The sun bled softly across the cracked skyline of Delhi, casting a bronze glow across the marble dome of the Gurudwara. The flag of the Nishan Sahib fluttered high, unbent by apocalypse, unmoved by chaos.
For the first time since the Fall, Arjun allowed his fingers to unclench from his weapon's grip.
Today… was for rebuilding.
Arjun moved across the Gurudwara grounds like a captain checking his fort. The survivors had begun to stabilize — no one starved last night. No child cried themselves to sleep in fear. That alone was victory.
He spent the first hours reviewing notes, speaking to people, learning who they were before the world burned.
— A quiet boy named Aarav, once a repairman's assistant, now tasked with fixing scavenged generators.— Two women — Jasleen and Reena — farmers from Sonipat, put in charge of rations and food rotation.— An ex-paramedic, solemn-eyed, began to teach basic wound stitching to a group of teens.
Even Varun, despite his rebellious edge, took to organizing salvage runs and minor engineering. Dhani had found two gifted children who were beginning to sense elemental anomalies — something only those spiritually attuned seemed capable of.
Arjun didn't command. He connected.
That was what made him different.
As dusk neared, Arjun stepped into the Gurudwara's small library — a sanctum within a sanctum. He knelt in the corner, where incense still clung to the old walls.
He closed his eyes. The system responded.
Apocalypse Coin Store – Interface UnlockedBalance: 6,850 Apocalypse Coins
Breakdown:– 65 Ravager Eliminations– Boss Kill Bonus: +1,000– Karma Alignment Bonus: +850– Divine Zone Multiplier Active
New Tab Unlocked: Sanctified Arsenal
He scrolled through:
— Water Purifier Capsule – 150 Coins— Reinforced Gear Kit – 500 Coins— Solar Drone Set – 1,200 Coins— Sanctified Weapon Crate – 2,500 Coins
His fingers hesitated as he came across one entry — it flickered like a whisper in flame.
[Purchase: Veerabhadra's Oath Sigil] – 4,000 Coins
You have acquired the bound essence of Veerabhadra, wrath-born general of Shiva.– Gain Passive Blessing: +10 Willpower– Immunity to spiritual corruption (Tier I or lower)– Gain Skill: Rudra Echo – Projects a wave of divine intimidation that repels corrupted entities.
As soon as he confirmed the purchase, the air around him grew… heavy.
The Gurudwara lights flickered. The statue of Guru Nanak didn't change — yet Arjun felt as if it acknowledged him. Something behind the marble. Watching. Weighing.
He felt it then — a vision in the corner of his mind.Veerabhadra — eyes burning like suns, hair like storm-wrath, a hand extended not in fury… but expectation.
Divine Favor Increased: +1 – Shaivite PathCurrent Alignment: Balanced – Hanuman & Veerabhadra Observing
He breathed deeply.
[Weapon Purchased – Vajrapath – Adaptive Divine Spear]
Cost: 2,500 Coins
Base: Forged from collapsed neutron fragments and divine resonance.Special: Converts from spear to blade mid-combat.Bonded Weapon – Evolves through battle rites in divine zones.Aura: Deals additional damage to Corrupted, Undead, and Blasphemous beings.Glows in presence of divine injustice.
The weapon didn't appear with fanfare. No loud announcement. Just… presence.
One moment his hands were empty. The next, a silvered spear crackling faintly with inner thunder lay across his lap. The shaft glowed in tune with his breath.
When he stood, the weapon followed — floating, like a companion.
The priest-keeper of the Gurudwara — Baba Himmat Singh — approached as night drew near. He'd seen Arjun before, of course, but now… something had shifted.
"You walk like the gods watch you," he said softly. "You bear fire on your shoulders."
"I carry duty," Arjun replied. "Nothing more."
But even as he said it, he knew it wasn't true. Not anymore.
As Arjun looked out over the courtyard, the people resting peacefully, the subtle movements of rebuilding, the Gurudwara's eternal flame… he knew this sanctuary wasn't protected only by bricks or prayers.
It was protected by intention. By resolve.
And now — by him.
Skills Progression:
– Weapon Handling (Lv. 4) – Proficient– Awareness Field (Lv. 3) – Expanding range– Police Instinct (Passive) – Strengthened– Rudra Echo (New) – Bound to Divine Rage– Takedown Techniques (Lv. 2) – Fast grapples unlocked
He was becoming more than a man with a gun. The system didn't just level his body — it echoed his purpose.
Apocalypse Coin Balance: 350Blessings Active:– Hanuman (Tier I) – Physical Fortitude– Veerabhadra (Tier I) – Divine Wrath & Intimidation
Weapon Equipped: Vajrapath – Divine Adaptive SpearLevel: 8Current XP: 47% to Level 9Divine Favor Paths Active: 2
He looked at the survivors one last time before retiring for the night.
And in that instant, a quiet voice settled into the marrow of his soul — not from the system, not from a god.
His own.
"I won't just protect them. I'll build something worth protecting."