Khandar ke purane, toote-foote pattharon ke beech khade hue, meri saansein tez thi, lekin mere andar ek ajeeb si shanti thi. Mere samne Sia khadi thi, uski aankhen aashcharya aur dar se phati hui thi. Uska 'Healer' system shayad use warn kar raha tha ki mere aas-paas kuch toh gadbad hai—kuch aisa jo uske samajh ke bahar hai. Maine abhi-abhi us 'Void' se wapsi ki thi, aur mere badan mein daud rahi energy abhi bhi thandi aur kaali thi.
"Harsh... yeh kya tha?" Sia ki awaz kaamp rahi thi. Usne apna haath aage kiya, shayad woh mere aura ko read karne ki koshish kar rahi thi.
Maine gehra saans liya. Mera dil abhi bhi us void ki thandak se dhadak raha tha, lekin chehra? Chehra ekdam pathar jaisa tha. Maine seekh liya hai ki agar tumhe is duniya mein survive karna hai, toh apni asliyat chhupani padegi. Main ab woh ladka nahi raha jiska har koi mazaak udate hue nikal jata hai.
"Sia," maine usey seedha aankhon mein dekha. "Tumne jo dekha, woh shayad ek illusion tha. Yahan void mein energy fluctuations bahut strong hain. Tumhe pata hai na, machine crash hui thi? Shayad wahi radiation hai."
Maine jhooth bolna shuru kiya, aur sach kahun toh, mujhe darr nahi laga. "Null" hone ka sabse bada fayda yahi tha—koi mujhe serious leta hi nahi. Mere jhooth par kisi ko shaq nahi hota kyunki kisi ko lagta hi nahi ki main itna bada khel khel sakta hoon.
Sia ne thodi der tak mujhe ghoora. Uska healer system shayad usey warn kar raha tha, lekin usne lambi saans li aur peeche hat gayi. "Theek hai, Harsh. Lekin... agar tum kisi mushkil mein ho, toh bata dena. Main kisi ko nahi bataungi."
Woh chali gayi, lekin main jaanta tha woh mujhpar nazar rakhegi. Maine turant apni aankhein band ki aur command diya—System, status update.
[System: Status Update]
[Name: Harsh]
[Class: Necro-Monarch (Unique)]
[Level: 5]
[Strength: 15 (+5)]
[Agility: 12 (+2)]
[Intelligence: 15 (+3)]
[Mana: 100/100]
[Unassigned Points: 10]
10 points. Mere haath thode kaanp rahe the. Maine in points ko turant 'Agility' mein daala. Ek ajeeb si jhanjhanahat mere poore sharer mein daud gayi. Mere muscles ghane ho gaye, aur main pehle se kahin zyada alert mehsoos kar raha tha. Ab meri nazar koi bhi harkat aasani se pakad sakti thi.
Jab main school ke ground mein wapas pahuncha, toh mujhe wahi purani badboo aayi—bevkufon ka shor aur ghamand. Students idhar-udhar apni nayi powers ka display kar rahe the. Koi agni se khel raha tha, toh koi hawa ko control kar raha tha. Mere liye, yeh sab ek bachpana tha. Main ab woh dekh sakta tha jo baaki nahi dekh sakte—unke sharer se nikal rahi mana ki halki si roshni.
Aryan wahan apne doston ke saath khada tha, apni woh chamkili talwar dikha raha tha.
"Oye! Null wapas aa gaya!" Aryan chillaaya.
Mujhe uski awaz mein ab koi gussa nahi, sirf ek halki si jalan dikh rahi thi. Main ruka nahi. Main seedha apni class ki taraf badha. Jab Aryan ne mera kandha pakadne ki koshish ki, toh maine apni purani fitrat nahi dikhayi. Main jhuka nahi. Maine bas apni raftaar badhayi aur ek mazboot shoulder check (takkar) Aryan ko maara.
Thud.
Aryan zameen par gira. Pure ground mein sannata chha gaya. Aryan uth khada hua, uska chehra gusse se lal tha.
"Tune... tune mujhe dhakka diya?" Usne apni talwar nikaal li, par meri nazar mein wo talwar ab ek khilona thi.
Main puka aur piche muda. Shayad mere andar ka 'Necro-Monarch' bahar aa gaya tha, kyunki meri aankhon mein wahi purple energy ki jhalak thi. Aryan darr ke maare ek kadam piche hat gaya. Usne shayad woh thandak mehsoos ki jo mere aas-paas thi. Uska warrior system usey 'Danger' ki warnings de raha tha, main dekh sakta tha.
"Aryan," maine dhimi, thandi awaaz mein kaha. "Aaj main achhe mood mein hoon. Dobara mujhe chhoone ki koshish mat karna. Warna tumhara 'Warrior' system tumhe bacha nahi payega."
Woh chup ho gaya. Uske doston ne bhi apni talwarein niche kar li. Unhe samajh nahi aa raha tha ki kal tak jo ladka mazaak ka paatra tha, aaj uski aankhon mein itni gehri raakh aur shakti kaise hai.
Tabhi, Principal ki announcement poore school mein gunji.
"Attention students. Kal humara 'Dungeon Simulation Trial' hai. Har class ko ek virtual dungeon mein bheja jayega jahan tumhe monsters ko harakar 'Mana Crystals' collect karne hain. Yeh tumhare grades ke liye bahut zaroori hai."
Dungeon.
Aryan ne mujhe ghoor kar dekha. "Suna tune, Null? Kal dungeon mein pata chal jayega ki kaun asli warrior hai. Main wahan tujhe itni buri tarah harauga ki teacher tujhe school se nikaal denge."
Main muskura diya. Aryan ko lag raha tha ki woh mujhe phansa raha hai, lekin usse kya pata? Woh toh khud ek shikaari ke samne khada hai.
Dungeon matlab monsters. Monsters matlab souls. Aur mere liye? Woh sirf practice grounds nahi, meri power ko unlock karne ka raasta hai. Maine apne haathon ko dekha. Abhi bhi wahan wahi halki purple energy ki lines thi jo dheere-dheere skin ke neeche chhip rahi thi.
Main class ki taraf badha. Har kadam par mujhe ehsaas ho raha tha ki main badal raha hoon. Meri body, mera dimaag, mera attitude. Ab main Harsh nahi hoon—main wo hoon jo maut aur zindagi ke beech ka rasta jaanta hai.
Dungeon mein mere saath kya hoga, ye Aryan nahi jaanta. Woh soch raha hai ki woh mujhe harayega, lekin main wahan un sabki taqat ko absorb karne ja raha hoon.
Game ab shuru hua hai, aur is baar... main sirf player nahi, main control karne wala hoon.
Bhai, Chapter 5 complete! Harsh ka character development ab ek naye level par hai.