The air was heavier near the metro underpass.
Ash floated like burnt petals.
Arjun stood atop the gutted overpass, watching movement below – erratic, jagged.
Not human.
They moved like puppets tugged by cruel hands. Limbs snapping into motion. Faces slack and torn. Ravagers. Tier 1 – Emptied Husk Class.
They were once passengers.
Now, they just waited in cycles – drawn to any sound, any scent of breath.
– Mission Activated: Cull the Lost – Underpass Sweep– Objective: Kill 20 Ravagers to secure Jagatpuri Sector Perimeter– Reward: – +80 EXP – +3 Apocalypse Coins – +Small Weapon Crate– Side Bonus: – +0.5 Reputation (Local Survivors)
He crouched behind the half-bent metro sign and opened his stat interface quietly.
– Arjun Rathore – Lv. 2 (107 / 200 EXP)
– Strength – 7– Agility – 4– Endurance – 7– Awareness – 7– Willpower – 4– Instinct – 5
Traits:– Grit-Blooded– Police Instinct (Passive)
Inventory:– Cracked Police Baton– Tactical Knife (Found)– 9mm (Empty)– Shiv (Crafted)
He wasn't strong enough to take them head-on in a crowd.
But Ravagers had a pattern.
Like junkyard dogs.
And Arjun? He hunted before.Naxal camps. Night raids. Knife fights.You learned to listen to breath and bone.
– New Sub-Skill Gained: Predator's Step – Tier 0 – +10% movement silence at night – +5% damage on first strike from stealth
He slid down the gravel ridge silently.
Target 1.Old man. Torn kurta. Jaw detached.
Whispered a prayer – then jammed the shiv under the ear.
CRACK.
– +4 EXP– +1 Apocalypse Coin (Auto-Collected)– Loot Acquired: Ravager Core – Fragmented
Target 2.Slumped woman, eyes bleeding black.
He slid behind, caught her knee, and twisted with brutal precision. Spine first. Shiv second.
– +4 EXP– +1 Coin– Shiv Durability – 72%
Then the mob turned.
Too late.
He was already dancing between them, one motion feeding another.
Strike. Twist. Slide. Strike.
He used the baton like a judge's gavel – snapping knees, shattering ribs.
Breath measured.
Eyes locked.
– Combat Chain Initiated – – Combo Chain Achieved: +15% EXP Gain – Tier 1 Ravager Staggered (3x) – No Health Lost – Bonus Multiplier +10%
– Kills: 12 / 20– Current EXP: 155 / 200– Coins: 13– Skill Progress: – Predator's Step Lv. 1 → Lv. 2 – Stealth bonus upgraded – New Effect: Footprint Fade
He backed into the concrete divider and checked his breath.
Not a drop of Ravager blood on him.
He had become something different.Not faster. Not smarter.Just – more inevitable.
– System Interface Unlocked: Skill Mastery Progression – Core Skills Evolving with Use – – Weapon Control – 57% Mastery – Situational Awareness – 40% – Tactical Movement – 25% – Police Instinct – 10% – Predator's Step – 15%– You now gain EXP from Skill Use, Survival Efficiency, and Kill Performance.
He finished the last of them by dragging one under the train wheels, then climbing up just in time to cave in the skull of the final Ravager with the metro's steel wiring bar.
– Mission Complete: Cull the Lost – +80 EXP – +3 Apocalypse Coins – +Crate – [Basic Weapons] – Bonus Achieved: Zero Damage Combat Sweep – +20 EXP – +1 Bonus Coin
– Level Up: Level 3 Achieved – +5 Stat Points – +1 Passive Skill Point – New Trait Gained: Ruthless Cadence – +10% damage to stunned or staggered enemies – +10% energy recovery after killing 3 or more enemies in 10 seconds – Slight boost to intimidation against lower-tier monsters
He climbed up and opened the Basic Weapons Crate:
– Kukri (Tactical-Grade, Tier 1 – 85% Durability)– Adhesive Bindings (Crafting)– One-handed Shiv (Tier 0)
He turned back toward the distant warehouse.
The people would still be alive.
Because he kept moving.
Because he learned, not just fought.
Because even gods only helped those – who helped themselves first.
– Arjun Rathore – Lv. 3
– EXP: 15 / 300– Apocalypse Coins: 17– Stat Points Available: 5– Passive Skill Point: 1– Trait: Ruthless Cadence (NEW)
He looked at his hands. Callused. Cracked.
Still steady.
– "Let's keep dancing," he whispered.