Adarsh sat at his desk, his mind still processing everything Professor Aahana had revealed. Demons—terrifying creatures that lurked outside the city, waiting to devour the weak. The thought of facing them sent a rush of excitement through his veins.
"I need to get stronger…" he thought, clenching his fists.
Just then, the classroom door opened, and Professor Aahana reappeared.
She scanned the room before speaking.
"Today's lesson is different," she announced.
"Yesterday, I showed you the truth about the world outside. But there is one more thing you must learn if you wish to survive…"
She paused, letting the tension build.
"You cannot fight alone."
Murmurs spread across the room. Some students nodded in agreement, while others scoffed.
Adarsh frowned. He had always believed in personal strength, not relying on others.
Seeing his expression, Aahana smirked.
"I see some of you disagree," she said. "Very well, let's put it to the test."
She snapped her fingers, and suddenly—
WHOOSH!
The classroom disappeared.
The students found themselves standing in an open field under a blood-red sky. Illusions of demons—towering, grotesque creatures with glowing eyes and sharp claws—surrounded them.
"Welcome to your first survival exercise," Aahana's voice echoed. "Your task is simple—defeat the demons and survive for five minutes."
Before anyone could react, the first demon lunged forward—
ROARRR!
A huge beast, its dark claws gleaming, pounced toward a student. The boy panicked, trying to summon his magic. But before he could, the demon slashed—
BOOM!
The illusion shattered, and the student collapsed, gasping. His body wasn't injured, but his face was pale.
"Failure," Aahana said coldly. "You're dead."
The class froze in fear.
Adarsh's eyes narrowed.
"She's proving a point."
One by one, students tried to fight alone—only to be overwhelmed.
Finally, Aahana sighed.
"You're all making the same mistake," she said. "This isn't a duel. This is a battlefield."
She turned to Adarsh.
"Tell me, Adarsh. Can you fight ten demons alone?"
He hesitated, then answered truthfully, "Not yet."
She smiled. "Good answer. Now, let's see if you can fight as a team."
Forming a Battle TeamAahana clapped her hands, and the scene reset.
"This time, you will work together," she commanded.
She pointed at five students, including Adarsh, Nandini, and Riya.
"You are now a squad. Defend each other and defeat the demons."
Adarsh glanced at his teammates.
Nandini, the fire magician, stood confidently beside him.Riya, his step-sister, looked nervous but determined.Aryan, a wind magician, stretched his arms, ready for battle.Rudra, an earth magician, cracked his knuckles."Prepare yourselves," Aahana warned. "The battle begins now!"
The illusions surged forward—ten demons at once.
"Formation!" Adarsh shouted instinctively.
Nandini stepped up first.
"Fireball!"
A blazing sphere shot forward, hitting the first demon square in the chest.
BOOM!
The illusion shattered.
Aryan followed up, summoning a gust of wind to push back the advancing demons.
"Rudra, reinforce our ground!" Adarsh commanded.
Rudra slammed his fist to the ground. A stone wall erupted, blocking an attack from the side.
Riya hesitated for a moment, then summoned her magic. Golden light surrounded the team, healing minor injuries.
Adarsh smirked.
"Now it's my turn."
He raised his hand, lightning crackling at his fingertips.
"Thunder Strike!"
CRACK!
A bolt of lightning crashed down, electrocuting two demons at once.
One by one, the illusions shattered.
Victory Through UnityAfter five intense minutes, the demons vanished.
The students panted, exhausted but unharmed.
Professor Aahana smiled.
"Now, do you understand?" she asked.
Adarsh nodded.
"I see now. Individual strength is important, but teamwork lowers the danger level. We fought smarter, not harder."
Aahana clapped her hands.
"Good. From now on, you will train in teams. The world outside the city does not care how strong you are alone. But a well-coordinated team? That's a force no demon can ignore."
She turned to leave but stopped.
"Oh, and one last thing."
She looked at Adarsh directly.
"Leadership suits you, Adarsh. Don't waste it."
With that, she disappeared, leaving the students deep in thought.
Adarsh clenched his fists, determination burning in his eyes.