In the stillness of the night, Jai Veer slowly opened his eyes. A faint hum of Jiva Shakti flowed through his body, calm and steady. The wounds from the entrance test had nearly healed, and his strength had mostly returned.
"Looks like I'm almost back to full strength," he murmured, standing up as he stepped out of the medical tent.
The Aaroha Academy camp lay quiet beneath a sky scattered with stars, a thin crescent moon casting a gentle glow over the tents.
"…The sky looks amazing tonight," Jai Veer muttered under his breath, a small smile forming as he wandered beneath the vast expanse.
In the distance, he noticed a lone figure standing still. Curiosity tugged at him, and he walked closer. As the figure turned, Jai Veer's eyes widened slightly.
"Ah—Vice Principal, sir!" he said, surprised to see him out so late.
"Jai Veer," Shekhar Singh greeted warmly, patting his shoulder. "Congratulations on winning the entrance test. I expected you'd pull through, and you proved me right."
"Thank you, sir," Jai Veer replied, scratching the back of his head. "But honestly… I only won because of the Tristar Pill. Without it, Anmol would've crushed me."
Shekhar Singh shook his head gently. "Don't feel guilty. I heard about the match—you did nothing wrong. You used what you had to step forward and grow stronger. In time, you won't need pills to tip the scales. Just keep your focus on the path ahead."
Jai Veer felt a weight lift from his chest.
"Thanks for that, sir," he said earnestly.
The vice principal studied him for a moment, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "I am intrigued, though. How did you come across a Tristar Pill?"
"When I activated my core, my parents gave me a few things… for dangerous situations," Jai Veer replied carefully, his voice steady but guarded.
"May I know your parents' names?" Shekhar Singh asked gently.
Jai Veer hesitated, then shook his head. "Sorry, sir. I'd rather keep that private for now."
"Fair enough," the vice principal said with a nod. "How are you feeling? Ready for tomorrow's hunting mission?"
Jai Veer's eyes shone with determination. "I'm feeling good, sir. And I'm ready to grow stronger during these three months in the forest."
"That's the spirit," Shekhar Singh said with a satisfied smile. "Head back and get some rest. You'll need it."
"Yes, sir," Jai Veer replied.
As he turned away, he glanced back—only to find the vice principal had vanished, leaving behind nothing but the faint rustle of leaves.
Back in his tent, Jai Veer lay down, staring at the ceiling.
Mom… Dad…
His heart ached. He wanted to tell them everything—about the academy, the battle, Anvi, the future stretching before him. He wanted to know how they were doing.
With those thoughts lingering, sleep slowly claimed him.
Dawn arrived quietly, painting the camp in soft shades of gold.
Jai Veer stirred and opened his eyes—only to freeze.
Anvi was sitting nearby, her arms folded on a small table, watching him with a faintly amused smirk.
"Hey! What are you staring at?!" Jai Veer blurted, bolting upright, his face heating up.
"What? I'm not staring," Anvi shot back, turning away quickly. "I came to drag you to the announcement area, but you were still asleep. There was time, so I didn't wake you."
Jai Veer rubbed his eyes and chuckled. "Okay, okay. But I'm pretty sure I don't snore. You said the vice principal sent you, right?"
"Yeah," she replied, standing up. "I ran into him at dawn. Now that you're awake, let's go. The briefing's about to start."
"Alright, lead the way," Jai Veer said, quickly refreshing himself with a pulse of magical energy before following her out.
The announcement area buzzed with activity. All sixty students stood divided into two groups, facing a line of teachers near the forest's edge.
One of them, Vicky Rae, stepped forward. "Based on yesterday's matches, you've been divided into two groups. The winners will enter the forest for three months of hunting to gain experience and increase cultivation. The others will return to the academy for strict training and extra classes."
He gestured to the second group. "Prepare for the Saubha Aircraft. It'll arrive in a few hours. Most teachers will return with you, leaving behind sixteen instructors."
The losing students shuffled away, some muttering quietly.
Vicky Rae turned back to the remaining students. "Now, the rules. You'll form fifteen groups of four. Points are earned individually—two for Grade-1 beasts, five for Grade-2. After three months, the team with the highest total gets one day in the Elite Library. The top individual scorer earns a new technique."
He paused. "Each group will be secretly monitored to prevent extreme danger. Understood?"
"Yes, sir!" the students replied in unison.
"Prepare yourselves. Be back here in thirty minutes. We head into the forest then."
Anvi headed toward her tent, with Jai Veer following closely behind.
She stopped suddenly and turned. "Jai, why are you following me?"
He jumped, startled. "Oh—uh, I don't really have much to prepare since I arrived yesterday," he said, scratching his head. "But I've got a question I really want to ask."
She raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
"What's the Saubha Aircraft?" Jai Veer asked, curiosity shining in his eyes.
Anvi grinned. "It's a magical flying fortress—fast, heavily defended, and capable of autonomous flight or manual control. The one arriving is a tier-3 model, usually used by smaller academy branches. It can carry up to five hundred people and requires two trained cultivators to command it."
They reached her tent. "Need anything while I grab my stuff?" she asked.
Jai Veer barely heard her, his mind filled with images of a massive aircraft soaring through the skies.
She noticed and lightly stomped his foot. "Hey. Do you need anything?"
He blinked, leaned in, and whispered something into her ear.
Her eyes widened. "Seriously? That's all?"
"Yep," he nodded, pointing toward a nearby tree. "I'll wait over there."
"Fine. Five minutes," she said, disappearing into her tent.
Jai Veer settled beneath the tree, gazing toward the forest's edge.
I forgot to ask who created the Saubha Aircraft… he mused. Maybe even Anvi doesn't know.
A small smile formed on his lips.
The forest ahead waited—full of danger, growth, and the next step on his path forward.