The early 1990s witnessed the dramatic collapse of the Soviet Union, signaling the end of the Cold War and the supposed triumph of a unipolar world. But to Adav, this was merely a transition. As the dust settled, India emerged unequivocally as the dominant global power, surpassing even the United States in economic stability, technological advancement, and diplomatic influence. The world was not unipolar, nor bipolar; it was, subtly but decisively, Indian-centric.
Adav, now in his early eighties, began to contemplate his ultimate retreat from direct, unseen control. His life's work was complete. India was secure, prosperous, and powerful. He meticulously planned for his legacy, ensuring the long-term stability of the nation he had built. He had groomed a generation of leaders within the Swarajya Party, Bharat Corporation, and the armed forces – individuals of unwavering loyalty, strategic brilliance, and an ingrained understanding of his core principles of self-reliance, innovation, and pragmatic influence.
He established long-term "fail-safes": secret protocols, encrypted data caches, and a highly compartmentalized organizational structure within Bharat Corporation designed to perpetuate its mission and protect India's interests even without his direct guidance. He ensured the Codex itself would remain an ultimate, secure repository of knowledge, accessible only to a chosen few, for generations to come. The shadows, which had been his domain for so long, began to fade, as he prepared to become a myth whispered among the most powerful.