As the dust settled, a terrifying presence emerged—a Zombie King stepped forward and growled,
"So, you're Evolvers too? I'll devour you all and grow even stronger!"
Muskan's eyes widened. "Brother Aarav, will his power really increase if he kills us?"
Aarav responded calmly, "No. The real Zombie King lied to him to use him as a disposable pawn."
Then Aarav swiftly issued commands:
"Muskan, stay close to Julie. Sarah, support me from the rear. And Julie… when I give the signal, boost my power."
The battle erupted.
Aarav clashed with the Zombie King, their strength equally matched at first. But soon, the King unleashed more of his power, slowly overwhelming Aarav. Sensing the tide turning, Aarav shouted,
"Now, Julie!"
Julie focused and boosted his power. Aarav surged with energy, injuring the Zombie King. But the boost faded, and the King counterattacked, injuring Aarav. Sarah intervened with her arrows, freezing the King for a moment.
Seizing the chance, Muskan said, "Julie, boost my power. Now!"
Julie hesitated, seeing Muskan's resolve, and complied. Muskan charged and unleashed a devastating explosion. Smoke and silence followed.
For a moment, everyone feared the worst—was Muskan gone?
But then, amidst the rubble, they saw her—bloodied, unconscious… but victorious.
Julie rushed to her side, trying to heal her—but nothing happened.
Desperate, Aarav rummaged through the King's remains and found two crystals. He handed them to Julie, tripling her power. With renewed strength, she finally healed Muskan, though the girl remained unconscious.
Aarav turned to Julie, "What kind of trauma gave her such deadly powers?"
Julie's voice trembled.
"When the outbreak began, our father sacrificed himself to protect us. Muskan was just five. A few years later, we lost our mother the same way… and then, at fourteen, she lost our elder brother too. Ever since she met you, she found joy again. And when she thought she might lose you… she was ready to give up her life."
Moments later, Muskan regained consciousness. Aarav embraced her tightly.
"You're not allowed to use your powers recklessly again. If you do, I'll walk away."
Tears streaming, Muskan whispered, "I promise… but if you ever put yourself in danger again, I'll use my power at full strength—even if it means exploding my own body."
Before she could finish, Aarav gently covered her mouth and smiled.
"No more reckless fights. Next time, we fight with a plan."
He explained that the Zombie King they just defeated wielded 65% of the real Zombie King's power, which is why he had two crystals.
"I gave them both to Julie. She's the best one to use them."
At that moment, a mysterious girl appeared, tears in her eyes. She whispered Aarav's name.
And beside her stood a strange man—Zabuza, cloaked in darkness.
"See, the one you love already belongs to someone else," he said coldly. "But it's not too late. Come with me."