Hawa ka zor ab bhi uske kaano me goonj raha tha…
Aur agle hi pal—
Anmol ne bridge se seedha neeche chhalang laga di.
Kuch seconds tak sirf girne ka ehsaas…
Tez hawa… control se bahar body…
Aur phir—
"DHADDD!!!"
Uska sharir paani se takraya।
Jhatka itna tez tha ki uski saans ek pal ke liye ruk gayi।
Thand… itni zyada thand ki jaise khoon jam raha ho।
Anmol turant paani ke andar doob gaya।
Upar ki roshni dheere dheere chhoti hoti gayi…
Aur neeche—
Sirf andhera।
Usne haath pair chalane ki koshish ki…
Lekin uska sharir already thak chuka tha।
"Upar… mujhe upar jana hai…"
Usne zor lagaya—
Par paani ka pressure use aur neeche kheench raha tha।
Uska chest jalne laga।
Saans ruk rahi thi।
"Main… yahan mar jaunga…"
Uski aankhon ke saamne Hunter ka chehra flash hua—
Thandi aankhen… bina emotion ke…
"Running won't save you…"
Anmol ne daanton ko bhinch liya।
"Nahi… main haar nahi manunga…"
Tabhi—
System ki awaaz goonji।
"Hidden Mission Activated"
Anmol ki aankhen phail gayi।
Screen uske saamne paani ke andar hi flash hui—
Mission: 60 seconds survive karo।
Reward: ???
"60 seconds… bina saans ke…?"
Uska dimaag panic karne laga।
"Ye impossible hai…"
Uski body signal de rahi thi—
"Saans lo… warna mar jaoge…"
Lekin phir—
Usse apni maa yaad aayi।
Uska chhota sa ghar…
Woh din jab usne bina khana khaye raat guzaari thi…
Aur woh promise—
"Ek din main sab badal dunga…"
Anmol ne aankhen band kar li।
"Main yahan khatam nahi ho sakta…"
Usne apni body ko relax kiya।
"Panic mat kar… energy bachao…"
Seconds dheere dheere beetne lage—
10…
20…
Uska chest aur jalne laga।
30…
Uski aankhon ke saamne halka sa andhera chhane laga।
40…
Body control se bahar ja rahi thi।
"Bas… ab nahi…"
50…
Uska dimaag almost shut hone wala tha—
Aur tabhi—
"Mission Completed"
Screen flash hui।
Agle hi pal—
Uske lungs me achanak hawa bhar gayi।
"Ghh—!!"
Usne zor se saans li…
Aur shock ho gaya—
Woh paani ke andar saans le raha tha।
"Ye… kaise possible hai…?"
System ne turant jawab diya—
"Reward Granted: Water Adaptation (Level 1)"
Anmol ka dimaag ghoom gaya।
"Matlab… ab main paani me bhi survive kar sakta hoon…"
Uski aankhon me nayi chamak aa gayi।
Ab usse aas paas clearly dikhne laga।
Aur tab usne notice kiya—
Neeche…
Kuch alag tha।
Jaise paani ke andar koi purana structure ho।
Tooti hui deewarein…
Jaise koi dooba hua building।
Aur uske beech me—
Ek halki si Neeli Roshnichamak rahi thi।
Anmol ka curiosity badh gaya।
"Wahan kya hai…?"
Woh dheere dheere us roshni ki taraf badhne laga।
Har step ke saath uska confidence badh raha tha।
"Ye sab system ka part hai…"
Jaise hi woh paas pahucha—
Usne dekha—
Ek chhota sa metallic box।
Us par same symbol bana tha—
System ka symbol।
Anmol ka dil tez dhadakne laga।
"Hidden reward…"
Usne dheere se haath badhaya…
Aur box ko chhoo liya।
Jaise hi box open hua—
"FLASH!!!"
Tez roshni ne usse gher liya।
Uski aankhen band ho gayi।
System ki awaaz goonji—
"Rare Item Obtained"
"Skill Core: Aqua Reflex"
"Skill… core…?"
Usne feel kiya—
Jaise koi energy seedha uske sharir me ghus rahi ho।
Uski nerves active hone lagi…
Uska reaction speed badh gaya…
Paani me uski movement ab bilkul smooth thi।
"Main… aur strong ho gaya…"
Ek halki si smile uske chehre par aayi।
"Hunter… ab main itna weak nahi hoon…"
Lekin—
Uski smile ek second me gayab ho gayi।
Kyuki—
Usne peeche se ek ajeeb si movement feel ki।
Jaise koi usse ghur raha ho।
Anmol dheere se mudha…
Aur uska dil ek pal ke liye ruk gaya—
Andhere me…
Do laal aankhen chamak rahi thi।
Badi… khatarnaak…
Aur seedha uski taraf dekh rahi thi।
Paani ke andar ek bada sa shadow move kar raha tha।
Jaise koi monster ho…
System turant flash hua—
**"Warning