📍 Location: Marine Drive, Mumbai.
⏳ Time: December 31, 2025 | 11:55 PM.
The shimmering curve of the 'Queen's Necklace' was more radiant than ever. Thousands had converged upon Marine Drive, a sea of humanity gathered to witness the birth of a new year. Selfies, laughter, and an electric sense of anticipation filled the air, but amidst the jubilant crowd, eighteen-year-old Rudra was trapped in a different reality.
A violent 'Static' had begun to roar in his ears, drowning out the festive cheers. With every passing second, the noise intensified, morphing into a rhythmic drumming that felt like his skull was about to splinter.
"Shut up... just shut up!" Rudra hissed under his breath, clutching his head. His face had gone pale, his features sharpening into a mask of pain. "Your static is louder than the damn countdown!"
"Shut up? How can I be quiet when the very air around you is rotting, Rudra?" Ruin Soul's voice boomed, devoid of its usual mockery. Now, it carried the predatory hunger of a beast sensing a kill. "These fools are waiting for fireworks, but I'm waiting for the 'Fracture' that's about to tear their fate apart. Brace yourself... the New Year's gift is going to be heavy."
The crowd began the final chant— "10... 9... 8..."
Rudra felt the atmosphere grow thick and oppressive. A familiar, bone-chilling cold—the same sensation he felt when he first touched the Ruin Stone—began to circulate through his veins.
"3... 2... 1... HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!"
The Mumbai sky erupted in a kaleidoscope of pyrotechnics. But amidst the vibrant bursts of red and gold, a jagged, abyssal tear appeared. It wasn't a firework. It was as if the sky itself had been sliced open by an invisible blade. An ear-shattering, guttural drone echoed across the promenade, silencing the cheers in an instant.
"What... what is that? Fireworks don't look like that," Rudra whispered, his eyes wide as he stared at the black Fracture.
"That's not a firework, it's the world's 'Death Certificate'. Look, trash is falling out of the rift... oh sorry, I meant a Monster. A Rank E 'Shadow Crawler'. Look at its face—doesn't it look exactly like that bloated supervisor of yours?" Ruin Soul remarked with a savage edge.
From the dark rift, a grotesque, obsidian creature with four spindly legs and elongated, human-like arms plummeted onto the asphalt. It let out a screech and lunged into the crowd. Within seconds, the joyous celebration dissolved into a symphony of terror. Ruin Energy surged through the area; the weak collapsed into unconsciousness, but Rudra felt no fear. Instead, a primal, gnawing 'Hunger' began to claw at his insides.
"The resemblance is uncanny," Rudra muttered, a cold, dangerous smile tugging at his lips. His humble nature was being overwritten by the cold necessity of survival. "Should I take it down then?"
"Don't just take it down—consume it! Your 'Gluttony' is screaming for a meal. Go on, show this 'Shadow Crawler' who the real beast on the streets of Mumbai is!" Ruin Soul roared.
Rudra launched himself forward. His optimized body moved with the predatory grace of a cheetah. The Shadow Crawler had pinned a girl to the ground, its claws raised, when Rudra suddenly grabbed its neck from behind and slammed it into the concrete with a bone-breaking thud.
CRACK!
"Why the long procedure, brat? Drive your hand into its chest and squeeze the 'Core'. Can you hear its soul shattering? That's your energy. Take it!"
Rudra pinned the thrashing monster down, his fingers sinking into its chest like a hot knife through wax. He could feel the creature's dark essence vibrating against his palm.
"It's my first time... it feels strange," Rudra gasped, his adrenaline peaking.
"It'll feel even stranger once you consume it. And listen closely... that 'snap' when it dies? That's better than any New Year's party music. Happy New Year, Rudra!"
As Rudra's fist closed around the glowing blue 'Core' inside the beast, the gem liquefied, seeping through his skin and into his bloodstream. A surge of molten energy raced through his body. A faint, dark shimmer flickered in his eyes, and his exhausted muscles were instantly revitalized.
"The taste... isn't so bad," Rudra said coldly as the monster's corpse disintegrated into ash.
"That was just the starter, my lion. The full buffet is yet to come," Ruin Soul whispered with a chilling sense of satisfaction.
Rudra stood up and looked at his hands. He realized then that his days of hauling cement boriyan were over forever. 2026 had begun, and this world no longer belonged to men—it belonged to monsters, and the 'Beast' that hunted them.
Chapter 5 data summary
The First Fracture: A Rank E Hell Gate opens at Marine Drive during the New Year countdown.
The Monster: A 'Shadow Crawler' (Rank E) makes its first public appearance.
Gluttony Activation: Rudra successfully kills the monster and absorbs its core, experiencing a direct energy refill.
No System UI: The entire process is described through sensory perception and Ruin Soul's voice.
Character Shift: Rudra fully embraces his "Hunter" side, showing a cold detachment from the violence.
🎙️ Ruin Soul ki "Savage" Baithak
Bhai, Chapter 5 toh khatam ho gaya, ab Ruin Soul tere se baat karne ke liye ekdum betaab hai. Dekh wo kya keh raha hai: