The Ruins of Vedangiri

Aafreen's voice rang out with authority, her gaze sweeping over the assembled students.

"Listen carefully. Your task is simple—scout the area. If you encounter a lone beast that you're confident you can handle, eliminate it. If you see a group or a powerful creature, retreat immediately and report to your team leader, Seenu, or directly to me. Understood?"

The students nodded in unison, their faces growing serious.

"You can work solo or in small groups. The choice is yours. But remember—your lives are the priority. Think before you act. Observe your surroundings. Plan your approach. Then act. Do not be reckless. Now... disperse!"

The group began splitting off, forming small teams.

Aamir stretched, cracking his knuckles with a grin. "Alright, who's with me? Raj, Kunal, Riya, Meera—let's stick together."

Raj gave a thumbs-up. "Of course."

Kunal smirked. "Wouldn't miss it."

Riya, the group's magic user, adjusted the faintly glowing crystal embedded in her staff. "I'm ready."

Meera twirled her twin daggers with practiced ease. "Let's make it quick. The sooner we're done, the better."

Aamir glanced over at Seenu, the team's assigned leader. "What about you, Seenu? Joining us?"

Seenu shrugged casually. "Sure. Someone's gotta keep you from doing something stupid."

Aafreen stepped forward, holding out small wrist devices. "Take these. Communication watches. Channel 1 is for squad communication. Channel 2 connects you directly to me. Keep them on at all times."

Aamir slid the watch onto his wrist. "Alright, team. Let's move."

The ruins of Vedangiri stretched out before them like a corpse of a long-dead civilization. Broken stone pillars, collapsed buildings, and overgrown paths painted a picture of decay. The city had once been alive, bustling with people. Now, nature had reclaimed it—yet it felt as though something still lingered beneath the surface.

As they cautiously stepped through the crumbled streets, Meera spoke up.

"You know... Vedangiri wasn't always like this. There was a city here, thriving, about sixteen years ago."

Riya nodded, her eyes glancing around, wary. "Yeah. Some survivors made it out when the beasts overran the place. But... most didn't."

Aamir's eyes scanned the ruins, his instincts quietly alert. "It's not just the beasts. This place... it feels wrong."

The others seemed to sense it too—the stillness, the oppressive air. As though the ruins themselves were watching.

"Stay sharp," he murmured.

Meanwhile, back at the main rendezvous point, Aafreen stood with her arms crossed, eyes narrowing as she watched the teams disappear into the distance. Her mind, however, was elsewhere—replaying a tense conversation she had before the mission.

Haider Ali, had approached her before their departure. His expression had been hard, his words measured.

"Aafreen, you must be on guard," he had said. "You have Aamir, Raj, and Kunal with you—the three strongest from Nalanda University. That kind of talent draws attention... and envy."

She had frowned. "You think someone would target them?"

Haider's gaze was sharp. "Not think. I know. Certain factions from other nations view Nalanda's strength as a threat. They won't move openly... but out here, during an assessment like this? Accidents happen. And if one of them dies? Who will question it? The beasts will take the blame."

Aafreen's jaw had tightened. "I won't let that happen."

Now, standing amidst the crumbling remains of Vedangiri, her hand brushed over the hilt of her sword. She wasn't just leading a field exercise—she was protecting the future of their guild and their academy.

Her eyes hardened as she gazed into the ruins.

"If anyone tries something... they'll regret it."

The wind whispered through the broken city, carrying with it a tension that none of them could yet see.

But danger was coming.

And Aafreen was ready.

Back in the Ruins...

Aamir and his team advanced cautiously through the cracked stone streets, past half-buried buildings and shattered statues. The eerie quiet made every footstep sound louder than it should.

Suddenly, Aamir halted. "Stop. Look over there."

The group followed his gaze. Two massive, bull-like beasts stood grazing near the remnants of a collapsed fountain. Each had three horns protruding from their heads, and the air around them seemed to ripple with power.

Riya's eyes narrowed. "Spector-level... maybe higher."

Aamir assessed them quickly. "We can take them, but—"

Before he could finish, Riya let out a sharp scream.

"What?! What happened?" Aamir spun around.

Riya clutched her staff, pointing at a small spider crawling on her sleeve. "A spider!"

Aamir blinked. "You're kidding, right?"

Kunal snorted. "Seriously? A spider?"

Meera sighed, but before they could relax, Seenu's eyes sharpened. "Guys... I think someone didn't like the noise."

He gestured toward the bulls. Their heads had snapped toward the group. Their crimson eyes locked onto them, and the tension in the air turned deadly.

"We're screwed," Raj muttered.

With a thunderous snort, both beasts charged.

"Brace!" Aamir shouted.

As the beasts bore down on them, Aamir and Seenu stepped forward in unison. Their fists surged with energy. Timing their strikes perfectly, they each aimed at the narrow point between the beasts' horns.

BOOM!

Their punches landed with a sickening crack. The skulls of both beasts shattered under the force, their bodies collapsing to the ground instantly.

Dust settled around them. Silence returned.

Aamir shook his hand, feeling the faint sting from the impact. Meera and Riya stared in shock.

Kunal chuckled, eyes wide with admiration. "One punch... each. I'm confused. Who are the real beasts here... them or you two?"

Aamir smirked. "They charged us. What did they expect?"

Seenu adjusted his gloves. "Let's keep moving. And Riya... maybe let's not scream at spiders next time?"

Riya huffed. "It was huge..."

Laughter broke the tension as the group pressed forward, deeper into the ruins.

But none of them knew... they were already being watched.

Aamir's watch beeped softly. A system notification flashed across his vision:

[Congratulations! You have defeated a Trihorn Ravager.]

Before he could react, a familiar orb of light emerged from the beast's body and surged into him. Warmth spread through his body, accompanied by another message:

[Level Up: Level 5 Achieved.]

Aamir raised an eyebrow. "Already? That was fast."

Luman's voice echoed in his mind, calm as ever.

"Naturally. These early levels are meant for your 'weaker self.' Your true power is far beyond this. You are already at Level 20 in your awakened state."

Aamir smirked. "So this is just the warm-up, huh?"

Before Luman could reply, Seenu's voice cut in, pulling him back to reality.

"Aamir, you good?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Let's keep moving."

The group pressed onward, but a subtle tension remained in the air. None of them realized that eyes were watching from the shadows—unseen figures observing their every move.

The ruins of Vedangiri held more dangers than mere beasts.

And their real test was yet to come.