As the Instructor explained the rules to them, the vast board behind him lit up again with the names and ranks of those who had been sorted into a team. It didn't take long for Aahan to find his team, and he saw his teammates' names and ranks there.
"Maya and Arjun... I wonder what their ranks are?" Aahan scratched his cheek as he was expecting all his teammates to be in the top 40 at least. "Well, if we get two from the top 20, it would be fine, I guess."
"Now then, please step on the stage when your name is called," the Instructor yelled, "Isha!"
Aahan searched the crowd and saw the lady with the bow heading towards the stage. She was the candidate who cleared the fissure in less than 30 seconds, earning her first place in the rankings.
"Don't judge her by her looks," Dheera mentioned. "That girl is already on the level of a Rathi. Those Aswathians¹ are notoriously known for their training. Some say their training starts the moment they start walking, and Isha is no exception."
Aahan could sense Dheera being wary of someone for the first time since meeting him. But if what Dheera said was true, Isha had been training for almost two decades!
"No wonder she could clear the fissure so quickly," Aahan shrugged. "I'm not saying she isn't talented or something. I wonder why they even test her if she's had so much experience."
"Isn't it obvious?" Dheera remarked. "It is to maintain 'fairness', but in reality, it is just a way for the Gurus to show everyone the difference between those with a Bloodline and those without it."
"For real?"
Dheera nodded, "Though they won't openly admit it, that is the case. Now you know why everyone was surprised when you received such a high score in the first round. Don't take it personally, but nobody expected a no-name guy like you to rank fourth."
Aahan didn't know if he should take Dheera's words as a compliment or a taunt. Ultimately, he decided to do neither and instead focus on the stage.
Isha's teammates were ranked 27th and 39th, respectively. It meant they probably didn't have a Bloodline either. Based on her team, Aahan realised what the Instructor meant by saying the teams would be formed to maintain fairness for everyone.
After all, the second test was supposed to be focused on teamwork. It didn't matter how great of a candidate one was. If someone from their team failed, all of them failed as well. The way Aahan saw it, Isha had gotten the short end of the stick.
But despite that, he was sure someone like her wouldn't have any difficulty carrying her team. Next, it was Dheera's turn, and his team was quite a decent one, with ranks 16th and 34th joining him.
Next came the turn of the third place holder. It was a strange guy, unlike others. He had covered himself from the head to the toes with only his eyes visible to the rest while his long-ass hoodie covered everything else. He was joined by the 15th and 52nd rankers.
"Aahan!" the Instructor yelled, and he promptly got on the stage.
However, unlike before, as soon as he got on the stage, he could hear many disappointing sounds from the crowd below. Some shook their heads, while others rolled their eyes. Some were even clicking their tongues.
However, instead of being uncomfortable about their behaviour, Aahan scoffed right at their faces. His actions infuriated some of them, but even the Instructor enjoyed Aahan's reaction, matching his scoff with a smirk.
"Maya, rank 17th and Arjun, rank 47th," The Instructor's voice rang out, calling forth his team members. "Step on the stage."
Maya was the first to step onto the stage, her presence commanding attention. She had long, dark hair flowing behind her like a shadow.
Her eyes were sharp and focused, like a hawk scanning its prey. She stood tall and had a lean, athletic build, indicating her proficiency as an assassin or an archer.
Arjun, on the other hand, had an entirely different demeanour. He was slightly shorter than Aahan and Maya, with a scholarly air about him. His hair was dishevelled, and round spectacles perched on his nose.
He looked like someone who spent most of his time buried in books rather than on the training grounds. Arjun had a slender frame, hinting at his preference for intellectual pursuits.
The dork aura around Arjun was so strong that Aahan wondered how he even passed the first round.
"Alright, you three," the Instructor said, staring at them. "Follow Teacher Amrita. She'll guide you to your examination site and explain about your mission in detail."
The three of them turned to the side and saw a woman in her mid-thirties standing there. She was dressed in battle armour similar to the one Vivaan wore on that fateful day during their clash with Asura.
'Wait, since armours get upgraded based on one's rank, does it mean Vivaan was on the same level as a teacher here?' Aahan thought, and a smile crossed his face until he remembered Vivaan's state.
After wordlessly following the lady for a couple of minutes, they entered a room. The room was the size of a small hangar, but it only had two things kept inside the place despite its size.
First was another fissure gate, but it was glowing yellow instead of crimson this time. The second was a series of vending machines, or so Aahan thought.
Apart from the inanimate objects, around half a dozen people were also present there. Most of them were wearing lab coats and appeared to be monitoring the gate with some kind of equipment.
As they stepped inside, everyone greeted the teacher respectfully. Amrita acknowledged them with a nod before guiding Aahan and the team towards the vending machines.
"This is the KP store," Amrita explained. "As mentioned before, you can buy necessary equipment, consumables and other items to help you in the task ahead. Also, remember, there's a 250 KP limit per head, so choose wisely. You have ten minutes to purchase whatever you want."
With that, Amrita left them alone and went to have a chat with the others. Aahan approached the machines first, as he needed to repair his armour and thought something might help him. But Arjun stopped him.
"Please wait a minute," he said.
"Do you... need something?" Aahan asked while Maya kept staring at them.
"No," Arjun replied while fixing his glasses. "But I do have a suggestion."
***
Chapter Glossary:
1. Aswathians: They are the members of the Bloodline of Lord Aswathama. Read the auxiliary chapter 'Bloodlines' for more information.