Kanpur Cantonment(military camp), Uttar pradesh, India
In a dimly lit room, several people sat around a table. All eyes were fixed on the projection showing military soldiers firing bullets at strange creatures—creatures that looked like animals from Earth, yet clearly were not. These beasts charged at the soldiers with wild abandon, seemingly unfazed by the carnage around them, only to be gunned down with bullets to the head.
After a while, the scene changed, now showing a group of people wielding swords and shields, battling a rabbit-like creature. Though they managed to kill it in the end, some sustained injuries during the fight.
Eventually, the projection stopped, and the lights came on. A burly man in a grey suit with a matching tie stood up from the front row and turned to face everyone at the table.
Among those seated were military personnel and others dressed in typical Neta Ji attire. Everyone wore a serious expression. The burly man cleared his throat and spoke:
"Gentlemen, as you know… the situation is critical. We don't know where these creatures came from. We don't know why we're seeing this blue screen—or what it even is. We don't know who's behind it. The truth is… we don't know anything at all"
"But what we do know is that the world is changing—and rapidly. We saw that rocket explode the moment it left Earth's atmosphere," he said, referencing a scene shown earlier. "We've lost all contact with our satellites. That alone confirms what the screen told us earlier: the world has changed."
Silence followed.
No one spoke. After witnessing so many supernatural events, the truth was clear as day. And anyone still in denial likely didn't have much of a future ahead.
The burly man sat down. Another man, thin and bespectacled, stood up and addressed the room.
"We all played games when we were younger. The panel we're seeing now closely resembles a specific type of game—RPGs, or role-playing games. In those, players kill monsters, clear dungeons, and in doing so, earn 'EXP.' Once enough EXP is accumulated, they level up."
He paused, scanning the faces in the room.
"When players level up, their stats increase. These stats are numerical representations of your physical and mental abilities. As your body or mind improves, so do your stats—or you could say, as your stats improve, so do your capabilities. The point is, leveling up makes you stronger."
"This panel we're seeing is almost identical to what you'd find in one of those games. And we've confirmed that killing monsters does grant EXP—and people can, in fact, level up."
"That means," he said with emphasis, "we can grow stronger the more monsters we kill."
Before he could continue, a stern voice interrupted him. A man in military uniform, with a striking mustache, spoke up.
"If everyone can level up and gain power, it'll lead to chaos. People won't be able to live in peace. Once someone gets a taste of that strength, they'll never want to give it up. Controlling them will become a nightmare."
He said the last line with a pointed glance at the political figures across from him.
The man with glasses nodded thoughtfully and replied, "You're right. Crime will undoubtedly surge. We need a system in place to prevent this from spiraling out of control. And we're certainly not the only ones who've figured all this out."
At the mention of control, an older man in Neta Ji attire leaned forward with a slight grin.
"Why not form an association?" he suggested. "Make registration mandatory for everyone. That way, we can monitor their data. And those who refuse to register… well, we can restrict certain rights. Revoke privileges. That should keep things in line."
__________________________
Manaus City – A city at the bank of negro river
Darkness had settled over the city of Manaus, but sleep was a luxury no one could afford. Makeshift lights—battery-powered, flickering and unreliable—illuminated the streets where people huddled in groups, whispering about the strange messages still floating in their vision. The hum of generators and distant cries painted a picture of a city caught between survival and disbelief.
Buildings had cracked, some had fallen, and the air was thick with the scent of dust, oil, and uncertainty.
In the heart of the city, tents lined a sports complex now repurposed as an emergency shelter. Volunteers passed out emergency rations as families checked their status windows.
Further south, near the city's old sewer district, a different scene unfolded—unseen by the citizens above.
In a crumbling maintenance tunnel, deep beneath the surface, a dull red glow pulsed steadily. A circular rift shimmered just above the grimy floor—a Level F Wormhole. Cracks splintered outward from its core as if the world itself resisted its presence.
From the portal, something crawled. It had too many joints and not enough sound. Others followed it, their limbs whispering against wet concrete. They skittered toward the dark recesses of the sewer, nesting, watching, waiting.
Each hour, their numbers grew.
Above, the city remained unaware.
---
Lieutenant Rafael stood under the cold floodlights of a temporary command post set up outside a half-collapsed municipal building. Tall, broad-shouldered, and draped in a dirt-streaked uniform, he surveyed the city like a man holding the line between order and chaos.
He hadn't slept since the Mutation began.
"You're sure the eastern perimeter is secure?" he asked without looking at the soldier beside him.
"Yes, sir. Nothing unusual, but…" The young corporal hesitated. "People are reporting strange noises underground. Near storm drains. Some say pets have gone missing."
Rafael's jaw tightened.
"Don't alert the civilians. We don't have the firepower or manpower for panic right now. But I want two teams sweeping the tunnel grids by dawn. Quietly. Understood?"
"Understood, sir."
As the corporal jogged off, Rafael took a slow breath and looked toward the jungle. The stars above seemed too clear, too sharp—unnatural.
He had a sinking feeling. The kind that crawled up your spine and refused to leave. "Something's coming. And it's not just animals."
He placed a hand over his chest, brushing the faint blue glow of his Cosmos System badge, then turned to continue his rounds—still unaware that, far upriver, a stranger named Evan was drawing closer with every passing minute.
And underground, unseen and growing bolder by the hour, the first infestation had begun.
_______________
Unknown location, Amazon forest
The jungle was quiet. The usual weird night sounds filled the air, but nothing too close. Inside his log house, Evan was fast asleep on his leaf bed, sword resting nearby, the energy ball casting a soft glow.
Out in the trees, something watched.
A pair of bright blue eyes stared through the dark, unmoving. Silent.
They focused on the log house, not blinking. Whoever—or whatever—it was, stayed hidden, not making a sound.
The wind rustled the leaves. The eyes didn't move.
After a few minutes, the eyes slowly disappeared into the shadows, fading back into the jungle like they were never there.
Evan kept sleeping.
He had no idea he'd just been watched.