Rising Stakes

The Rising Stakes – Battles, Friendships & Hidden Schemes

The second day of Jengraimukh Academy's Annual Sports Week arrived with a renewed energy in the air. The previous day had been filled with exhilarating matches, thrilling races, and unexpected upsets. But today, the competition was about to intensify.

The students gathered once again in the main stadium, the tension rising as everyone discussed the upcoming events.

Morning Strategy – Choosing Events

Mri sat with Ayang, Rihan, and the rest of the Revolutionary Stars at a cafeteria near the field. The captains and vice-captains of each division were present, discussing which sports they would participate in.

Pankaj leaned forward with a grin. "Alright, so who's playing what? We need to dominate this year!"

Udit smirked. "I'm going for the martial arts tournament. No one is taking me down this time."

Khunjon chuckled. "That's what you said last year, and you still lost to Jasmine."

The group burst into laughter as Udit scowled. "That was a fluke! She's crazy fast."

James leaned back in his chair. "I'm going for the archery competition. I heard the Dragons have a sharpshooter, so I need to crush them."

Tanuja nodded. "I'll be in the obstacle course race."

Roman, the vice-captain of the 1st division, raised an eyebrow. "And Mri? What's the great General of The Three Souls joining?"

All eyes turned to Mri.

He shrugged, sipping his tea. "Haven't decided yet."

Deba smirked. "Come on, man. We all know you're going for the combat events."

Pankaj leaned closer. "Or are you too busy thinking about a certain someone?"

The table erupted in whistles and laughter as Mri shot Pankaj an annoyed look. "What?"

Supong grinned. "You and Jasmine, huh?"

Mri nearly choked on his drink as Jasmine rolled her eyes. "Idiots."

But the teasing didn't stop. Roman stood up dramatically. "It is official—Mri is in love with Jasmine!"

The entire group burst into cheers, clapping and laughing.

Mri's face heated up. "Shut up, Roman."

Jasmine just smirked and nudged Mri. "Don't blush too hard, General."

The teasing continued for a few minutes before they finally refocused on the sports events.

Event One: The Obstacle Course

The first major event of the day was the Obstacle Course Race, where students had to sprint through a series of deadly traps, leap over tall barriers, and use their agility to survive.

The final eight competitors stood at the starting line.

Among them were Tanuja (Revolutionary Stars), Jasmine , and a Dragon's elite runner.

The whistle blew!

Jasmine and Tanuja took off like lightning, dodging swinging axes and avoiding collapsing floors. The Dragon competitor kept up, his movements precise.

At the final stretch, Jasmine and Tanuja leaped over a wall of spinning blades, landing on the last platform.

Jasmine dived forward and touched the finish line first!

The crowd exploded in cheers!

"Winner: Jasmine!"

Mri smiled as he watched. "No surprise there."

Ayang nodded. "She's fast as hell."

Jasmine walked past Mri with a victorious smirk. "Still not impressed?"

Mri chuckled. "Maybe a little."

Event Two: The Combat Arena

The most anticipated event of the day—the Combat Arena—was about to begin. It was a one-on-one elimination tournament, testing strength, skill, and strategy.

The participants were drawn at random, and the matches began.

First fight: Omanso vs. a Dragon fighter – Omanso won with a brutal knockout.

Second fight: Khunjon vs. Girish – Khunjon barely won, his agility saving him.

Third fight: Sunil vs. Alex – Sunil won in a spectacular battle of strength.

Then came the most anticipated match:

Jasmine vs. Rihan!

The entire stadium fell silent as the two warriors stepped into the ring.

Mri leaned forward, watching intently.

The referee signaled the start, and Jasmine immediately dashed forward, launching a rapid series of strikes.

But Rihan was fast. He dodged, countering with a powerful spinning kick that Jasmine barely blocked.

The fight intensified, both fighters matching each other blow for blow.

Mri watched carefully. He had never seen Jasmine go all out before.

Finally, after a brutal exchange, Jasmine found an opening—she used Rihan's speed against him, trapping him in a submission hold.

Rihan tapped out!

"Winner: Jasmine!"

The crowd went wild.

Jasmine stood up, wiping sweat off her forehead, then glanced at Mri. "Still watching?"

Mri smirked. "You're full of surprises."

End of the Day – Amai Gang's Next Move

As the students celebrated their victories, a sinister figure watched from the shadows.

One of the Amai Gang's members whispered into a communicator. "The selections will begin soon. We need to move faster."

A deep voice responded, "Don't worry. When the real test begins, we will be ready."

The screen flickered in the staff room, showing the Ranking Simulation for the upcoming S-Rank Selection.

And at the top of the unknown rankings, one name was hidden from view.

Mri.

The storm was coming.

S-Rank Selection Begins

The S-Rank Selection Begins – Unveiling the Titans

The third day of Jengraimukh Academy's Annual Sports Week had arrived, and the energy in the air was different. The excitement from the previous events still lingered, but today, the stakes were higher.

Today, the S-Rank Selection would officially begin.

Students gathered in the main stadium, eyes locked on the massive digital screen displaying a new event schedule. The usual sports games were still listed, but below them, in bold golden letters, were the words:

S-Rank Student Selection: Phase One – Aura Synchronization Test

Whispers spread like wildfire through the crowd.

"This is it… The real test starts now."

"Only five students will be chosen."

"I heard even Ayang and Dipangkar are competing!"

Everyone knew that today, the weak would be separated from the strong.

Inside the Staff Room – The Selection Panel

Miss Ananya Kutum stood before a group of senior faculty members and Student Union leaders, including Chandrosekhar (GS), Lohit (AGS), Meghali (Event President), and Ujjwal (Sports Union President).

She looked at the holographic rankings on the screen. "As discussed, the selection process will be divided into three phases to determine the strongest five students."

Chandrosekhar nodded. "Phase One is Aura Synchronization, a test that measures the raw depth, control, and resonance of a student's aura."

Meghali glanced at the data. "Most students will fall under C, B, or A-Rank. Only the truly elite will reach S-Rank."

Miss Ananya's eyes darkened. "And then… there's the SS-Rank. A ranking never achieved before."

A brief silence filled the room. None of them knew what was about to happen.

The Stadium – The First Phase Begins

A large high-tech platform was set up in the middle of the stadium, glowing with energy resonance fields.

The selection committee stood on the announcer's balcony as Miss Ananya's voice echoed through the arena.

"Welcome to the first phase of the S-Rank Selection Process—the Aura Synchronization Test!"

A massive digital screen flickered on, displaying the ranking categories:

1. C-Rank → Weak aura flow.

2. B-Rank → Stable aura, but limited potential.

3. A-Rank → Strong aura with powerful output.

4. S-Rank → Elite-tier resonance.

5. SS-Rank → ???

The crowd murmured in anticipation.

One by one, the participants stepped onto the resonance field, their auras scanned by the system.

The results appeared instantly:

Several C and B-Rank results filled the screen – the weaker students were immediately eliminated.

A few A-Rank results appeared, earning nods of approval from the audience.

Then, the stronger fighters stepped forward.

Rihan (Vice Leader of The Revolutionary Stars) – A-Rank.

Jasmine – S-Rank.

Ayang (Leader of The Revolutionary Stars) – S-Rank.

The crowd exploded in cheers as the strongest students began making their mark.

Then, it was Mri's turn.

Mri Steps Onto the Resonance Field

Mri stepped forward casually, his hands in his pockets.

The moment he stood inside the resonance circle, something shifted.

The energy sensors began flickering uncontrollably.

The crowd fell silent.

The screen, which had been displaying rankings smoothly for every other student, suddenly glitched.

Numbers and symbols flashed across the screen at a terrifying speed.

"Scanning Aura Strength… ERROR."

"Power levels exceeding system limit… ERROR."

"Ranking: Unknown."

The ground beneath Mri trembled.

The resonance machine sparked violently.

Then—BOOM!

A massive shockwave erupted from the platform, sending a pulse of energy through the entire stadium!

The machine exploded into pieces.

Dust and smoke filled the air.

One student standing in the crowd , wearing spectacles was watching that,he muttered "Ok,he is the one."

The students stared in disbelief.

The selection panel stood frozen.

The screen blinked once more, and a new ranking appeared:

SS-Rank → Mri (??? – Power Undefined)

The first SS-Rank in the history of Jengraimukh Academy.

Silence… Then Chaos

For a few moments, nobody spoke.

Then, the entire stadium erupted into a frenzy.

"WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?!"

"Did Mri just break the system?!"

"SS-Rank?! That's not even possible!"

Among the shocked expressions, a few stood out.

Ayang clenched his fists, a sharp glint in his eyes.

Dipangkar's usual confidence wavered, his jaw tightening.

Jasmine, standing at the sidelines, stared at Mri, her mind racing.

Even Mri himself looked confused.

He hadn't even used his full aura.

Back in the Staff Room – Panic Among the Officials

The selection committee was in complete chaos.

Miss Ananya stared at the data in disbelief. "This… this isn't possible. No student has ever surpassed S-Rank before."

Chandrosekhar took a deep breath. "What do we do now? He just destroyed the entire ranking machine."

Meghali's voice was calm but serious. "We continue the selection. But Mri… he's not normal."

Present – Mri's Thoughts

As the crowd continued buzzing, Mri stepped off the broken platform, his mind blank.

He had always known he was strong. But this?

This was something even he hadn't expected.

Jasmine approached him quietly. "Mri… did you know you had this much power?"

Mri exhaled, shaking his head. "No."

Jasmine crossed her arms, looking at him with curiosity. "Then I guess we'll both find out soon, won't we?"

She walked away, leaving Mri alone in the chaos.

Far in the distance, hidden figures watched from the shadows.

A member of the Amai Gang whispered into a communicator.

"Change of plans. Mri is more dangerous than we thought."

The reply came in a cold, calculated voice.

"Then we must eliminate him before he fully realizes his strength."

The Sports Week was far from over.

But now, Mri was the biggest target in the academy.