The abandoned warehouse had fallen silent.
Bodies were scattered across the floor.
Gang members who once laughed, drank, and celebrated their success now lay unconscious among broken tables and shattered crates. Some groaned in pain. Others remained completely motionless.
At the center of the destruction stood a single man.
He wore a long coat and a cap that hid most of his face.
In front of him, the gang leader knelt on the floor.
Terrified.
Broken.
Begging.
At the entrance of the warehouse, Kaali stood frozen.
His mind struggled to understand what he was seeing.
"What happened here?" he whispered.
The gang leader noticed him immediately.
Hope suddenly appeared in his eyes.
"Kaali!"
He stumbled to his feet and ran toward him.
"My boy, you're here!"
The gang leader quickly hid behind Kaali and pointed toward the mysterious man.
"Please save me from him!"
His voice trembled.
"He destroyed everyone in seconds! He's going to kill me!"
Kaali remained silent.
The gang leader continued desperately.
"Look, Kaali, I know you're angry, but believe me! Everything was part of a plan!"
Kaali slowly turned his head.
The gang leader forced a smile.
"We were being threatened by those corrupt police officers. We had no choice."
He laughed nervously.
"We were going to save you later. Really!"
Kaali's fists tightened.
The gang leader grabbed his shoulder.
"We were going to prove our existence together again."
For a moment—
The warehouse became completely silent.
Then—
Golden Prāṇa slowly began flowing around Kaali.
The mysterious man noticed it immediately.
His eyes narrowed beneath the cap.
The gang leader didn't.
He kept talking.
"Kaali, my boy, I've always cared abou—"
BOOM!
Kaali's fist slammed into his face.
The gang leader flew backward.
The strange liquid coating Kaali's hand splashed across his skin.
A horrifying scream echoed through the warehouse.
"AAAAAAAHHHHH!"
The gang leader rolled across the floor while clutching his face.
Smoke rose from his skin.
"It burns!"
He screamed again.
"My face!"
Kaali walked toward him.
Slowly.
Calmly.
The gang leader's eyes widened.
He had never seen Kaali like this before.
Kaali's expression held no sadness.
No hesitation.
Only rage.
"You filthy creature."
His voice trembled with fury.
"How dare you ask for my help?"
The gang leader tried crawling backward.
Kaali kicked him hard in the stomach.
The man coughed blood.
"I followed every order you gave me."
Another kick.
"I did every dirty job you asked me to do."
Another kick.
"I trusted you."
Another.
"I admired you."
The gang leader screamed.
"I wanted to become like you!"
Kaali's eyes became bloodshot.
"But to you..."
He grabbed the man's collar.
"...I was never human."
The liquid dripping from his fingers burned through the man's clothes.
"To you, I was just a tool."
The gang leader cried in pain.
"A disposable tool."
Kaali threw him onto the ground.
"Something to be used and thrown away."
For the first time in years—
All the pain.
All the loneliness.
All the betrayal.
Exploded from his heart.
The gang leader's expression suddenly changed.
Fear disappeared.
Anger replaced it.
He grabbed a nearby metal rod and swung it.
CRACK!
The rod struck Kaali's head.
Kaali stumbled backward.
The gang leader immediately stood.
"You little bastard!"
He raised the rod again.
"How dare you attack me?"
His face twisted with rage.
"Do you remember who fed you?"
He pointed the rod at Kaali.
"Who gave you a place to stay?"
His voice grew louder.
"You should know your place!"
The rod came crashing down.
But this time—
Kaali caught it.
The entire warehouse fell silent.
Even the mysterious man stopped moving.
Kaali slowly raised his head.
Blood trickled down his forehead.
But his eyes remained calm.
"You don't need to tell me where my place is."
The gang leader froze.
Golden Prāṇa flowed around Kaali.
The liquid spread onto the metal rod.
SSSSSSSS!
The metal began melting instantly.
The gang leader's face turned pale.
Kaali looked directly into his eyes.
"I already made a promise."
The rod dissolved completely.
The gang leader stepped backward.
"What... what are you?"
Kaali didn't answer.
He punched him.
The gang leader crashed into a wall.
The burning liquid spread across his face again.
His screams became louder than before.
The sight should have made Kaali feel satisfied.
Instead—
Something darker began growing inside him.
A voice whispered within his heart.
They deserve it.
Make them suffer.
Make them feel your pain.
The gang leader crawled backward.
"Please!"
His voice broke.
"Please don't kill me!"
Kaali grabbed his face.
The acidic liquid dripped between his fingers.
"Who said I was going to let you live?"
The gang leader's eyes widened.
"I came here for one reason."
Kaali's voice grew colder.
"And that is your death."
The liquid spread further.
The man screamed.
"AAAAAHHHHH!"
His cries echoed throughout the entire building.
Kaali smiled.
A small smile.
But it wasn't happiness.
It was despair.
Pure despair.
The same despair that had consumed Bheem.
The same despair Kaali had spent years fighting.
And now—
It was consuming him too.
"I'll kill you."
The liquid intensified.
"And everyone who gets in my way."
The mysterious man finally moved.
He grabbed Kaali's wrist.
Kaali's smile vanished.
His eyes narrowed.
"What are you doing?"
He tried pulling away.
"Get lost."
The man didn't move.
Instead—
He removed his cap.
Kaali froze.
The man's face finally became visible.
Calm eyes.
A gentle expression.
And a strange warmth that Kaali couldn't explain.
"I can't."
Kaali frowned.
"What?"
"I can't leave you."
The man's grip tightened.
"If I leave now..."
His eyes softened.
"...your talent will be wasted."
Kaali's anger flared.
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
He tried pulling his hand away.
The man remained calm.
"Your power has the potential to save countless people."
Kaali laughed bitterly.
"Save people?"
His voice rose.
"Why would I save anyone?"
His eyes trembled.
"No one saved me."
The man remained silent.
Kaali continued.
"I don't care about anyone."
His voice broke slightly.
"I only care about myself."
The man shook his head.
"No."
Kaali clenched his fists.
"Move."
The man didn't.
"I won't let you do this."
That was enough.
Kaali attacked.
His fist shot forward.
The man dodged.
Kaali attacked again.
And again.
And again.
Each strike carried acidic liquid capable of melting metal.
The mysterious man blocked them effortlessly using his cap.
One punch landed.
The cap immediately began burning.
"Oh?"
The man smiled slightly.
"So that's one attribute."
Kaali froze.
"What?"
The man grabbed his wrist.
"Fire and water."
Kaali's eyes widened.
The man twisted.
In one fluid motion, he locked Kaali's arm behind his back and forced him onto the floor.
"What?!" Kaali shouted.
The man smiled.
"Oh, and there's earth too."
Kaali stared.
"What do you mean?"
The man ignored the question.
"You can't control it properly yet."
Kaali struggled.
The liquid continued flowing from his hands.
"Let me go!"
The man suddenly raised his voice.
"Stop, you fool!"
Kaali froze.
The tone was different.
Not angry.
Concerned.
The man sighed.
"Your hands are behind your back."
Kaali blinked.
"So?"
The man pointed toward his own shoulder.
"If you keep producing that liquid..."
His expression became serious.
"...you'll burn your own back."
Silence.
Kaali immediately stopped struggling.
The realization hit him.
The man wasn't trying to hurt him.
He was trying to protect him.
For the first time—
Kaali became confused.
"Then what do you want?"
The man smiled.
"Nothing complicated."
He released some pressure from his grip.
"Become my student."
Kaali stared.
"...What?"
"I want to teach you."
The answer sounded ridiculous.
"Why would I become your student?" Kaali asked.
The man chuckled.
"Because you need someone who understands your power."
Before Kaali could respond—
A warm light appeared.
His eyes widened.
The light came from the man's hand.
A soft golden glow.
Beautiful.
Gentle.
Comforting.
Kaali stared at it.
"What is that?"
The man smiled.
"Prāṇa."
The light illuminated the warehouse.
Kaali couldn't stop staring.
The warmth felt different.
Unlike his own destructive power.
This light felt safe.
Protective.
Like sunlight after years of darkness.
Without realizing it—
He reached toward it.
The moment he touched the glowing hand—
His acidic liquid disappeared.
For the first time since awakening his power—
His hands felt calm.
Warm.
Peaceful.
Tears slowly formed in his eyes.
"I don't know why..."
His voice became quiet.
"...but I like this light."
The man smiled.
"I know."
Kaali's eyelids became heavy.
The exhaustion from everything finally caught up to him.
His consciousness faded.
And just before he fell asleep—
He heard the man's voice.
"Rest now."
The man gently lifted him.
"You've suffered enough."
Kaali slept.
Present Time
The forest became silent once more.
Lioran, Sharin, and Aishwarya listened carefully.
Kaali stared toward the moon.
"That man took me to his ashram."
A faint smile appeared.
"He became my Master. He taught me Prāṇa. He taught me how to control my abilities. Eventually, more children joined us."
His eyes softened.
"That's how we became a family."
Sharin nodded slowly.
"So that's how your ability was born."
Kaali smiled.
"Master discovered I possessed three Prāṇa attributes."
"Fire."
"Water."
"Earth."
"The combination of those attributes and my Prāṇatability created the sticky acidic substance I use."
He laughed lightly.
"I called it Stickedicy."
Sharin immediately groaned.
"That thing caused me plenty of trouble."
Kaali scratched his cheek.
"Sorry, but I tried my best to not harm you."
For a moment, everyone laughed.
Then Lioran's expression became serious.
"I understand your pain now."
Kaali looked toward him.
"But there's still one thing you haven't told us."
Aishwarya nodded.
"Who was your Master?"
"And who killed him and Bheem's sister?"
The atmosphere instantly changed.
Kaali's smile vanished.
His eyes darkened.
After several seconds of silence—
He finally spoke.
"My Master's name..."
His voice grew heavy.
"...was Sahanzaa Kirmaan."
Lioran listened carefully.
Kaali lowered his gaze.
"And he wasn't killed by one person."
Everyone tensed.
A chill passed through the forest.
Kaali slowly looked up.
"He was killed by..."
His fists tightened.
"...Pranansh."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Lioran's eyes widened.
Sharin froze.
Aishwarya's breath caught in her throat.
"...Pranansh?"
Lioran whispered.
Unable to believe what he had just heard.
TO BE CONTUINUED…