Arjun stepped out of the sphere the Naga people had created.
He was finally back in the water.
He precisely released Shakti from the marma points spread across his body only a little forming a thin layer around himself.
This was an efficient move.
It consumed less Shakti while still providing protection in the water.
Only highly trained individuals could use Shakti with such precision.
He began exploring the first floor.
"That's why Arka Town above is left unused," he muttered.
He came to understand that Arka Town had never been developed into a full city because it was later inhabited by the Nagas.
As he swam forward, he noticed many participants around him.
Most of them had formed groups.
He also saw many Nagas swimming across the area.Everyone had scales of different colors.
He wondered what kind of power those people would gain who had taken Naga Prapti.
Arjun realized he was in the capital of Dwarka—Murali—but underground.
"Every city still exists underwater as well," he murmured.
Only then did he understand how tedious the task truly was.
Now, he finally decided to search properly.
He stopped in place, formed mudras, and muttered something
It was a mantra to sense Shakti around him.
As the mantra activated, he began noticing Shakti sources in many directions.
He noticed very less participants were here now.
Then he sensed further,
Then farther.
After some distance, there was only water ahead.
He slowed.
What…? he muttered, shocked.
My sensing mantra should work only up to Panchapad.
But I can sense beyond Dwarka.
To cover Dwarka, it should require at least Saptapad.
But it's going even further.
What's happening…?
I knew something felt different the moment I jumped in.
For now… I'll focus on the competition.
He began sensing again.
Wherever he felt Shakti gathering unnaturally, he moved toward it.
It was a traditional hit-and-trial method.Not unique—many contestants were doing the same.
The difference was that Arjun's senses were far sharper, because he was a Vaidya.
And for some reason, the mantra he was using had risen to a higher level.
He followed several Shakti sources, but—
At first, he found only fish of different kinds and scattered ruins.
When he followed a stronger presence, he found only herbs—common ones.
Unsatisfied, he decided to go deeper.
I knew I wouldn't find anything rare here, he muttered,but I didn't expect to be this empty handed.
He was far from Nagalok now.
To descend further, he had two options.
Either return to Arka Town within the sunken Dwarka which would be a hassle or find a temple built to allow deeper descent.
He chose the temple.
It was a temple of Vasuki, the serpent king.
Inside, he saw a statue of Vasuki.
Beyond it were stairs.
He followed them.
Inside, there was a small pond-like structure.
Arjun jumped into it.
Once again, he was submerged.
What…?
This water is different.
He looked upward.
There was land above him.
It was the sunken Dwarka he had just been in.
He swam downward faster.
After swimming for several minutes, he reached another sunken Dwarka.
He immediately understood.
So this is the second floor of Layer One.
There must be multiple floors within a single layer.
He thought.
As the depth increased, the distance between floors also shifted.
The second floor resembled Nagalok again.
Arjun was slightly shocked.
The temple he had used was very far from Arka Town—
yet once again, he found himself facing another Nagalok.
But this one was different.