Armaan ek normal school student tha. Uski life bilkul simple thi—subah school jaana, shaam ko ghar aakar mobile chalana, aur kabhi-kabhi future ke baare me sochna. Lekin uske andar ek ajeeb feeling rehti thi, jaise wo kisi bade kaam ke liye bana ho. Uske sapne bhi normal nahi the. Har raat wo ek dark battlefield dekhta jahan monsters aur warriors ek dusre se lad rahe hote the.
Ek din school se ghar aate waqt Armaan apne earphones laga kar music sun raha tha. Mausam thoda cloudy tha aur road par traffic kam tha. Tabhi achanak uske saamne ek bright blue light chamki. Pehle usne ignore karne ki koshish ki, lekin light uske saamne ruk gayi aur hawa me float karne lagi.
Light ke andar se ek robotic awaaz aayi.
"Shadow System Activated."
Armaan ka dil zor se dhadakne laga. Usne idhar-udhar dekha, lekin road bilkul khaali thi. Uske saamne hawa me ek transparent screen appear ho gayi.
Name: Armaan Khan
Level: 1
Power: Locked
Mission: Survive the Awakening
"Yeh kya ho raha hai?" Armaan ne dheere se kaha.
Tabhi screen par ek red warning flash hui.
"Monster Gate opening in 30 seconds."
Armaan kuch samajh pata, usse pehle uske aas-paas ka environment change hone laga. Road tootne lagi, buildings blur hone lagi, aur poori jagah ek dark battlefield me convert ho gayi. Sky ka color black ho gaya aur hawa thandi aur heavy lagne lagi.
Suddenly, uske saamne ek bada sa wolf jaisa monster khada tha. Uski aankhen red glow kar rahi thi aur uske daant talwar jaise sharp the. Monster ke muh se black smoke nikal raha tha.
Armaan ka body darr se freeze ho gaya. Wo bhaagna chahta tha, lekin uske pair hil nahi rahe the.
Screen par message flash hua.
"First Mission: Defeat or Escape the Shadow Beast."
Monster zor se garja aur Armaan ki taraf dauda. Armaan ne panic me ground par padi ek broken iron rod uthai. Monster ne jump karke attack kiya, lekin Armaan ne rod se attack block kar diya. Impact itna strong tha ki Armaan zameen par gir gaya aur uske haath kaanpne lage.
Monster fir se attack karne wala tha jab Armaan ke dimaag me ek ajeeb energy feel hui. Jaise koi usse guide kar raha ho.
"Shadow Skill Unlocked: Reflex Boost."
Armaan ka body suddenly fast react karne laga. Usne lightning speed se side me roll kiya aur rod monster ki aankh me ghusa di. Monster zor se cheekha aur kuch seconds me smoke ban kar gayab ho gaya.
Armaan shock me zameen par baitha raha. Uske saamne screen dubara glow hui.
"Mission Complete.
Reward: 100 XP
New Skill Unlocked: Shadow Vision."
World slowly normal hone laga. Armaan fir se road par khada tha. Cars wapas chal rahi thi jaise kuch hua hi na ho. Lekin Armaan ko pata tha ki jo hua wo real tha.
Us raat Armaan so nahi paya. Wo baar-baar system screen check karta raha. Midnight par ek notification aaya.
"Daily Quest Available."
Armaan ne nervous hoke quest open kiya.
"Defeat 3 Shadow Creatures in 24 hours."
Next day school me Armaan ka dhyaan class me bilkul nahi tha. Suddenly uski Shadow Vision activate ho gayi aur usne classroom ke corner me ek chhota black creature dekha. Wo creature slowly ek student ki taraf badh raha tha.
Armaan quietly apni seat se utha aur creature ke paas gaya. Creature ne usse notice kar liya aur attack kiya. Armaan ne apni pencil se creature ko stab kiya. Creature dissolve ho gaya.
"Shadow Creature Defeated. XP Gained: 30."
Ab Armaan samajhne laga tha ki uske paas ek hidden responsibility aa gayi hai.
School ke baad Armaan city ke ek purane park me gaya jahan system ne strong shadow energy detect ki thi. Park bilkul silent tha. Trees ke peeche se ajeeb sounds aa rahe the.
Suddenly ground crack hua aur teen shadow creatures bahar nikle. Ye creatures pehle wale se zyada bade aur dangerous lag rahe the.
Armaan darr gaya, lekin is baar usne bhaagne ka nahi socha. Usne deep breath li aur apni rod tight pakdi.
Fight intense thi. Creatures fast aur aggressive the. Armaan ne apni Reflex Boost skill ka use karke attacks dodge kiye. Ek creature ne uske shoulder par scratch kar diya, lekin Armaan ne pain ignore karke counter attack kiya.
Kuch minute ki fight ke baad Armaan ne teeno creatures defeat kar diye.
"Daily Quest Complete.
Reward: Level Up."
Armaan ka body warm energy se fill ho gaya.
Level: 2
New Skill: Shadow Weapon Summon
Armaan ne skill activate ki. Uske haath me black energy se bani sword appear ho gayi. Sword lightweight aur powerful feel ho rahi thi.
Us moment Armaan ko realize hua ki uski life ab normal nahi rahegi.
Us raat Armaan ko ek aur dream aaya. Usne ek mysterious masked warrior dekha jo monsters ke against fight kar raha tha.
Warrior ne kaha,
"Shadow System sirf power nahi hai… ye ek responsibility hai. Dark Realm jaldi Earth se connect hone wala hai."
"Main kaun hoon?" Armaan ne poocha.
"Tum next Shadow Guardian ho."
Armaan jhatke se uth gaya. Uske phone par emergency notification blink kar raha tha.
"Global Warning: Major Gate Opening Soon."
Armaan ne window ke bahar dekha. Sky me ek huge black crack dikh raha tha. City me panic spread ho raha tha.
Tabhi Armaan ke system me ek aur feature unlock hua.
"Shadow Map Activated."
Map par poori city red danger zones me divide thi. Ek location sabse zyada glow kar rahi thi—city ka abandoned industrial area.
Armaan ne decide kiya ki wo waha jayega.
Raat me Armaan chupke se ghar se nikla. Industrial area bilkul dark tha. Broken factories aur rusted machines har jagah padi thi.
Suddenly hawa heavy ho gayi aur ground shake hone laga. Factory ke beech me ek giant portal open hua. Portal ke andar se dark energy nikal rahi thi.
Portal ke andar se ek huge shadow dragon ka head bahar aaya. Uski aankhen burning coal ki tarah glow kar rahi thi.
Armaan ka body darr se kaanp gaya, lekin system ne message show kiya.
"Boss Monster Detected: Shadow Dragon Larva
Threat Level: High"
Dragon ne loud roar kiya jisse nearby buildings ke glass toot gaye.
Armaan ne apni Shadow Sword summon ki. Usne deep breath li aur dragon ki taraf dauda. Dragon ne apni tail se attack kiya. Armaan ne jump karke attack dodge kiya aur dragon ke body par sword strike ki.
Dragon gussa ho gaya aur fire jaisi black energy shoot ki. Armaan ne Reflex Boost use karke barely attack avoid kiya.
Fight dangerous thi. Armaan thak raha tha, lekin usne haar nahi maani. Usne dragon ke movement observe kiye aur perfect moment ka wait kiya.
Jab dragon ne roar karte hue apna muh khola, Armaan ne poori speed se jump kiya aur sword directly dragon ke neck me ghusa di.
Dragon zor se cheekha aur smoke me dissolve ho gaya. Portal slowly close hone laga.
"Boss Defeated
Reward: Massive XP
Special Skill Unlocked: Shadow Armor"
Armaan zameen par gir gaya. Uska body thak chuka tha, lekin uski aankhon me confidence aa chuka tha.
System ne final message show kiya.
"Main Story Mission Started: Protect the Human World."
Armaan ne sky ki taraf dekha. Usse pata tha ki ye sirf beginning hai. Aur bhi powerful monsters aur gates open hone wale the.
Usne apni sword tight pakdi aur dheere se bola,
"Ab se main sirf ek student nahi… main Shadow Guardian hoon."
Door sky me ek aur crack appear hua… aur uske andar se unknown glowing eyes Armaan ko dekh rahi thi.
Uski real journey abhi shuru hui thi…