[The Hook]
"The scriptures promised a Savior who would descend from the heavens. But as the world rotted in the year 2053, we realized the heavens had gone silent, and the only thing descending upon Neo-Kashi was the toxic black rain."
[The Story]
In the neon-drenched suffocating smog of the city, the divide was absolute. Above the clouds stood the crystal towers of the Elites. Below them, in the permanent shadow of those towers, lay 'The Rust'—a sprawling, metallic slum where hope was more expensive than oxygen.
Deep within the damp alleyways of Sector 7, a desperate cry broke the silence.
"Please... I'll pay you next week! Just leave my sister alone!" a young boy's voice cracked.
A heavy combat boot slammed into the boy's chest, pinning him to the grime. The man wearing the boot was a 'Fixer' for The Syndicate, the corrupt shadow government of the city. Behind him, two other thugs were dragging a girl, Ananya, toward a black armored hover-van. In the slums, a girl's life was worth less than a rusted battery.
"Next week is for those who live until tomorrow," the thug sneered, raising an electrified baton.
But the baton never fell.
Out of the thick, chemical fog, a shadow emerged. He wore a tattered, dark hoodie, hands buried deep in his pockets. He didn't look like a hero; he looked like just another ghost. Yet, his presence made the air feel cold.
"Let her go," the stranger said. His voice was low, vibrating with a strange, ancient resonance.
The thugs burst into mocking laughter. "And who are you? Some prophet from the dead ages?"
The stranger, Rudra, didn't respond. At the base of his spine, he felt a searing heat. Since birth, seven dark, dormant marks had scarred his back. For twenty years, they were silent. But tonight, they were screaming.
[Power Level: First Gate - The Core | Pulse: I (Awakened)]
As the lead thug lunged, Rudra moved. He wasn't just fast; he was a blur. Before the thug could blink, Rudra's fist collided with his jaw. The sound was a thunderclap. The man was launched ten feet backward, his body slamming into a metal container with enough force to dent the steel.
The other two gasped, dropping Ananya. "What... what are you?"
Rudra remained silent. Underneath his hoodie, his lower back began to emit a faint, amber-golden glow. He felt the First Pulse of his Core Chakra surging. His muscles tightened like coiled springs. With two precise strikes, he sent the remaining men collapsing to the floor. They didn't just lose consciousness; their very bones had crumbled under the pressure.
Silence returned. Rudra turned toward Ananya. She stared at him with wide, trembling eyes. She wanted to ask his name, but the words died in her throat.
"Go home," Rudra muttered. He turned and vanished into the fog before she could even say thank you.
[The Suspense/Ending]
Rudra reached his cramped, windowless room and locked the door. He pulled off his hoodie and looked into a cracked mirror. On his back, the first mark was still glowing with a dull, golden light.
But as the glow began to fade, a sudden, sharp pain jolted his entire body. He fell to his knees, gasping for air.
On the mirror's surface, a message began to appear in the condensation of his breath—written in ancient Sanskrit, yet glowing like digital code:
"The First Gate is open, but the Hunter has sensed the Pulse. Run, Precursor. They are coming."
Before Rudra could react, he heard the faint, high-pitched whine of a Syndicate tracking-drone hovering right outside his door.
Aapke liye Notes:
Hook: Isme humne dikhaya ki duniya kitni buri ho chuki hai aur log bhagwan ka intezar kar rahe hain.
Suspense: End mein Rudra ko ek warning milti hai aur Syndicate ka drone uske ghar tak pahunch gaya hai. Log ab Chapter 2 padhne ke liye majboor ho jayenge!