[Recap: Sai and his companions make a narrow escape from an abandoned hotel after a mysterious black aura erupts from Sai's pendant and vanishes into the depths of the basement.]**
**The Hunter's Choice**
The air in the hotel's decaying hall was heavy with the scent of dust and ancient secrets. Sai turned toward Zai Ron, who was twirling his staff with a thoughtful expression.
"Hey Ron, you never told us... why were you hiding here in the first place?" Sai asked, his voice still trembling slightly from the previous encounter.
Ron exhaled a cold breath. "The truth is... I came here to meet some old friends. 'Plus' and 'Minus'—they are Avtaran companions of mine. Ever since they spotted the **Phantom Troupe**, they've been paralyzed with fear. They sensed a **Legendary Avtaran** aura so overwhelming they had no choice but to retreat here".
Sai's heart hammered against his ribs. "A Legendary Aura? Could that be my father?".
Zixu adjusted his glasses, his laptop screen reflecting in his eyes. "It's a possibility... but we must be prepared for a reality that is far darker".
### **The Haunting Melodic Echo**
Suddenly, a bone-chilling sound echoed from the abyss of the basement. The frantic fluttering of thousands of bats shook the very foundations of the hotel.
"Did you hear that?! Move! I am not staying here to find out what's next!" Sai shouted, leading the frantic dash out of the building.
Once they were a safe distance away, Sai looked at Zai Ron. "Ron, come with us. We are hunting for Aarvan—and my father".
Ron climbed a nearby tree and hung upside down, a strange habit he used for deep contemplation. "Hmm... let me think about it".
"Is that really the best way to think?" Sai muttered, exasperated.
Ron dropped to the ground, his eyes sharp. "Fine. I'll join you. But listen well—if the time comes where I must choose between your life and my Master's... I will choose the Master every time".
Sai grinned despite the warning. "That time will never come. Let's move!".
### **The Entity in the Dark**
**[Scene Shift: The Abandoned Hotel Basement]**
In the pitch-black basement, an old piano began to play itself. Each note carried a weight of sorrow and unfiltered malice. The camera panned slowly down the stairs, coming to a rest at the heavy cupboard.
"Hee... hee... hee-ha-ha-ha!".
A terrifying laugh rippled through the darkness. Miles away in the jungle, Sai suddenly felt a wave of goosebumps. Back in the basement, the screws of the cupboard began to unthread themselves one by one. The door crashed to the floor. A hand reached out from the void—covered in pulsating **Red Veins**.
"My brother... I am coming back".
Sai stopped in his tracks, looking back toward the distant hotel. "Did something just happen?".
Ron mocked him, "Nothing happened. You're just hallucinating because you're hungry".
### **The Guardian of the Gate**
Zixu studied the map, shouting up at Jai the pigeon. "Jai! Do you see Kaiga Town yet?".
"I'm looking!" Jai called back from the sky. "All I see so far is a massive **Statue**".
"A statue? There's no mention of a statue on this map," Zixu said, confused.
Ron snatched the map away. "You idiot! That's not a statue—that's **Kaiga Town** itself! Run!".
The group sprinted forward, but Sai collapsed onto the grass. "I can't... I can't run another step!". Ron and Zixu didn't look back, disappearing toward the horizon.
### **The Telepathic Arrival**
When Ron and Zixu finally reached the town gates, they stopped dead. Sai was already there, sitting comfortably and stuffing his face with food.
"How?! You were miles behind us!" Jai shrieked.
Sai laughed through a mouthful of fruit. "Water Jet! I used the pressure to float and glided right over your heads!".
Suddenly, Ron's staff began to glow. "Wait! Someone is following us!". He hurled his staff toward a thicket of trees.
A familiar face emerged—**Vein the Doctor**. Beside him stood a mystical **Unicorn Avtaran**. "Stop! This Unicorn is a friend. He visited our village festival but vanished days ago. Thank you for bringing him back".
The Unicorn let out a resonant cry, and the people of Kaiga Town emerged from their homes. A small child walked forward and fed the creature a berry.
### **The Appearance of Zero**
"So... you actually made it this far".
A freezing voice came from behind them. Standing there was **Zero**, a high-ranking member of the Phantom Troupe.
"Zero! I have a score to settle with you!" Sai yelled.
Zero smirked and vanished in a blur. A split second later, Sai was slammed into the dirt. "Ugh! That hurt! Who the hell are you?".
Zero looked down at him coldly. "Either give me the Avtaran peacefully, or prepare to die".
The Unicorn's horn suddenly flared with light. It unleashed its **Telepathic Power**. Zero's eyes went vacant, and he raised his own sword to his throat. Just as he was about to strike himself, **Erina** appeared and jammed a strange "Earphone" into his ear, breaking the trance.
"Erina? What are you doing here?" Sai gasped.
"I figured you'd get into trouble the moment I left," Erina replied with a cryptic smile.
---
**[To be Continued... Sai is injured, Zero is recovered, and Erina's true intentions remain a mystery!]**
Who is Erina?** Is she a savior or a spy for the Troupe?
The Unicorn's Power:** How will Sai resist a creature that can control his very mind?
The Basement Entity:** Who is this "Brother," and what is his connection to Sai's father?