Against The Eternity Chapter 39: [38] Chapter - 18: The Tide Shift (Part - 1/2)

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[38] Chapter - 18: The Tide Shift (Part - 1/2) Eklavya drew in a steady breath, his focus sharpening as he gathered his ki with quiet precision. The energy flowed smoothly through him, guided by familiarity rather than strain, before surging downward into his legs. A faint ripple passed through his body—subtle and controlled—before condensing into power. Five small chakras formed around each leg, spiralling into existence with a steady, resonant hum. They rotated in perfect harmony, tightening the flow of energy rather than dispersing it, compressing strength into something refined and explosive. In that instant, the weight of his body seemed to vanish. The ground beneath him no longer felt like resistance—but like a surface waiting to be used. His steps grew light, almost unreal, as if the earth itself had loosened its grip on him. Every muscle in his legs coiled with restrained force, thrumming with potential and was ready to release everything in a single burst the moment he chose to move. Anshvi rested against his chest. Her weight was light, far lighter than it should have been, but her presence anchored him in a way he couldn’t afford to dwell on. For a fleeting moment, he became aware of it—the warmth, the steady rise and fall of her breath—but the urgency of the situation forced him to force it aside. He tightened his hold around her waist, firm and secure, ensuring she wouldn’t slip even for an instant. Then, lowering his stance, he bent his knees slightly and pushed off the ground. Within a few breaths, the distance between them vanished. Eklavya closed in on the six disciples blocking the narrow path. His speed was far beyond what they had anticipated. At first, when they saw him rushing toward them—Anshvi held in his arms as if fleeing—they exchanged confident, knowing smirks. To them, he looked like prey cornered at last. A hunted animal with nowhere left to run, forced into a desperate, final surrender. Their confidence swelled openly, almost arrogantly and for a fleeting moment. Eklavya nearly laughed. They truly believed they had already won. There was something in his eyes—too sharp and calm… almost amused. It scraped against their instincts, subtle but unmistakable, like the quiet warning before a blade is drawn. Eklavya slowed just enough as he passed them, leaning ever so slightly, his voice slipping past their ears like a cold, mocking whisper. “Thank you…” he murmured, a faint smirk curving his lips, “…for helping me deal with them.” Before they could react, he vanished past them. To them, his speed was so sudden and overwhelming that it felt less like movement and more like disappearance. A gust of wind followed in his wake, leaving their robes fluttering as they stood frozen in place. For a heartbeat, none of them moved. As confusion settled in. They glanced at one another, disbelief etched across their faces as his words echoed faintly in their minds, refusing to make sense. One of them frowned, narrowing his eyes as he repeated the sentence silently and slowly, trying to grasp what he had meant. At the same moment, the ground beneath their feet began to tremble. Cracks split across the ground in jagged lines, racing outward as the soil crumbled into widening gaps. A deep, dreadful rumble rose from behind them—growing louder with each passing heartbeat. They turned, and their faces drained of all colour. A massive horde of beasts surged into the clearing. Second-tier, third-tier… even a few fourth-tier creatures flooded forward in a relentless wave. Claws tore through the earth, fangs gleamed with feral hunger, and their combined roars crashed through the valley like rolling thunder. “You… bastard!” all six shouted in unison, the words full of fury and despair. They raised their weapons instinctively, not out of strategy, but out of sheer survival. Then the horde crashed into them. Like a tidal wave with teeth and claws, the beasts swallowed them whole. Steel clashed, roars thundered, and screams tore