The sun hadn't risen, but the city was already glowing with fire.
The warehouse held—for now.
Arjun moved through it with the silence of someone trained to watch corners, check ceilings, and never trust shadows. His shoulder still ached. He'd cleaned the wound, wrapped it again, but it pulsed like a ticking clock.
The survivors were resting. Barely. A woman clutched rosary beads. The old man mumbled shlokas in his sleep. The teen, Varun, had tied curtain rods into makeshift spears and was trying to practice.
Arjun had given them food. Water. Hope.
But not illusions.
"You're not safe," he'd said. "You're just not dead yet."
System Notification:
"Vehicle Signature Detected – Delhi Police Logistics Unit."
– Location: Basement Level
– Secured Sector
– Status: Critical Damage (40%)
– Evolution Possible: Yes
Requirements to Restore:
– 4 Apocalypse Coins (Repair Core)
– 1 Compatible Vehicle Battery (Search Nearby)
Evolution Tier 1 Unlocked Upon Restoration
- Upgrades: Reinforced Tires, Noise Dampening, HUD Sync
Arjun descended into the basement.
The stairwell stank of mildew and silence. The emergency generator lights flickered weakly. At the end of the hallway, behind a rusting steel shutter, the Jeep stood like a fossil of order in a world gone mad.
Delhi Police – QRT Tactical Response
He reached out. Brushed his hand over the old hood. Flakes of soot and dried blood came off.
She was still breathing. Barely.
Apocalypse Coin Balance: 6
Spend 4 Coins to begin restoration?
"Yes," he whispered.
The coins dissolved into blue motes of light—spiraling through the air like fireflies. The Jeep's form began to shimmer faintly. Bolts realigned. The cracked windshield re-formed. Lights flickered on.
Restoration Complete – Evolution Path Active
-[Tactical Unit "Ashva – Mk I" Registered]
Vehicle Evolution Interface Unlocked
- Next Evolution Cost: 10 Coins
- Required Kill Threshold: 30 Ravagers (Current: 9)
Arjun grinned, just barely.
He'd ridden in hundreds of these during raids. But now it was his.
Above, on the rooftop, Varun shouted:
"Sahab! Something's coming!"
Arjun raced up the stairs, two at a time. When he reached the roof, the air stank—like rust, diesel, and rot.
He raised his binoculars.
What he saw was wrong.
Something too large for the street was crawling forward on all fours. It had no skin, just muscle and bone. Its mouth unhinged like a jackal's, revealing too many teeth. Ribcage exposed. Spinal cords twitching.
Enemy Detected: Ravager – Tier 6 ("Charnel Brute")
- Danger Level: Critical
- Strength: Monstrous
- Speed: Low
- Durability: High
Noted Behavior: Hunts heat signatures, attracted to civilian clusters.Non-threatened by basic firearms or melee weapons.
Suggested Strategy: Tactical Delay / Distraction / Vehicle Evacuation"Do not engage directly unless blessed or highly equipped."
The ground began to tremble.
One of the civilians screamed. The old man began reciting louder. One of the ex-cops they'd captured had broken free and was now praying at the wall, not even trying to run.
Arjun made a decision.
"Everyone into the basement!" he barked. "Move, now!"
The Brute's footsteps sounded like metal gates slamming. Its growl—low and wrong—vibrated inside bone.
Arjun jumped into the Jeep.
System synced instantly:
Ashva-Mk I Online
- Thermal Steering: Enabled
- Internal Power Grid: 87%
- Silent Engine Mode: Available (2 mins)
He turned the wheel. It hummed, smooth and responsive.
From the warehouse speakers, he blared a police siren—and floored the accelerator.
Outside.
The Charnel Brute turned.
Its eye sockets were empty—but it saw.
Arjun gritted his teeth as the Jeep roared out of the garage.
"Come on, you bastard. Follow me."
It did.
The Ravager gave chase, tearing through abandoned carts and bikes. With every leap, it dented the road. It shrieked like a funeral trumpet made from lungs.
Mission Triggered: "Divergence Run"
- Objective: Pull Ravager from Safe Zone
- Bonus: +5 Apocalypse Coins if no civilian casualties
- Bonus: +30 EXP if enemy disabled or escaped
** Condition: Death on Capture **
The Jeep swerved through narrow lanes.Arjun shot at it with the mounted sidearm — the bullets barely slowing it.It scraped buildings. Smashed trees. It was a goddamn bulldozer of meat and rage.
But the siren kept it fixated.
He reached a flyover near the Yamuna banks. Skidded hard. Opened the door and rolled out, baton in hand. Slapped the Jeep into autopilot and sent it speeding toward the bridge's edge.
The Brute followed.
He watched it leap after the flashing lights ——just as the bridge gave way beneath it.
- Impact Registered- Ravager Integrity: 38%- Condition: Regenerating
Mission Complete: Divergence Run
- +30 EXP
- +5 Apocalypse Coins
- +2 Reputation
- Vehicle Damage: 60% (Recoverable)
- New Total EXP: 72 / 200
- New Coin Total: 7
Arjun lay on the pavement, chest heaving. His vest was torn. His knuckles bled.
But the civilians were safe.
He looked up at the bruised dawn light, chest rising and falling like the dying siren.
Then, the system chimed again.
Divine Attention Increased – Hanuman
- You have demonstrated courage in overwhelming odds.
Requirement Progress:- Protect the helpless- Engage superior enemy
Divine Favor (Tier 0): 2/4 Conditions Fulfilled
- Reputation: 5/10
- Faith Alignment: Still Unchosen
Arjun whispered, not to the system—but to the city.
"I don't care if you're real.I don't care if I'm a believer.
But if you're watching…I'll keep doing this.You decide what I earn for it."