Episode 12
Shopping and Adhara's suspicion
Laura ne Sikandar ki peeth ki taraf dekha jo us se door chalta ja raha tha. Usay ek ajeeb sa khali pan mehsoos hua jab usne dekha ke Sikandar ne usay uthne mein madad nahi ki.
Usne apne hont kaat liye, "Yeh itna taqatwar kaise ho gaya? Halaanke shayad main apni magic se ise hara sakti hoon, lekin phir bhi ek non-awakened ka itna strong hona mumkin nahi. Sikandar, main ne nahi chaha tha ke hum aise ho jaayein."
Tom mushkil se uth ke Laura ki madad karne bhaga jab achanak,
Laura ka jism garm hone laga, uska maatha dard se sikud gaya. Chehra safed pad gaya aur wo kamzoori se zameen par gir gayi. Usne zor lagakar Tom ke kaan ke paas kuch phusphusaya.
Tom ne foran Laura ko apni peeth par uthaya aur infirmary ki taraf bhaag gaya.
Sikandar ko is waqiya ka pata hi nahi chala, wo system ki notifications dekh kar muskuraha tha.
<Sudden Quest Completed>
<Revenge on Laura Frostbrand>
<Obtained 400 Exp, Shell of Defense>
<Level Up!>
<Increase all stats by 1>
<Obtained 3 Attributable Stats>
Sikandar muskuraya jab Mr. Joseph students ke saamne lecture de rahe the. Sikandar ne lecture ko nazarandaaz karke Stats tab khol li.
<Stats>
Name: Sikandar Silverstar
Level: 5 (120/500)
Race: Half-Blood (Werewolf)
Full-Moon: 26 Days - Dark Moon
Berserk: 30%
Sanity: 73%
Mental: 6
Strength: 18 (+3)
Agility: 11
Endurance: 10
Intelligence: 0
Attributable Stats: 3
<Average Human Adults ke paas har stat mein 5-7 points hote hain siwa Intelligence ke>
Sikandar ne stats tab dekha aur kuch tabdeeliyan mehsoos ki, "Toh jo extra strength mujhe claws ka level barhane se mili hai wo asal stats ke bagal mein alag dikh rahi hai, yeh kaafi convenient hai."
Kuch dair sochne ke baad, Sikandar ne apne teeno attributable stats Mental stat mein daal diye.
"Sabse pehle, mujhe full moon ke liye tayyar hona hoga."
Stats assign karne ke baad, Sikandar ne dekha ke students training hall se nikal rahe hain.
Wo bhi nikalne laga jab achanak Mr. Joseph ne pukara:
"Sikandar! Zara idhar aao."
Sikandar ne sar ghumaya aur bhonhein uthai, wo chal ke aaya aur bola, "Kya hua Mr. Joseph?"
"Kya tumhe apna room mil gaya hai? Tumhe pata hai na ke student hone ki wajah se tum weekend tak university se bahar nahi ja sakte?"
Ye sun kar Sikandar heran ho gaya, "Kya? Main ghar nahi ja sakta?" Uski tez awaz ne Mr. Joseph ke kaan dard kar diye.
"Overreact mat karo. Khushkismati se main ek considerate lecturer hoon, to yeh lo tumhare room ki chaabi," Mr. Joseph ne apni jeb se chaabi nikalte hue kaha.
Phir bola, "Tumhara room Dormitory Section, District C mein hai. Agar bahar jaana ho to mujhe batana. Classes subah 7 baje start hoti hain."
Sikandar ne chaabi li aur sochta reh gaya, "Yeh sab kya ho gaya... mere paas to paise bhi nahi hain."
Itne mein phone par message aaya.
Ting!
Usne phone khola, maa ka message tha:
"Sikandar, main bhool gayi thi tumhe batana ke tum university ke hostel mein rahoge. Main tumhare bank account mein paise bhej diye hain, check kar lena. Love you!"
Ye padh ke Sikandar ke hont par halki si muskaan aayi.
Usne bank account khola aur hiraan reh gaya:
"$500,000! Itne paise maa ne kaise de diye? UWO kitna paisa deti hai ke maa ne mujhe itna de diya!"
Is duniya mein Elpida Alliance ke baad sirf ek currency chalti thi — dollar.
Sikandar ne kabhi itne paise haath mein nahi dekhe the. Wo koi ameer gharane se nahi tha, isliye itni badi rakam dekh ke uske haath khujlane lage.
Room dhoondte dhoondte usne socha, "Kya is university mein mall bhi hoga?" Map dekha to mall section tha.
"Chhod na, chal dekhte hain."
Usne dekha ke university ke andar train service bhi hai jo aage-piche chalti hai. Kyunke mall ka area door tha, usne train lene ka faisla kiya.
Train station training hall se zyada door nahi tha. Train ka wait karke wo andar chala gaya.
Andar kai students alag-alag style mein baatein kar rahe the. Sikandar unhe thandi nazar se dekh raha tha, lekin andar hi andar wo akela mehsoos kar raha tha.
Paanch minute baad wo mall section pohonch gaya.
Mall section kisi aam mall se kam nahi tha — restaurants, coffee shops, branded fashion, gaadiyon ke showroom, sab kuch!
"Yeh university to sach mein kamaal ki hai," usne socha.
Logon ke beech chalte hue usne branded clothing stores, restaurants, elixir shops, magic shops, aur battle equipment stores dekhe.
Elixir ka use Awakened log promotion tez karne, mana replenish karne, ya chot theek karne ke liye karte hain. Magic shops mein spells aur magic boosting items milte hain, aur battle equipment shops mein Awakened apna gear kharidte hain.
Ochyra University ke students sab Awakened nahi hote, kuch Sikandar ki tarah normal hote hain.
Sikandar ka class 1-C hai — 1 first-year ke liye, C elite class ke liye. A class normal, B mix, C elite Awakened, aur D elite of elite.
"Mujhe apni appearance ki parwah nahi, lekin ek watch lena bura nahi hoga," soch ke wo ek branded watch shop mein ghus gaya.
Anjaane mein, Adhara ne use bheed mein dekh liya aur uska peecha karna shuru kar diya.
"Welcome dear customer, aapko kis tarah madad chahiye?" ek clerk ne poocha.
"Mujhe ek watch chahiye, koi recommend karoge?" Sikandar ne idhar-udhar dekhte hue kaha.
Clerk ne usay sar se paon tak dekha, phir muskurake kaha, "Is taraf aaiye sir."
Usne Sikandar ko ek collection ke paas le jaa kar kaha:
"Yeh hamari Bronze Series hai, hamare behtareen craftsmen ne banayi hai, fully automated, heavy impact resistant, aur agar chaho to hum is par rune daal kar ise battle equipment bana sakte hain."
Sikandar ne upar dekha aur ek aur watch ki taraf ishara kiya, "Aur yeh wali?"
Clerk ne kaha, "Sir, yeh kaafi high-end product hai. Bronze series zyada affordable hai."
Sikandar ne poocha, "Iski price kya hai?"
Clerk ne thoda tanz karte hue kaha, "Yeh $93,999 ki hai sir. Aap Awakened nahi hain, isliye main aapka face bachane ke liye bronze series dikha raha tha."
Ye sun ke Sikandar ne halka sa tanz bhara smile kiya, "Yeh mujhe judge kar raha hai..."
Usne sar ghumaya aur dusre clerk ko bulaya, "Tum, idhar aao, mujhe tumse kuch poochna hai."
Wo female clerk polite tone mein aayi, "Ji sir, kaise madad kar sakti hoon?"
"Ye wala kitne ka hai?" Sikandar ne poocha, usi ghari ki taraf ishara karte hue jo woh pehle doosre clerk se pooch chuka tha.
Dekhne ke baad clerk ne jawab diya, "Ye 93,999 dollar ki hai sir."
"Toh main le leta hoon, aur is par rank 3 ka protection rune bhi laga do," Sikandar ne kaha aur apna debit card clerk ko de diya.
Ye sun kar woh clerk jo pehle Sikandar ka mazak uḍa raha tha, hiraan reh gaya. "Sir, main aapke liye isse pack kar deta hoon," usne iltija ki.
"Koi zarurat nahi, ye madam kar dengi," Sikandar ne thande lehje mein jawab diya. Dil hi dil mein socha, 'Apne bonus ko alvida keh do.'
Clerk udaas ho gaya apna bonus chala jaane par, jabke female clerk khushi ke saath Sikandar ko uski nayi kharidi hui ghari la kar di.
"Shukriya aapki purchase ka! Dobara zaroor aaiyega!" female clerk ne kaha jab Sikandar store se bahar nikal raha tha.
Store se nikalne ke baad, jab Sikandar apne kamre ki taraf jaane laga, achanak bola, "Mujhe pata hai tum mera peecha kar rahi ho."
Adhara, jo crowd mein ghul mil kar chal rahi thi, bahar aayi jab uska parda faash ho gaya. "Tumhe kaise pata chala?" usne poocha.
Jawab dene ke bajaye, Sikandar ne ek aur sawaal kar diya, "Tum kya kar rahi ho?"
"Kuch nahi, bas tumhara peecha kar rahi thi," usne masoomi se jawab diya.
Sikandar ne Adhara ka ghoor ghoor ke jaaiza liya, lekin uske iraade samajh nahi paaya. Uska husn jaise uske jazbaat chhupane ka ek behtareen naqaab tha.
Adhara ne phir kaha, "Kya tum mere saath khana khana chahoge?"
Sikandar ne chalna jaari rakhte hue jawab diya, "Nahi, mera peecha mat karo."
Adhara wahi soch mein khadi reh gayi, 'Ye itna thanda kyu ho gaya? Pehle jab apna ta'aruf karaya tha toh aisa nahi tha, to phir achanak ye badlav kyu?'
Sikandar mall ke section se bahar nikla aur dormitory section ki taraf gaya.
Woh C district mein aaya aur apna kamra dhoondh liya — room number 13.
C district ki taraf chalte hue usne dekha ke A aur B districts ke kamre normal hain, lekin C district ke kamre do guna bade aur zyada shandar hain.
Kamre mein ghus kar usne dekha ke furniture kaafi minimal tha — ek king-size bed, bed ke samne latka hua bada TV, ek badi study desk jisme high-end computer rakha tha, ek brown L-shape sofa, aur ek bathroom.
"Ye toh meri soch se bhi zyada hai," usne socha, apne upar ke kapde utarte hue aur bed par girte hue.
Jaise hi usne aankhein band karni chahien, usse yaad aaya ke usne apna daily quest abhi tak poora nahi kiya, aur usse Rosie se bhi milna tha.
"Ughhh..." Sikandar ne bed se uth kar apne kapde wapas pehne aur susti se kamre se bahar nikal gaya.
______
Crescent silver moon akelay aasmaan mein latka hua tha, chaandni thandi raat ko garmi de rahi thi, chand muskara raha tha lekin koi iski koshish ko mehsoos nahi kar raha tha jo yeh sukoon failane ke liye kar raha tha.
University ka rooftop students ke relax aur chill karne ki jagah thi, jahan kursiyan sahi tarah se lagi hui thi. Subah ke busy waqt mein yeh rooftop crowded hota tha, lekin raat ke waqt bilkul sunsaan.
Sirf chand log yahan baithe raat ki hawa ka maza le rahe the.
Sikandar ne fence ke paas ek khali seat dekhi, woh wahan baith gaya aur gehri saans lete hue aasmaan ki taraf dekhne laga.
"Moonlight ke neeche baithna kitna refreshing lagta hai," usne socha.
Chaandni Sikandar ke liye ek energy ka kaam karti thi. Din bhar kitna bhi thak jaaye, moonlight ke neeche uski thakan aise gayab ho jaati jaise kabhi thi hi nahi.
"Shayad yeh werewolf ban'ne ka side effect hai," usne socha, apne muscles relax karte hue peeche kursi par let gaya.
"Main Laura ko bina magic ke hara sakta hoon, jab ke mere paas silver weapon ki wajah se 20% debuff tha. Mere zakhm silver ki wajah se dheere heal ho rahe hain. Baaki logon ne shayad dekha bhi nahi ya fir unhone notice hi nahi kiya. Waise Laura theek to hai na," yeh soch kar usne aankhein band kar li raat ki hawa ka maza lene ke liye.
Aankhein band karte hi, uska jism relax ho gaya aur dheere dheere woh kursi par sote sote beh gaya.
---
Is beech,
Adhara ne neend na aane ki wajah se walk karne ka decide kiya. University badi thi, aur naseeb ya kismat se woh rooftop ki taraf chali gayi.
"Ahhh, mujhe neend hi nahi aa rahi, bas Sikandar ke baare mein soch rahi hoon. Ek non-awakened hoke bhi woh itna strong kaise hai," yeh sochti hui woh upar ki taraf chadh rahi thi.
Rooftop par pohonch kar, usne dekha ke wahan koi nahi tha. Usne socha ke ek seat le kar aasmaan dekhte dekhte shayad neend aa jaaye.
Lekin jaise hi woh baithne lagi, usne aankh ke kone se dekha ke ek shakhs fence ke paas so raha hai.
Woh us shakhs ko dekhne lagi aur laga jaise yeh chehra usne pehle dekha ho. "Yeh… nahi ho sakta?"
Woh dheere dheere kareeb gayi, aur jaise hi usne pehchana, uski aankhein khul gayin. "Yeh toh wohi hai… Sikandar! Yeh yahan kya kar raha hai?"
Adhara bina jhijhak uske samne baith gayi. Usne dekha ke Sikandar ke jism se ek translucent blue roshni nikal rahi thi jo andheri raat mein chamak rahi thi.
Woh curious ho kar usse aur gaur se dekhne lagi, "Iska power ka source kya hai? Jab yeh Laura se lad raha tha toh sirf super strength thi, lekin ekdum se yeh itna strong ho gaya ke Laura ki talwar ko nangi haathon se rok liya. Zakhm bhi apne aap heal ho rahe hain."
Usne socha, "Jab usne window ki taraf dekha tha aur phir wicked smile di thi, tabhi uski taqat badh gayi thi. Kya iska power raat se related hai?"
Agar Sikandar uske thoughts sun leta toh shayad use stalker keh deta.
Whoosh…
Thandi hawa chali, Adhara ne apne aap ko hug kiya. "Mujhe jacket le aani chahiye thi," usne apne aap se kaha.
Usne phir se Sikandar ki roshni dekhi, aur be-ikhtiyaar kareeb ho gayi. "Yeh kitna garam hai…"
Unknowingly woh aur paas ho gayi aur apna sar uske kandhe par rakh diya.
"Yeh itna warm kyun hai?" usne socha, uska haath Sikandar ke bazoo par aake rukh gaya. Phir ekdum se uske dimagh mein ek soch aayi.
"Garam jism? Regenerative ability? Raat mein power increase? Aur… moon ke neeche itna relaxed ke mujhe mehsoos bhi nahi kiya?" Adhara ki aankhein khul gayin aur uske honton par compulsion aayi jaise usne koi badi baat samajh li ho.
---
<DING!!>
<Daily Quest Completed>
<Obtained 50 Exp>
---
Ye awaz neend mein thoda Sikandar ko disturb karti hai. Usne mehsoos kiya ke koi uska bazoo pakde hue hai, toh usne aankhein kholi.
Aur dekha ke Adhara uska haath pakde hue, aankhon mein hairani liye uski taraf dekh rahi hai.
Woh apna haath kheenchta hai aur poochta hai, "Tum kya kar rahi ho?"
Adhara ne jawab nahi diya, bas seedha uski taraf dekhti rahi.
Sikandar ne confusion se uski shakal dekhi, phir dil mein socha, "Yeh waqai bohot khoobsurat hai… chahe is waqt kitni bhi stupid si expression kyun na ho."
Woh apna sir hila kar uthne laga, lekin Adhara ne uska haath pakad liya.
"Kya hai?" Sikandar ne palt kar poocha.
Adhara ne apni soch se nikal kar seedha poocha, "Tum… kya tum werewolf ho?"
Sikandar ek dum se surprise ho gaya, uska dimaag kuch seconds ke liye blank ho gaya. "Yeh usne kaise guess kar liya? Kya main itna obvious tha? Shayad main recent dinon mein zyada hi high profile chal raha hoon."
Lekin usne apne chehre par koi change nahi aane diya aur seedha uski aankhon mein dekhte hue kaha, "Aisi koi cheez nahi hoti jiska human form ho. Yeh sab bakwaas hai."
Yeh keh kar woh Adhara ko stunned chhod kar chala gaya.
"Yeh accha nahi. Mujhe pakda nahi ja sakta, mujhe low profile rakhna hoga," usne apne aap se kaha.
---
Agle din,
Class mein Mr. Joseph vampire ki taqat aur unki pehchaan ke baare mein padhate hue keh rahe the:
"Full silver armor pehanna supernatural ke against bohot faida mand hota hai — chahe woh vampire ho, werewolf, demon, witch ya undead. Yeh sab silver ke samne kamzor hote hain. Lekin phir bhi, hamesha guard pe rehna chahiye kyun ke high-level vampires silver resist kar sakte hain, kuch toh bilkul immune bhi hote hain."
Phir unhone students ki taraf dekh kar kaha, "Vampire ki taqat unke gale ke peeche wale tattoo se pehchaani jaati hai — pawn sabse kamzor aur king/queen sabse powerful."
Is beech, Sikandar ne Rosie ko text kiya:
"Suno, hum baat kar sakte hain?"
Rosie ka reply aaya:
"Tumhe itna time lag gaya. Kab milte hain?"
Sikandar hairan hua ke Rosie milna chahti hai, "Aaj chalega?"
"Okay, kahaan? Mall section?" Rosie ne poocha.
Tabhi Adhara chupke se aake Sikandar ke paas baith gayi.
Sikandar muskura ke bola, "Kya baat hai, itni khoobsurat ladki chupke se mere paas aa baithi."
Adhara ne charming smile ke saath kaha, "Bas yunhi, yahan baithna tha kyun ke neend aa rahi hai."
Sikandar ne sir hila diya aur Rosie ko reply karte hue kaha, "Theek hai, sounds good." Phir ekdum realise kiya, "Wait, tum bhi Ochyra University ki student ho?!"
"Duh, main tumhari age ki hoon yaad hai? Aur main kaafi achhi hoon jo is university mein aa gayi," Rosie ne jawab diya.
Sikandar ko uska annoying expression yaad aaya, "Fine, bas Soleria Restaurant aa jao."
Rosie ne sirf ek tongue wala emoji bhej diya jo usse aur irritate kar gaya.
Adhara ne dekha ke Sikandar kisi ko text kar raha hai, curiosity se usne phone ki screen pe nazar daali, aur chat ke upar "Rosie" ka naam dekha.
Adhara ne Sikandar ko halka sa tug kiya jo abhi bhi Rosie ki wajah se thoda pareshan tha, aur poocha,
"Ye Rosie kaun hai? Tumhari girlfriend?"
Ye sun ke Sikandar ne foran inkaar kar diya,
"As if main uska boyfriend banna chahta hoon."
Sikandar ke chehre ka expression dekh ke Adhara halki si hansi, phir dono ne dobara class par dhyaan diya.
Mr. Joseph ki baat sunte hue Sikandar soch mein doob gaya,
"Meri progress thodi slow hai agar main sirf sudden quest aur daily quest par rely karoon. Chahe main university life enjoy karne ki koshish kar raha hoon, lekin mujhe leveling up ko priority deni hogi."
Sikandar ne system se poochha,
"System, exp kaise milega?"
<The user can get Exp through Quests, Meditating under the moonlight, and Fighting>
Ye padh ke Sikandar ne agla sawal kiya,
"Main kal Laura ko haraaya tha, to wo count kyun nahi hua?"
<Sparing match is not calculated>
"Fine. To phir ye meditating wala part kaise hota hai?"
<You need to buy meditation technique in the shop which will be available when the user reach level 10>
"Phir shop se cheezein lene ke liye paise kaise aayenge?" Sikandar ne socha, kyunki use yaad aaya ke quest complete karne ke baad use koi currency nahi mili.
<The system uses gold as a currency in the shop. Gold can be received from quest when you enter level 10, the user can also exchange Dollar into gold with a 100:1 ratio>
"Wow, $100 mein 1 gold? Ye to zabardast scam hai," Sikandar ne socha.
Waqt tez guzar gaya, bell baji aur Sikandar ne apna bag uthaya aur Mall Section ki taraf chal pada jahan uski meeting Rosie se thi.
Usse pata nahi tha ke Laura us par chhup chhup ke nazar rakh rahi thi jab wo classroom se bahar jaa raha tha.
Class se nikalte hi Sikandar ne dekha ke Adhara hamesha ki tarah uske peeche chal rahi hai.
Sikandar ne mud ke kaha,
"Kyuu mere peeche aa rahi ho? Kahi tum mujhe pasand to nahi karti?"
Adhara ka chehra laal ho gaya sharm se,
"Kya? Nahi! Ehm… waise main bas saath chalna chahti thi."
Sikandar ne bhauen uthai aur chhedte hue bola,
"Saath chal sakti ho agar meri girlfriend banne ka wada karo."
Adhara ka chehra aur bhi laal ho gaya, bilkul tamatar ki tarah,
"Hmph, theek hai, main follow nahi karti," usne pouting karte hue kaha aur chali gayi.
Adhara ke jaane par Sikandar hans pada, phir mall section ki taraf chal diya.
Train le kar sirf 10 minute mein wo mall section pohanch gaya.
Usne Soleria restaurant dhoondha aur dekha ke Rosie wahan pehle se baithi thi, apne phone se khel rahi thi.
Rosie casual kapdon mein thi, jaise pehli mulaqat mein nahi thi — uske mulayam brown baal ponytail mein bandhe hue the, usne ripped white denim, black crop top shirt aur casual white shoes pehne hue the.
Chahe kapde casual the, lekin wo utni hi khoobsurat lag rahi thi jitni Sikandar ne pehli baar dekhi thi.
Sikandar ne Rosie ke paas ja kar uske kandhe par halki si tap ki,
"Rosie."
Rosie ne sir uthaya aur Sikandar ki kali aankhon mein dekha, dono ki nazar milte hi atmosphere tense ho gaya.
"Ye kaisa vibe hai? Kitna awkward lag raha hai," Sikandar ne socha.
______
Aaj ke liye itna hi. Baki next part mai.
Agir 12 likes ahh gaye toh 16 ko update ah jaye gah. Nahi to 18 koh update ahye gah.
Apne reviews zaroor dena. Thanka, and Good Night
