The Siren of South Mumbai
The evening silence of Mumbai's Marine Drive was shattered by a haunting, high-pitched siren. The sky had abruptly bruised into a deep, sickly purple, and a massive B-Rank Hell Gate was manifesting directly over the crashing waves of the Arabian Sea.
N.D.A. (National Dungers Association) drones swarmed the area like mechanical hornets. "Emergency Protocol 4-B! All civilians must evacuate immediately!" blared the loudspeakers amidst the mounting chaos. Local Rank-C guilds attempted to form a perimeter, but the raw mana-pressure leaking from the gate was so intense that their basic Magitech sensors short-circuited before the fight even began.
"Sir, the gate is reaching its breaking point! If those monsters breach the city, half of Mumbai will be leveled!" an N.D.A. officer shouted, his face pale with sweat as he reported to his Chief.
The Chief checked his watch and took a deep breath. "We won't have to wait for the breach. He's already here."
The Arrival of the Thunderbolt
Suddenly, a supersonic Magitech jet tore through the monsoon clouds above Mumbai. Without waiting for the craft to land, the hatch hissed open, and a lone shadow plummeted toward the earth. A violent discharge of blue lightning erupted from the figure, illuminating the entire coastline.
BOOM!
The impact created a small crater in the concrete. As the smoke and electrical sparks cleared, a man stepped out. He wore a pristine white and gold tactical suit, with the Garud Vajra Guild insignia glowing prominently on his chest.
It was Adiraj. India's only S-Rank Dunger.
"Adiraj-sir! You made it from Delhi so quickly?" the N.D.A. officers stammered, standing at attention.
Adiraj gave a faint, calm nod, but his eyes were locked onto the swirling vortex of the gate. "Mumbai is as much my home as Delhi. Keep the backup units at a distance. I'm going in solo. No B-Rank monster sets foot on these streets today."
The Ghost in the System
From the shadows of a nearby alley, a young man watched the spectacle. Rudra pulled his hood lower, his eyes narrowing. He tried to use his Appraiser skill on the S-Ranker, but the system window flickered with a warning: [ERROR: TARGET RANK TOO HIGH].
"Level 22... Diamond Tier... this is my only chance," Rudra muttered to himself.
"Master," the Ruin Soul's voice resonated within his mind. "Compared to Adiraj, your current existence is a mere speck. But his focus is on the horde. If you utilize your [STEALTH], you can bypass their sensors and feast on the 'scraps' he leaves behind."
Rudra didn't hesitate for a second. [SKILL: STEALTH - ACTIVATE].
Rudra's body blurred, his physical presence dissolving into the atmosphere. The N.D.A.'s advanced 10% Magitech scanners didn't even register a blip. As Adiraj vanished into the gate, a silent 'Shadow' slipped in right behind him.
Inside the B-Rank Labyrinth
The interior of the gate was a vision of hell—a sprawling labyrinth of jagged stone and glowing mana-crystals. Ten-foot-tall Shadow Orcs stood guard, their eyes glowing with primitive malice.
Adiraj didn't even reach for his sword. He simply clenched his fist, and in a blur of blue electricity, he tore through the monster ranks.
"Vajra Flash!"
In a heartbeat, twenty Orcs were decapitated. Adiraj's speed was so extreme that the monsters didn't even realize they were dead until their heads hit the floor. However, a moment later, Adiraj's suit began to spark violently.
"Tchh... again," Adiraj hissed. His Magitech suit was already overheating. This was the curse of the 10% advancement—the gear simply couldn't handle the raw output of an S-Ranker. He was forced to throttle his speed to prevent the suit from detonating on his own body.
The Scavenger: Rudra's Harvest
Adiraj moved forward like a storm, cutting down anything in his path. But he wasn't there to harvest; he was there to clear. For Rudra, this was a banquet.
Still shrouded in Stealth, Rudra approached a fallen Orc and placed his hand on its cold hide. [SKILL: GLUTTONY - ACTIVATE].
The Orc's mana and essence were ripped out, flowing directly into Rudra.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
Target Devoured: Shadow Orc (B-Rank Minion)
Mana Gained: +500
EXP Gained: +1200
Rudra felt his power surging. He trailed Adiraj like a ghost, finishing off the monsters that the S-Ranker had only wounded or bypassed, steadily climbing in power.
The Encounter
Adiraj suddenly stopped. His ears twitched, and his S-Rank intuition flared with a warning. He felt a presence behind him. "Who's there?" he demanded, spinning around.
Rudra froze in place, his breath hitched. His Stealth was draining his MP rapidly.
Adiraj scanned the area, but saw nothing but the corpses of the monsters he had just slain. "Maybe the suit malfunctions are messing with my head," he muttered, turning back toward the center of the labyrinth.
Rudra let out a silent sigh of relief. "S-Rank senses are terrifying. I have to be even more careful."
Rudra manifested a black dagger using his Evolved Darksmith skill. The blade felt heavier, more durable. He plunged it into the throat of a stray Orc, the weapon holding its edge perfectly.
The Boss Room: The Iron-Clad Behemoth
Adiraj finally reached the heart of the gate, where the Rank-B Boss: The Iron-Clad Behemoth awaited. It was a fifteen-foot monstrosity encased in armor harder than Magitech steel.
Adiraj unleashed his full power, but his suit immediately began flashing red. [WARNING: SUIT INTEGRITY AT 15%].
"I guess I'll have to kill you without the armor," Adiraj said, discarding his scorched gauntlets and charging the Behemoth with his bare blade.
Rudra watched from a corner, hidden by the shadows. He saw Adiraj struggling. Adiraj had S-Rank power, but his physical durability without the suit made the Behemoth's heavy strikes dangerous.
"Master," the Ruin Soul whispered. "The Boss is focused entirely on Adiraj. Behind its neck lies the 'Mana Core'—its only true weak point. If you destroy it, the Boss will wither... and you will claim the Mana that Adiraj cannot."
Rudra gripped his dagger. This was the ultimate gamble. A Diamond-Tier Sub-C Dunger was about to steal a kill from the most powerful S-Ranker in the country.
📊 Chapter 10: Progress Snapshot
Rudra's State: Level 22 (Approaching Level 23).
Stealth Status: CRITICAL (Low MP).
Darksmith Weapon: Black Dagger (Durability +50\% active).
Location: B-Rank Labyrinth, Marine Drive, Mumbai.