The night air was thick, almost electric, buzzing softly as it slithered through the narrow alleyways. Aarav Malhotra's senses felt dulled, his body aching as he slowly opened his eyes to a world that wasn't his own.
He lay sprawled on cold, cracked concrete, the sharp sting of rough pavement pressing against his skin. Somewhere nearby, the distant blare of sirens echoed — urgent, unsettled.
His mind was foggy, a dull pulse pounding behind his temples.
Where am I? The question echoed endlessly, unanswered.
A sudden flicker flashed behind his eyelids — an interface he didn't understand, glowing with cryptic symbols and shifting numbers.
[System Activated: One Punch Protocol]
The words burned themselves into his thoughts.
Power locked. Limiters engaged. Unlock conditions unknown.
Aarav sat up slowly, confusion swirling inside him. His hands trembled — or were they trembling because they were waiting for something? His muscles felt both heavy and electric, like he was caught between two states at once.
A low rumble trembled beneath the city's skin. His breath hitched as he heard it growing louder—like thunder on a collision course.
He looked up just in time to see a massive vehicle careening out of control, barreling toward a group of people frozen in the street, terror spreading like wildfire in their eyes.
No time to think. Instinct took over.
Aarav's hand shot out, slamming against the hood of the truck.
The world seemed to slow. The metal buckled under his grip but didn't crush him. The vehicle screeched to a halt mere inches from the terrified crowd.
Gasps and whispers rippled through the air.
Then, from the shadows above, a figure descended gracefully — a lithe woman in a sleek white suit that shimmered under the city lights. She landed softly, eyes sharp and curious.
"You're strong," she said, voice low and playful, "but strength isn't everything here."
Aarav swallowed hard, his voice barely a whisper. "I… I don't even know where I am."
She smiled faintly, a mix of amusement and warning in her gaze.
"This city has a way of changing people. You'd better decide quickly who you want to be."
His mind flashed back to the cryptic system message, the glowing words, the ominous whisper repeating itself—
Punch.