; she knew that Amogh wouldn't act like this unless he was seriously hurt.

  "So that means we first have to separate this butterfly from the child."

  Pranali said, looking at Tushar, and the man understood what needed to be done. Closing his eyes, he began to gather his powers, and in no time, a light green aura began swirling around him like a whirlwind.

  But what was expected was perhaps not happening...

  Or couldn't happen...

  "Tushar? What are you doing?"

  Tushar, clenching his jaw, was staring at the glowing blue-golden butterfly, which wasn't even looking at him.

  The green whirlwind around him deepened, which alone would tell anyone that Tushar was putting in his maximum effort, yet nothing was happening. It was as if his power couldn't reach that far.

  "Ma'am, the portal isn't opening... I am trying my best."

  Trying and succeeding in that attempt are two different things. Everyone tries; without effort, nothing happens.

  But succeeding in that effort is not within everyone's reach. If Tushar were to be used as an example of how even the powerful sometimes fail despite trying, it wouldn't be wrong.

  Tushar's eyes suddenly turned red with an impulsive shock and he was flung far away like a cricket ball.

  If not for the single wall on the upper platform behind him, he would have fallen straight down.

  『What... what was that... Agh!』

  As Tushar stood with great difficulty, leaning against the wall and clutching his arm, both Pranali and Ukti's eyes widened. Chirayu had already witnessed Amogh's demo, so he wasn't overly surprised.

  "See, Ma'am! I was thrown back just like this! This... this is very powerful. Even my Agni (Fire) powers couldn't scratch it."

  Pranali ground her teeth and helped Tushar up, who was coughing while holding his arm. Tushar couldn't believe he was tossed aside so easily, like a mere piece of paper.

  Neither could Pranali, who was picking up his fallen spectacles and handing them back to him.

  "Pranali Ma'am! Can't you block its powers?"

  Chirayu asked, crossing his arms over his chest, but Pranali didn't say anything. She first brought Tushar to Ukti, who placed her hand on Tushar's head with a big smile.

  Red aura.

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  A very deep red aura...

  A deep red aura danced on Ukti's fingertips.

  When Tushar slowly opened his eyes, he found that there was no pain in his body.

  Amogh and Chirayu looked at each other, then at Ukti...

  "Oh! So this is her power. Guildmaster of Arogya(Healing) Guild, hmm!"

  Amogh muttered into Chirayu's ear while rubbing his bottom, but Chirayu pushed him towards Ukti! And he fell onto the ground on his hands and knees.

  "His main support base area is also damaged. If you fix it, he'll be indebted to you!"

  The man with light brown eyes said jokingly, looking elsewhere, and Amogh glared at him as if he wanted to devour him raw.

  『You little rascal, Chirayu! I will definitely deal with you later.』

  Amogh's resolve was firm...

  Meanwhile, Ukti sighed in displeasure and placed her hands over Amogh.

  But even amidst all this, there was one question Pranali hadn't answered, and Chirayu remembered it...

  "You still haven't answered my question, Pranali... Ma'am."

  The woman, who appeared to be in her late 40s, finally decided to answer, because unanswered questions often become shrouded in mystery and gradually give rise to many misunderstandings or fallacies.

  "My powers... they don't work on creatures that are imagination."

  Chirayu got his answer, but the answer was given in such a manner that he needed many more answers to comprehend it, but there was no time for that.

  When Pranali strained her mind a little, she realized that there was someone who could accomplish this task easily.

  『Why didn't I think of this before? Removing this butterfly should be child's play for him.』

  She immediately picked up her phone, and the line on the other side soon answered the call.

  ?°?°?°?°?

  A tall stature and that diagonal mark that ran across his right eye. The brown trench coat seemed to be merely draped over his shoulders, as the coat's sleeves swayed behind him with the cold wind on the platform.

  There was a coldness like snow, and a sheen like snow on his face, which somewhat resembled the sheen on Tushar's face.

  Yet, despite the resemblance, there was a world of difference...

  "Sangharsh! As I have already told you, remove this butterfly from the boy, and I will remit your punishment."

  "So... this is the one..."

  When Sangharsh's sharp eyes fell upon the wounded boy, barely holding his breaths, his brows furrowed.

  『Something feels familiar... but what...』

  There was something that gave him a sense of acquaintance.

  He tried to remember...

  Nothing came to mind...

  Then he relegated the thought to a corner of his mind, deciding to reflect on it later.

  "Hmm! Even butterflies... are starting to become dangerous nowadays."

  He said with a sly smile, looking towards Pranali, who only felt like hurling abuses. She knew where the target was and where the arrow was pointing...

  "You had better focus on the task. Do you want your punishment canceled or not?!"

  "Yes, yes! As you command, Ma'am."

  When Sangharsh's eyes fell on the butterfly, he slowly raised his hand in front of him. His palm was open.

  And before the glowing blue organism could even flutter, Sangharsh's open palm closed into a fist.

  Feeling its body suddenly bound, the butterfly began to struggle, frantically flapping its wings, but to no avail...

  It was as if it couldn't move at all.

  As if an invisible entity had restrained it.

  Despite its many attempts, it couldn't move even if it wanted to, and Sangharsh immediately called out to Tushar.

  "Open a portal! Quick!"

  Tushar, too, without wasting time, gathered his power and attempted to open the portal. Light green energy once again began swirling around Tushar.

  Unlike last time, this time he succeeded in opening the portal. And Sangharsh directed his closed fist towards the portal.

  The glowing blue-winged creature was forced into the portal against its will, and immediately, the portal closed behind it.

  Sangharsh dusted his hands, as if dirt had gotten on them, which it hadn't.

  "Miss Ukti! You may proceed now!"

  Sangharsh said, gesturing towards the injured body, and Ukti didn't delay either, immediately invoking her powers and beginning the treatment.

  Deep red aura scattered around the body, which brought a smirk to Sangharsh's face.

  A smirk that was parallel to the mark above his eye...

  ?°?°?°?°?

  This was the part of the second tower inside the Kaalminar. The very section where entry was strictly forbidden without the Manager's permission.

  To connect the two towers, a glass bridge was built from the 5th floor, which connected to the 5th floor of the second tower.

  On that 5th floor was the Manager's resting and living quarter, which currently lacked the Manager.

  The crystal-like chandelier hanging in the center of the room's circular ceiling diffused the light into soft golden layers, and the vertical wood-paneling on the walls gave the room warmth, which was providing considerable comfort to the boy lying on the bed, breathing slowly, making his injuries feel relaxed.

  The floor-to-ceiling curtains next to the bed kept the cold winds coming from the bow-shaped reinforced window at bay.

  Meanwhile, the leafy texture of the deep blue headboard behind the white bed added artistic depth to the room. The blue bench and white tufted sofa placed in front seemed to have quietly slipped inside, having captured some part of the snowy valleys outside.

  "Sangharsh Sir! I have done everything as instructed by Ukti Ji. May I leave?"

  "Absolutely."

  The woman wearing a saree with blue stripes on white, left the room. They're employees of the second Kaalminar tower who assist the scientists and researchers in this tower.

  『So... this is the variable who ruined all my schemes? Hmph!』

  『In fact? It seems this is the key to many new plans.』

  He looked with a cunning smile toward the bed on which someone was slowly breathing.

  No one could know what was going on in his mind, but Sangharsh's demeanor suggested he had just received a prize.

  The long strides of the man, whose hands were now tucked into his brown trench coat, began moving toward the bed, stopping when he reached the head of the bed.

  Pulling one hand out of his pocket, he quickly flicked a finger hard right in the center of the boy's forehead.

  The same sly smile was on Sangharsh's face, parallel to the mark above his eye...

  "Stop this pathetic acting now. I know you are conscious... Mr. Raghav!"

  "Right? Did I recognize you correctly?"

  To be continued...