CHAPTER 18 — The Decision to Hunt
The heavy doors of the royal chamber shut behind Nikhil and Aditya with a deep echo that lingered longer than it should have.
Outside, sunlight washed the castle walls in gold. Birds sang peacefully in the courtyard.
Inside, the air felt colder.
For twenty days, they had trained until their muscles screamed and their minds sharpened like blades. Bruises had faded. Scars had not.
But training inside walls was different from facing death beyond them.
And Nikhil knew that better than anyone.
Now, a different kind of battle awaited them.
--- Inside the Meeting Hall
King Krishn Dev Rai sat upright upon his carved throne, observing more than just the two young warriors standing before him. He was measuring them.
Not their strength.
Their future.
Beside him stood Pandit Rama Krishn and the generals, silent but alert.
Nikhil stepped forward.
His tone was steady — too steady.
Nikhil:"King Krishn Dev Rai ji… we have to go out of the castle to hunt Zombies. Our system mission requires us to kill 500 of them to unlock magic powers or new abilities. We must act fast. If Candidates from other Kingdoms achieve this before us, it will become our disadvantage."
The king leaned back slightly.
He did not respond immediately.
He was thinking beyond zombies.
If these children grow stronger, they become weapons for Vijayanagara.
If they die, morale collapses.
If other kingdoms succeed first, political balance shifts.
He spoke carefully.
Krishn Dev Rai:"After this training, you all are stronger than before. But I am still worried."
Aditya answered calmly.
Aditya: "I understand your concern, but these are zombies — not a giant creature. We can handle it. I promise."
Silence settled across the hall.
The king's gaze lingered on them both, conflict flickering in his eyes.
He noticed something.
Not confidence.
Pressure.
That boy is carrying something heavier than a sword, the king thought.
The Corrupted Heart. The undead army. That power… is not natural.
He knew politics well.
Power that grows too fast attracts enemies.
But suppressing it too early creates rebellion.
(If I stop him, he will seek growth elsewhere. If I allow him, I can monitor him.)
To become powerful, they must go. But what if something goes wrong again? Like before? Last time, Commander Pemmasani Ramalinga Nayudu saved them. What if that giant creature appears again? What if something worse happens? But without danger… there is no growth. To make them stronger… I must allow this.
Finally—
King Krishn Dev Rai spoke in deep tone: "Then you may go. But you will report every detail of what you encounter. And if danger exceeds expectation, you retreat immediately. This is not a suggestion."
It was not just permission.
It was control.
Nikhil and Aditya bowed and exited the chamber without another word.
--- Inside the Candidates' Room
When Nikhil entered the room, he already knew what awaited him.
Fear.
Doubt.
And questions.
Janvi, Damini, Pallavi, Harsh, Hemant, and Janit sat together, cleaning their weapons and stretching after training.
The door opened.
Nikhil:"We have permission. We can go outside the castle."
Excitement flashed across Harsh's face. Harsh straightened up.
But the others went still.
The memory of the rabbit creature crawled through the room like a shadow.
Pallavi crossed her arms.
Pallavi:"I am not going anywhere. Okay?"
Janit leaned back.
Janit: "Yeah. Same here."
Hemant's jaw tightened.
Hemant:"Remember last time? We almost died!"
Janvi's voice trembled despite her effort to stay strong.
Janvi: "Come on! You can't force us to go with you... we all almost died! Those rabbit creatures were far stronger than us!"
Damini's face darkened. Her voice came out quiet and tense.
Damini:"We... are... not going anywhere."
Nikhil nodded calmly.
Nikhil thought:
(. If I tell them the truth… they will fear me. If I hide it… they will doubt me. If I don't grow stronger… we all die.)
His heartbeat grew louder in his ears.
Nikhil said calmly:
"Nothing like last time will happen. Trust me.. I promise."
But Hemant stepped forward, his face tight with frustration.
Anger burned in his eyes — but beneath it was something else.
Hemant:"Shut up. We survived because of luck and Commander Pemmasani Ramalinga Nayudu — and you all know it. And Nikhil… you are hiding something. When you killed that giant rabbit creature — how? It vanished and left nothing but blood. And the system… the Corrupted Heart… the zombie army ability. Explain that."
The room grew colder.
Hemant continued, his voice rising.
"You talk like you control everything. Like you knew that creature wouldn't come again. How? Because you can control monsters now? Because you're not like us anymore?"
That hit.
Harder than a blade.
Nikhil's fingers curled slightly.
He did not look angry.
But something flickered behind his eyes.
Hemant stepped closer.
"Or are we just your soldiers now? Your little army like those zombies?"
Silence.
Aditya watched carefully.
Damini swallowed.
Damini's eyes widened with sudden realization.
Damini: "Yeah! I almost forgot! That Corrupted Heart — and how you escaped the Zombie Boss in the cave!"
Aditya leaned against the wall, arms crossed, silent — as if he already knew the truth.
Nikhil inhaled slowly.
He's not wrong.
The Corrupted Heart pulsed faintly inside him — like it enjoyed the accusation.
Nikhil thought:
(If I lose control… will I become worse than those creatures?)
For a brief second, fear passed through him.
Not of zombies.
Of himself.
Nikhil:"I will explain everything. I promise. But right now we need to focus on the mission. We have to hunt zombies."
Hemant laughed once — humorless.
"Mission. Mission. That's all you say."
Nikhil walked toward the door.
Hemant called out:
Hemant: "And what if we refuse?"
Nikhil stopped.
This time, when he turned, his expression was not just firm.
It was challenging.
Nikhil:"Trust me. Nothing like the rabbit creature will happen again... I know it's necessary not to trust blindly... but look... someone like me... you can trust my promise. After all, you all know that I always keep my promises. Trust your friend. If you can't — then don't call yourself brave. And don't call yourself my friend."
The words weren't loud.
But they struck.
Hemant's pride flared.
Hemant thought:
(He's daring me.
He thinks he's stronger.
He thinks he's above us.)
Nikhil left the room.
But as the door shut behind him, he felt something heavier than before.
Silence spread through the air.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
Not leadership.
Pallavi exhaled slowly.
Pallavi:"Fine. I'm ready."
Janit rubbed his forehead.
Janit: "I'm in."
Janvi looked at Damini, her eyes wide. Damini gave a small nod.
Together, they spoke:
Janvi and Damini:"We are also in!!"
Hemant let out a frustrated sigh.
Hemant:"Alright. I'll go too."
Hemant thought:
(He talks like those rabbit creatures are his family members, like he can talk to them.)
Hemant rolled his eyes.
---Scene Shifts to Nikhil
He was walking down the hall.
His thoughts echoed in his mind.
(If they fear me… I lose them. If I stay weak… I lose everything.)
For the first time since gaining the Corrupted Heart—
He wondered if the real enemy was not outside the castle.
But growing quietly inside him.
Everyone eventually agreed.
But not because fear disappeared.
Because pride did not allow them to stay behind.
And somewhere in the silence—
Two ambitions had begun to clash.
Not openly.
Not yet.
But soon.
---Chapter End.