Location: Sector 9, Dharavi (The Exit Point)
Date & Time: November 2025 (External Reality)
A violent spatial tear rippled through the air where the golden light met the fading darkness. One by one, figures drenched in grime and monster blood began to stumble out of the glowing blue Exit Gate.
At the front was the B-Rank leader, Ravindra. Following him were the four exhausted C-Rankers, and then the fifty D-Rank Dungers who had spent the last seven days surviving a primeval nightmare. Last of all, invisible to the eyes of the crowd, Rudra stepped through the threshold. The moment his boots hit the ground, the blue gate vanished with a sharp, electronic 'static' sound, sealing the anomaly forever.
The first shock wasn't the scenery—it was the air. The atmospheric pressure and the very scent of the world had changed.
Ravindra opened his eyes, expecting the familiar sight of Sector 9—the overflowing trash, the muddy alleys, and the crumbling shanties of Dharavi. But as his vision cleared, he felt as though he had stepped into a different century.
"What... what is this place?" a C-Ranker stammered, his voice trembling with confusion.
Dharavi was no longer a slum. The entire sector had been transformed into a high-tech fortress. Wide, clean roads made of asphalt mixed with mana-infused gravel stretched out before them. Towering structures of glass and dark reinforced steel dominated the skyline.
Despite it being daytime, streetlights lined the roads. But there were no electric bulbs inside them; instead, large, polished Glowshards harvested from dungeons radiated a steady, clean light. Society had abandoned fossil fuels and traditional electricity. In those eight months, the world had fully integrated dungeon resources and advanced Magitech. Vehicles, lights, and infrastructure were now entirely powered by the pulse of mana-cores.
Standing at the very rear, Rudra observed the new ecosystem from the depths of his hood. There was no surprise in his gaze—only cold, rapid analysis.
He immediately shifted his focus to his own territory. Across from the exit point, there should have been the half-constructed building where he had established his underground base.
The construction site was gone.
In its place stood a massive, fortified complex. A glowing holographic logo sat atop the entrance: N.D.A.I. - Dharavi Monitoring Branch.
Rudra's mind processed the reality in microseconds. His base, his sanctuary, and his hidden supplies were now government property. His face remained a mask of indifference. The rule of survival was simple: if a territory is lost, you find a new one.
At that moment, the spatial sensors of the new N.D.A.I. branch detected a massive anomaly. While Rudra's B-Rank loot was safely locked within his internal system inventory—invisible to external scanners—the sensors had picked up the spatial fluctuation of a 'Glitchy Gate' opening after eight months of silence.
Alarms blared across the complex. Within seconds, the main gates hissed open, and heavily armed N.D.A.I. guards flooded out. They brandished advanced Magitech assault rifles, their barrels aimed directly at the confused crowd. The quality of their gear had clearly been overhauled.
However, a senior N.D.A.I. official stepped out from behind the guards. As his eyes landed on Captain Ravindra, his pace faltered. His face turned a ghostly shade of white.
"This... this is impossible," the official stammered, signaling his men to lower their weapons. "Captain Ravindra? How... how are you alive?"
Ravindra stepped forward, his B-Rank authority undiminished. "Major. What kind of question is that? We cleared the unstable D-Rank gate. The portal locked from the inside, but we destroyed the Boss and forced an exit. Where is the N.D.A.I. protocol? Call for a medical team."
The official shook his head in a mixture of fear and awe. "Ravindra... you don't understand. That unstable gate vanished from our radars and was officially sealed eight months ago."
Confusion finally broke through Ravindra's composure. "Eight months? We were trapped in that jungle for seven days. One week."
"No," the official said, activating the holographic display on his wrist. The date flickered in large, bright digits: November 2025. "Eight months have passed, Ravindra. The world has changed completely. You were all officially declared Killed in Action."
A wave of pure shock hit the fifty D-Rankers. Eight months. Their minds went numb as they realized the void they had left behind. They thought of their families, their children, and how they must have grieved. Panic was about to erupt when the official spoke up again, his voice loud and steady to maintain order.
"Calm down!" he commanded. "Your families are safe. When you were declared dead, the N.D.A.I. took full responsibility. Your families were moved into this new Dharavi sector, provided with housing free of cost, and have been receiving full death benefits and rations. They are well-cared for."
The tension left the Dungers' shoulders instantly. It was a massive relief after a catastrophic shock. They realized their homes were secure, and since they had returned, their ranks and service records would remain valid. Their struggle hadn't been for nothing.
Ravindra exhaled a breath he had been holding. The N.D.A.I. hadn't abandoned them.
In the midst of the reunions and the emotional chaos, Rudra slipped away into the shadows. He had no interest in the drama. His mind was already onto the next phase. The world was eight months more advanced. Magitech had peaked, and the average power of Dungers had likely skyrocketed.
A single cold fact locked into Rudra's mind: The old base is gone. The global power level has shifted. My first priority is a new sanctuary, and then I must benchmark my 43,820 MP against this new reality.
Chapter Summary
The Urashima Effect: Rudra and the squad emerge to find that 8 months have passed in the outside world (External time: November 2025).
World Evolution: Humanity has entered a full Magitech Era. Slums have been replaced by fortified sectors, and Glowshards have replaced electricity.
The Loss of Base: Rudra's former hideout is now an N.D.A.I. Monitoring Branch. He accepts the loss and moves on without hesitation.
The Returnees: The squad is shocked to be "Dead," but relieved to find that N.D.A.I. has protected and provided for their families during their absence.
Current Status:
Rank: C-Rank (Peak)
MP: 43,820
Priority: Secure a new base and analyze the current global power scaling.