Chapter 41
Heavenly Flute Temple ke mukhya dwar par thandi hawa chal rahi thi, lekin Aryan ke seene mein badle ki aag ubal rahi thi. Vanya ki wo rote hue tasveer uske dimaag se hat nahi rahi thi. Usne apni mutthi itni zor se bhinchi ki uske nakhun hatheliyon ko cheerne lage.
"Aryan, ruko!" Master Yan tezi se chalte hue aaye. Unke haath mein ek chota sa sunehra jahaz (miniature boat) tha. "Tumhe yahan se 3rd Star Layer tak pahunchne mein mahino lag jayenge agar tum paidal gaye. Yeh 'Cloud-Piercer Boat' lo. Isme meri aadhi 'Spirit Energy' bhari hai, yeh tumhe do din mein wahan pahuncha dega."
Aryan ne jahaz liya aur Master Yan ko jhuk kar pranaam kiya. "Shukriya, Master. Main wada karta hoon, jab main wapis aaunga, toh Vanya mere saath hogi aur wo Demon Palace raakh ban chuka hoga."
Tabhi Mei daudti hui aayi. Uska chehra laal tha aur wo haanf rahi rahi thi. Usne bina kisi ki parwah kiye Aryan ko sabke samne gale laga liya. Mandir ke baaki disciples ye dekh kar sann reh gaye, par Mei ko sirf Aryan ki chinta thi.
"Aryan... tum ja rahe ho na? Mujhse wada karo ki tum apni jaan jokhim mein nahi daloge," Mei ne rote hue uske seene par sar rakha.
Aryan ne Mei ki thodi (chin) uthayi aur uski aankhon mein dekha. "Mei, ek Asura kabhi apni raniyon ko dushman ke paas nahi chhodta. Tum fikar mat karo. Jab tak main wapis nahi aata, tum is mandir ki hifazat karna."
Aryan ne Mei ke maathe (forehead) par ek gehra kiss kiya aur hawa mein uchal kar Cloud-Piercer Boat par sawar ho gaya. Jahaz ne ek bhayanak raftaar pakdi aur badalon ko cheerte hua teesre star layer ki taraf nikal gaya.
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#### **Safar aur System ka Naya Upgrade**
Jahaz ke andar Aryan akela tha. Usne dhyan (meditation) lagaya aur System se baat ki.
"System, mujhe 3rd Star Layer ke 'Demon Forest' ka poora data chahiye. Wahan ki gravity aur energy level kya hai?"
*Ting!*
**[Data Analysis: Demon Forest - 3rd Star Layer]**
* **Gravity:** 50x Mortal Realm (1st Layer se 5 guna zyada).
* **Atmosphere:** Corrosive Miasma . Normal yoddha wahan 1 ghante mein andha ho sakta hai.
* **Dominant Force:** The Blood-Moon Demon Clan.
* **Suggested Strategy:** Unlock 'Asura's Heart: Purification' to breathe the miasma.
"Unlock karo!" Aryan ne chillaya.
*Ting!*
**[Deducting 20,000 Points... Success!]**
**[New Passive Skill: Abyssal Breath unlocked.]**
Achanak, Aryan ke phefdon (lungs) mein ek thandak mehsoos hui. Uska shareer ab us zehreeli hawa ko absorb karke use energy mein badalne ke liye taiyaar tha.
Do din tak Aryan ne bina soye apni energy ko refine kiya. Mei se mili 'Source Energy' aur Asura Key ke milne se uska level aur bhi stable ho gaya tha.
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#### **Arrival: The Demon Forest (Maut ka Jungle)**
Jaise hi jahaz 3rd Star Layer ki boundary mein ghusa, aasmaan ka rang sunehre se khooni laal (blood red) ho gaya. Neeche ek vishal jungle tha jahan ped kaale thay aur unki thahniyaan (branches) kisi saamp ki tarah hilti thin.
Aryan ne niche chhalang lagayi. Jaise hi uske pair zameen par pade, gravity ke dabav se zameen mein darar aa gayi.
"Khatarnak jagah hai," Aryan ne Shadow Fang nikaali.
*HISS! HISS!*
Andhere se hazaron laal aankhein chamki. Yeh thay **'Void Spiders'**, jo hathiyon jitne bade thay aur unke muh se neela zehar nikal raha tha. Wo ek saath Aryan par jhapat pade.
"Asura Slash: 360 Degree Rupture!"
Aryan ne ek hi ghoomte hue vaar se 50 spiders ke tukde kar diye. Unka kaala khoon pedon par gira aur ped dhuwan ban kar pighalne lage.
*Ting!*
**[Kill Count: 50. Experience +5000!]**
**[Mortal Soul Stage 6 -> Stage 7 (Early)!]**
Lekin yeh toh bas shuruat thi. Jungle ke beechon-beech se ek bhayanak aura mehsoos hui. Yeh aura **Earth-God Realm Stage 2** ki thi!
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#### **The Mini-Boss: General Grakus**
"Kaun hai wo kida jisne mere paltu janwaron ko mara?"
Ek 10-foot lamba rakshas (demon) samne aaya. Usne bhari lohe ka armor pehna tha aur uske haath mein ek vishal kaali kulhari (axe) thi. Uska chehra kisi bhayanak bhediye (wolf) jaisa tha. Yeh tha **General Grakus**, Demon Palace ka guard.
"Main tera baap hoon," Aryan ne talwaar kandhe par rakhi. "Bata, Vanya kahan hai?"
Grakus zor se hasa. "Oh! Toh tu wahi 'Mortal' hai jiske liye wo Princess ro rahi hai? Fikar mat kar, kal subah uska nikah humare Prince se hoga, aur tu... tu mera aaj ka dinner banega!"
Grakus ne apni kulhari ghumayi aur Aryan par hamla kiya.
*BOOM!* Zameen 10 feet niche dhas gayi. Aryan ne **Void Step** se dodge kiya, lekin kulhari se nikalne wali shockwave ne Aryan ke seene par ek halka sa zakhm kar diya.
"Stage 7 vs Earth-God Realm? Namumkin hai!" Grakus chillaya.
Aryan muskuraya. Usne apni aankhein band ki aur **Asura Key** ko puri tarah activate kar diya. Uske piche 4 kaale par (wings) nikal aaye aur uski aura achanak badhne lagi.
"Namumkin word meri dictionary mein nahi hai, kutte."
Aryan ne apni speed itni badha di ki Grakus ko sirf ek kaali lakeer dikhayi di.
**"Asura Art: Gravity Collapse!"**
Aryan ne Grakus ke sar ke upar apni talwaar rakhi. Grakus ko aisa laga jaise poore 3rd Star Layer ka wazan uske kandhon par aa gaya ho. Uske armor mein dararein aane lagin aur wo ghutno ke bal gir gaya.
"Yeh... yeh kaisi taqat hai?!" Grakus haklaya.
"Yeh teri maut hai," Aryan ne uski gardan ek jhatke mein kaat di.
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#### **The Reunion: Vanya ki Halat**
Grakus ke marte hi uske paas se ek 'Map' aur ek 'Key' mili. Map mein dikhaya gaya tha ki Vanya ko jungle ke beech mein bane **'Altar of Sorrows'** mein rakha gaya hai.
Aryan bina ruke wahan pahuncha. Altar ke beech mein Vanya zanjeeron mein jakdi hui thi. Uska chehra pale tha aur wo behosh lag rahi thi. Uske charo taraf 5 Demon Priests baith kar koi tantrik pooja kar rahe thay.
"Vanya!" Aryan chillaya.
Vanya ne dhire se aankhein kholi. Jab usne Aryan ko dekha, toh uski aankhon mein umeed ki ek aakhri kiran chamki. "Aryan... tum... tum yahan nahi aana chahiye tha... bhaag jao..."
"Nahi Vanya. Maine kaha tha na, main aaunga," Aryan aage badha.
Tabhi, ek thandi aur bhayanak hansi gunji. Altar ke upar se ek ladka niche utra. Usne sunehre-kaale kapde pehne thay aur uski aura **Earth-God Realm Stage 5** ki thi. Yeh tha **Prince Demonis**.
"Mera mehmaan aa gaya," Demonis ne muskurate hue kaha. "Vanya, dekho... tumhara 'Hero' yahan marne aaya hai. Priests, ritual shuru karo! Mujhe iski Asura Key aur Vanya ka khoon, dono chahiye!"
Aryan ne apni talwaar zor se pakdi. Use pata tha ki yeh uski zindagi ki sabse badi ladai hone wali hai.
"Demonis... aaj narak ke darwaze tere liye khulenge."
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