Mera sharir hawa me latak raha tha.
Neeche… laashein padi thi.
Khoon poore hall mai tha.
Aur mere saamne—
Wo giant statue… ab bhi mujhe dekh raha tha.
Uski aankhon me curiosity thi.
Jaise main koi insaan nahi…
Ek experiment hoon.
"Finally… darwaza khul gaya…"
Wo awaaz phir se aayi.
Iss baar zyada clear.
Mere andar se.
Meri saanse tez ho gayi.
"Kaun hai…?" maine mushkil se bola.
Koi jawab nahi aaya.
Sirf—
Beep.
Screen mere saamne dubara chamki.
[Curse System Initialized]
[Host: Zero Class Confirmed]
[Compatibility: Perfect]
Mera dil zor se dhadakne laga jaise abhi hi dil body mai se nikal aayega.
"System…?"
Maine haath badhane ki koshish ki…
Par mera sharir ab bhi hawa me bandha hua tha.
Tabhi—
Head ne apna haath dheere se uthaya.
Aur meri taraf ishara kiya.
Ek invisible force ne mujhe uski taraf kheecha.
"NAHI—!"
Main chillaya…
Lekin koi fayda nahi.
Main seedha uske saamne jaakar ruk gaya.
Itna paas…
ki main uski aankhon me apna darr dekh sakta tha.
"Interesting…"
Uski awaaz bhaari thi… lekin ab pehle se alag.
"Zero Class… aur phir bhi zinda."
Mera gala sukh gaya.
Main kuch bol hi nahi pa raha tha.
Screen flicker hui—
[New Quest Generated]
[Survive the Trial]
[Condition: Do not move when watched]
Meri aankhen screen par freeze ho gayi.
"Do not move… when watched…?"
Tabhi—
Head ki aankhen seedha meri aankhon me ghur gayi.
Mera sharir apne aap freeze ho gaya.
Saans tak rok li.
Ek second…
Do second…
Teen—
Phir usne aankhen hata li.
Maine zor se saans li.
"Ye… rule hai…"
Mere dimaag me sab clear hone laga.
"Jab ye dekhte hain… tab move nahi karna…"
"Samajh gaya?"
Wo awaaz phir se aayi.
Is baar… halki si hansi ke saath.
Meri reedh ki haddi me thand utar gayi.
"Tum… kaun ho?" maine dheere se poocha.
"Main… tum hoon."
Mera dimaag blank ho gaya.
Achanak—
Ek aur notification aayi.
Beep.
[Skill Unlocked: Fear Resistance – Level 1]
Mujhe laga jaise mere andar kuch badal gaya ho.
Darr ab bhi tha…
Lekin wo mujhe control nahi kar raha tha.
"Good…"
Head ne dheere se kaha.
"Dekhte hain… kitni der tak zinda rehte ho."
Achanak—
Baaki statues phir se hilne lage.
Unki aankhen ek ek karke chamakne lagi.
Poora hall phir se khauf me badalne wala tha.
Maine apne aap ko sambhala.
"Rule simple hai…"
"Mat hilo… jab tak wo dekh rahe hain…"
Ek statue meri taraf dauda.
Uski aankhen chamak rahi thi.
Main khada raha.
Bilkul still.
Meri saanse ruk gayi.
Wo mere bilkul paas aaya…
…aur ruk gaya.
"Kaam kar raha hai…"
Lekin tabhi—
Peeche se ek aur statue ne move kiya.
Mujhe dikhayi nahi diya.
"LEFT—!"
Wo awaaz zor se cheekhi.
Mera sharir apne aap side me hila.
Aur agle hi pal—
Ek bhaari attack mere paas se nikal gaya.
Zameen toot gayi.
Mera dil itni zor se dhadak raha tha… jaise abhi bahar aa jayega.
"Tum… meri madad kyun kar rahe ho…?" maine poocha.
Chhoti si khamoshi.
Phir—
"Kyuki agar tum mar gaye… to main bhi khatam."
Meri mind kaam nhi kar rha tha.
Screen flicker hui—
[Hidden Condition Completed]
[Survival Instinct: Activated]
"Mere andar achanak ek tez energy bhar gayi.
Mujhe sab kuch slow motion me dikhne laga.
Har statue ka movement…
Har aankh ka focus…
Sab clear.
"Ab bhaago…"
Wo awaaz dheere se boli.
"Game abhi shuru hua hai."
Maine ek gehri saans li…
Aur pehli baar—
Main dara nahi.
Main bhaaga.
Peeche…
Poora hall hil raha tha.
Statues mere peeche aa rahe the.
Aur upar—
Head khada tha…
Muskurate hue.
"Run, Zero…"
Uski awaaz goonji.
"Show me… your worth."
Meri aankhon me ek nayi chamak aa gayi.
"Main marne nahi wala…"
"Abhi nahi."
Beep.
[Next Phase Incoming…]