Daoist40

THIS BOOK IS MAINLY FOCUSED ON HINDU MYTHOLOGY BUT WE WILL ALSO DWELL INTO OTHER MYTHOLOGIES AS WE PROGRESS
IT IS A BLEND OF MYTHOLOGIES
AND DUNGEONS

HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT READ


Year: 2035.

Ten years ago, the skies cracked.


Not with thunder, nor warplanes—

but with rifts.

These weren’t just visual anomalies. They were gateways—interdimensional portals that Earth’s scientists quickly termed “Dungeons.”

Dungeons or portals as the world now called them, appeared across the Earth without warning. Each one was a fracture between dimensions—some leading to mythological realms long forgotten, others to alien landscapes so hostile they devoured entire scouting teams.

At first, the world panicked, assuming them to be nuclear tests, alien invasions, or natural disasters. But these dungeons didn’t behave like anything known to physics. Satellite footage showed each portal surrounded by a zone of atmospheric distortion. Inside them? Entire landscapes alien to our Earth—some mythological, others monstrous and unknowable.


Some dungeons contained creatures straight out of ancient scripture—Nāgas from Vedic texts, harpies from Greco-Roman mythology, or obscure gods who had long since been forgotten by mankind. Other rifts revealed biomes more suited to nightmares: acidic jungles, ice worlds that bent gravity, or structures pulsing with intelligence.



In the first month alone, five major cities fell.
Beijing, Lagos, São Paulo, Istanbul, and Philadelphia—gone, overrun by creatures we didn’t understand, coming through dungeons we couldn’t close.


Then came the second anomaly. A global surge in human neural activity.

Scientists identified it as a quantum shift in consciousness. Spiritual leaders called it divine selection. Journalists labeled it “The Great Filter.” But the name that stuck was:
Awakening.

Roughly 20% of humanity developed access to an invisible “System”—a personal interface only they could see. It gave them abilities, status screens, and skills that turned ordinary people into weapons.

The rest of the world? Still human. Still fragile. Still dying.



Roughly 20% of the global population began to exhibit System access—an invisible interface only visible to the user. This System showed stats, combat abilities, class upgrades, and most importantly, potential.

It wasn’t random.
Those who Awakened were typically 18 or older, and many had undergone moments of extreme stress, trauma, or proximity to a dungeon. Some said the System chose warriors. Others claimed it selected reincarnated souls or bloodlines tied to forgotten mythologies.

Now, the world lives in a tense balance. Hunters ranked from F to SSS defend the Earth from dungeon incursions. And deep within this chaos…

In some cities, Awakened rule like kings. In others, governments remain intact, barely holding together.

Technology also evolved:
Mana-reactive alloys replaced steel.
Smart-glass visors sync with System interfaces.
Dungeon-gathered artifacts are now global trade commodities.

And deep in the shadows…
Some dungeons don’t close and breaks happen.
Some awakeners don’t follow the rules.
And some individuals… aren’t just chosen.

They’re remembered.

And in the midst of this fragile new era—
a man named Arvan will learn that the voice in his head…
is not madness.
It is a memory.
A throne. A war.
And a name: Rāvaṇa.

A storm begins to stir.

The Eleventh Head

"Do you know what it's like… to look into a mirror and see someone else blinking back?"

The silence outside the dungeon was crushing.

It wasn't the kind of silence that followed relief or victory—it was different, heavy with unanswered questions, tension, and a flickering sense of dread. The Bureau's emergency response team had set up barriers, sealed the perimeter, and cleared bystanders. But all their efforts didn't mean a damn thing to Arvan, who stood at the edge of the crater… motionless.

His body still pulsed faintly with something foreign—something old.

The blood had dried on his hands. Not all of it was his.

The world felt quieter now, too quiet—as if nature itself was unsure whether to accept him anymore.

Reina's gaze burned into his back from across the field. She hadn't said a word since he emerged. But Arvan could feel it. Suspicion. Recognition. Fear.

"That wasn't me in there. That voice—that wrath—I felt it gnawing at the edge of my thoughts like a wolf chewing through bone."

"The killing. The flames. The way he—no, I—tore through them like they were paper."

His breath caught. He looked down at his reflection in the dark pool of water at his feet.

"You will burn this world before you kneel again." A fragmented memories of ravan,

smoldering temple. Statues with shattered heads. Chains in a circle. Blood on his mouth.

"One trial complete. Only six remain."

The wind whipped through his coat. He exhaled slowly, grounding himself.

REINA VĀRSHA – OBSERVATION PLATFORM

Reina leaned on the railing, eyes locked on Arvan below. She'd seen powerful awakenings before—wild, messy evolutions of skill. But this? This was ancient. It wasn't a surge. It was a resurrection.

"That wasn't a normal dungeon," she muttered under her breath.

Rigved approached behind her. "We're digging into the records, but that architecture inside the 'Sleeping Maw' doesn't match any known civilization. Not Greek, Roman, or even Sumerian."

Reina's eyes narrowed. "Because it's older."

Rigved blinked. "Older than Sumerian?"

She nodded slowly. "I'll handle it from here."

His screen buzzed again. This time, not a glitch. Not a malfunction. Just a single phrase:

[Next Trial Available – Temple of Salted Fire]

His fingers trembled over the invisible interface.

"Salted fire… what the hell does that even mean?"

The voice inside him chuckled. "You'll see."

You're talking to yourself again."

He looked up. Reina was walking toward him.

She didn't smile. Didn't threaten. Just said, "You're not who you think you are."

And before he could answer, his screen pinged again—

[Foreign Guild Request – Incoming Transmission]

[Initiator: MERCURY CHALICE – UK BASED GUILD]

[Message: 'We saw what you did. We want you.']

CHAPTER 23 – The Weight of Ashes