Location: N.D.A.I. Assessment Branch, Mumbai
Date: November 2025 (External Reality)
In eight months, Mumbai's physical and social landscape had been surgically overhauled. Outside the N.D.A.I. Assessment Branch, the roads were wide and pristine, filled with Magitech vehicles gliding silently on mana-fused tires. Yet, the crowd gathered outside the building remained a chaotic sea of humanity, reminiscent of an over-packed railway station.
Rudra stood at the edge of the throng, a silent ghost in the machine. He had adjusted his C+ Rank Scavenger's Skin to appear as an unremarkable dark jacket, and he kept his 99,820 MP (B-Rank mana) suppressed in the deepest recesses of his core. To a standard sensor, he was a 'Zero-Mana' ordinary citizen.
He observed the people around him with cold detachment. These weren't the dregs of society; they were decent, average Mumbaikars—some in formal shirts, others in jeans and t-shirts. But a single thread of fear and desperation bound them all.
Rudra felt no superiority, only a sharp, logical empathy.
He remembered the 'Fracture'—the day the Hell Gates first opened. He had witnessed the weak being harvested like common weeds by the monsters. He knew that being low-rank or an ordinary human in this era was equivalent to being a step away from a grave. Yet, here they were, driven by the necessity of survival and the hope of providing for their families.
His gaze shifted toward the main hall. The assessment wasn't a public spectacle. It took place behind a massive, reinforced Magitech steel door in a restricted zone. The machines used and the nature of the tests were hidden from the public—a 'Black Box' designed to keep the government's calibration methods secret.
Rudra leaned toward a nervous man standing ahead of him and asked in a low, flat tone, "How does the checking work inside? Any leads?"
The man, drenched in sweat, looked at Rudra with trembling eyes. "Brother, no one knows for sure. But rumors say there are exactly four phases. The N.D.A.I. has deployed high-grade Magitech scanners and elite officials. They say cheating or hiding your power is impossible there. Whatever your true rank is, that's the tag you walk out with."
Rudra's mind processed the data instantly. Entering a restricted zone without knowing the test parameters was a tactical risk. He withdrew slightly from the line, choosing to observe those exiting the door instead.
Every time the door hissed open and a new Dunger emerged with their Rank Tag, a group of suit-clad individuals would swarm them. These were Private Guild agents—behaving less like underworld thugs and more like corporate HR recruiters.
Rudra blended into the crowd, eavesdropping on the economic offers.
A man emerged with an E-Rank tag, despair etched on his face. Not a single agent looked his way. The brutal law of the world was evident: E-Rankers were deemed unfit for combat. They were relegated to the N.D.A.I.'s basic survival programs—low-level labor in exchange for rations.
However, the moment a D-Rank or C-Rank Dunger stepped out, the agents descended with digital contracts. Rudra noted the base salary standards:
D-Rank: ₹50,000 base monthly salary.
C-Rank: ₹80,000 base + loot percentage.
B-Rank: ₹1,20,000 base + high-tier benefits.
A-Rank: ₹2,00,000 base + full medical coverage and gear allowance.
This was just the baseline; the bonuses and incentives from the top guilds were likely exponentially higher.
His attention was then drawn to the massive digital banners and the hushed whispers of the applicants. Everyone had a single objective: entry into India's 'Top 3 Guilds.'
"If I even get a junior slot in Garud Vajra, my life is set," one boy whispered to his friend. "Adiraj-sir actually cares about the common people."
Rudra rapidly categorized the information. The N.D.A.I. was the administrative front, but the true power in the country resided with the 3 S-Rankers and their respective guilds. They provided the funding that kept the N.D.A.I.'s survival programs running.
India's Three Pillars:
Top 1 Guild: Garud Vajra. Leader: Adiraj (S-Rank). The most popular figure in India, worshipped as a living deity by the masses.
Top 2 Guild: Red Wings. Leader: Karn (S-Rank).
Top 3 Guild: Asura . Leader: Shiva (S-Rank).
Rudra stood still, his eyes fixed on the digital displays. His mind was cold and clear. His 99,820 MP was a mountain to the commoners, but on the scale of these S-Rankers, he was still an ant.
To reach the peak and secure his absolute survival, he needed the full potential of his Soul Sanctuary. The refinement of that B-Rank Boss Core had to be completed.
Chapter Summary
Location & Date: N.D.A.I. Branch, Mumbai | November 2025.
Information Gathering: Rudra learns the 4-phase assessment structure and the Dunger economy (Salary by Rank).
The Power Map: India is dominated by 3 S-Rankers: Adiraj, Karn, and Shiva.
Rudra's Realization: Despite being B-Rank, he is significantly underpowered compared to the national "Pillars."
Current Status: * MP: 99,820 (B-Rank)
Inventory: B-Rank Boss Core (Under Refinement).