Aamir and Seenu stood before Haider Ali, their bodies still aching from the brutal gravity training. The air in the training hall felt heavier than usual, but this time, it wasn't because of any external force—it was the weight of anticipation.
Haider Ali crossed his arms, his sharp gaze fixed on them.
"It's time for the first-years to undergo their first assessment."
Aamir blinked in confusion. "First assessment? What's that?"
Seenu, standing beside him, remained silent. He already knew what Haider was talking about, but he chose not to say anything.
Haider smirked at Aamir's clueless expression. "Since this is your first real mission, let me explain. You'll be leaving the university and heading into the outside world to grow stronger. This won't be like your usual training—you'll face real challenges and learn what it means to fight on the front lines. It's an opportunity to gain experience you simply can't get inside these walls."
Aamir's eyes lit up with excitement. "Oh, that sounds awesome! I don't mind at all! Man, I can't wait for tomorrow!" He clenched his fists, practically bouncing on his feet.
Haider chuckled. "Well, you've done good work these past few days, so I don't think you'll have too much trouble. Just remember—stay sharp. This isn't training anymore." His expression darkened slightly. "Good luck, Aamir."
Then, with a nod, he dismissed them.
As they left the training hall, Aamir turned to Seenu. "Hey, Seenu, do you actually know what this assessment is?"
Seenu nodded. "Yeah, I do."
"Then tell me!" Aamir demanded.
Seenu smirked. "Nope. You'll find out tomorrow anyway, so does it really matter?"
Aamir groaned in frustration. "Come on! You know I hate suspense!"
Seenu just chuckled and walked away, leaving Aamir fuming.
Back at the Dormitory
As Aamir entered his room, he saw two familiar faces.
One of them was Kunal, lying on his bed, glasses resting on his nose as he read a book. The other, however, was Raj, completely knocked out, his clothes ripped and his body covered in fresh scratches and scars.
Aamir raised an eyebrow. "Well, he's definitely not in good shape."
Kunal glanced up from his book. "Yeah, Dharam is pushing him really hard," he replied, pausing for a moment before adding, "His training is... different."
Aamir scoffed. "Well, I'm training hard too, you know."
Kunal smirked. "Oh yeah? I can tell just by looking at your clothes."
Aamir looked down at himself. His shirt was torn in several places, and his pants were covered in dust and sweat. He sighed. "Alright, alright, I get it. I need a bath."
Without wasting any time, he grabbed some fresh clothes and headed toward the bathroom.
Inside, he peeled off his training clothes and stood in front of the mirror, wearing only his underwear.
He had changed.
His face was sharper, his muscles more defined, and his height had increased. He looked older—like someone in his twenties, even though he was only 17.
He touched his jaw, then flexed his arm slightly. His body had grown stronger, his endurance had increased, and his training had completely reshaped him.
He smirked to himself. Not bad.
Tomorrow, the real test would begin. And Aamir?
He was ready.
The next morning, Aamir woke up to the sound of rustling. He opened his eyes and saw Raj getting dressed in his uniform.
"Where are you going?" Aamir asked, rubbing his eyes.
Raj held up a letter. "This was on our doorstep. It says all first-years have to gather at the campus. You should get ready too."
Aamir panicked. "Oh man! I almost forgot about that!" He jumped out of bed and quickly changed into his uniform.
Kunal, Raj, and Aamir left the dormitory and headed toward the main campus. When they arrived, they saw a massive crowd of students gathered in front of a large stage.
Raj looked around. "What do you think this is about?"
Aamir grinned. "Something exciting, for sure."
Kunal smirked. "Oh yeah, definitely," he said sarcastically.
Before they could continue, Vardhan, the university's chief instructor, stepped onto the stage. His voice, amplified by a sound magic item, boomed across the crowd.
"Students, I'm sure you're wondering why you've all been summoned here."
Murmurs spread through the crowd.
Vardhan raised a hand, silencing them. "You are all gathered here for your First Assessment."
A sudden wave of excitement and confusion spread through the students.
"First assessment?" Some whispered.
"I think it's some kind of training."
Vardhan's next words shattered their expectations.
"In this assessment, you will be divided into teams of 22 and sent to an area where dangerous beasts reside. Your mission is to clear out these areas, defeat all hostile creatures, and secure the land so that people can begin settling there."
Gasps and whispers filled the air.
"This isn't just training," someone muttered.
"This is a real mission!"
Vardhan continued. "Each team will consist of twenty first-year students, one second-year student as a guide, and one third-year student as a supervisor."
At that moment, a large glowing screen appeared in the air, displaying the team lists.
The screen showed:
800 students were to be divided into 36 groups:
35 groups of 22 students
1 group of 21 students (Aamir's team)
The team structure was:
20 First-Year Students
1 Second-Year Student (Senior Guide/Leader)
1 Third-Year Student (Mentor/Supervisor)
Deployment Plan:
These teams will be sent to 16 different locations in Aryavrata.
Two teams will be assigned to each location.
Aamir eagerly scanned the screen, searching for his name. When he found it, his eyes widened in surprise.
His team had only 21 students.
"Wait, what?" Aamir muttered.
Just as he was about to ask, another student spoke up.
"Excuse me, sir! Why does one team have only 21 students while the others have 22?"
Vardhan smirked. "Ah, a good question indeed. That particular team has three of the strongest first-year students in Nalanda. They are already on par with—or stronger than—a third-year student. Because of that, they do not need a third-year supervisor."
Aamir's jaw dropped. He looked back at the screen.
His second-year guide was Seenu.
Aamir clenched his fists, a grin forming on his face.
This was going to be fun.
Raj said to Aamir, "Looks like we three are in the same team. Yes, and Riya is in this team too!"
Aamir replied, "Well, Vardhan is right. You, Raj, and Riya are the strongest first-years and actually the strongest in the whole Nalanda. Then Seenu, who is our second-year guide, is the strongest student in Nalanda University."
"Yeah, you're probably right," Aamir said.
Then Riya walked up to Aamir. "Hi, Aamir! I'm glad we're in this together. We'll do our best!"
Aamir grinned at her. "Yeah, we'll make sure of it."
Just then, Vardhan spoke again. "Now, everyone please listen carefully. You are all to gather with your teams, along with your guide and supervisor, in two hours at the same location. After that, we will depart. This assessment will last for 20 days, so the top twelve students who make it through this assessment and enter the World Tournament can consider this as their training for the tournament."
The anticipation in the air was palpable as the students prepared for the trials ahead.