After Two Weeks of Training
The training ground stood silent.
Eight figures stood in a line—
Nikhil, Aditya, Janvi, Damni, Hemant, Jenit, Harsh, and Pallavi.
Their bodies were stronger.
Their stances firmer.
Their eyes sharper.
Two weeks of pain had changed them.
Everyone was talking with their friends.
Nikhil said in a teasing tone,
"Oh hoo… Aditya, your arms look powerful. Want to do arm wrestling with me?"
Aditya quickly hid his forearms inside his sleeves and said in a shy, teasing tone,
"There are no powerful arms."
Nikhil laughed.
Jenit said excitedly,
"I want to do arm wrestling."
Nikhil looked at Jenit and gave him a blank smile. He joined both his palms in a namaste gesture and said in an avoiding, teasing tone,
"Nah, bro. I don't want to do arm wrestling with you… I still remember that memory."
---
Flashback – High School Class (Real World)
It was a long lunch break. After finishing lunch, the boys were arm wrestling with each other. Some boys were losing, some were winning.
Aditya had a match with Jenit, using their left hands.
Far away from the benches, the girls were watching the boys arm wrestling. They were enjoying the show, cheering with excitement.
The match between Aditya and Jenit was intense. Jenit was dominating, but Aditya used more strength and power with his left hand and won the match.
The boys clapped. The girls cheered.
After a minute, there was a match between Jenit and Nikhil.
Jenit said in a normal tone,
"Which hand do you want to arm wrestle with?"
Nikhil replied calmly,
"With the right hand."
They both took their positions. The match started.
Nikhil tried to hook, but before he could, Jenit moved his wrist fast, hooked Nikhil's arm, and then used his whole arm strength.
Nikhil lost the match.
Nikhil stood up from the bench and rotated his shoulder in a circular motion. His shoulder and arm were hurting.
--- Present Time
Jenit and Aditya laughed.
Jenit remembered that moment and looked at Nikhil.
"By the way… sorry for that time, okay?"
Nikhil replied sarcastically,
"Yeah, yeah… after giving me pain."
Meanwhile, Hemant and Harsh were talking.
Hemant asked Harsh,
"Show me your arms."
Harsh smiled shyly and covered his forearms with his sleeves.
"I didn't work out."
Hemant smiled, punched Harsh lightly on the shoulder, and said in a sarcastic, teasing tone,
"So in two weeks, you didn't do anything? Don't lie. Show me. And why are you shying like a girl?"
--- Scene Shifts to the Girls
Janvi said in an amazed, teasing tone,
"Umm… Damni, your body looks more defined."
Janvi squeezed Damni's cheeks while Pallavi squeezed her belly.
---
From the shadow of a tall pillar—
A figure stepped forward.
Slow.
Calm.
The same man who had silently observed them throughout their training.
Everyone stopped whatever they were doing and looked at the scholar.
The smiling scholar.
Nikhil narrowed his eyes, trying to see his face.
Nikhil thought,
"Well… during these two weeks, I never got a chance to see his full face. And now he's stepping forward, revealing himself to us."
The man stepped fully into the light.
---Appearance – The Scholar
Short to medium height.
Lean body.
Dark complexion.
Large, expressive eyes filled with intelligence and mischief.
A broad smiling face, rounded nose, and calm confidence.
Simple hair, slightly shaved, with a small shikha.
Wearing a plain dhoti and angavastram.
No ornaments.
No armor.
Yet—
His presence felt alive.
---
Nikhil's eyes widened slightly.
**Nikhil (thoughts):
"Oh… damn."
"How could I forget this man?"
"That face… that smile…"
"The man famous for his intelligence."
---
Aditya (thoughts):
"Who is he?"
---
Janvi (thoughts):
"Is he… the person I'm thinking of?"
---
Harsh, Hemant, Jenit, and Pallavi exchanged confused glances. They didn't know much about history.
---
Damni (thoughts):
"Is… is… I read about this person in my books… and now he's standing right in front of us…"
"Pandit Ramakrishna?"
---
The man smiled even wider.
His voice was calm, playful, and teasing.
Pandit Ramakrishna:So… you all are the Candidates.I hope your training is completed.
He chuckled slightly.
And I hope you enjoyed it.
---
Nikhil smiled faintly.
Nikhil (thoughts):
"As I thought…"
---
The scholar placed a hand on his chest.
Pandit Ramakrishna:
Oh, my apologies. I forgot to introduce myself.My name is Pandit Ramakrishna.
A humble scholar in King Krishnadevaraya's royal court.
---
A sudden shift in the atmosphere.
Footsteps echoed.
---
Arrival of the King
King Krishnadevaraya entered the ground.
Beside him walked another figure, still hidden in shadow.
The pressure increased.
Krishnadevaraya:Your training is completed.
You may now proceed with your missions.
He turned slightly.
But you will not go alone.
---
The figure beside him stepped forward.
His presence was strong.
---
Pemmasani Ramalinga Nayudu – Appearance
Tall.
Powerfully built.
A broad chest and thick, muscular arms.
Dark, sun-browned skin.
Sharp, piercing eyes hardened by battle.
A prominent straight nose and strong jaw.
A thick, upward-curved mustache.
A short, trimmed beard.
Long black hair tied back.
Clad in a warrior's dhoti and light armor.
A presence that screamed battlefield dominance.
---
Krishnadevaraya:This is Pemmasani Ramalinga Nayudu.He will accompany you.If anything goes wrong—
A pause.
He will handle it.
---
Pandit Ramakrishna smiled knowingly.
---
Departure
Nikhil and Aditya were in their room, packing their things.
Nikhil said in amazement and excitement,
Hey, Aditya! Did you see Pandit Ramakrishna? I've read many books about him—he was famous for his intelligence. I can't believe we're meeting King Krishnadevaraya, Pandit Ramakrishna, and Pemmasani Ramalinga Nayudu.
Aditya smiled and nodded.
Well, are you ready? It's our first time going outside the castle.
Nikhil replied in a slightly serious tone,
Yeah, I'm ready. The others are too. But this is going to be risky."
According to the announcement… there will be zombies, monsters, beasts, and unnatural creatures.We should stay alert in any situation.
They walked out of their rooms and onto the ground.
Minutes later—
Chariots stood ready.
Weapons and supplies were loaded.
The Candidates boarded them.
Nikhil.
Aditya.
Janvi.
Damni.
Pallavi.
Hemant.
Jenit.
Harsh.
The gates of the castle opened.
The chariots rolled forward—
Leaving the castle behind, moving through streets and markets.
Ahead—
A dense forest.
Dark.
Unknown.
The first battlefield.
— End of Chapter