The sanctuary breathed easier now. The air wasn't sweet, but it wasn't tainted with death either.
Arjun stood in the shattered courtyard, moonlight streaking down onto his armored silhouette. Behind him, lanterns flickered. A few children dared to laugh somewhere near the altar steps. A kind of fragile hope.
But tomorrow would bring blood again.
And so, tonight… he prepared.
Apocalypse Coin Balance: 8,730Apocalypse Coin Store – [Access Granted]
The interface opened in front of him, shimmering across the surface of Vajrapath like it too hungered for evolution. Rows of items, weapons, gear, augmentations, and scrolls floated like divine offerings.
He selected the Weapons – Evolvable Tier I+ tab.
Each name had earned the right to wield more than scraps.
• Varun – Class: Demolition Saboteur
Preferred Weapon: Improvised Explosives, Close QuartersCoin Cost: 2,100
Acquired: Ashthorn Bracers– Dual-purpose wrist-mounted weapon– Capable of launching micro-charges or extending into explosive daggers– Evolves based on trap complexity and reactive timing– Trait-Bound: Precision Improves Power
• Dhani – Class: Elemental Channeler
Preferred Weapon: Medium-range, Element CompatibleCoin Cost: 1,950
Acquired: Glacier Thread– Flexible chain staff that shifts between water, mist, and ice– Can coil defensively or lash outward– Evolves based on harmony with elemental focus and mental clarity– Passive: 5% Mana Conversion from Ambient Humidity
• Ravi – Sniper
Preferred Weapon: Long-Range PrecisionCoin Cost: 1,600
Acquired: Sudarsh-Eye– Sniper scope evolved from ancient astrological lens– Allows shot prediction up to 0.8 seconds into future– Evolves through kill distance, focus duration, and heart-rate control– Bonus: +10% Crit vs airborne or high-velocity targets
• Meher – Heavy Ordinance
Preferred Weapon: Explosive LaunchersCoin Cost: 1,500
Acquired: Vyom-Lance Mk. I– Shoulder RPG system forged from collapse-era exo-armor– Locks onto high-density heat sources– Evolves via area kill counts and bombardment control– Rechargeable via kinetic impact
• Tapan – Drone Specialist
Preferred Weapon: Aerial/RemoteCoin Cost: 1,200
Acquired: Swarm Core v1.0– Manages up to 5 AI-enabled autonomous drones– Evolves by battlefield tactics and real-time support efficacy– Special: Enables field medic payloads in evolved forms
Arjun returned to the main altar. Vajrapath sheathed on his back, his breathing calm. But inside, he burned.
Remaining Coins: 380
Veerbhadra Bond Tier: Stable
New Option Unlocked: Veerbhadra Echo – Guardian Spirit Form
Cost: 300 Coins– Grants temporary projection of Veerbhadra's fighting spirit during combat– Scales with Willpower and Awareness– Usable 1x per day– Grants: +15% Strength, Reflex, and Pain Immunity for 5 minutes
He accepted.
And a flash of ancient fury curled at the edge of his senses.
They gathered in the courtyard.
Weapons strapped. Armor checked. Minds steeled.
Varun flexed his new bracers, the etched metal already pulsing faint red. "I feel like these things want to explode just by my heartbeat."
Dhani's Glacier Thread shimmered from water to fog to frozen steel, her face more composed than it had been since the Fall.
Even Ravi, the stoic, cradled the Sudarsh-Eye with something akin to reverence. "This scope... sees differently."
"Your enemies won't even know they've been seen," Tapan murmured, sending two drones into pre-flight check. His gear was wired into the Swarm Core now—small light pulses blinking from beneath his collarbone.
Arjun looked them all over, then drew Vajrapath from his back.
The blade trembled faintly, no longer just metal. Alive. Bound. Divine.
"This journey is ours," he said, eyes burning beneath the night. "We march to the Minaret at dawn. We reclaim what the gods haven't yet forsaken."
[System Alert]
Divine Beacon 4 – Unlinked
Type: Unknown – Identified as Abrahamic
Location: Sector 13, Old Delhi
Status: Ravager Infestation – Tier III Confirmed
Reward Upon Completion:– Divine Network Completion– ???– +4,500 Apocalypse Coins– +Divine Favor: Unknown Deity
Quest Chain Updated: Unity of Four – Part II: The Minaret of Fire and Silence