The living room of the Kourav household was a surreal sight. Outside, the world was screaming in the throes of a magical apocalypse, but inside, the smell of ginger tea drifted from the kitchen. Their mother, Kavita, was calmly pouring cups, though her hands trembled slightly.
"Drink," she commanded, setting a tray down. "The world might be ending, but no child of mine fights on an empty stomach."
Aryan took a cup, but his focus was inward. The Origin Architect evolution was rewriting his core. It wasn't just a power-up; it was a fundamental shift in how he interacted with reality.
> ╔══════════════════════════════════════════╗
> EVOLUTION COMPLETE: [ORIGIN ARCHITECT]
> NEW ABILITY: [SYNTHESIS ENGINE]
> Description: You can now combine absorbed traits to
> create entirely new, permanent skills.
> NEW ABILITY: [EYES OF THE ARCHITECT]
> Description: View the hidden stats, weaknesses, and
> hidden potential of any living being.
> ╚══════════════════════════════════════════╝
>
Aryan's gaze drifted to Meera. Under his new vision, she wasn't just his sister; she was a storm of silver energy.
> [TARGET: MEERA KOURAV]
> [RANK: LEGENDARY]
> [POTENTIAL: SS-RANK SAINT]
> [WEAKNESS: Mana instability in the left shoulder due to old injury.]
>
"Meera," Aryan said, his voice cutting through the chatter. "Your left shoulder. When the Pulse hit, the mana clotted there, didn't it? It's bottlenecking your 'Blade Saint' flow."
Meera froze, her tea halfway to her lips. She looked at Aryan, her eyes narrowing. "How did you... I haven't even told Mom. It feels like a lead weight is sitting on my joint."
Aryan walked over. "Hold still."
He placed his hand on her shoulder. Instead of just pulling the energy out, he used Synthesis Engine. He took the raw, chaotic mana blocking her system and "Architected" it into a refined stream, pushing it back into her meridian.
Meera gasped. A silver shockwave erupted from her body, shattering a nearby flower vase. The heavy, sluggish feeling vanished, replaced by a razor-sharp clarity.
"Bhai..." Diya whispered, her eyes wide. "What did you just do? Meera-didi's aura just doubled!"
"I just fixed a leak," Aryan said with a wink.
Ananya watched him, her heart thumping against her ribs. She was a SSS-Rank Frost Dragon Empress, a literal goddess of winter in the making, yet she felt like a flickering candle next to the bonfire that was Aryan. She felt a twinge of that familiar, burning jealousy—not of his power, but of the way he looked when he was being so... capable.
Why is he so cool? she cursed internally, her face heating up. He's supposed to be the annoying boy who stole my lunch in 5th grade!
The Strategy
"Okay, listen up," Aryan said, spreading a map of Bhopal on the dining table. "The South District is crawling with 'Mana-Stained' beasts. My Eyes of the Architect show a massive energy spike at the New Market area. That's likely where Dad and Uncle Sharma are holed up."
"I'll take the lead," Meera said, gripping her knife. "My speed is the highest."
"No," Aryan countered. "Meera, you're our vanguard. Diya, you're the battery—stay in the center and keep your Light-Bringer aura active to weaken the shadows. Ananya, you're our heavy artillery. If we see a crowd, you freeze the entire street."
Ananya puffed out her chest, feeling proud to be his 'artillery.' "And you?"
Aryan's eyes glowed with a predatory gold light. "I'm the Architect. I'll be busy... dismantling our enemies."
Into the South District
As they stepped out, the city was unrecognizable. The lush greenery of Bhopal had mutated; vines as thick as pythons climbed the VIP Road, and the air smelled of ozone and blood.
Suddenly, the ground began to vibrate. From the shadows of an overturned bus, three Level 12 Shadow Stalkers emerged—monstrous, panther-like creatures made of living smoke.
"Diya, now!" Aryan barked.
"Solar Flare!" Diya shouted, raising her wooden sword. A blinding burst of holy light erupted, solidifying the shadows into physical forms.
"My turn!" Ananya stepped forward. She didn't just throw ice; she breathed it. [SKILL: DRAGON'S BREATH]. A cone of absolute zero temperature swept the street, turning the panthers into beautiful, macabre ice sculptures.
Aryan didn't wait. He moved like a ghost, his hand touching each frozen statue.
> [ABSORBING SHADOW ESSENCE...]
> [ABSORBING FROST MANA (USER: ANANYA)...]
> [SYNTHESIS INITIALIZED...]
> [CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE CREATED A NEW SKILL:]
> ❄️ [SKILL: FROST-BANE SHADOW STEP] ❄️
> Rank: A
> Description: Move through shadows while leaving a trail of soul-freezing ice.
>
"Thanks for the snack, Ananya," Aryan teased, appearing behind her in a puff of cold mist.
"You—! You stole my mana to make a new move?!" Ananya turned, her face red with indignant rage. "That's cheating! Aryan, you're a total cheat!"
"It's not cheating if we're partners," Aryan said, leaning in close enough that she could feel the cold radiating from his new skill. "Partners to the end, right?"
Ananya's anger melted faster than her ice. She looked away, huffing. "Fine. But I want 50% of the credit when we save our dads."
"Deal."
They reached the edge of the South District. Ahead of them, a massive, pulsating cocoon of dark energy sat atop the tallest building.
> [WARNING: WORLD BOSS DETECTED]
> [ENTITY: VOID-WORM NEST-MOTHER (LEVEL 25)]
> [RANK: S (LEGENDARY)]
>
"Level 25?" Meera hissed, her knuckles white on her blade. "We're barely Level 10."
Aryan stepped forward, his aura beginning to leak out—a heavy, primordial pressure that made the very air vibrate.
"Levels are just numbers for a Master," Aryan said, his flirty demeanor replaced by the cold calculation of a King. "Ananya, give me everything you've got. We're going to show this 'Nest-Mother' why she chose the wrong city to invade."
Ananya felt a surge of adrenaline. She reached out, grabbing Aryan's hand. She didn't care about the system or the ranks. If Aryan said they could do it, they would.
"Together," she whispered.