The sun dipped low behind broken minarets, but the work had only just begun. After conquering the Bronze Warden, Arjun didn't rest—he led his team through a rigorous grind session.
Beside the mosque's courtyard, survivors erected makeshift targets and an obstacle course. Night lamps flickered to life; tarps and scrap wood marked lanes for drills.
Over three hours, each member trained:
Varun focused on pipe-bomb tier-up drills, mastering trap responsiveness.
Dhani practiced Glacier Thread combos, switching in under 5 seconds.
Meher logged 50 sniper shots across varied ranges.
Ravi calibrated Sudarsh-Eye optics with moving and low-light targets.
Tapan flew drones through narrow arches, timed to avoid tethered net traps.
Arjun monitored quietly, correcting stance, breathing, and trigger squeeze. Each success earned XP; each failure—a lesson burned in muscle memory. By midnight, banners worn with bullet holes marked them as a more lethal unit.
At the mosque's sanctum, Arjun accessed the Coin Store:
Balance: 8,050 ACInventory Offers:
Vehicle Armor Kit – 2,000 AC
Turret Upgrade Module – 3,000 AC
Squad Health Injector MK-II – 1,200 AC (x5)
Drone Energy Pack – 1,000 AC (x2)
Template Weapon Mods – 800 AC
Purchases Made:
Vehicle Armor Kit and Turret Upgrade
Health Injectors for each team member
2 Drone Energy Packs
Weapon Mod Kits for Varun & Dhani
Remaining Balance: 50 AC
Their ex-cop SUV had been their lifeline, salvaged from the police warehouse.
The Armor Kit reinforced plating, protected tires with Kevlar wrap.
The Turret Module transformed the rear bed into a stabilized emplacement, mounting Meher's RPG and Ravi's sniper setup.
They tested it: Varun fired the turret from the back while Meher scoped from the front passenger door, DG uncovered; the vehicle shaved shrapnel, teeth-bared but intact.
They night-rode out from mosque sanctuary toward the government compound—the final battle zone.
En route, they passed hushed streets. The new barrier overlapped the administrative district now—still broken, but advancing repair teams had begun reinforcing safe shelters.
Fear lingered. Arjun tightened his gloves and checked Vajrapath's edge.
He gen'd up:"Tonight… we either bind this world or we lose the peace we've built."
They responded silently, eyes fixed ahead.
They reached the compound—cracked marble steps, burned-out light fixtures, bureaucratic ruins.
At the courtyard's center stood the ex-DGP—the Corrupted Cobra General—in full police uniform, bronze armor plates grafted to shoulders and arms. Baton sparking.
He roared:"You think you can claim my ground?"
Arjun signaled forward.
Formation:
Arjun spear and frontline
Varun throwing micro-pipes
Dhani freezing proximity
Tapan overhead drone deflection
Meher turret sniper support
Jassi RPG suppression
Varun's first micro-charge hit the DGP's armor seam—crumpling plating.Dhani chained his wrist, glacial ice lacing the baton.Tapan's drones unleashed flash-burst disruptors—draining circuits.
The DGP countered—heavy baton swing broke ice rim. Sparks shower. He advanced, aura humming with corrupted energy.
Arjun stepped in, Veerbhadra Echo ready:Steel met bronze.Echo flared—+25% strength, +10% speed, fear immunity.
He drove Vajrapath into the DGP's mech-plating—fracture lines spiderwebbed outward.
Varun silently moved behind multiple opponents, detonating dual charges.Dhani froze his feet.Meher's turret rounds splintered plating.Jassi bombarded flank; survivors directed to safe zones.
DGP staggered—power cloak flickered. He slashed electrical arcs.
Arjun deflected, but one strike clipped his hip. He grunted.
Varun launched a Flash Net backup over DGP's legs—binding.Dhani struck midair—thread froze the DGP's back and shoulders.
Tapan's drones administered EMP bursts in sync.
Meher fired sniper round into the DGP's unarmored throat—sapping momentum.
Arjun charged, echo still humming.He pivoted, thrusting spear under the armor seam.Searing black-blood poured. DGP screamed his own name from memory.
Arjun twisted the spear.
Silence.
The ex-cop crashed to his knees. Sparks faded. He collapsed.
Arjun knelt, removing his helmet.
A hand shifted on the DGP's gun vest. Faint pulse.
"Stay safe," Arjun hummed. "You'll live."
Dawn light bathed the compound as Arjun tapped the interface:Node Activated – Old Delhi Administrative CompoundSanctuary Network: 4/4Safe Radius: 2.5 kmGlobal Defense Aura: +30% Ravager ResistanceGovernment Supply Access: Unlocked
Fast Travel Nodes live.
Broadcasting over mosque and gurudwara speakers:"Safe zone established. Gather in peace."
Survivors streamed in, faces weary—but hopeful.
Arjun stood across from the child with the talisman. She traced its glow beneath the minaret's light.
They'd fought, trained, equipped, and survived. The barrier was no longer symbolic—it held life.
He glanced at his team—battle-worn but united.
He lifted Vajrapath:"To northward," he said."To home," they replied.