Chapter 64: The Return of The Champions

The Grand Welcome

The golden rays of the setting sun shimmered across the mighty Brahmaputra River, reflecting the excitement in the air as Jengraimukh Academy's winning team returned home.

As the ferry approached Majuli's riverbank, a huge crowd had already gathered. The cheers of students, teachers, villagers, and even elderly well-wishers echoed through the island.

> "Jengraimukh Academy! Jengraimukh Academy!"

Banners with their names fluttered in the wind, dhols and cymbals clashed rhythmically, and students from all grades were waving handmade posters with "Mri, Jasmine, Ayang, Tanuja—Our Heroes!" written in bold.

Ayang, standing at the edge of the ferry with his bag slung over his shoulder, let out a small chuckle.

> "Did we just become celebrities?" he muttered.

Jasmine grinned beside him. "Obviously! We're champions now!"

Mri, normally cool and composed, adjusted his outfit. "This feels… overwhelming."

Tanuja nudged him. "So, Mri, does this mean you'll finally accept your fan club?"

Mri shot her a glare. "I don't have a fan club."

Tanuja raised an eyebrow. "Then who are those girls holding up signs that say 'Mri Senpai, Notice Me'?"

Ayang turned his head slowly, his face pale, as he spotted a group of girls at the front row, waving handmade posters covered in his name, tiny hearts, and terrible anime-style drawings of him.

Jasmine burst out laughing. "Looks like you do, Senpai."

Ayang smirked. "The real question is, are they stalking you or just fans?"

Mri let out a deep sigh. "I suddenly miss the jungle. At least there, nothing tried to emotionally embarrass me."

As the four stepped off the ferry, along with Principal Basanta Kutum and Miss Ananya ,the students unions stood waiting for them, dressed in thier formal white academic dress.

> "Welcome back, champions." the GS said, smiling.

Jasmine grinned. "Did you miss us, sir?"

Chandrosekhar chuckled. "I missed the peace and quiet."

> "You all returned safely. That's good."

Mri noticed something in his tone. A slight relief.

> The GS was usually strict, but this time, he seemed… genuinely relieved that they were safe.

> But why?

Mri nodded. "Yeah. No one's dead."

Silence.

Everyone turned to stare at him.

Ayang sighed. "Mri, your choice of words…"

Jasmine elbowed Mri. "What kind of response is that!?"

Mri shrugged. "It's true, isn't it?"

The moment turned awkward until Principal Kutum coughed, clearing his throat.

> "Come inside, we have much to discuss."

As they followed the principal toward the academy gates, Mri felt a strange chill in the air.

It wasn't the evening breeze.

It was something else.

Something that told him—this wasn't over yet.

The Celebration

That night, a grand ceremony was held inside the academy's main hall. Students crowded the large open space, while teachers and staff sat near the decorated stage.

The walls were adorned with banners, and the academy's traditional red-and-gold flags hung proudly.

As the four champions walked onto the stage, the crowd erupted into cheers.

Principal Kutum stepped forward, holding four golden medals in his hands.

> "Today, we honor the victors of the Seven Sisters Academic Event. They not only proved their strength, but their intelligence, leadership, and teamwork."

He gestured toward Mri's team.

> "Jengraimukh Academy—our champions!"

The crowd roared.

The principal placed the first medal around Mri's neck.

> "Mri—unshaken, unyielding. The one who led from the front."

Mri smirked. "That's a dramatic way of saying I punched things."

The students laughed.

Next was Jasmine.

> "Jasmine—strong, fearless, and the heart of the team."

Jasmine gave a confident thumbs-up. "That's me."

For Ayang, the principal smiled.

> "Ayang—strategic, precise, and calm under pressure."

Ayang pushed up his glasses. "It was mostly probability calculations."

The crowd cheered harder.

And lastly, Tanuja.

> "Tanuja—brilliant, adaptable, and as sharp as her arrows."

Tanuja grinned. "I try."

As the team stood together with their medals, Mri felt a strange emptiness.

Because someone was missing.

Shahid's Medal

At the side of the stage, a large framed picture of Shahid stood, surrounded by flowers.

All the 700 members of The Black Wolves started making noice,like some where crying and some became angry and started talking that the Principal couldn't even save him.

Mintu told them to remain silent.

Principal Kutum walked over and placed a medal in front of it.

The room fell silent.

Jasmine bit her lip, looking away.

Ayang's hands clenched into fists.

Tanuja lowered her head.

And Mri… just stared.

> Shahid should have been here.

> Laughing. Joking. Complaining about something stupid.

But he wasn't.

The only thing left of him was this picture and a golden medal that would never be worn.

Miss Ananya whispered under her breath. "You idiot. You should have been more careful."

The silence lasted a long time.

Then, the principal turned to the crowd.

> "This is a reminder. A reminder that strength comes at a cost."

> "And that cost is never easy to bear."

The students bowed their heads in respect.

Mri took a deep breath and stepped forward, placing his own medal next to Shahid's.

Jasmine gasped. "Mri, what are you doing?"

Mri simply said, "He deserved it more."

No one argued.

Because deep down, they all knew it was true.

The First Omen

That night, as everyone celebrated and partied, Mri stood alone near the riverbank, staring at the dark waters.

A cold wind blew.

Then—his phone beeped.

A single message flashed on the screen.

Mri's expression darkened.

He read it.

Then, without a word, he turned off his phone.