Chapter 42: Shikar Ka Aagman – Jab Jungle Khud Tumhe Pehchaan Leta Hai
Cave ke bahar nikalte hi hawa badal chuki thi।
Yeh wahi jungle tha…
lekin ab Pankaj ke liye ye pehle jaisa nahi raha tha।
Pehle jungle uske liye ek unknown danger tha…
ab jungle usko observe kar raha tha।
Pankaj dheere-dheere bahar aaya।
Uske pair jaise hi zameen par pade—
ek halki vibration poore area me fail gayi।
"Sense reaction…"
Usne dheere se kaha।
Uska sharir ab lightweight lag raha tha…
lekin andar ek alag hi pressure tha—
jaise energy continuously circulate kar rahi ho।
Usne apne haath ko dekha।
Skin ab normal nahi lag rahi thi…
halka sa metallic reflection har movement ke saath change ho raha tha।
"Evolution still active hai…"
Pankaj ne aas-paas dekha।
Jungle dense tha…
lekin is baar silence alag thi।
Na birds…
na normal wind sound…
sirf ek waiting feeling।
Jaise kuch already aa chuka ho…
bas appear hone ka time wait kar raha ho।
Pankaj aage badha।
Har kadam carefully le raha tha…
lekin ab usme hesitation nahi thi।
Uska dimaag fast chal raha tha—
"Cave ke baad jungle ka level change hota hai…"
"matlab yeh entry zone nahi…"
"transition zone hai…"
Aur tabhi—
pehli movement dikhi।
Ek tree ke upar se shadow pass hua।
Pankaj turant ruk gaya।
"Fast…"
Usne sirf itna bola।
Agle hi moment—
"SWOOSH!"
Ek sharp object uske side se pass hua aur ped ko cut kar gaya।
Pankaj instantly back step leta hai।
"Attack from distance…"
"smart predator…"
Wo ab ready stance me aa gaya।
Aur tab—
4 directions se movement feel hua।
"Surround…"
"already…"
Ek beast upar se jump karke aaya।
Do side se…
aur ek directly front se।
Pankaj ne first attack dodge kiya…
aur second ko block kiya।
Impact heavy tha।
"THUD!"
Uska arm vibrate hua…
lekin pain controlled tha।
"Better durability…"
Wo turant spin hua…
aur ek beast ko wall se takra diya।
Lekin ab situation stable nahi thi।
Beasts intelligent the…
wo adapt kar rahe the।
Har attack ke baad unka formation change ho raha tha।
"Learning…"
"ye bhi…"
Pankaj ne ek deep breath li।
"Okay…"
"ab real test start hua…"
Aur tabhi—
ground ke neeche se ek heavy sound aaya।
"THOOM…"
Zameen halki si crack hui।
Pankaj turant jump karta hai side me।
Aur jahan wo khada tha wahan ek massive claw nikal aata hai।
"Underground attack…"
Ab uska expression serious ho gaya।
"Yeh normal beasts nahi…"
"hunting squad hai…"
Ek beast ne roar kiya।
Aur sab ek saath attack mode me aa gaye।
Ab fight fast aur brutal ho gayi।
Pankaj har attack ko dodge aur counter kar raha tha…
lekin ab pressure zyada tha।
Uska stamina gradually drain ho raha tha।
"Too many…"
Ek moment aaya—
jab Pankaj ek rock formation ke beech trap ho gaya।
Front blocked…
back blocked…
side se attacks aa rahe the।
"Corner…"
Ek beast ne final charge kiya।
Pankaj ne last moment par jump kiya…
lekin uska leg scratch ho gaya।
"SSHHH!"
Khoon nikal aaya।
"Damn…"
Wo ab samajh gaya—
ye fight win karna zaroori nahi…
survive karna zaroori hai।
Usne instant decision liya।
"Escape…"
Wo side jungle me dash karta hai।
Beasts uske peeche aa gaye।
Lekin jungle dense tha…
aur Pankaj ne terrain use karna start kiya।
Wo zig-zag movement se distance create kar raha tha।
"Speed advantage…"
Lekin tabhi—
ek beast ne air cut attack kiya।
"SHHHHHRR!"
Energy wave jaisa attack aaya।
Pankaj last moment par duck karta hai…
aur uske piche tree split ho jata hai।
"Range attacker…"
Ab situation aur dangerous ho gayi thi।
Close combat + ranged attack dono mix the।
Pankaj ek cliff edge par aa gaya।
Neeche deep forest gap tha।
Aur peeche beasts close aa rahe the।
"Option zero…"
Usne ek deep breath li।
Aur bina soch ke jump kar diya।
"WHOOOOSH!"
Wo neeche girta hai…
aur mid-air rotation karke tree branch pakad leta hai।
Impact heavy tha…
lekin survive ho gaya।
Beasts upar se ro rahe the…
lekin follow nahi kar pa rahe the।
Pankaj niche girta hai aur roll karta hai।
Uski breathing broken thi…
lekin alive tha।
"Too close…"
Tabhi—
ek shadow uske saamne land karti hai।
DHAM!
Zameen crack ho jati hai।
Pankaj instantly stance leta hai।
Aur uske saamne jo khada tha…
wo pehle wale beasts jaisa nahi tha।
Ye aur bada…
aur zyada refined predator tha।
Uski aankhen dark red thi…
aur aura heavy tha।
"B-tier…"
Pankaj ne instantly sense kiya।
Beast ne slow step liya।
Aur us moment—
Pankaj ka body automatically alert ho gaya।
"Danger level high…"
Beast ne ek single strike kiya।
Lekin speed insane thi।
Pankaj barely dodge kar paya…
aur uske shoulder par deep graze ho gaya।
"AAAAH!"
Pain real tha।
"Yeh…"
"alag level hai…"
Ab Pankaj samajh gaya—
ye fight win nahi ki ja sakti normally।
Sirf survive ki ja sakti hai।
Usne strategy change ki।
Wo direct fight avoid karne laga।
Terrain use…
timing use…
aur bait strategy।
Beast aggressive tha…
lekin Pankaj smart ho raha tha।
Ek moment aaya—
jab beast overextend hua।
Bas wahi chance tha।
Pankaj ne full speed counter diya…
aur uske side me strike ki।
"THUD!"
Beast stagger hua…
lekin gir nahi।
Aur tabhi—
usne ek final roar kiya।
Aur jungle me aur beasts ka response aane laga।
"Backup…"
Pankaj ka face tight ho gaya।
"Ab yeh fight nahi…"
"hunt ban chuka hai…"
Usne ek last look liya…
aur phir full retreat start kar diya।
"Main yahan nahi marunga…"
Wo jungle ke andar gayab ho gaya।
Beasts uske peeche the…
lekin ab distance ban chuka tha।
Thodi der baad—
Pankaj ek tree ke upar baitha tha।
Uska sharir injured tha…
lekin alive tha।
"B-tier…"
"ab normal nahi hai…"
Aur tabhi—
door ped ke upar ek shadow khadi thi।
Watcher।
Wo sirf dekh raha tha।
Aur usne dheere se kaha—
"Ab tumhe jungle nahi…"
"jungle tumhe chase karega…"
Aur wo gayab ho gaya।
Pankaj ne apni muthi band ki।
"Good…"
"ab real training start hai…"
🔥 Chapter 42 End