Andhera…
Sab kuch andhera tha।
Na awaaz…
na movement…
na dard…
Bas ek khaali space…
Anmol ko lag raha tha jaise woh doob raha hai—
Lekin paani me nahi…
Khud ke andar।
"Yahi… end hai…?"
Uski halki si awaaz usi andhere me kho gayi।
Uska sharir kahin door tha…
Jaise control hi khatam ho gaya ho।
"Main… phir haar gaya…"
Aur tabhi—
Wahi awaaz phir se goonji—
"Haar gaya… ya ruk gaya?"
Anmol ne dheere se aankhen kholne ki koshish ki।
Andhere ke beech—
Ek shadow khadi thi।
Wahi reflection…
Lekin iss baar aur clear…
Aur aur bhi dangerous।
"Tu har baar yahi karta hai…"
"Jab sabse zyada zarurat hoti hai…"
"Tab tu khud hi peeche hat jaata hai…"
Anmol ne dheere se kaha—
"Main… fight kar raha tha…"
Shadow hans pada।
"Fight…?"
"Ye fight thi?"
Ek second ke liye sab kuch freeze ho gaya।
"Tu sirf bachne ki koshish kar raha tha…"
"Jeetne ki nahi…"
Ye baat seedha Anmol ke andar lagi।
Flash—
Hunter ka attack…
uska girna…
uska helpless feel karna…
"Main… sach me…"
Shadow ne uski taraf haath badhaya।
"Jeetna hai?"
Anmol ne us haath ko dekha।
Uski aankhon me doubt tha…
Dar bhi tha…
"Is baar… agar utha…"
"To rukna mat…"
Ek second…
Phir Anmol ne apna haath aage badhaya—
Aur us shadow ka haath pakad liya।
"Main… rukunga nahi…"
Real world—
Paani violently hil raha tha।
Hunter khada tha—
Bilkul still…
Lekin uske aas paas ki energy dangerous ho chuki thi।
"Zinda bhi hai… ya nahi…?"
Usne thoda sa tilt karke dekha।
Anmol ka sharir paani me dheere dheere tair raha tha।
Bilkul motionless।
"Disappointing…"
Hunter mudne hi wala tha—
Tabhi—
"DHAD…"
Ek halki si vibration hui।
Hunter ruk gaya।
Phir—
Ek aur—
"DHAD…"
Jaise heartbeat wapas aa rahi ho।
Anmol ki ungli hilti hai।
Phir—
Uski aankhen dheere se khulti hain।
Iss baar—
Unme darr nahi tha।
Bilkul nahi।
Sirf ek cheez thi—
Determination.
Hunter dheere se muskuraya।
"Good…"
Anmol dheere se seedha hua।
Uska sharir abhi bhi injured tha—
Lekin uska stance…
Completely different।
Calm…
Stable…
Aur pehle se zyada sharp।
"Ab samjha…"
Anmol ne dheere se kaha।
Hunter ne eyebrow raise ki।
"Hmm?"
"Main fight nahi kar raha tha…"
"Main sirf bach raha tha…"
Paani ke andar ek ajeeb sa silence aa gaya।
Anmol ne apni mutthi band ki।
"Ab… main jeetne ke liye ladunga…"
System flash hua—
"Mindset Shift Detected"
"Skill Synchronization Increased"
Hunter ki aankhon me interest wapas aa gaya।
"Show me…"
Aur iss baar—
Attack Anmol ne start kiya।
WHOOSH!!!
Uski speed pehle se different thi—
Raw nahi…
Controlled।
Woh seedha Hunter ke paas aaya—
Aur ek precise strike maara।
Hunter ne block kiya—
DHAD!!!
Lekin iss baar impact alag tha।
Anmol rukha nahi—
Second attack…
Third…
Fourth…
Har move calculated tha।
Har strike ek purpose ke saath।
Hunter pehli baar slightly push back hua।
"Better…"
Anmol ne uske next attack ko sidestep kiya—
Aur uske peeche aa gaya।
DHAD!!!
Ek solid hit uske back par।
Hunter aage slide hua—
Pehli baar—
Woh forced move hua।
Paani ke andar pressure change hone laga।
Anmol ki saanse controlled thi।
"Ab panic nahi…"
"Bas observe…"
Hunter ne apni gardan ghumaayi—
Aur dheere se hasa।
"Finally…"
Ab tum interesting ho…"
Usne phir se apni energy release ki।
Lekin iss baar—
Anmol peeche nahi hata।
Dono ek dusre ki taraf badhe—
CLASH!!!
Paani explode ho gaya।
Har taraf shockwaves phail gayi।
Fight ab raw nahi thi—
Skill vs skill thi।
Anmol har move ko read kar raha tha।
Hunter har weakness dhoond raha tha।
Ek second—
Anmol ne opening dekhi।
Woh seedha aage badha—
Aur ek powerful punch Hunter ke chest par maara।
DHADDD!!!
Hunter peeche gaya—
Ek second ke liye—
Silence।
Anmol heavy saans le raha tha।
"Ho gaya…?"
Hunter ne apna sir uthaaya—
Aur dheere se hasa।
"Nice try…"
Usne apni ungli se apne honton ka khoon saaf kiya—
"Lekin…"
Uski aankhen phir se dark ho gayi।
"Ye abhi bhi enough nahi hai…"
System flash hua—
"Warning: Unknown Energy Detected"
Anmol ka dil tez dhadakne laga।
"Ab kya…?"
Hunter ke aas paas ki energy compress hone lagi—
Jaise kuch aur bada activate hone wala ho।
"Tumne mujhe push kiya hai…"
Woh dheere se bola—
"Ab main tumhe todunga…"
Aur usi moment—
Uski energy suddenly explode hui।
BOOOOOOM!!!
Shockwave ne poore area ko hila diya।
Anmol apni jagah par khada tha—
Lekin uski aankhon me tension wapas aa gayi।
"Ye… next level hai…"
Paani ka flow unstable ho gaya।
Battle ab aur dangerous ho chuki thi।
Aur iss baar—
Galti ki koi jagah nahi thi।