Morning in Mumbai felt unchanged — honking rickshaws, chai stalls steaming, kids running with backpacks.
But for Ayush… the world had already shifted.
He stood at the school gate, watching students file in, laughing, unaware of how close death had come last night.
The creature that attacked him wasn't from a dungeon. It wasn't natural. And no one even knew.
He adjusted his collar and walked in. Quiet as ever.
Classroom 11-B – Midday
"Today's quiz will be on 'Dungeon Adaptation Laws' and the five awakening classes," the teacher announced, placing a stack of papers on her desk.
Ayush stared at his blank desk.
He wasn't part of this world's system.
No screen. No stats. No data logs.
Just instincts, memories, and something divine flickering in his cracked Nexus Core.
"Mr. Ayush," the teacher said, glancing up. "Would you like to even try today?"
Some students chuckled. Tanmay smirked near the back.
Ayush gave a polite nod. "I'll observe today."
Cafeteria – Lunch
Trays clattered. Students argued over PvP rankings, quest drops, and guild recruitment.
Ayush sat near the window, alone.
But today, someone approached.
She sat across from him without a word.
Long, black hair tied up messily. Sharp eyes. Casual jacket over the academy uniform.
Aarya Sen.
Daughter of one of Mumbai's top guild leaders — and a rare early Awakened.
Everyone knew her name.
But no one understood her.
Ayush raised an eyebrow. "I didn't expect company."
She unwrapped her sandwich. "I didn't expect you to explode a corrupted beast in the middle of a slum and walk away like it was normal."
Ayush froze.
His eyes met hers.
Calm. Steady. Dangerous.
"You were there?" he asked.
"I was passing by," she said. "I sensed pressure. Thought it was a dungeon leak. What I found was you — not glowing blue, no system field, just... raw power."
She leaned in slightly.
"No one else noticed. But I did."
Ayush looked out the window.
"Then you saw what you weren't supposed to."
She nodded. "Maybe. Or maybe I saw something real — something this fake system doesn't want us to know."
Her words surprised him.
She wasn't just powerful.
She was aware.
A rare thing.
"I'm not part of this system," Ayush said softly. "And I don't plan to be."
Aarya smirked. "Good. The system feels like a leash anyway."
They ate in silence after that.
Two anomalies in a world of rules.
Later That Evening – Guild Conference Room
Aarya stood before her father, Rajan Sen, guildmaster of [Vermillion Vow].
He watched her carefully.
"You're interested in that boy again?" he asked.
"I'm not 'interested'," she replied. "I'm...watching."
Rajan narrowed his eyes. "Your instincts are dangerous, Aarya. Trust them too much, and you'll walk into traps made of ghosts."
She tilted her head. "Or I'll walk past lies everyone else believes."
Rajan looked at the wall behind her — a large map of India dotted with open Gates.
"Fine," he said at last. "Keep an eye on him. But stay in the system's shadow. We don't know who's watching."
Elsewhere – In the Dark
The mirror rippled again.
The faceless figure from before leaned forward.
"An Awakened girl... has noticed the crack," it murmured.
Behind him, a dozen thin shadows stirred.
"Bring her closer," he whispered. "Let the fake king think he's safe."
Back at School – Rooftop
Ayush leaned back against the wall, watching the sky turn gold.
The Nexus Core pulsed once.
Someone had seen him. Someone had survived knowing it.
And strangely, he didn't mind.
"Let her watch," he said quietly.
"But when the time comes… she'll have to choose."