Four people were seated at a table inside the mall's food court. On the right sat Saket Kushwaha—a Two-Star Rank Officer wearing a blue jacket and a white t-shirt. He had long hair that had started to grey, making him look roughly the same age as Vikram. Arav Sharma sat to his left. Opposite them sat Shiv, staring at Saket with a mix of confusion and anger, while Vikram sat beside Shiv, perfectly calm.
Vikram looked at Saket and said, "You still haven't introduced yourself."
Saket turned his face away from Vikram and looked directly at Shiv. Shiv made a confused face and thought to himself, 'Why is he looking at me like this? Hasn't he ever seen a handsome student like me before?'
Vikram said angrily, "Saket, how should I interpret this stare of yours?"
Arav quickly stepped in to handle the situation. "I'll handle the introductions. This is Saket Kushwaha, and well, you already know the rest. And I think you guys know me pretty well too."
Shiv said irritably, "Yeah, I know you. I just never knew you were part of the JFL Organization."
Arav gave a slight smile. "If I had told you, how could I be JFL's 'Secret Weapon'?"
Shiv was stunned, his eyes wide in disbelief. "A weapon? You're a weapon for them?"
In a fit of rage, Shiv slammed his left hand onto the table. A Chakra began to surge from his palm, but Vikram instantly slid his own left hand under Shiv's and blocked the strike. The entire pressure was neutralized right there; only a sharp gust of wind escaped, causing a water bottle on the table to pop up and land perfectly in Arav's hands.
Saket said coldly, "This is very annoying... he's an idiot. Being this impulsive and fearless is the mark of a weakling."
Shiv stood up, furious. "That's it... you're dead!"
But then, Vikram's heavy, commanding voice boomed, "Sit down! Your life is currently in the hands of the JFL Organization. Pay attention quietly; you can't keep behaving like a child all the time."
Vikram looked at Shiv with disappointment. Shiv lowered his head and sat back down in silence.
Vikram said, "Fine. Let's talk about why we're here."
Saket turned serious. "Look, I don't know how you managed to get the support of The Divine Legend Vima, but we can't back down now. That's why you, Shiv, will have to help us with a mission."
"A mission? What kind of mission?" Vikram asked.
Saket replied, "It's a small, low-rank mission, but for Shiv, it will be extremely difficult. If you want to admit defeat, say it now while there's still time."
Shiv immediately snapped back, "No, I won't give up!"
Vikram gave a small side-smile. Arav noticed it and felt a bit surprised.
"What are the mission details?" Vikram asked.
Arav spoke up, "This isn't the right place. We'll talk at the White Apartment across from the mall."
"The one outside?" Shiv asked.
Saket stood up. "Let's go. We'll talk more there."
Vikram and Shiv slid their chairs back and began walking, with Arav and Saket following. Vikram walked with his hands in his pockets, looking serious, while Shiv looked determined. As they walked, Shiv glanced back and saw Arav and Saket heading in the opposite direction.
Confused, Shiv asked, "They're going the wrong way. The exit is this way, isn't it?"
Vikram replied, "They'll get there. They are part of the Organization; they have to stay alert every second. That's just how they are."
Shiv looked down at his left hand—the one Vikram had stopped. He thought to himself, 'Vikram completely neutralized my attack with just his left hand. My power is still far too weak. I need to improve... I must get training from the Grandmaster to become truly powerful.'
As they stepped outside, Vikram asked, "What are you thinking, Shiv? I've noticed you've been overthinking everything since Piya's death. It's good to be cautious, but thinking too much during a fight can be dangerous."
Shiv nodded. "Yeah, you're right."
Meanwhile, inside the mall, Arav and Saket were heading toward a different exit. Saket's face was twisted in anger.
Arav said, "I know you tried to kill Vikram, but you couldn't because you realized he wasn't as relaxed as he looked. He is the current head of the Chandravanshi Clan and Aryaman Chandravanshi's top student."
Saket thought to himself, 'When I first saw him, he didn't look like much, but he was prepared for every possible attack. One wrong move and I would have been finished.'
With a terrifying smile, Saket whispered, "Vikram... I'll deal with you later."
They arrived in front of the apartment. Vikram said, "Let's go," and they entered.
"Where exactly are we going?" Shiv asked.
Vikram gestured, "Look." An Old Man was sitting on the stairs above. He looked at them with aged eyes and asked, "Have you come to see me?"
Shiv was about to speak, but Vikram instantly covered his mouth. Vikram said to the elder, "No, I've come to see the one upstairs, Young Man."
The Old Man gave a strange smile. "Then go ahead, my Old Friend."
Shiv was utterly baffled. Vikram led him up the stairs. "We need to go to Room Number 5, Shiv."
"Okay," Shiv said. "But that old man called you 'Old Friend' and you called him 'Young Man'... what was that about? I didn't get it."
"It was a code word for this meeting," Vikram explained as they walked.
Shiv was shocked at first, then slightly excited, but his current situation quickly calmed him down. "I see."
They walked down the corridor, checking the room numbers. They passed Room 3, then Room 4, and suddenly it was Room 6.
"Room Number 5 isn't here?" Shiv said, surprised.
Vikram stopped. "Found it!"
Shiv made a face, half-laughing in confusion. "What are you talking about? There's nothing here."
Suddenly, Vikram walked straight toward Room Number 6. Shiv yelled, "But that's Room Number 6!"
Without a word, Vikram grabbed Shiv's hand, pulled him inside, and slammed the door shut.
"What is happening?" Shiv asked.
But as soon as he stepped inside, his jaw dropped. The room that looked dilapidated from the outside was a high-tech, luxury apartment inside. There was a massive high-tech kitchen and a modern living room with expensive sofas and armchairs. Everything felt futuristic.
"This room is completely different from the outside!" Shiv exclaimed, looking around. Then he spotted Arav and Saket sitting in the living room.
Saket glared at them. "You guys are seriously slow."
Vikram cut him off. "Forget that. Let's get to the business we came here for."
They sat on the sofa. Vikram turned serious. "Give us the mission details now."
Arav sat on a pouf while Saket leaned back in a comfortable armchair. Saket looked at Shiv. "The mission isn't that hard, but I think it will be for you. If you want to back out, Shiv, do it now."
Shiv clenched his fists and shouted, "I already told you—No!"
Arav looked at Saket. "I told you so, sir!"
Saket replied coldly, "We'll see if this is just temporary bravado once he hears the details."
Arav began the briefing. "JFL has a secret small-scale mission. An illegal unit of the X-Ultimate Organization has been spotted in this city. Shiv, you'll come with me. My job is only to get you inside. Once there, you're on your own. You need to transfer 'File X,' and then we fight our way out."
Arav's tone turned grave. "And remember, they are few in number, but they are Assassins—Top Tier 4."
"What's Top Tier 4?" Shiv asked.
"It's their rank," Arav explained. "Assassins have 5 Tiers. Tier 5 is the lowest, and Top Tier 1 is the highest. Got it?"
Shiv nodded. "Understood."
Saket leaned back. "So, is the mission accepted?"
Vikram raised a hand. "Wait. First, tell us the benefit. What's the reward?"
Arav chuckled. "You really are smart."
Saket laid out the deal. "If the mission is a success, we'll make Shiv a 'Secret Weapon' of our organization—an Asset. We'll drop the 'Experiment Idea,' and no one else will ever hear about it. Is that reward enough for you?"
Vikram thought for a moment. "Fine."
Shiv added enthusiastically, "Yes, I accept!"
"Then we'll be going," Arav said, but suddenly Saket shouted, "Lights OFF!"
The room plunged into total silence and darkness. "What are you doing?!" Shiv yelled.
Seconds later, Arav's voice called out, "Lights ON!"
When the light returned, Shiv was frozen in shock. Vikram had pinned Saket down, a knife held firmly against his throat. A tiny cut had appeared on Saket's neck, and a single drop of blood was trickling down.
"What... what are you doing?!" Shiv stammered, terrified.
Arav stood calmly with his hands in his pockets. "Sir, the mission is accepted. You can't do this now. We have to leave and file reports. Vikram... let him go."
With a sharp, 'Smart Smile,' Vikram withdrew the knife. "Don't forget your place," he said in a chilling voice. "I'm letting you go today. Don't expect a second time. Understood?"
Saket got up with a light laugh. "It was just a joke. I just wanted to test the Clan Head's power... a little prank, nothing more." He turned to Shiv. "The mission starts today. Meet us outside this apartment at 9:00 PM. We're leaving now."
As they headed for the door, Arav looked back with a strange smile. "I'm sorry, Shiv, for hiding my identity. See you tonight."
The door closed, leaving the room in absolute silence.
Shiv thought, 'What kind of apology was that? I'll figure it out later.' Exhausted, he collapsed onto the floor.
Suddenly, Vikram's harsh voice rang out, "This is no time to rest, Shiv. Your life is still in their hands."
Shiv sat up. "What do you mean? They'll make me an asset once the mission is over, right?"
Vikram sat on the sofa. "Yes, but think. What if you 'accidentally' die during the mission? It'll be your fault. JFL or the assassins could kill you, and no one would suspect a thing. They'll just say you fell in the line of duty."
Fear washed over Shiv's face. "So... is this mission meant to be my execution?" He gathered his courage. "But Arav is with me!"
Vikram spoke a bitter truth. "JFL has a secret rule—Never trust anyone. Not even your own parents. If the need arises, you kill them too."
Shiv was shaken. He realized Arav wasn't the same person he knew from the Academy. He was quieter, colder, and far more dangerous. "Yeah... I saw it. Arav has changed."
"Then be ready for the mission," Vikram said one last time.
Shiv's eyes filled with a new, burning resolve. "I'm ready."
Vikram checked his watch. "You have seven hours. It's 2:00 PM. Get moving."
"Right," Shiv replied.