MY GAME BEGINS Episode 4 / Chapter 4: The Truth, Atonement, and Redemption Part 9: The Power of Truth, Andhra Vallabha — Part 1

MY GAME BEGINS

Episode 4 / Chapter 4: The Truth, Atonement, and Redemption

Part 9: The Power of Truth, Andhra Vallabha — Part 1

Two Days Later — Paradise City

Kaito shuffled down the sidewalk, a brown paper bag filled with his favorite snacks tucked beneath one arm.

The cool night air stung his face as he hurried back toward D-Hotel.

He glanced at his watch and winced.

“Man, it’s already eight? I’m seriously late...”

As he turned a sharp corner onto another street, the ambient noise of the city suddenly vanished.

The street ahead was completely empty.

Towering concrete skyscrapers loomed overhead like silent monoliths, their dark windows reflecting nothing but the cold blue glow of a few flickering streetlights.

Not a single car passed.

There wasn’t a single person around.

Kaito slowed to a stop.

“Why does this place suddenly feel so creepy?”

A faint prickle of static crawled across the back of his neck.

He froze.

A shadow—unnaturally long and unnaturally dense—glided silently across the pavement behind him.

Instinct took over.

With a flash of light, Kaito summoned his Blue Crystal Katana and spun around, blade already drawn.

The alley was empty.

“Looking for someone?”

The raspy voice came from above.

Kaito's eyes snapped upward.

Perched on the ledge of a three-story building, bathed in the sickly blue glow of a streetlight, stood the Shadow Lord.

Kaito took a step back, tightening his grip around the hilt.

“Bring it on!”

The Shadow Lord merely chuckled—a low, grating sound that echoed through the empty street.

“Save your strength, boy. Two days from now, on the night of the new moon, bring all your little friends to the abandoned factory sector on the far west side.”

His crimson eyes narrowed.

“If you don’t show up... I’ll burn this entire city to the ground.”

Before Kaito could spring into the air, the Shadow Lord's body dissolved into a pool of darkness.

A heartbeat later, he was gone.

---

Scene Shift — D-Hotels Headquarters

Inside the sleek, high-tech briefing room at D-Hotels Headquarters, the atmosphere was tense.

Kaito stood beside the primary holographic table, recounting every detail of his encounter to Jin, Chief Rai, Rose, Aira, and Srinivasulu, who sat quietly in Ren’s form.

Jin crossed his arms, his jaw clenched.

“Why does this guy keep pulling the same crap? First he corners me, and now he ambushes you?”

Chief Rai leaned against the edge of the console, tapping his chin thoughtfully.

“At least the abandoned factory sector is completely deserted. If a full-scale battle breaks out there, we won’t have to worry about civilians getting caught in the middle of it.”

Aira immediately turned toward the group, concern written across her face.

“Whatever happens, we can’t let Ren come with us! His powers still aren’t working, and he’s barely recovered!”

Rose glanced at Srinivasulu before nodding.

“She’s right. Taking Ren into a battle in his condition would be reckless.”

Kaito rubbed the back of his neck, his expression growing serious.

“Yeah... but there’s a problem. The Shadow Lord gave us one condition.”

Everyone turned toward him.

“What condition?” Jin demanded.

Kaito's mind flashed back to the rooftop.

The Shadow Lord had leaned over the ledge, his glowing eyes burning through the gloom.

“Bring the rest of those fools or not. But make sure your friend Ren is there. He must be there!”

The memory faded.

Silence settled over the room.

Jin, Chief Rai, Rose, and Aira exchanged uneasy glances.

Before anyone could speak, Srinivasulu slowly raised his head.

His expression was calm.

There was none of the panic that had once controlled him.

“I’m coming.”

Aira gasped and turned toward him.

“Ren...”

Srinivasulu rose from his seat, his posture straight.

Aira instinctively reached out and took his right hand.

The moment her fingers touched his palm, a sharp pang of guilt pierced Srinivasulu's chest.

This was the hand she believed belonged to Ren.

The hand she had reached for because she trusted the person standing before her.

He couldn't bear it.

Srinivasulu gently pulled his hand away.

Aira searched his eyes, her voice trembling slightly.

“Are you really okay with this? Are you sure you want to do this, Ren?”

Srinivasulu met her gaze.

The memory of Devarshi Narada's words echoed quietly within him.

For the first time, his resolve didn't come from desperation.

It came from acceptance.

“I’m ready for whatever comes, Aira. I know that much.”

He paused.

“I’m coming with all of you.”

Aira, Rose, Kaito, Jin, and Chief Rai stared at him in stunned silence.

Something about Ren felt different tonight.

---

Scene Shift — Two Days Later — Paradise City, Far West Abandoned Factory Sector

The night of the new moon offered no light.

Pitch-black darkness swallowed the derelict industrial sector, broken only by the faint red pulses of tactical equipment.

Rusting iron gates hung from their hinges, groaning softly whenever the cold wind passed through them.

Crumbling brick factories loomed like the corpses of forgotten giants, surrounded by heaps of discarded machinery and corroded scrap metal.

Kaito pulled his jacket tighter around himself and shivered as he scanned the darkness.

“Guys... I looked this place up before we came here.”

Everyone glanced toward him.

“Apparently, dozens of workers died here under some really strange circumstances—one after another. There were reports of mysterious accidents, horrifying sightings... People even claimed the whole sector was haunted.”

He swallowed.

“That’s why they shut the place down and abandoned it.”

Jin, Aira, Rose, and Srinivasulu stopped walking.

Slowly, they turned toward Kaito.

Their expressions were completely flat.

Jin pinched the bridge of his nose and groaned.

“Why do you always bring up creepy urban legends right before a raid?! You just killed my battle hype!”

He threw his hands up.

“Can’t you tell when it’s time for action and when it’s time for horror stories?”

Jin sighed dramatically.

“Talk about a mood killer. Burn it all down, Chief!”

“Focus, team.”

Chief Rai's voice crackled through their earpieces.

“Our drones are active. They’re circling your perimeter right now. My command staff and I are monitoring everything from HQ.”

Jin, Aira, Rose, Kaito, and Srinivasulu looked up.

Several sleek stealth drones hovered silently in the night sky, their tiny camera lenses tracking every movement below.

Miles away, inside D-Hotels Headquarters, Chief Rai stood before a massive wall of glowing monitors, surrounded by dozens of technology officers analyzing real-time data feeds.

Chief Rai continued, his eyes moving across the thermal readouts.

“We have the whole sector under control. I’ve got your backs from here.”

“Got it, Chief,” Jin muttered.

Chief Rai glanced at Kaito's camera feed.

“And Kaito—if you’re in the mood to tell ghost stories, save them for later.”

Kaito scratched his cheek sheepishly.

“Sorry, Chief... I was just sharing what I found online.”

Chief Rai's tone hardened.

“Enough chatter, Team Divine! If the Shadow Lord shows up tonight, don’t let him escape. Understood?”

“YES, CHIEF!” Team Divine shouted in unison.

“Remember,” Chief Rai warned, “everyone’s powers are working—except Ren’s. We cannot let what happened at the Battle of the Shrine happen again. Protect him at all costs!”

“YES, CHIEF!” Jin, Kaito, Rose, and Aira answered.

“Team Divine, prepare for combat!”

“YES, CHIEF!”

Their voices echoed through the abandoned industrial sector.

Then—

A thick mass of jet-black smoke erupted from the center of the factory yard.

The temperature dropped instantly.

The smoke spiraled upward, twisting into a violent vortex before condensing into a towering humanoid figure.

The darkness parted.

The Shadow Lord emerged in his lethal Third Form.

Heavy obsidian armor covered his entire body, its jagged plates rising sharply from his shoulders and chest.

A long, dark katana hung at his waist, pulsing with sinister energy.

Every member of Team Divine tensed.

At headquarters, Chief Rai and his staff leaned toward the monitors.

The Shadow Lord's crimson eyes gleamed beneath his visor.

A low, rasping chuckle escaped him.

“So... you really did walk right into my trap.”

His gaze swept across the team.

“Tonight, none of you are walking out alive.”

Jin stepped forward.

Electricity crackled across his arms.

“Already running your mouth before the fight even starts? All that talk won’t win you the fight!”

He raised his hand.

“Let’s see who’s still standing when it’s over!”

Jin grinned.

“Team Divine!”

In perfect synchronization, Kaito, Jin, Aira, and Rose drew their divine cards.

The cards shot into the air and hovered before them like miniature suns, each radiating an overwhelming elemental presence.

Jin seized his glowing card.

“RAIJIN!”

A jagged pillar of dark-blue lightning crashed down from the sky and engulfed him.

The flash illuminated the entire factory yard.

When the light faded, Jin stood in his thunderous RAIJIN form, violent electricity dancing across his body.

Aira raised her card.

“THE EMPRESS!”

Shimmering pink energy erupted around her, forming glowing sacred shrines in the air as she transformed into The Empress.

A radiant aura surrounded her.

Rose seized her card next.

Her eyes burned with fierce determination.

“GODDESS OF WAR!”

A crimson blaze erupted beneath her and surged upward, enveloping her in the dark-red aura of the Goddess of War.

Her combat gear materialized in a flash of divine fire.

Finally, Kaito raised his card.

“BLUE CRYSTAL SAMURAI!”

Jagged blue crystal energy erupted from the ground beneath him.

His crystal armor formed piece by piece, locking into place as his Blue Crystal Katana materialized at his hip.

The weapon pulsed with sharp, crystalline energy.

Srinivasulu stood amid the swirling currents of divine power, watching his companions transform into legendary guardians.

For a moment, he felt small.

Powerless.

Deeply humbled.

But his heart remained steady.

He no longer needed to become someone else just to feel worthy.

The Shadow Lord watched the transformations without the slightest hint of concern.

Instead, a faint smile formed beneath his visor.

“Magnificent... You all played right into my hands.”

Kaito rested a hand on the hilt of his crystal katana and pointed the blade toward him.

“Enough talking. Come and get us!”

The Shadow Lord tilted his head.

His voice carried a strange, mocking calm.

“Tell me... have any of you ever seen a blood-red sun rise on a night when there should be no moon at all?”

Kaito glanced sideways at Jin.

“Is this guy seriously cracking jokes before the battle even starts?”

“It’s no joke,” the Shadow Lord growled.

His eyes flashed.

“Tonight, you’ll witness it for yourselves—a crimson sun blazing across a moonless sky!”

He thrust both hands toward the heavens.

“CORRUPTED SUN!”

An enormous surge of corrupted energy gathered between his palms.

The energy compressed into a massive blood-red sphere, its surface radiating blinding light.

With a violent thrust of both arms, the Shadow Lord launched it high into the atmosphere.

The sphere rose above the clouds.

Then it stopped.

It hung in the center of the night sky like a grotesque artificial star, bathing the entire industrial sector in an eerie crimson glow.

Then the ground shook.

A massive pitch-black barrier erupted from the surrounding earth, rising like a wall of darkness and sealing the entire factory sector inside an impenetrable domain.

Inside headquarters, alarm sirens screamed.

Telemetry screens flickered wildly before several feeds disappeared.

Jin immediately shouted into his communicator.

“Chief! Do you see that?!”

Chief Rai's voice came through the static.

“Loud and clear! He’s creating a barrier field!”

The Shadow Lord spread his arms beneath the crimson sky.

A sinister laugh echoed through the sealed sector.

“Do you see it now?! Nothing’s getting through this barrier—not from either side!”

His voice darkened.

“You’re trapped here with me.”

He looked toward the team.

“You think you can hold out until the auspicious Brahma Muhurtam at 4:15 AM again?”

His crimson eyes narrowed.

“I’ll end every last one of you long before then!”

Chief Rai slammed his fist onto the control console.

“Damn it! You’re trapped in there! I should’ve come with you!”

“Don’t worry, Chief!” Jin shouted back through the static. “We’ll take this demon down... together!”

Chief Rai's expression remained tense.

“Are you sure you can handle him?!”

Rose drew her weapon, her crimson aura flaring around her.

“Don’t worry, Dad! We’ll take him down!”

Aira stepped forward beside Srinivasulu, her pink energy shimmering defensively around them.

“Yes, Chief! There’s no turning back now!”

She glanced at Srinivasulu.

He met her eyes and gave a calm, steady nod.

Chief Rai took a deep breath.

“All right, then. Nobody backs down!”

His voice thundered through the comms.

“Team Divine, take him down!”

“YES, CHIEF!”

Jin, Kaito, Rose, Aira, and Srinivasulu shouted together.

The Shadow Lord's eyes flashed beneath his helm.

“Take me down?”

A cruel smile crept across his face.

“You pathetic insects!”

He raised both hands toward the sky and pointed directly at the surveillance drones circling overhead.

THWACK!

THWACK!

THWACK!

Dozens of razor-sharp shadow tentacles erupted from the earth like black spears.

They shot into the sky, impaling the surveillance drones one after another.

The drones exploded in showers of sparks and burning metal.

Inside the command center, every monitor suddenly went black.

Static swallowed the remaining feeds.

Chief Rai stood frozen for a moment as his staff scrambled around him.

He slammed his palm against the desk.

“Damn it!”

Back inside the sealed zone, the Shadow Lord slowly lowered his hands.

The crimson light reflected off his obsidian armor.

“Now... no one will interfere.”

Jin stepped forward in his RAIJIN form, dark-blue lightning crackling from his shoulders.

“Works for me! I’ll tear you apart with my bare hands!”

The Shadow Lord sneered.

“If you want to reach me... you’ll have to fight your own shadows first.”

He thrust his right hand forward.

His fingers curled into a fist.

Under the oppressive glare of the Corrupted Sun, the shadows cast by Jin, Kaito, Rose, and Aira began to writhe across the concrete.

The darkness trembled.

Then—

It moved.

The shadows slowly peeled themselves away from the ground, stretching upward as though something alive were forcing its way out of them.

Jin, Kaito, Rose, Aira, and Srinivasulu instinctively leapt backward.

The shadows twisted.

Expanded.

And took shape.

Four figures emerged from the darkness.

They were exact replicas of Jin, Kaito, Rose, and Aira in their higher forms.

But their eyes burned with unnatural darkness.

Pure dark energy radiated from their bodies.

Before Team Divine could even process what they were seeing—

CRACK!

The earth beneath them split apart.

One fissure became two.

Two became dozens.

Then hundreds of shadow beasts clawed their way out of the broken ground.

Their distorted forms crawled, stumbled, and rose from the earth until an entire army stood behind the four shadow doppelgängers.

The battlefield had transformed into a nightmare.

Team Divine stared at the army gathering before them.

The Shadow Lord threw his arms wide beneath the blood-red sky.

His cruel laughter echoed throughout the sealed barrier.

“NOW THEN... TELL ME.”

His crimson eyes burned brighter.

“WHO’S GOING TO DIE NOW?!”

(Episode 4 / Chapter 4: Part 9 — Part 1)