The streets of Kalyanagara were drowning in filth, both physical and spiritual. The once-proud city, named for its ancient ties to dharma, now belonged to Rakshasas—demonic overlords who ruled over mortals with fear and violence. Temples lay abandoned, their walls defiled with dark symbols. Markets bustled with desperate merchants selling scraps of food, their profits extorted by beast-like enforcers.
Ambarisha moved through the crowded slums, head bowed, shoulders hunched—a shadow of a man. He carried a heavy sack of rice on his back, his bare feet kicking up dust as he made his way to the old temple district, one of the few places untouched by the Rakshasa reign.
He was nobody.
Once, the name Ambarisha belonged to a great king of the Suryavansha, a man of unshakable dharma. But this Ambarisha? A lowly temple servant who scrubbed floors and carried offerings that no gods answered.
And yet…
He dreamed of palaces made of gold, of celestial battles that shook the heavens, of standing atop a mountain of warriors, sword raised high as the sun turned crimson behind him.
Visions that made no sense. A life that felt both real and impossible.
A loud crack snapped him out of his thoughts.
Ahead, a group of Rakshasa thugs had surrounded an old merchant, his thin arms trembling as he clutched a young boy close to his chest.
“P-please,” the merchant stammered. “I don’t have more to give.”
The lead thug, a towering beast with red, cracked skin and black tusks curving upward, growled. “You think I care? The tribute is due. If you can’t pay, your son will.”
Ambarisha’s grip tightened on the sack of rice. His heartbeat pounded in his ears.
Don’t interfere. Keep walking. Stay invisible.
He had learned this lesson many times. The Rakshasas ruled Kalyanagara not through strength alone, but through fear. No one stood against them.
The merchant fell to his knees, the boy struggling in his arms. “He’s all I have left! I beg you—”
The Rakshasa raised his clawed hand. “Then you should’ve chosen your wealth over your child, old man.”
The backhand strike sent the merchant sprawling across the ground, blood spraying from his mouth.
The boy screamed.
Something inside Ambarisha snapped.
He was moving before he even realized it.
A single step.
Then another.
By the third step, the sack of rice had fallen from his shoulders.
The Rakshasa had just reached for the boy’s collar when Ambarisha grabbed the nearest wooden staff, a temple offering meant for rituals. He swung it without hesitation.
CRACK.
The blow struck the Rakshasa’s hand, breaking the thick, black claws.
The demon howled in pain.
Silence fell across the market. Dozens of eyes turned toward the fool who had just struck a Rakshasa.
Ambarisha barely had a moment to register what he had done.
The demon’s glowing eyes locked onto him.
“You. Lowborn filth.” The Rakshasa’s lips curled, revealing a row of jagged teeth. “Do you have a death wish?”
Ambarisha swallowed hard. He wasn’t a warrior. He had no training. He had acted purely on instinct.
And now, he was going to die.
The Rakshasa moved like a shadow, lunging at him with terrifying speed. Ambarisha barely raised the staff in time.
SNAP!
The wooden staff shattered like a twig. A powerful clawed fist struck Ambarisha’s chest, sending him flying backward.
He hit the ground hard. Air fled his lungs. Pain bloomed across his ribs like fire.
The merchant pulled his son close and fled.
No one else moved. No one dared to help.
Ambarisha groaned, forcing himself onto his hands and knees. The Rakshasa’s footsteps were slow, deliberate. He was toying with him.
“You’re not even worth eating,” the demon sneered. “But I’ll tear your throat out anyway.”
The beast’s claws gleamed in the midday sun.
This is it, Ambarisha thought.
He closed his eyes.
And then—
A voice echoed through the depths of his mind.
“The weight of your karma is not yet lifted.”
A golden glyph appeared in the air before him.
“Rise, and reclaim your dharma.”
Ambarisha’s eyes snapped open.
The world around him froze.
The world was frozen.
The crowd, the marketplace, even the Rakshasa standing over him—all locked in place, as if time itself had shattered. The only thing that moved was the golden glyph hovering in the air before Ambarisha.
It was a wheel, pulsing with divine energy, its spokes shimmering with inscriptions that looked ancient yet familiar.
His heart pounded. He couldn’t look away.
And then, the voice returned—deep, resonant, and commanding.
“Your karma is heavy. Your past remains unresolved. Will you rise and reclaim your dharma?”
Ambarisha gasped as images flooded his mind.
A vast battlefield littered with corpses.
A burning palace, flames licking the sky.
A golden throne, stained with blood.
A man stood at the center of it all—a king, clad in royal armor, his eyes burning with a divine, golden fire.
It was him.
But not the weak, starving servant he had been his whole life. This was a past version of himself, a warrior, a ruler.
“Will you rise?” the voice demanded again.
The golden wheel spun faster, radiating power.
Ambarisha clenched his fists. His body was screaming in pain, ribs broken from the Rakshasa’s strike. He had seconds before the frozen world would shatter, and time would resume.
His instincts screamed at him to refuse.
If this was real, then accepting this power meant accepting the truth of his past life.
But if he didn’t…
His gaze flickered to the Rakshasa—still frozen in mid-motion, claws inches from his throat.
If he refused, he would die here.
Ambarisha took a deep breath.
“I accept.”
The moment the words left his lips, the glyph shattered into a thousand golden fragments, rushing into his body like a tidal wave of light.
Pain.
Blinding, searing pain erupted through him, burning his veins, his bones, his very soul.
It was as if his body was being reforged in fire.
And then, a screen appeared before his eyes.
[Karmic Ascension System Activated]
- Current Karma: Undefined
- Dharma Alignment: Pending Evaluation
- Karma Points (KP): 0
- Level: 1 (Unawakened)
- First Mission: Defend the Innocent (Status: Incomplete)
- Skill Unlocked: Vishnu’s Mantle (Rank: F)
The golden text burned itself into his vision.
The moment it appeared, time resumed.
The Rakshasa’s claws slashed downward—
But Ambarisha moved.
His body felt impossibly light, as if something ancient and powerful had been unchained within him.
The instant the Rakshasa’s attack came down, a golden barrier formed around Ambarisha’s body.
CLANG!
The impact sent a shockwave through the air, but the barrier held firm.
The Rakshasa staggered back, snarling. “What—?”
Ambarisha didn’t hesitate. His body reacted on instinct, muscle memory from a past life kicking in.
He spun on his heel, eyes sharp. Vishnu’s Mantle—his first skill—was still glowing around him, wrapping his body in a thin layer of divine protection.
This was his chance.
His fingers curled into a fist. He struck.
BOOM!
His fist connected with the Rakshasa’s chest. The demon’s massive body was lifted off the ground and sent crashing through a fruit stall.
Silence.
The marketplace, which had moments ago been filled with onlookers too afraid to act, now stared in shock.
A human—a mere temple servant—had just sent a Rakshasa flying.
Ambarisha took a shaky step forward. His body was still adjusting to the power.
The Rakshasa groaned, pushing himself up from the wreckage. His eyes blazed with fury. “You… What have you done?!”
Ambarisha looked down at his own hands. Golden embers danced around his fingers.
For the first time in his life, he felt strong.
He took another step forward, rolling his shoulders as the golden glow of Vishnu’s Mantle flickered.
He could feel it now.
This was only the beginning.
The Rakshasa Unleashes His True Form
The dust hadn’t even settled before the Rakshasa surged forward again.
His cracked red skin shuddered, his body twisting, expanding. His veins bulged, black fire crackling from the deep wounds Ambarisha had inflicted.
“Human filth,” he snarled, his deep voice now a guttural rumble of rage. “You dare land a blow on me?”
Ambarisha had seconds to react.
A new system notification flashed before his eyes.
[Karmic Ascension System Update]
- Mission Status: Defend the Innocent (Ongoing)
- Opponent Identified: Lower-Class Rakshasa (Corrupted)
- Danger Level: HIGH
- Advisory: Combat engagement recommended only if survival is assured. Retreat is an option.
Ambarisha’s eyes narrowed. “Retreat is an option”?
As if.
The Rakshasa’s mouth split into a wicked grin, his fangs glistening. His shoulders ripped apart, two additional arms sprouting from the sides of his torso.
A low hum vibrated through the air, the pressure around them shifting, warping.
The demon was transforming.
His once humanoid form twisted into something monstrous—a grotesque four-armed abomination with jagged obsidian armor growing out of his flesh. His fingers sharpened into black talons, long enough to carve through bone.
A dark aura spread outward, and Ambarisha felt it like a physical weight pressing against his soul.
This was a Rakshasa’s true form.
The crowd had already scattered. No one wanted to be near this battle.
Ambarisha took a steady breath. The golden glow of Vishnu’s Mantle still flickered around his body, but he could feel the power waning.
The system had given him a burst of strength—but it wasn’t infinite.
The Rakshasa lunged.
Ambarisha barely had time to brace.
BOOM!
The first strike nearly crushed his skull.
He twisted at the last second, avoiding a direct hit, but the force alone sent him skidding backward, his sandals digging trenches into the cracked stone street.
The demon didn’t stop.
A second set of claws came at his ribs. Ambarisha ducked, feeling the air split apart just inches from his skin.
The Rakshasa moved faster than before.
Ambarisha’s mind raced. His newfound strength was nothing compared to this.
He wasn’t fast enough.
He wasn’t strong enough.
The power gap was still too wide.
And then, the KAS activated again.
[Karmic Vision Unlocked]
- A Fragment of Your Past Life is Awakening.
A Vision of the Past
The world shifted.
Ambarisha’s surroundings vanished—replaced by a scene of fire, steel, and death.
A battlefield stretched before him, corpses piled upon corpses, the scent of burning flesh thick in the air.
And at the center of it all… a throne.
Not just any throne.
His throne.
The past Ambarisha stood there, dressed in regal golden armor, a massive two-handed astral sword resting on his shoulder.
Before him knelt an enemy general, chains wrapped around his bloodied form.
“You have lost,” the past Ambarisha said, his voice calm, but merciless.
The general spat blood onto the ground. “Then kill me.”
For a moment, the past Ambarisha said nothing.
Then—
A cold smile.
“No,” he whispered. “Your fate will be worse than death.”
He raised a hand.
The celestial sigils carved into his armor began to glow, a sacred mantra spilling from his lips.
A moment later, the enemy general screamed—his body twisting, contorting as something inside him was ripped away.
His soul.
Ambarisha’s eyes widened.
What—what was he watching?
This wasn’t war.
This was punishment beyond death.
And the past version of himself had done it without hesitation.
“This… this was me?”
The vision shattered.
Back to the Present
Ambarisha staggered as he was yanked back into reality.
The battlefield was gone. The throne was gone.
But the Rakshasa?
The Rakshasa was still here.
And his claws were already coming down again.
For a split second, Ambarisha hesitated. The past vision still clung to his mind. Was he truly worthy of this power?
But in that instant, he saw something else.
The child from before, still hiding behind an overturned cart, trembling in fear.
That hesitation vanished.
Whatever he had done in the past, it didn’t matter right now.
Because right now, he had a chance to save a life.
The KAS reacted instantly.
[Mission Update]
- First Mission: Defend the Innocent (Critical Condition)
- New Skill Unlocked: Sudharma Strike (Rank: F)
- Karma Points Gained: 5
Ambarisha’s body moved on instinct.
Vishnu’s Mantle surged back to full strength.
He ducked low, avoiding the Rakshasa’s killing blow. Then, with every ounce of force he had—
He counterattacked.
His palm shot forward, and the moment it made contact with the Rakshasa’s chest, a golden pulse of energy exploded outward.
BAM!
The Rakshasa’s entire body recoiled, black flames erupting from his skin.
For the first time since transforming—he screamed.
The Sudharma Strike worked.
It burned through his corrupted form, purging the dark energy coursing through his body.
Ambarisha didn’t stop.
He followed up, his fists and feet moving faster than his mind could process. Each strike was guided by instinct, by a force deeper than memory.
Left hook—boom!
A knee to the ribs—crack!
An open-palmed strike to the demon’s forehead, infused with Sudharma energy—
The Rakshasa’s skull shattered.
The demon’s body convulsed, black flames erupting outward, and in the next instant—
His form collapsed into ash.
The silence that followed was absolute.
[Victory Achieved]
- Mission Complete: Defend the Innocent
- Karma Points Earned: +30 KP
- Level Up: 1 → 2
- New Ability Unlocked: Divine Sense (Rank: F)
Ambarisha stared at his hands, his breath ragged, sweat dripping from his brow.
He had won.
He had killed a Rakshasa.
He should have felt relief.
But all he could think about was the golden-armored king from his vision… and what he had done in his past life.
Was this really redemption?
Or was he just walking the same path again?
The Aftermath of Battle
The ashes of the fallen Rakshasa drifted through the air like embers from a dying fire.
The market square was eerily silent. The bystanders who had once cowered in fear now stared at Ambarisha—not with contempt, not with pity, but with shock.
A human had just defeated a Rakshasa.
A simple temple servant had done the impossible.
Ambarisha’s chest rose and fell, his breaths deep and ragged. His body was still humming with power, but it was fading—his golden aura dimming as the effects of Vishnu’s Mantle waned.
Then, the system screen flashed before his eyes.
[Karmic Ascension System Update]
- Mission Complete: Defend the Innocent
- Karma Points Earned: +30 KP
- Level Up: 1 → 2
- New Ability Unlocked: Divine Sense (Rank: F)
- Past-Life Memory Progress: 2% Unlocked
A level-up.
Ambarisha clenched his fists. He could feel the difference. His body was lighter, his senses sharper. The aches and pains that had threatened to cripple him just moments ago were gone.
But more than that—
Something had changed in his mind.
It was subtle, like a curtain lifting over his perception. At first, he didn’t notice it. But when he glanced around the market square…
He saw it.
Auras.
Faint, shimmering outlines of light and shadow surrounded every person in sight.
Some were bright, golden threads of dharma intertwined with their souls. Others were darker, weighed down by corruption and hidden sins.
This was his new ability—Divine Sense.
And it was terrifying.
Because when Ambarisha looked down at his own hands…
His aura wasn’t golden.
It was cracked, flickering between divine radiance and something darker, murkier.
His karmic balance wasn’t pure.
His past-life sins still clung to him like a shadow.
A Mysterious Figure
Ambarisha barely had time to process this revelation before he sensed something else.
A presence.
His newfound Divine Sense flared, alerting him to an aura unlike any he had ever felt.
It was massive—like standing before a mountain, the weight of it pressing against his very soul.
Slowly, Ambarisha turned.
Standing at the edge of the marketplace, watching him with unreadable eyes, was a tall figure clad in a dark blue robe. His long, silver-streaked hair was tied loosely behind him, and his forehead bore a faded crimson mark—the sign of a wandering sage.
But it wasn’t his appearance that unsettled Ambarisha.
It was his aura.
Unlike the others, this man’s karmic glow wasn’t gold or black.
It was pure white.
Unshakable. Untouched by sin.
A level of dharma so complete that it felt divine.
Before Ambarisha could react, the figure spoke.
“So… the fallen king finally awakens.”
The words sent a chill down his spine.
This man knew.
Somehow, he knew.
A Cryptic Warning
Ambarisha stepped forward, still catching his breath. “Who are you?”
The man studied him for a moment before smiling faintly. It wasn’t a kind smile. It was the expression of someone who had seen too much, who knew too much.
“A traveler. A witness. Nothing more.”
His voice was calm, yet it carried a weight that made it impossible to ignore.
“That power you’ve just awakened,” the man continued, tilting his head slightly, “it doesn’t belong to you alone. The Karmic Ascension System is not a gift. It is a debt. And soon, those who seek to collect it will come for you.”
Ambarisha’s pulse quickened.
A debt?
What did that mean?
“Who’s coming for me?” Ambarisha asked, his voice steadier than he felt.
The man didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he lifted his hand, pointing toward the northern part of the city.
“There is a temple there. Abandoned, desecrated. It was once a place where dharma flowed freely.”
Ambarisha frowned. He knew the place. The Ruined Temple of Narayana.
“What about it?” he asked.
The man’s expression darkened.
“Go there.”
Ambarisha hesitated. He could still feel the lingering exhaustion in his limbs. The rational part of him wanted to rest, to make sense of everything before running headfirst into another battle.
But his instincts told him otherwise.
The KAS had awakened for a reason. The battle wasn’t over.
The real test was just beginning.
Finally, Ambarisha nodded. “Fine. But if you know so much, tell me—who are you, really?”
The man gave a quiet chuckle.
“Call me Devaki.”
Then, before Ambarisha could ask anything else, Devaki vanished.
Not walked away. Not disappeared into the crowd.
He was simply gone.
Like he had never been there at all.
The Ruined Temple of Narayana
The streets of Kalyanagara were darker than usual.
Ambarisha could feel it.
As he moved toward the Ruined Temple of Narayana, the city’s usual hum of life seemed distant, muffled, as if the air itself carried a weight beyond mortal senses.
His newly unlocked Divine Sense pulsed at the edge of his mind, and for the first time, he realized—this city was drowning in corruption.
Every street, every alley, every marketplace was suffocating under layers of adharma.
He hadn’t noticed it before, but now, it was everywhere.
Some people had dim, golden auras, their souls still clinging to the last vestiges of dharma. But others…
So many others were surrounded by darkness.
And the worst part?
They didn’t even realize it.
The Temple Gates
By the time Ambarisha reached the northern district, he could see the temple ruins ahead.
It was once a place of worship, a shrine dedicated to Narayana, one of the many names of Lord Vishnu. Now, it was a graveyard of forgotten faith.
The grand stone pillars that had once reached toward the heavens were broken, half-buried in dust. The entrance archway, carved with sacred mantras, was now defaced with black symbols, marks of Rakshasa dominion.
And beyond the entrance?
A suffocating darkness loomed inside, unnatural and ancient.
It wasn’t just an abandoned temple.
It was a dungeon.
And the moment Ambarisha stepped inside—
The Karmic Ascension System reacted.
[New Quest Assigned]
- Dungeon Identified: Ruined Temple of Narayana
- Corruption Level: Moderate to High
- Threats Present: Unknown (Likely Rakshasa Influence)
- Mission Objective: Cleanse the temple and restore the flow of dharma
- Reward: ???
The text burned itself into his vision.
Ambarisha exhaled slowly.
A dungeon.
He had never seen one before, but he had heard whispers. There were places in this world where adharma pooled together, creating distortions in reality, birthing monsters, curses, and nightmares.
And this was one of them.
He stepped forward.
The moment his foot crossed the temple threshold—
The stone doors slammed shut behind him.
A deep chill crawled up his spine.
There was no turning back now.
Inside the Temple
The inside of the temple was colder than it should have been.
The air was thick, suffocating. The once-pristine stone floors were cracked, vines twisting around the walls like veins. Torches lined the walls, but instead of fire, they burned with eerie blue flames.
And then—
He heard it.
A whisper.
A voice crawling along the edges of his mind, soft and venomous.
“Why do you walk this path, fallen king?”
Ambarisha froze.
His fists clenched. “Who’s there?”
No response.
Only laughter.
It was faint at first, but then it grew—a chorus of voices, overlapping, whispering, taunting.
“Do you seek redemption? Do you think dharma will cleanse you?”
“What makes you think you deserve it?”
“You have already walked this path before.”
“And you failed.”
The temple walls pulsed.
Shadows slithered along the edges of the room, shifting, twisting, forming shapes.
Ambarisha’s breath slowed.
His body knew before his mind did.
He wasn’t alone.
The First Dungeon Battle
Red eyes flickered in the darkness.
At first, there was only one.
Then two.
Then dozens.
Figures crawled from the walls, grotesque, humanoid shapes with elongated limbs, hollow eyes, and razor-sharp claws. Their bodies were twisted, wrapped in shadow, moving unnaturally.
Temple Wraiths.
And the moment they saw him—
They attacked.
“Tch—!”
The first wraith lunged.
Ambarisha’s body moved on instinct.
He ducked, rolling to the side as a black claw sliced through the air where his throat had been a second ago.
A second wraith leapt from behind, aiming for his back.
He spun—his fist shot forward, coated in golden energy.
BAM!
The Sudharma Strike connected, sending the wraith flying back.
But it wasn’t enough.
The moment the wraith hit the ground, its body reassembled, the shadows knitting back together.
“You cannot destroy what is already dead.”
The whisper returned, mocking him.
Ambarisha gritted his teeth.
Normal attacks wouldn’t work.
The wraiths weren’t living beings. They were manifestations of the temple’s corruption, formed from the sins and hatred of those who had perished here.
He needed something more.
And as if answering his call—
The Karmic Ascension System activated again.
[New Ability Unlocked]
- Sudharma Chakra (Rank: E)
- Type: Divine Weapon
- Effect: A radiant, circular blade forged from dharma itself. Purges corruption and restores balance.
A new weight settled in his palm.
Ambarisha looked down.
A glowing wheel of golden energy floated just above his fingers, spinning slowly. Its edges gleamed with a sharp, divine light. The Sudharma Chakra.
And the moment he raised it, the temple wraiths screeched—not in rage, but in fear.
“No—!”
Too late.
Ambarisha threw the chakra forward.
The golden wheel spun through the air, cutting through the first wraith like butter.
It didn’t stop.
It sliced through one. Then another. Then another.
And this time, they didn’t reform.
The shadows dissipated, burned away by dharma.
In mere seconds, the room was silent.
The temple wraiths were gone.
And the system responded.
[Dungeon Progress Update]
- Corruption Cleansed: 30%
- Threats Remaining: 70%
- Karma Points Earned: +50 KP
Ambarisha exhaled, gripping the Sudharma Chakra in his hand.
He had done it.
But this dungeon was far from over.
Because even as the last of the wraiths faded…
A deep, guttural growl echoed from the far end of the temple.
A presence far stronger than the wraiths.
Something ancient.
Something waiting for him.
Ambarisha lifted his gaze, his grip tightening.
The real fight was about to begin.
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