Main bhaag raha tha, mujhe saas nhi aa rhi thi phir bhi.
Peeche ki taraf se aati awaazien bohot khatarnak thi…
Zameen ke tootne ki crack… ki sound…
Aur un statues ke heavy steps ki aawaz
Mere dimaag me sirf ek hi baat thi—
"Rukna mat."
[Survival Instinct: Active]
Meri body automatically react kar rahi thi…
Har movement thoda sharp… thoda fast lag raha tha.
"Yeh… normal se kahi zyada tha…"
Maine apni saans control ki.
Aur tabhi—
"Left!"
Wo awaaz phir se aayi.
Maine bina soche left side jump kiya—
BOOM!
Ek aur statue ka attack mere side se guzra lekin mai sahi time par waha se hat gya tha.
Zameen me ek deep crack pad gaya.
"Yeh log… mujhe track kar rahe hain…"
Mera dil tezi se dhadak rha tha.
Lekin iss baar…
Main bas react nahi kar raha tha—
Main observe kar raha tha.
Ek statue mere saamne aaya.
Uski aankhen chamak rahi thi.
Maine apne steps slow kiye…
"Ab… mat hilna…"
Main freeze ho gaya.
Statue ke aankhon ki chamak rhi thi and sirf uska mere upar focus tha.
Second beetne lage—
1…
2…
3…
Aur phir—
Wo statue suddenly turn hua.
"Mujhe ignore kar diya…?"
Main dheere se breathe kiya.
Tabhi—
[System Notification]
[Adaptive Memory Engaged]
"Adaptive… kya?"
Mere mind me ek sharp clarity aayi.
Jaise kisi ne sab cheezein simple kar di ho—
Rule 1: Jab tak wo dekh rahe hain → mat hilna
Rule 2: Jab wo dhyaan hata dein → move kar sakte ho
Rule 3: Ek galti = death
"Simple… aur deadly."
Main aage bada.
Dheere… controlled… silent.
Peeche se ek statue ne phir se move kiya—
Is baar main ready tha.
Main turant ruk gaya.
Aur statue bhi ruk gaya.
Main uske aankhon me dekh raha tha…
Aur wo bhi mujhe.
Silence…
Heavy silence…
"Ab kya…?"
Tabhi—
mere system ne ek aur line dikha di—
[New Ability Detecting…]
[Trigger Required: Pressure + Fear]
Mera dimaag kaam karne laga.
"Pressure… fear…"
Mujhe samajh aa gaya—
Yeh system mujhe sirf bachata nahi…
Mujhe evolve bhi kar raha hai.
Main ek step aage badha—
Aur jaan-bujh kar—
Thoda sa hil gaya.
"Are you crazy?"
Wo awaaz mere andar se chillayi.
Par—
Maine ignore kiya.
Maine aur ek step liya—
Statue instantly turn hua—
Uski aankhen bright ho gayi—
Aur usne attack kiya—
Lekin iss baar—
Main ready tha.
Main side me slide hua—
Aur us attack se bach gaya.
[Skill Progression: 10%]
Mere andar ek strange power feel hui—
"Ye… badh raha hai…"
Main slow smile kiya.
"Matlab… fear ka use karna hai…"
Main ab aur careful nahi tha.
Main aggressive ho gaya.
Main statues ke beech se move karne laga—
Ek step…
Rukna…
Next step…
Rukna…
Poora room ek deadly game ban gaya tha—
"Move or Die."
Aur phir—
Maine usse dekha.
Head.
Wo ab bhi wahi khada tha…
Halka sa smile.
Jaise wo sab enjoy kar raha ho.
Maine uski aankhon me dekhte hue kaha—
"Main ab bhi zinda hoon."
Usne thoda sa head tilt kiya.
"Good…"
Aur uski awaaz me ek nayi curiosity thi—
"Dekhte hain… Zero Class kitna evolve kar sakta hai."
Beep.
[Trial Continues…]
[Next Phase: Unlocked]
Aur usi pal—
Statues ka behavior change ho gaya.
Ab wo sirf move nahi kar rahe the…
Wo hunt kar rahe the.
Main ek deep saans li.
"Ab… asli test shuru hua hai."
Aur mai—
Ek kadam aage bada.