Echoes of the Fallen Gods: The Astra System

Agastya furrowed his brows deeply. "Sharanga? I feel like I have heard this name before. Where did I hear it?" His gaze never left the divine bow resting on his lap. Vague memories appeared in his head, when he was a child, and his father was telling the stories of some mythical gods.

Before he could process it, another object materialized in front of him—a book, its cover made of some ancient, unknown material.

A new message popped up.

The Book of Bhargavastra has been obtained. Would you like to transfer its knowledge directly into your mind right away?

[Yes] / [No]

Agastya stared at the prompt, his heart racing. "A direct transfer of knowledge? "That was insane—but at the same time, it would save years of study. At the same time, he too finds this astra name familiar.

Intending to see where this goes, he pressed [Yes].

The moment he did, a surge of information crashed into his brain like a tidal wave. His entire body froze, his vision going white as thousands of pages worth of ancient knowledge flooded his mind—diagrams, mantras, techniques, calculations. It was like having lifetimes' worth of wisdom forcefully embedded into his consciousness.

And at the center of it all—

The Bhargavastra Mantra.

A divine technique, passed down by the sage Bhrigu, meant to wield astral energy in ways that defied the very fabric of reality.

Agastya gasped as the flood of knowledge finally settled, leaving him breathless. He sat in a lotus position and closed his eyes to concentrate.

His breathing eventually became slow and steady as he absorbed the immense knowledge of the Bhargavastra. His body trembled—not from fear, but from the sheer weight of power now coursing through his veins. The divine weapon was unlike anything he had ever imagined.

Bhargavastra was not just a single attack. It was a force of absolute destruction, capable of reshaping the battlefield itself. Depending on the wielder's intention and focus, it could:

Summon torrential floods, drowning entire armies in an instant.

Unleash streams of fire, burning enemies to ash within moments.

Call forth divine lightning, striking with precision and devastation.

Transform into piercing projectiles, launching powerful arrows of pure astral energy that could cut through anything.

It was a weapon of balance and judgment, meant for those who could harness its might with wisdom.

Ding!

A notification rang in his mind, pulling him from his thoughts.

[Congratulations, Host! You have successfully acquired Bhargavastra, one of the most powerful astras.]

Yami's voice followed, calm yet firm.

"However, be warned."

Agastya's eyes narrowed.

"You may have obtained Bhargavastra, but your current mastery over it is nonexistent because of the direct knowledge transfer. Invoking it improperly will have severe side effects on your body.

Agastya remained silent. He wasn't surprised. The mantra only gave him the knowledge on how to invoke the astra. It is just theory. To perfect the mastery, he needed practice.

Yami, the system, went on saying the same thing.

*Ding! Until you train and gain better control, excessive use of Bhargavastra will drain your life force. Your body is not yet accustomed to handling divine energy. If you overextend yourself, you will die.

The warning was clear.

Agastya clenched his fists. "I just need to train harder before using it."

Ding! Yes. Otherwise, you will destroy yourself before you can destroy your enemies.

He exhaled sharply. "That was fine. If that was what it took to master this power, then so be it."

His eyes drifted to the Sharanga Bow lying beside him. He reached for it, his fingers brushing over its smooth yet firm surface. The moment his hand made contact, the bow hummed, responding to his touch. A faint golden glow pulsed along its body.

It felt… right.

As if it was meant for him.

He gripped it tightly, then turned toward the exit of the cave. The world outside was still dark, but the first hints of dawn were beginning to stretch across the sky.

Standing at the edge of the cave, he gazed down at the river below. His eyes narrowed in surprise. "Water?" Flowing, fresh, untouched. It was a rare sight on Earth, where most natural water sources had long dried up or been contaminated by war and industrial greed. And yet, here it was—a pure stream, untouched by corruption.

A thought sparked in his mind.

This is the perfect chance.

He closed his eyes, feeling the connection to Bhargavastra. He recalled Yami's words—how this astra was not limited to destruction but could also reshape the battlefield. He lifted the bow, channeling divine energy into the arrow. His goal? Not to destroy, but to amplify.

If Bhargavastra truly had dominion over water, then he should be able to summon a flood.

Slowly, he pulled back the bowstring and slowly spoke the incantation in the ancient long lost language of Sanskrit to invoke the astra.

"Om Hum Phat Bhargavastre Agne Tejase

Parashuhastaya Swaha।

Om Hum Phat Kreem Kleem Aim Hreem

Bhargavastraya Parashudharaya Namah"

Meaning: "Om! Let the fiery Bhargavastra, born of divine energy, be awakened! May the supreme weapon of Parashurama, wielder of the divine axe, unleash its might. I invoke thee, O celestial Astra!"

*

Soon, a golden arrow materialized, pulsing with energy. He aimed at the river below, focusing on its gentle flow. The idea was simple—increase the water's volume, let it surge, let it flood. If he could control this level of power, then his mastery over the astra would take a step forward.

But just as he was about to release the arrow—

Shnk!

A sharp pain shot through his forearm.

His grip on the bow faltered, and the golden arrow dispersed into thin air. Agastya's gaze snapped to his arm, where a dagger was embedded deep in his flesh. Blood trickled from the wound.

His instincts screamed at him.

Attack!

He turned sharply, scanning his surroundings. And then—he saw her.

A girl stood a few meters away, her stance firm, her presence undeniable. Beautiful yet dangerous.

She had a lean, athletic build, wrapped in a combat suit that hugged her curves without restricting movement. Her long, chestnut-brown hair was tied into a high ponytail, and piercing obsidian-black eyes glared at him like a predator eyeing its prey. The dagger in her hand still hummed with residual mana, as if it had become an extension of her very will.

She was no ordinary fighter.

Agastya's eyes narrowed as Yami analyzed her instantly.

*Ding! Possible enemy detected.

*Ding! No killing intent has been detected. Leaving the judgment to the user.

*Ding! Scanning the target