Satya stood at the edge of the swirling vortex, his body tense with anticipation. The dark abyss beyond seemed to breathe, its monstrous presence palpable. Shadows twisted and contorted in the gate's depths, and demonic screams echoed from the farthest reaches of hell.The arena was deathly silent.Cameras hovered, capturing every moment of the trial, broadcasting it live across Bharat. Every screen flickered with the same image of Satya, a boy on the precipice of his destiny—or his end.Satya gulped, his throat dry.Beside him, Oorja floated in her ethereal form, her voice dry and laced with sarcasm."Well, great knowing you. Want me to write your last words?""Shut up, Oorja," Satya muttered, trying to gather his resolve. "This is just a trial… right?""Yeah. A 'trial' like tossing a chicken into a lion pit."With a reluctant step forward, Satya entered the swirling vortex.
Inside the Hell GateThe moment Satya crossed the threshold, the darkness consumed him. The air turned cold, suffocating, as if it were alive. He could feel the weight of the atmosphere pressing in, thick with the stench of sulfur and the promise of death. Demons—grotesque, monstrous, and furious—emerged from the fog in waves. Some flew, others crawled, and a few sprinted on all fours.And they were all coming for him.Satya clenched his fists, a nervous grin tugging at the corners of his lips."Alright! I got this!" he declared, trying to pump himself up.He didn't.The first demon lunged, slamming into him with the force of a mountain. Satya was sent flying, crashing into the jagged walls of the cavern. His body screamed in protest, the impact leaving a trail of blood as he skidded across the stone floor. Before he could recover, another demon appeared, slashing at his shoulder with claws like knives. A third one, more monstrous than the first, engulfed him in hellish flames. His shirt burned away in an instant, leaving him exposed to the brutal assault.Within minutes, Satya was a crumpled heap on the floor, battered, bloodied, and broken. His robes were nothing more than ash and tatters. His pants were shredded by the claws of the demons. The only thing left intact—if you could call it that—was his cartoon-printed underwear, badly burned and hanging by a single thread.He tried to push himself up, his limbs trembling with exhaustion and pain."Oorja… little help?" he gasped, his voice weak.Silence.Another demon slammed him into a jagged rock. Satya coughed up blood, his body convulsing in agony. His vision blurred. Every muscle in his body screamed for mercy. He knew he wasn't going to survive this. The camera feed went hazy, flickering with static from the overwhelming dark energy. The President leaned forward, his face a mask of concern. The guildmasters stood in stunned silence. Karna, Basuki, and Agneyi watched in disbelief.Karna: "He's done. Not even enough left for a funeral."Agneyi: (snorting) "That demon just suplexed him into a volcano. Is this even legal?"Basuki: "Why is that last scrap of cloth hanging on like it's divine armor?"
Satya's vision was fading. His body, broken and battered, barely clung to life."I… I don't want to die… not here... not now..." His voice trembled.A single tear fell from his eye, evaporating almost instantly in the scorching heat. His hand reached out, grasping at nothing, desperation clawing at him."Oorja… please…" he whispered, his voice barely audible.And then—SILENCE.Everything froze.A deep hum vibrated through the air, echoing in the void. The demons stopped, sensing something ancient, something divine. They hissed, their eyes widening in recognition.Oorja materialized above Satya, her form radiating power. She crossed her arms, her eyes glowing with a mixture of annoyance and amusement."Tch. You had one job. ONE job. Survive."Satya's voice cracked as he forced out a weak smile. "Help… please…""I swear, Satya. You're like a spicy potato—soft on the inside and getting roasted every second."Her hand hovered over his forehead, her expression softening slightly."Fine. I'm unlocking 1% of your Garud Flame. Just 1%. Don't get cocky, flame nugget."
In an instant, everything changed.The world around Satya exploded. His body was consumed by a surge of energy so intense, it felt like the very air cracked under the force. Blue and gold flames erupted from his body in a fiery blaze, crackling with raw power. His wounds began to close at an almost impossible speed, the blood evaporating as the flames healed him from the inside out.But it wasn't just the healing. It was the transformation.For a split second, Satya felt it—the awakening of something primal, divine, and powerful. His entire body radiated with the energy of the Garud Flame, a golden and blue aura swirling around him. His eyes flickered with an otherworldly light—one orange, one blue—as if something far more ancient had taken hold. The ground beneath his feet cracked open, turning molten. The demons hesitated, their feral instincts faltering.Satya, now standing tall, raised his hand to the sky. The flames around him blazed higher, each spark a testament to the power within him. His form felt weightless, almost ethereal, as though he could shatter the world with a mere thought.For that one, glorious moment, he wasn't the underdog.But as the flame receded, only 1% of the Garud Flame left burning within him, the aura died down just as quickly as it had appeared. His body, still torn and battered, stood at the edge of the abyss, burning but not yet reborn.He was still far from invincible. Still far from a god.Yet in that instant, the demons knew that something had changed.
Satya's fist shot forward, connecting with the closest demon. The punch landed with a deafening crack, sending the creature's skull crumpling in an instant.The force of his blow sent shockwaves through the Hell Gate realm, shaking the very fabric of the world itself. The demon crumpled into nothingness, vanishing in the wake of the Garud Flame's destruction.Another demon lunged at him, its jaws snapping shut around his neck. Satya reacted without thinking—he raised his knee, shoving it into the creature's chest with a sickening crack. The demon flew back, disintegrating into flames before it even touched the ground.And then, as if answering to the call of the flame within him, Satya unleashed a burst of power—a massive arc of fire that incinerated half the demon horde in a single sweep.The remaining demons faltered, their wills weakening under the overwhelming divine energy.In a blur of motion, Satya struck down the last demon, his body crackling with the last remnants of the Garud Flame.
Arena Crowd:"AAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!"
Guildmasters' Box:Karna: "…That power… that's not supposed to exist at his level."Agneyi: "...Why does he look like a demonic stripper?"President: (smiling for the first time) "Interesting... very interesting."
The Hell Gate trembled, the battle between divine flame and demonic energy ripping the realm apart. With a final roar, the gate collapsed, imploding from the sheer force of the clash. Satya was hurled out of the realm, his body propelled like a cannonball, crashing into the ground in front of the stunned audience.He lay there, half-dead, covered in soot and ash, his cartoon underwear still clinging to his form. Smoke poured from his lips as he gasped for breath."Did… did I win?" he muttered, barely conscious.The arena erupted in laughter, cheers, and disbelief. Memes formed in real-time as the audience swarmed with excitement. One giant screen zoomed in on his torn underwear, showcasing his most embarrassing moment.
Oorja appeared beside him, floating with a smirk."Congratulations. You survived. You unlocked 1% of your flame… for a few seconds. "gave half the nation a view they can't unsee.". How proud are you right now?"Satya's face turned bright red. "Thank you, Oorja… You saved me…""Please. You owe me three lifetimes, two tubs of ice cream, and a new wardrobe. You just turned a demon fight into a stand-up comedy special."Satya, trying to stand tall, tripped on his own torn waistband and fell flat on his face.
The broadcast ended with a freeze-frame of Satya, flames still flickering in the background. The image, comical and heroic, was captured just as he struck a dramatic, yet utterly disastrous, pose in his torn, cartoon-printed underwear.
Text on screen: "Satya: First Ever Survivor of Solo Hell Gate – Also: Worst Dressed Fighter in Arena History."