Raat ab aur gehri ho chuki thi।
Purane bridge ka aadha hissa toot chuka tha।
Hawa tez chal rahi thi aur neeche ka andhera paani zor zor se beh raha tha।
Anmol wahi khada tha… saans phooli hui… haath kaanpte hue…
Uske saamne zameen par Player 07 pada tha।
Khoon uske honton ke kone se beh raha tha, lekin uski aankhen dheere dheere khul rahi thi।
Aur sabse darawni baat—
Woh muskura raha tha।
"Game… abhi khatam nahi hua…"
Uski awaaz halki thi, lekin usme ek ajeeb si thandak thi।
Anmol ka dil zor se dhadakne laga।
"Tum… abhi bhi zinda ho…?"
Player 07 ne dheere se uthne ki koshish ki।
Uska sharir clearly injured tha, lekin uski aankhon me darr ka naam nahi tha।
"Tumhe lagta hai… system itni aasani se kisi ko marne deta hai?"
Anmol ek second ke liye chup ho gaya।
"Matlab… ye sab…"
"Sirf beginning hai…" Player 07 ne baat poori ki।
Hawa aur tez chalne lagi।
Bridge ke tukde dheere dheere girne lage।
Anmol ka dimaag abhi bhi fight ke shock se bahar nahi aaya tha।
Usne system screen ki taraf dekha—
"Mission Completed"
"Reward: ₹5,00,000"
Paise…
Itne zyada paise usne kabhi sochhe bhi nahi the।
Lekin is baar…
Usse koi khushi feel nahi ho rahi thi।
Sirf ek ajeeb sa darr…
"Ye sab paane ke liye… mujhe kya khona padega…?"
Tabhi—
System ki awaaz phir se goonji—
"Alert: High Level Entity Approaching"
Anmol ka dil ekdum ruk gaya।
"High level… entity…?"
Player 07 ka chehra bhi serious ho gaya।
"Too late…"
Anmol ne turant poocha—
"Kya matlab?"
Player 07 ne aasman ki taraf dekha।
"Woh aa gaya…"
Anmol ne bhi upar dekha—
Andhera…
Sirf andhera…
Lekin phir—
Ek tez roshni aasman ko cheer kar neeche aayi।
Jaise koi shooting star ho…
Lekin woh seedha bridge ke paas aakar ruk gayi।
Hawa ekdum se ruk gayi।
Sab kuch shaant ho gaya।
Aur us roshni ke beech se…
Ek aadmi bahar aaya।
Black coat…
Lekin Player 07 se alag…
Uski presence hi alag thi।
Jaise woh kisi aur level ka ho।
Anmol ke sharir me thandi si sarrat daud gayi।
"Ye… kaun hai…?"
Player 07 ne dheere se kaha—
"Hunter…"
Anmol ka dimaag ghoom gaya।
"Hunter…?"
Woh aadmi dheere dheere unki taraf badhne laga।
Uske kadam bilkul halki awaaz ke saath chal rahe the…
Lekin har step ke saath Anmol ka pressure badh raha tha।
Jaise uski saanse dab rahi ho।
"Level difference…" Anmol ne dheere se kaha।
Hunter unke saamne ruk gaya।
Uski aankhen bilkul thandi thi… bina kisi emotion ke।
Usne seedha Anmol ko dekha।
" New Player..."
Uski awaaz deep aur heavy thi।
Anmol ne apni mutthi kas li।
"Tum kaun ho?"
Hunter ne halka sa smile kiya।
"Main… woh hoon jo game ko balance karta hai…"
Anmol confuse ho gaya।
"Balance…?"
Player 07 ne beech me bola—
"Ye log… system ke hunters hote hain…"
"Ye weak players ko eliminate karte hain…"
Anmol ka dil ruk gaya।
"Matlab… ye mujhe marne aaya hai…?"
Hunter ne seedha jawab diya—
"Correct."
Ek second ke liye pura world ruk sa gaya।
Anmol ki saanse tez ho gayi।
"Abhi… abhi fight ke baad…"
"Main already weak hoon…"
Usne Player 07 ki taraf dekha।
"Tum help karoge?"
Player 07 ne kuch second socha…
Phir dheere se bola—
"Ye tumhari fight hai…"
Anmol ka dil toot gaya।
"Matlab… main akela hoon…"
Hunter ne apna haath uthaya।
Uske haath ke aas paas ek dark energy gather hone lagi।
"Time's up…"
Anmol ne turant Reflex Mode activate karne ki koshish ki।
Lekin—
"Skill on cooldown"
Screen flash hui।
Anmol shock me reh gaya।
"Ab kya karu…?"
Hunter ne attack launch kiya—
Dhadd!!!
Ek powerful energy blast seedha Anmol ki taraf aaya।
Anmol ne last moment par side jump kiya।
Blast uske paas se guzarte hue bridge ka ek hissa tod gaya।
"Ye… insane power hai…"
Anmol samajh gaya—
"Main isse seedha fight nahi kar sakta…"
Uska dimaag fast kaam karne laga।
"Survive karna hai… bas survive…"
Woh tezi se idhar udhar move karne laga।
Hunter usse observe kar raha tha।
"Running won't save you…"
Anmol ne gusse me kaha—
"Main bhaag nahi raha… soch raha hoon…"
Hunter ek second ke liye ruk gaya।
"Interesting…"
Tabhi Anmol ki nazar bridge ke toot chuke hisson par gayi।
Ek idea uske dimaag me aaya।
"Risk lena padega…"
Woh tezi se bridge ke edge ki taraf bhaga।
Hunter uske peeche aaya।
"Suicide?"
Anmol ruk gaya।
Usne peeche mudkar Hunter ki aankhon me dekha।
"Game abhi shuru hua hai…"
Aur agle hi pal—
Anmol ne seedha bridge se neeche chhalang laga di।
Player 07 shock me reh gaya।
"Ye pagal hai…"
Hunter bridge ke edge par aakar ruk gaya।
Usne neeche andhere paani ki taraf dekha।
Phir dheere se bola—
"Let's see… tum kitne lucky ho…"
Neeche—
Andhera paani…
Tez lehrain…
Aur unke beech girta hua Anmol…
Uska dil zor se dhadak raha tha।
"Ya to main bach jaunga…"
"Ya ye mera end hai…"
Jaise hi woh paani ke kareeb aaya—
System ka message flash hua—
" Hidden Mission Triggered..."