My Game Begins Special Interlude: In-Universe Explanation by Srinivasulu

 My Game Begins

Special Interlude: In-Universe Explanation by Srinivasulu

(Events occurring between Episode 1 and Episode 2)

The scene opens in absolute, pitch-black darkness.

Snap.

A single, harsh spotlight clicks on, illuminating a grand, empty hall. In the dead center sits an ornate, velvet-cushioned armchair. Lounging in it is Srinivasulu—wearing his own clothes and sitting in his real form. He is sitting casually, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees, a confident smirk playing on his lips.

He looks directly forward, piercing the fourth wall, staring right at you.

"Welcome. A warm welcome to you, reader," Srinivasulu says, his voice echoing in the vast emptiness. He chuckles, running a hand through his hair. "What? Are you wondering, 'Who is this guy? Why is he talking directly to us instead of starting Episode 2?' Well, if you’ve read Episode 1, you probably have a decent grasp of who I am and who Ren is. But I know a lot of you must be confused about this story and its world."

He stands up, the chair dissolving into golden dust behind him. He begins to pace, the spotlight following his every step.

"That is why I came directly to you. I’m here to give you the complete timeline, the complete explanation. Consider this your foundation. To truly understand this story from Episode 2 onward, you need to understand me. Let's set the record straight: the guy you’ve been reading about, Ren? He might be the main hero of his world, but in my story, he’s just a guest appearance. So, let’s put him aside and talk about the real star."

Srinivasulu snaps his fingers. The dark hall instantly transforms.

Lush, vibrant green paddy fields materialize around him, swaying in a gentle, phantom breeze. The smell of wet earth and monsoon rain fills the air.

"My name is Srinivasulu," he begins, walking through the holographic fields. "I was born in India, in the state of Andhra Pradesh, specifically in the beautiful and fertile region of Konaseema. I grew up in a massive, traditional joint family. To give you an idea, my great-grandfather was one of five brothers. My childhood was surrounded by uncles, aunts, and countless cousins, all living in one giant, bustling household."

The scenery shifts. Holographic phantoms of children running and playing fill the hall. Srinivasulu watches them with a nostalgic, wistful smile.

"I never knew what pain was. I never knew what hardship felt like. I spent my days playing, entirely shielded from the harshness of reality. But... time is cruel."

The green fields shatter like glass.

The environment violently shifts into a cold, towering metropolis of neon lights, flying vehicles, and sterile steel skyscrapers. The deafening hum of a futuristic city replaces the peaceful wind.

"As we grew up, all my cousins left for higher studies. And my parents? They weren't going to just sit quietly. By the year 2050, they packed me up and sent me to a highly developed maha nagaram (mega-city) for my higher education. They rented a room for me in a luxury four-star apartment."

Srinivasulu stops pacing. The neon city fades into the claustrophobic walls of a dim, lonely apartment room. He stands in the center of it, his shadow stretched long across the floor.

"From that moment on... only my Lord Venkateshwara knows the depths of my struggles," he whispers, his smirk vanishing. "I, who had never known a single hardship, was suddenly introduced to hell. In my joint family, I never lifted a finger. Before I could even ask, someone was there to do it for me—even cooking. But here? I had to do everything myself. I had to learn how to survive from scratch."

He leans against an invisible wall, crossing his arms. "I tried to talk to people, but everyone was a stranger. I thought, 'I'm a first-year college student, I'll make friends on campus.' But it was the same there. My life became a suffocating loop: wake up, go to college, come back, cook, clean, sleep. I went from a boy who had all the freedom in the world to someone who didn't even have the time to breathe. I was drowning in isolation."

Suddenly, his eyes light up. The gloomy apartment vanishes, replaced by a massive, glowing digital billboard floating in the air.

"And then... it dropped."

Srinivasulu grins, pointing up at the glowing logo on the billboard: THE CHOSEN ONE: REN SAGA.

"The newest version of my absolute favorite game. It hit the market and sold out globally within a week. I had to fight tooth and nail just to get a copy by the second week. I’ve been playing this franchise since I was a kid, huddling around a screen with my cousins during summer vacations. It was our ultimate escape."

He waves his hand, and the billboard explodes into dozens of floating screens, showcasing epic battles, monsters, and glowing heroes.

"Let me educate you on what The Chosen One franchise actually is. In my universe, it is the undisputed king of RPGs. Born in 2008, created by a collaboration between a Japanese and an American company, it capitalized on the rising value of RPGs by perfectly blending ancient mythologies and folklore."

He walks among the floating screens, pointing at them like a proud museum curator. "It launched in Japan and the US, became a massive blockbuster, and then conquered the world. Those two companies eventually merged into the juggernaut known as Chosen One Entertainment. From there, it was history. Every game in the franchise is a standalone story. The core concept remains the same, but the characters and narratives are always fresh. That’s why people never got bored of it."

He stops in front of a screen showing dark, terrifying monsters descending upon a gleaming, utopian city.

"Here is the concept: Higher Beings and Demons exist. The Demons constantly try to invade Earth and consume the universe. To fight back, the Higher Beings select specific humans—teenagers and young adults—granting them immense powers. That's why it's called The Chosen One. These chosen kids join a secret 'Divine Organization' to protect their utopia from annihilation."

Srinivasulu claps his hands, and the screens shift to show high school hallways, laughing teenagers, and sunset-lit classrooms.

"Because the target audience was teens and young adults, the developers perfectly blended high-stakes action with Slice of Life and Coming of Age elements. And because of the Japanese-American merger, you see this beautiful blend of Eastern and Western mythologies."

He pauses, a deep sense of pride in his voice. "It was born in 2008, but it didn't officially release in India—specifically the Telugu states of Andhra and Telangana—until 2017. And man, did it explode. The Telugu gaming community fell in love with it. So much so, that even when its global popularity slightly dipped over the decades, the fanbase in India, especially in the Telugu states, held it up like a pillar. Thanks to that nostalgia, the company kept the franchise alive all the way to my time in 2050, expanding it into anime, live-action movies, and web series!"

Srinivasulu snaps his fingers again, pulling up a massive, interactive holographic map.

"Which brings us to the 2050 release: The Chosen One: Ren Saga. The mechanics in this version were insane. Total freedom of choice. Most RPGs have a set start and end, but this one? Your choices dynamically alter the narrative leading to eight different endings. You could even choose a path where the Hero becomes the Villain! It was a masterpiece."

He holds up two fingers. "In just two weeks, I ground through two complete endings. And in those two weeks... I became utterly obsessed with Ren's life, his world, his friends. I loved it so much that I begged and pleaded with my Lord Venkateshwara during every single pooja to send me here."

He leans in close, his borrowed face entirely serious. "Do you want to know why I loved it so much? Let me show you."

The darkness transforms into the gleaming, neon-lit skyline of Paradise City.

"Ren is just a normal school kid, sent to Paradise City by his parents for his education. Sounds familiar, right? I related to him instantly. But unlike me, he finds real friends: Aira, Rose, Kaito, and Jin."

Holograms of the four characters appear around Srinivasulu. "What Ren didn't know initially was that these four were already 'Chosen Ones', secretly working for the Divine Organization. One night, after his part-time job, Ren gets ambushed by Demons. He watches his friends fight, and in that desperate moment, a Higher Being grants him his first transformation: The Silver Warrior."

A blinding silver light flashes, projecting an armored, gleaming warrior.

"But that wasn’t enough. Later, he unlocks a second form: The Red Thunder Knight!" Crimson lightning crackles through the hall as a second armored projection appears. "Most people are lucky to get one form in this game. This guy gets three! He was overpowered. But here is the greatest twist."

Srinivasulu chuckles darkly. "The Supreme Demon Lord sends his most loyal, brutal general to assassinate Ren. But instead of killing him, the demon general gets so impressed by Ren's willpower that they become best friends! The demon switches sides, joins the heroes, and actually gifts Ren his own powers, unlocking a third, terrifyingly strong Demon Lord Form!"

Black flames erupt, projecting a towering, demonic silhouette with burning eyes. Srinivasulu waves it away, calming the scene down.

"I mentioned the Divine Organization, right? It’s run by a man named Chief Rai." A hologram of a sharp-dressed, imposing man appears. "He owns 'D-Hotels', a chain of internationally renowned, insanely luxurious 6-star hotels. The Paradise City branch is actually the secret headquarters for the heroes. Ren and his friends all live there, each getting their own ultra-luxury suite for their protection. Imagine living in a 6-star hotel with your best friends for free!"

Srinivasulu points to the holograms of Ren's friends one by one.

"Their powers? Insane. Aira, the main love interest of Ren, transforms into The Empress. Rose becomes the Goddess of War. Jin holds the powers of both Raijin and Fujin—the Gods of Thunder and Wind! Yes, you heard that right! Kaito turns into the Blue Crystal Samurai, easily the coolest design in the game."

He takes a deep breath, his eyes widening like a fanboy. "And Chief Rai? I don’t know what kind of divine elixir the developers were drinking when they made him, but his transformation is legendary. He turns into a massive, blinding white, blue lightning-infused Komainu—a mythical Lion! When I first saw that on my screen back in my apartment, I whistled so loud the neighbors probably heard it! If Ren is number one in power, Jin and Chief Rai are easily tied for second. That’s how epic this game is."

Srinivasulu sighs, the holograms fading, leaving him bathed in a soft, warm light.

"By day, they are just kids. Going to school, laughing, living peacefully. By night, they are gods walking the earth, fighting monsters and protecting their home. That perfect blend of Slice of Life and heroic action... it drove me crazy. I wanted it. I needed it."

The warm light turns fiery red and orange, mimicking the burning forest from Episode 1.

"So, I prayed. And Lord Venkateshwara listened. Sage Narada appeared to me, gave me his philosophical warnings about Dharma, and told me this was a bad idea. But I didn't care. I refused to listen. I begged to be sent over. And so, by the grace of my Swami, I fell from the sky like a meteor, crashed into that world, that forest, found Ren, I defeated Ren, and I took his place."

Srinivasulu smirks, patting his chest pocket where the five divine cards rest.

"Now, about my own powers. As Sage Narada explained, Lord Venkateshwara placed a fraction of His divine energy into me, adapting it into a system that this world’s logic can process. But there’s a catch: these powers only work if I walk the path of Dharma. If I become selfish, I lose them. So, what exactly did my Swami bless me with?"

He closes his eyes. The room shakes. Five powerful, awe-inspiring silhouettes of divine avatars manifest behind him, glowing with blinding, sacred light.

"First: Swetha Varaha Murthy—inspired by the fierce Aadi Varaha Swamy of Tirupati!" A colossal, white boar-headed deity roars silently in the background.

"Second: Andhra Vallabhudu—inspired by the majestic Srikakulam Andhra Maha Vishnu!" A regal, divine emperor manifests, radiating supreme authority.

"Third: Ugra Swaroopam—the terrifying wrath inspired by the Ahobilam Narasimha Swamy!" A fierce, lion-headed deity with blazing eyes tears through the darkness.

"Fourth: The Divine Hunter—a breathtaking, beautifully princely form of Lord Venkateshwara wielding a celestial bow!" A handsome, glowing hunter made of starlight readies a glowing arrow.

"And finally... the fifth form. A crossover of cosmic proportions, inspired by the Gudimallam Parasurameswara Swamy—a supreme form of Lord Shiva himself!" A towering, ancient Lingam radiating destructive, primordial energy solidifies the lineup.

Srinivasulu opens his eyes, a look of profound respect on his face. "These aren't just names. The worship of the deities at Srikakulam Andhra Maha Vishnu and Gudimallam Parasurameswara Swamy dates back across Yugas. Historically, they are some of the most ancient temples in all of India and Andhra Pradesh for both Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. The physical temples standing today were reconstructed way back in the 2nd and 3rd century BCE under the great Andhra Satavahana emperors! The sheer weight of that history, that divinity, is now resting in my hands."

The divine avatars fade away, and the spotlight returns, isolating Srinivasulu in the dark once more.

He adjusts the strap of Ren’s leather bag on his shoulder.

"Armed with this ancient, historical power, I came to this world. I came seeking true independence. True friendship. A peaceful, meaningful life. I defeated Ren, and I took his place."

Srinivasulu steps closer, his face inches from the "camera," his eyes burning with defiance.

"Let's see what happens now. Will this new life give me everything I ever dreamed of? Or... as Sage Narada warned... will this become my brand-new prison?"

He gives a sharp, theatrical bow.

"I hope you understand the complete history now. I'll see you on the other side."

Srinivasulu stands straight, winking at the void.

"Yours truly... The Real Hero, Srinivasulu."

Snap.

The spotlight cuts out, plunging the hall into absolute darkness.