The ruins whispered secrets as Arjun Rathore tread carefully among crumbled stone and broken relics. The morning light struggled through heavy clouds, casting long shadows over the forgotten remains of ancient Delhi outskirts. Each step was measured, his senses sharpened — a veteran cop now sharpened further by the cruel apocalypse.
The Sacred Ashes pulsed faintly in his palm, a warm glow in the chilling morning. Every nerve screamed caution, but the prize was within reach. He knew the relic's power could turn the tide.
Far from the ruins, on the streets adjacent to the Hanuman Mandir, Varun and Dhani braced themselves for a fight that would test the limits of their skills and resolve.
Suddenly, the system's alert pierced the tense silence: a Level 5 Ravager was on the move nearby.
Varun gripped his pipe bomb tightly — a crude yet deadly weapon crafted from scavenged shop materials. Dhani's palms ignited in a steady blaze of blue flames, elemental magic humming to life under his control.
A beast erupted from the debris, massive and furious — its red eyes burning with primal rage. The Ravager lunged, snarling and swiping with brutal force.
Varun acted fast, lobbing his pipe bomb right at its charging leg. The explosion rocked the street, staggering the creature but failing to bring it down.
Dhani moved like the wind, weaving flames with gusts of air into a swirling vortex, striking with precise elemental fury.
The Ravager's claw smashed a car, sending twisted metal and shards flying — but the duo pressed on, relentless.
Varun quickly set a tripwire, connected to another explosive charge hidden beneath rubble. The beast caught the trap and was blasted off balance.
Dhani unleashed a torrent of fire, searing the monster's flesh.
With every stagger, Varun rushed in with a sharpened metal rod, driving blows to vulnerable joints.
The beast roared in fury and pain but faltered, exhausted by the onslaught.
Finally, after a relentless barrage of traps, fire, and steel, the Ravager collapsed, defeated.
Back in the ruins, Arjun's pulse quickened as he secured the glowing Sacred Ashes. The system's voice echoed in his mind:
"Quest Complete: Sacred Ashes Retrieved. Reward: +9000 EXP, 30 Apocalypse Coins, Unlock Tier 2 Divine Blessing Access."
At their meeting point, Arjun found Varun and Dhani weary but triumphant.
The system chimed again, announcing the group's progress:
"Level Up! Arjun Rathore reached Level 8."
"Level Up! Varun reached Level 7."
"Level Up! Dhani reached Level 6."
Arjun carefully considered the hard lessons learned over the past days. His fighting style demanded raw power and stamina, but he also needed sharper instincts and unwavering will.
He allotted his 15 points as follows:
– Strength +5 (Now 19) — for overwhelming physical power and efficiency in combat.
– Endurance +4 (Now 18) — to endure pain and fatigue longer.
– Awareness +3 (Now 14) — to detect threats earlier and improve reaction speed.
– Willpower +3 (Now 12) — to resist mental attacks and stay focused under pressure.
Varun's lean, agile fighting style relied on speed and mental sharpness. His tactical mind craved precision and magical control.
His 15 points went to:
– Agility +7 (Now 25) — enhancing reflexes and movement to outmaneuver enemies.
– Willpower +5 (Now 16) — improving focus and magical stamina for elemental attacks.
– Awareness +3 (Now 13) — sharpening perception to trigger traps and explosives effectively.
Dhani's magic depended heavily on controlling his will and instincts, but agility helped with fluid movement and dodging.
His 15 points were spread as:
– Willpower +8 (Now 22) — deepening magical power and resistance.
– Agility +4 (Now 16) — for better maneuverability in combat.
– Instinct +3 (Now 14) — to anticipate enemy moves and control elemental forces precisely.
With three skill points to spend, each chose carefully to complement their growing combat styles.
Arjun unlocked:
– Tactical Command — boosts allied combat effectiveness and stamina regeneration.
– Iron Will — increases resistance to fear and mental debuffs by an additional 15%.
– Rapid Recovery — improves health regeneration speed during and after combat.
Varun invested in:
– Improvised Explosives Expert — increases damage and speed of pipe bombs and traps.
– Quick Reflexes — shortens reaction time for dodging and counterattacks.
– Elemental Infusion — channels elemental power into explosives, adding fire or shock effects.
Dhani enhanced:
– Elemental Channeling — reduces stamina cost and amplifies damage for fire and wind spells.
– Mana Shield — creates a magical barrier that absorbs damage temporarily.
– Windstep — grants brief bursts of speed and evasion through wind magic.
Arjun felt a sudden warmth as the Sacred Ashes settled in his palm, a quiet hum resonating through his veins.
Divine Blessing Unlocked: Hanuman's Resolve – Tier 1
The blessing pulsed gently inside him, granting subtle but powerful gifts:
– +15% Strength and Endurance during combat.
– +15% resistance to fear and mental attacks.
– +5% faster stamina and health regeneration.
– Permanent effect.
Though not overwhelming yet, Arjun could feel the steady undercurrent of Hanuman's legendary strength flowing through his limbs—ready to grow stronger with time and trials.
He took a deep breath, the weight of the apocalypse feeling just a little lighter.
The apocalypse had changed them — but it had also gifted them new strength, sharper skills, and flickers of divinity.
The battle was far from over.