The wind roared in Arjun's ears as he fell.
For a split second, his brain screamed that he had made a terrible mistake.
He had just jumped out of a third-floor classroom window.
But the system reacted instantly.
[Adaptive Combat Suit Activated]
The armor covering his body suddenly tightened.
Small thrusters ignited along his back.
Arjun's fall slowed dramatically.
Instead of crashing into the street, he landed in a controlled slide across the pavement.
The ground cracked slightly beneath his boots.
Arjun steadied himself.
"Okay… that was actually cool."
A mechanical voice spoke near his shoulder.
[Combat Drone Online]
The small hovering drone beside him projected a blue scanning beam toward the monster down the street.
A new interface appeared in Arjun's vision.
Target Identified
Hostile Unit: A1
Threat Level: High
Estimated Height: 9.2 meters
Armor Density: Extreme
Weakness: Unknown
Arjun slowly raised the plasma rifle in his hands.
The weapon felt surprisingly light.
But the energy running through it hummed with dangerous power.
"First day with the system… and I'm already fighting aliens."
The monster roared again.
Its glowing blue eyes suddenly locked onto him.
The creature tilted its skull-like head.
As if noticing him for the first time.
Then it charged.
Each step shook the street like a small earthquake.
Arjun's heart started racing.
"Right… no pressure."
The system spoke calmly.
[Combat Assistance Active]
A glowing targeting reticle appeared over the monster's chest.
Arjun aimed.
And pulled the trigger.
The plasma rifle fired with a loud burst of energy.
A beam of blue light shot forward and slammed into the creature's armor.
The impact pushed the monster back one step.
But the armor barely cracked.
Arjun frowned.
"That didn't do much."
The creature roared angrily and slammed one of its claws into the ground.
The asphalt shattered.
Chunks of concrete flew through the air like bullets.
Arjun jumped aside just in time.
A car behind him exploded when the debris struck it.
"Okay… that thing is definitely not friendly."
The drone beside him spoke again.
[Analyzing Enemy Structure…]
The monster lunged forward.
One of its massive claws swung toward Arjun.
The air itself seemed to tear apart from the speed of the attack.
Arjun rolled across the street.
The claw smashed into the pavement where he had been standing.
The impact created a crater nearly two meters wide.
"Yeah, that would've killed me."
The drone suddenly beeped.
[Analysis Complete]
Weak Point Detected
Location: Neck Joint
Armor Density: 64% lower than main shell
A red marker appeared over the monster's neck.
Arjun grinned.
"Now that's helpful."
The monster roared again and charged toward him.
Cars were crushed under its legs as it moved.
Arjun steadied the rifle.
The targeting reticle locked onto the weak point.
He fired.
One shot.
Two shots.
Three.
The plasma blasts struck the neck joint directly.
This time the armor cracked.
The creature let out a furious scream.
Blue fluid sprayed from the wound.
"Got you."
But the monster didn't fall.
Instead, its entire body glowed with blue energy.
The system reacted instantly.
[WARNING]
Enemy entering combat phase two
The creature's speed suddenly doubled.
Before Arjun could react, it appeared directly in front of him.
A claw slammed into his chest.
The impact launched him across the street.
Arjun crashed through the windshield of a parked car.
The combat suit absorbed most of the impact, but pain shot through his ribs.
"Damn…"
The monster stomped closer.
Each step shook the ground.
Arjun forced himself to stand.
"System… any better ideas?"
The interface immediately responded.
[Combat Recommendation]
Overload Plasma Rifle
Power Output: 300%
Risk: Weapon Destruction
Arjun wiped blood from his lip.
"Well… it's not like I have a backup gun."
He adjusted the rifle's settings.
The weapon began glowing intensely.
Energy gathered along the barrel.
The monster raised its claw for another killing strike.
Arjun aimed directly at the red marker on its neck.
"Let's finish this."
He pulled the trigger.
A massive blast of plasma exploded from the rifle.
The beam tore through the monster's neck like a laser through metal.
For a moment, everything became silent.
Then the creature's head separated from its body.
The giant monster collapsed to the ground with a thunderous crash.
Dust filled the street.
Arjun slowly lowered the smoking rifle.
"…Did I just win?"
The system answered immediately.
[Hostile Unit A1 Eliminated]
A cascade of notifications appeared.
+500 Combat Points
+1 System Authorization Level
Commander Rank Upgraded
New Rank: E
Arjun stared at the interface in disbelief.
"That was fast."
But another message appeared.
One that made his stomach tighten.
[New Alert Detected]
Multiple Hostile Units entering city zone.
Total Count: 147
Arjun slowly looked toward the sky.
Above the city, the alien warship still hovered.
And dozens of new creatures were already falling from it.
Arjun exhaled slowly.
"…Alright."
He raised the plasma rifle again.
"Looks like this is only the beginning."