Kaalnagar ki subah aaj alag thi।
Raat ki fight ke baad shehar me ajeeb si halchal thi। Log khule aam baat nahi kar rahe the, lekin har jagah sirf ek hi naam dheere-dheere ghoom raha tha—
Pankaj।
Aur doosri taraf—
Arjun Rajvansh।
Dono ke beech hone wali takraar ki khabar aag ki tarah fail chuki thi।
Shehar ke beech ek purana maidan tha, jise kabhi training ground ke roop me use kiya jata tha। Ab wo aadha toot chuka tha, lekin aaj waha aas-paas ki buildings ke chhaton par log chupkar khade the।
Sabko pata tha—
aaj kuch bada hone wala hai।
Arjun pehle se waha khada tha।
Uski talwar uske kandhe par tikki hui thi। Hawa uske kapdo ko hila rahi thi, lekin uska chehra bilkul shaant tha।
Uski aankhen sirf ek direction me tikki thi।
Intezaar।
Kuch pal baad—
hawa me halki si halchal hui।
Aur bina awaaz ke—
Pankaj uske saamne aa khada hua।
Jaise wo hamesha se wahi tha।
Dono kuch der tak chup rahe।
Phir Arjun ne halka sa muskura kar kaha—
“Is baar bhaagna mat…”
Pankaj ne seedha uski aankhon me dekha—
“Is baar rok ke dikha…”
Bas itna kehna tha।
Agla pal—
dono gayab।
Ek zor ka takraav hua।
Talwar aur chain ek dusre se takraaye, aur awaaz poore maidan me gunj uthi। Zameen ke tukde udd gaye।
Arjun ne pehla vaar kiya tha, lekin Pankaj ne use seedha rok liya।
Dono apni jagah se hile bhi nahi।
Phir—
Arjun ne pressure badhaya।
Uski talwar se neeli roshni tez hone lagi। Usne ek ke baad ek teen vaar kiye—har vaar pichle se tez।
Pankaj har baar barely dodge karta, kabhi jhukkar, kabhi side step lekar।
Phir usne achanak counter kiya।
Chain ghumi—
aur Arjun ko peeche hatna pada।
“Speed badh gayi hai…” Arjun ne dheere se kaha।
“Tumhari bhi,” Pankaj ne jawab diya।
Is baar Arjun ne rukkar attack nahi kiya।
Wo seedha blitz me chala gaya।
Uski body halki si blur hone lagi। Har second me wo 2-3 strikes kar raha tha।
Zameen par uske kadam ke nishaan bhi nahi dikh rahe the।
Pankaj ko pehli baar pressure mehsoos hua।
Usne chain se block kiya, lekin ek vaar uske baazu ko chhoo gaya। Halki si chot lagi।
Khoon nikla।
Chhaton par khade log shock me the।
“Ye speed…!”
“Kya wo insaan hai bhi?”
Neeche—
fight aur tez ho gayi।
Pankaj ne aankhen thodi si band ki।
Usne apni saans ko control kiya।
Aur jab usne phir se aankhen kholi—
sab kuch dheema ho gaya।
Arjun ki movement ab clear dikh rahi thi।
Har strike ka angle, har kadam ka direction—
sab kuch।
Arjun ne ek powerful slash kiya।
Is baar—
Pankaj ne dodge nahi kiya।
Usne seedha apna haath aage badhaya—
aur talwar ko pakad liya।
Ek pal ke liye sab freeze ho gaya।
Talwar uske haath me thi।
Khoon uski ungliyon se tapak raha tha—
lekin uski grip nahi hilli।
Arjun ki aankhen pehli baar badi ho gayi।
“Pagal hai kya tu…?”
Pankaj ne dheere se muskuraaya—
“Abhi to shuru kiya hai…”
Usne talwar ko zor se side me dhakka diya।
Arjun peeche hat gaya।
Agla pal—
Pankaj ne attack kiya।
Chain hawa me ghumi—
aur seedha Arjun ki taraf aayi।
Arjun ne block kiya, lekin jhatka itna tez tha ki wo peeche slide ho gaya।
Zameen phat gayi।
Ab dono serious ho chuke the।
Arjun ne apni talwar seedhi ki।
Uski body se energy nikalne lagi।
Neeli roshni uske aas-paas ghoomne lagi।
“Hadd paar kar di tune…” usne dheere se kaha।
Usne apni talwar ko zameen par maara।
Ek shockwave nikli।
Zameen toot gayi।
Pankaj ne jump kiya aur hawa me aaya—
lekin Arjun already waha tha।
Ek tez slash—
Pankaj ne chain se block kiya, lekin impact se wo hawa me hi peeche uchhal gaya।
Landing ke baad bhi wo seedha khada raha।
Uski saans tez thi।
Lekin uske chehre par ek ajeeb si khushi thi।
“Yahi chahiye tha…” Pankaj ne dheere se kaha।
Phir—
uske andar kuch badla।
Uski aankhon me laal chamak ubhar aayi।
Uske aas-paas ki hawa bhaari ho gayi।
Chhaton par khade log ek kadam peeche hat gaye।
“Ye… kya hai?”
Arjun ne bhi mehsoos kiya।
Is baar usne bina deri kiye attack kiya।
Dono seedha ek dusre ki taraf bhage।
Takraav itna tez tha ki awaaz door tak sunai di।
Chain aur talwar bar-bar takra rahe the।
Har clash ke saath chingariyan nikal rahi thi।
Har second me dozens of strikes।
Koi bhi peeche nahi hat raha tha।
Ek moment aaya—
jab dono ek dusre ke bilkul paas the।
Arjun ne seedha thrust kiya।
Pankaj ne side step liya—
aur uske pet me ghunsa maara।
Arjun jhatke se peeche gaya।
Lekin usne turant recover kiya।
Usne ghoomkar ek powerful slash kiya—
jo seedha Pankaj ke chest ki taraf tha।
Pankaj ne block kiya—
lekin impact se wo peeche ghutnon par aa gaya।
Kuch pal ke liye dono ruk gaye।
Saans tez।
Sharir par chot ke nishaan।
Zameen bikhar chuki thi।
Arjun ne seedha khade hote hue kaha—
“Tu sach me alag hai…”
Pankaj ne halki si hansi ke saath jawab diya—
“Abhi aur dekhna baaki hai…”
Dono phir se move karne wale the—
tabhi—
door se ek zabardast pressure mehsoos hua।
Jaise koi aur bhi aa raha ho।
Koi aur… zyada takatvaar।
Arjun ne turant apni talwar neeche ki।
Uska chehra serious ho gaya।
“Yaha rukte hain…” usne dheere se kaha।
Pankaj ne bhi us direction me dekha।
Usne kuch mehsoos kiya।
Aur phir—
usne apni chain wapas le li।
“Agli baar…” Arjun bola।
“Zaroor,” Pankaj ne jawab diya।
Agla pal—
dono alag directions me gayab।
Chhaton par khade log abhi bhi shock me the।
“Kya tha ye…?”
“Kya ye sirf shuruaat hai…?”
Door, ek unchi building par khada Pankaj shehar ko dekh raha tha।
Uski aankhon me ek naya junoon tha।
“Ab asli dushman aayenge…”
🔥 Chapter 13 End