"Hey boy, what are you doing here?"
Arun stood on the temple balcony, planning his next move, when a voice interrupted his chain of thought. Turning toward the source, he saw two men in khaki uniforms approaching. They were temple police, responsible for the safety of Mata Mandir.
One officer was about to shout at him, but as he met Arun's calm blue eyes, he felt an overwhelming pressure—like a mountain pressing down. He hesitated, then noticed Arun's clothing: a tailored black jacket and pants of exceptional quality. His posture and temperament radiated quiet superiority.
The officer judged that this young man must be the son of some big-shot, visiting the temple.
Arun's eyes read every emotion on their faces—anger, concern, and finally, a flicker of fear. He took the initiative.
"Hello. How can I help you?"
The officers snapped out of their daze. Seeing his polite yet commanding presence, one replied:
"Sir, there was a sudden change in the weather. We feared an incident, so we evacuated the area. When we saw you alone on the balcony, we thought…"
"Oh, sorry officers," Arun said, throwing the blame toward Mata Rani. "I was also shocked by the sudden thunderstorm. It was intense, and then everything calmed down. Thankfully, I was on Mata Rani's side, so I'm safe."
The officers didn't doubt him. It was impossible for a normal human to cause such a massive natural phenomenon.
"We understand, sir. But things are still uncertain. For your safety, it's best to leave this place."
Arun nodded respectfully.
"Thank you, officers. There's just one problem. My name is Arun Aditya. I've just returned from Germany after completing my studies. Dewas is my hometown, so I came here first—without informing my parents. But during the commotion, my phone and ID were stolen. I have no money. I beg you to help me. I promise to repay your kindness tenfold."
The officers were stunned. They looked at Arun, then at each other. If he hadn't been dressed so well and carried himself with such nobility, they might have thought he was lying. But his serious, hopeful eyes made them hesitate.
Arun wasn't entirely lying. Though he was the reincarnation of a deity, he had to start over. He was penniless. And something felt different about this world—it was slightly larger, more evolved. He wanted to understand it.
Unable to ignore his request, the officers agreed to help.
Arun smiled warmly. With their help, he booked a room at a nearby hotel and borrowed ₹5000. The officers were good men. In India, police salaries aren't high, and from their faces, they didn't seem corrupt. Arun was grateful and promised to return the money within three days. He also asked for their contact in case he needed help again.
After bidding farewell to the officers, Arun finally sighed in relief. He requested a laptop and Wi-Fi access from the hotel manager. It cost him ₹2000 more.
Once he had the laptop, Arun began researching the world frantically. After three hours of intense study, he had a general understanding.
This world wasn't much different from Earth. Narendra Modi had won the election last year. Indore was still thriving. Trump hadn't become president yet. AI hadn't fully bloomed. Many things were familiar.
But what intrigued him was the entertainment industry—it was surprisingly underdeveloped despite advanced technology. Electric companies were off-track. The global market was unstable.
That didn't surprise him. What truly caught his attention was the presence of fictional characters—Captain America, Iron Man, and companies like NADA and Bhishma. Movie plots seemed to bleed into reality.
"A strange world," Arun chuckled softly.
His blood boiled with excitement. Mysteries awaited him. A grand plan began forming in his mind—not to destroy this world, but to grow within it and dominate it.
For Arun Aditya, this world was a playground. And he was ready to rise.