Morning fog drifted through the academy courtyard.
Cold mountain wind moved across the stone arena where Professor Kumaraj Rane stood waiting.
His arms were folded.
His presence alone made the air feel heavier.
The weapon mastery class had gathered once again.
Brave Lions stood on one side.
Frost Serpents on the other.
Weapons rested in their hands now like familiar companions instead of strange tools.
Professor Rane scanned them.
"Last class you learned how to hold a weapon."
His voice was calm but firm.
"Today you learn how to become one with it."
He stepped into the arena.
"Five of you."
His eyes moved across the students.
"Avdhoot."
"Meira."
"Veer."
"Tara."
Then he turned toward the Frost Serpents.
"Raivan."
Raivan stepped forward silently.
His frost sword shimmered faintly with condensed mana.
Professor Rane rolled his shoulders.
"You five will attack me together."
Veer blinked.
"…Together?"
"Yes."
Professor Rane's lips curved faintly.
"Let me see if you've learned anything."
The five students stepped into the arena.
Weapons ready.
Avdhoot's dagger gleamed faintly.
Raivan's blade radiated cold mist.
Meira raised her mana staff.
Tara held twin short blades.
Veer lifted his longsword.
Professor Rane stretched his neck.
"Begin."
Raivan moved first.
His frost blade cut through the air like winter wind.
A sharp horizontal strike aimed at Rane's ribs.
At the same time—
Avdhoot vanished forward.
Low stance.
Dagger aimed for the professor's blind spot.
Veer followed with a heavy overhead slash.
Tara circled to the left.
Meira began chanting softly behind them.
Professor Rane smiled.
"Better."
CLANG!
His hand intercepted Raivan's blade.
Barehanded.
Ice spread across his palm but shattered instantly.
Then—
He pivoted.
His elbow struck Veer's chest.
THUD!
Veer stumbled backward gasping.
"Too slow."
Avdhoot struck.
His dagger flashed toward the professor's side.
But Rane twisted.
His foot swept Avdhoot's leg.
Avdhoot flipped and landed roughly.
Tara attacked next.
Her twin blades slashed like silver streaks.
Fast.
Precise.
But—
Rane stepped between both strikes.
Tapped her wrist.
Her blades flew out of her hands.
"Predictable."
Behind them—
Meira completed her spell.
A ring of water mana surged outward.
SWIIIIIRL
The water pressure forced Rane to step back.
Raivan seized the moment.
His frost blade pierced forward.
Aimed for the shoulder.
Rane tilted slightly.
The blade scraped his sleeve.
Students watching from the sidelines gasped.
He raised an eyebrow.
"…Progress."
Then he moved.
What followed lasted less than five seconds.
Five precise strikes.
Five students collapsed to the ground.
Breathing heavily.
Weapons scattered.
Professor Rane dusted his sleeve.
"You rely too much on momentum."
He looked at them one by one.
"Combat is not speed."
"Combat is control."
Raivan stood up first.
Frustration burning in his eyes.
Avdhoot pushed himself upright slowly.
His chest rose and fell heavily.
Rane nodded once.
"You are improving."
"But improvement is not victory."
Class ended soon after.
Students slowly left the arena.
But Raivan remained.
He approached Avdhoot quietly.
"I found something."
Avdhoot raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
Raivan glanced around.
Lowering his voice.
"A dungeon."
That evening.
Near the academy forest boundary.
Raivan stood beside Avdhoot, Priya, and Manaswini.
The forest air smelled of pine and damp soil.
Crickets chirped faintly.
Raivan pointed toward a rocky slope partially hidden by thick vines.
"I discovered it during solo training."
He moved the vines aside.
Behind them—
A narrow stone opening descended underground.
Cold air flowed outward.
Priya crossed her arms.
"You're telling me this is a dungeon entrance?"
Raivan nodded.
"Unregistered."
Manaswini adjusted her glasses slightly.
"That means the academy hasn't discovered it yet."
Avdhoot stared into the darkness.
A faint pulse of mana drifted upward from below.
"…We should investigate."
Priya smirked.
"Finally something interesting."
Manaswini sighed.
"Let's not die."
Raivan stepped inside first.
The others followed.
The temperature dropped immediately.
Their footsteps echoed across stone.
Drip.
Drip.
Water fell from stalactites above.
The air smelled of minerals and old earth.
Avdhoot lit a small fire sphere in his palm.
Soft orange light revealed the tunnel walls.
Jagged rock.
Strange glowing moss.
Footprints of creatures scratched across the ground.
Priya crouched down.
"Monster tracks."
Raivan nodded.
"Tier 1 beasts mostly."
Manaswini pointed toward the walls.
"Still, let's be careful."
Strange vines grew along the stone.
Their leaves shimmered faintly blue.
"These plants absorb mana."
She carefully cut a small piece.
"Academy researchers would love this."
They moved deeper.
Their footsteps echoed through the narrow corridor.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Small bones scattered across the floor.
Avdhoot froze suddenly.
"…Listen."
They all stopped.
Silence.
Then—
SCRATCH.
Something moved deeper in the tunnel.
Low growling followed.
Priya grinned.
"Finally."
Three creatures crawled out of the shadows.
Stone Crawlers.
Their bodies resembled large lizards covered in rocky armour.
Glowing red eyes.
Claws scraping the ground.
Priya cracked her knuckles.
"My turn."
She rushed forward.
Her gauntlets ignited with flames.
BOOM!
Her punch smashed the first crawler into the wall.
Stone fragments scattered.
The second creature lunged at her.
Raivan intercepted.
His frost blade cut through its neck.
CRACK.
Ice spread across the body instantly.
The third creature rushed toward Manaswini.
Avdhoot moved faster.
His dagger flashed.
SLASH!
The creature collapsed instantly.
Silence returned.
Priya stretched her shoulders.
"That was easy."
Manaswini frowned.
"This one was only at the entrance level."
Raivan nodded.
"Which means deeper levels will be worse."
Avdhoot stared into the darkness ahead.
The tunnel opened into a larger chamber.
From inside—
A deep roar echoed.
The ground trembled slightly.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
Priya's grin widened.
"Oh good."
Avdhoot stepped forward slowly.
His dagger tightened in his grip.
"Looks like we found the real guardian."
The roar echoed again.
Louder this time.
Something massive moved in the darkness.
Four students stood ready.
Weapons drawn.
Heartbeats steady.
The dungeon had only begun to wake.
[End of Chapter 27]