The stars twinkled above, scattered across the dark expanse of the sky, but the night felt anything but peaceful. Beneath that celestial calm, Rudra stood before the portal, his eyes fixed on the unstable swirling energy that once served as their gateway. The hum of broken magic hung in the air, flickering and unsteady, like a dying flame.

Beside him, a hooded figure moved uneasily, double-checking the runes etched along the portal's frame. His hands were shaking ever so slightly, betraying his anxiety. He could feel Rudra’s impatience—sharp, like the edge of a blade.

“How long until this is fixed?” Rudra’s voice cut through the night, his tone low but filled with frustration.

The hooded man shook his head, sweat beading on his brow despite the coolness of the night. "At least two days, maybe more. Someone damaged it on the other side, and whatever method they used... well it’s not something we’re familiar with .This was deliberate sabotage."

Rudra’s jaw tightened. His hand unconsciously moved to the hilt of his sword, a silent reminder of the battles he had fought and the foes he had bested. This, however, wasn’t a problem he could solve with brute force. “Find out who’s behind it. And get it fixed. I don’t care what it takes.”

The hooded figure nodded, vanishing into the night without another word. Rudra stayed a moment longer, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the fractured portal, its light casting eerie shadows across the clearing. Whoever had done this had made their move, and now the clock was ticking.

The next day, as the morning sun barely crested the horizon, Kael, Jin, Tarek, and Darin made their way to the training ground. Usually, Rudra would be the one keeping them waiting, his infamous tardiness almost a routine by now. But today, something was different.

Rudra was already there.

Standing in the center of the clearing, his arms crossed, his posture rigid, he watched them approach with a grim, determined look that hadn’t left his face since the night before. It was unnerving. Rudra was always sarcastic, sometimes indifferent, but today he was different—dead serious.

Jin, ever the joker, was the first to break the silence. "Well, this is new. You’re actually early for once."

But Rudra didn’t crack a smile. He barely acknowledged Jin's comment, his eyes scanning over each of them as they lined up in front of him. His seriousness weighed on the group like a heavy cloak.

"Listen up," Rudra said in a low, commanding voice. "I’ve already told you what’s going on. The portal is sabotaged, and I have a friend who’s in trouble. We’ve got two days to get things done. If you don’t make enough progress by then, I’m only taking Darin with me. The rest of you will stay behind."

Kael felt his heart drop at the harshness of the ultimatum. He glanced at Jin and Tarek, who looked equally unsettled. Darin, however, stood with his arms crossed, his usual smug expression still in place.

"Only Darin?" Jin asked, incredulous. "You’re just going to leave us here?"

Rudra’s gaze flicked to Jin. "That’s exactly what I’m saying. If you can’t open your second orbit by the end of these two days, you won’t be ready for what’s coming next. You’ll be a liability."

Jin opened his mouth to argue, but Rudra cut him off with a sharp gesture. "Enough. You’ve all come a long way, but this is the next step. If you can’t unlock the second orbit, you’re not going to make it. And I’m not going to waste my time with anyone who’s not ready."

His words were like a slap in the face. Kael’s hands clenched into fists at his sides. He had struggled so much to open his first orbit, and now, they had just two days to unlock the second one. The pressure weighed on him, crushing his confidence. But there was no room for hesitation now. They had to do this.

"Get ready," Rudra said, stepping back. "Today’s going to be different. I’m not holding back anymore. You’re going to learn the hard way, or you’re not coming with me."

The air was thick with tension as Rudra took his stance, his eyes narrowing as he readied himself for their attacks. The group exchanged quick glances, preparing themselves for what was sure to be an intense session.

"Let’s go!" Rudra shouted, and the training began.

This time, Rudra’s attacks were brutal. There was no hesitation, no testing their abilities as before. He came at them with the full force of his power, his strikes fast and punishing. Kael barely had time to react as Rudra’s blade came down toward him. He raised his sword just in time to block, but the impact sent a shockwave through his arms, nearly knocking him off balance.

Tarek was next, rushing in with her twin daggers. She tried to flank Rudra, her movements fast and precise, but Rudra anticipated her attack, pivoting smoothly and knocking her off course with a powerful strike.

Darin, ever the opportunist, fired an arrow from a distance, his movements precise and calm. The arrow whizzed past Rudra’s head, but he dodged it with ease, his eyes never leaving his targets.

"Come on!" Rudra barked, his voice sharp. "You’ll never beat me if you don’t work together!"

Jin took the cue, lunging forward with his spear. He aimed low, trying to force Rudra off balance, while Kael moved in from the other side, aiming to strike when Rudra was distracted.

But Rudra was too fast. With a quick twist, he avoided both of their attacks, countering with a sweeping kick that sent Kael sprawling to the ground. Jin barely managed to leap back in time, his spear trembling in his hands.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

"You’re still too slow," Rudra said, his tone scathing. "If you want to survive, you need to be faster, smarter, and stronger. You can’t rely on brute strength alone."

Kael gritted his teeth as he pushed himself back to his feet. His body ached from the strain, but he couldn’t afford to stop now. He had to push through the pain, had to prove himself. They all did.

The training continued, relentless and unforgiving. Every time they thought they were making progress, Rudra would up the intensity, forcing them to adapt, to fight harder.

Tarek darted in and out, her movements agile, but Rudra was always one step ahead, deflecting her strikes with effortless precision. Darin kept his distance, firing arrows to distract Rudra while trying to position himself for a sword strike. Jin, meanwhile, used his spear to keep Rudra at bay, attempting to create openings for the others to exploit.

Kael was struggling to keep up, his mind racing as he tried to anticipate Rudra’s movements. But something was changing within him. As the hours dragged on, his instincts sharpened. He began to notice the subtleties in Rudra’s attacks—the slight shift of his weight before a strike, the way his grip tightened on his sword before he changed direction. It was subtle, but it was there.

And then, for the first time that day, Kael struck back.

Rudra swung his sword in a wide arc, aiming for Kael’s side, but Kael sidestepped it at the last second. In the same motion, he swung his own sword, aiming for Rudra’s exposed side.

For a moment, Kael thought he had him—but Rudra was too fast. He twisted his body, blocking the attack with a swift parry. Yet there was a flicker of recognition in Rudra’s eyes, a brief acknowledgment that Kael had started to catch on.

Darin seized the moment, launching another arrow that Rudra was forced to deflect. Jin followed up, thrusting his spear with renewed determination, while Tarek swooped in from the side, her daggers flashing in the afternoon light.

The battle became more coordinated, more fluid. For the first time, they were working together, their attacks coming in quick succession, forcing Rudra to defend on multiple fronts. But still, Rudra was relentless.

He pushed them harder, his attacks more ferocious than ever. The group was exhausted, their bodies aching from the strain, but they refused to back down. They couldn’t.

Kael felt a surge of determination, his muscles screaming in protest as he launched another attack. His mind was clear now, focused. He moved in sync with the rhythm of the battle, his instincts guiding him. He wasn’t just reacting anymore—he was adapting.

Hours passed, and as the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the training ground, Rudra finally called for a halt.

He surveyed the four of them, his expression unreadable.

"You’ve made progress," he said, his voice gruff but with a faint trace of approval. "But you’ve still got a long way to go." His gaze hardened as he added, "You still haven’t opened your second orbit. If you can’t do that in the next two days, don’t expect me to take you with me. I won’t carry dead weight."

Kael, gasping for breath, nodded silently. He felt the weight of Rudra’s challenge like a stone pressing down on his chest. His body screamed in protest from the grueling training session, but there was no room for weakness.

Rudra turned away from them, pausing for a moment as if to consider something. Then, without looking back, he said, "It’s time for your competition against Kiran’s students."

That snapped Kael, Jin, Tarek, and Darin’s attention back to full alertness.

Rudra’s voice was calm but edged with warning. "Go rest for a bit. I’ll message you when the stage is set. You’ll need your strength." He walked off, leaving the group to digest his words.

As they slowly made their way back to their quarters, the silence between them was thick with anticipation and worry. Jin was the first to speak, breaking the tension with his usual casual tone.

"What do you think the game’s gonna be this time?" he asked, glancing at the others.

Kael shrugged, still catching his breath. " It could be anything."

Tarek wiped the sweat from her brow, frowning. "Last time was bad enough."

Darin, who had been quiet the entire time, finally spoke, his tone dismissive. "Whatever it is, you just have to win. Don’t overthink it."

Kael shot Darin a glance but didn’t reply. His mind was racing, thinking about the competition. Kiran’s students were no joke, especially Beni—the one who always seemed to have it out for Kael in particular.

"Rest sounds good right now," Jin said, throwing himself onto the nearest bench once they were inside. "But I have a feeling this game is going to be a lot harder than the last one."

"Maybe," Kael replied, sitting down next to him. "But we’ve trained hard. We just need to stay focused."

The night passed slowly, filled with anticipation and a sense of foreboding. Kael couldn’t shake the nervous energy coursing through him. He barely managed to get any rest, his thoughts spinning around the upcoming competition.

Hours later, just when the moon was high in the sky, Kael’s communicator buzzed. He glanced at it, knowing exactly who it was.

Rudra.

"Time to move," he said to the others, who were all awake, waiting for the inevitable call.

They quickly gathered their things and made their way to the training grounds once more. As they arrived, they saw Kiran and his students already waiting.

The moonlight bathed the field in a pale glow, and standing there in the center was Beni, his smug grin directed right at Kael. His eyes gleamed with malicious intent, and Kael could feel the weight of the upcoming confrontation.

"So, this is it," Beni called out, his voice carrying across the clearing. "Ready to lose again, Kael?"

Kael felt a surge of irritation at Beni’s taunt, but he kept his face neutral. He knew Beni was just trying to provoke him, to throw him off balance before the competition even began.

"Beni," Jin muttered under his breath. "Can’t he ever just shut up?"

Tarek glared at Beni but said nothing. Darin simply stood there, arms crossed, unaffected by the tension in the air.

Rudra and Kiran stepped forward, both men watching their respective students closely. Rudra gave Kael and the others a nod, while Kiran smirked slightly, as though he already knew the outcome.

"Tonight’s competition will test more than just your physical abilities," Kiran said, his voice smooth and authoritative. "It will test your teamwork as well. Are you ready?"

Kael’s heart pounded in his chest as he locked eyes with Beni, who sneered back at him.

"This time, you won’t get lucky," Kael said quietly, loud enough only for Beni to hear. "I’ll make sure of it."

Kael didn’t get a respond, but he felt a fire ignite inside him. He knew what was at stake, and he wasn’t about to let Beni walk all over him.

Rudra raised his hand, signaling for them to stop talking. “The game is called The Conquest Games. I remember doing this with my teammates as we prepared to advance to the next galaxy. It’s not just about strength; it’s about strategy, teamwork, and quick thinking.”

He paused, allowing the weight of his words to sink in. “There are three rounds, and each round will test not only your combat skills but also your ability to work together under pressure. One of you will fight in the center of the arena while the others complete a specific task. If your fighter wins the bout, that’s a point. But if your team completes the task first, that’s another point. It’s all about who can adapt and conquer.”

Jin’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Sounds like a blast! But what’s the catch?”

Rudra’s lips curled into a faint smirk. “The terrain will shift with each round, and I won’t tell you how. Just be ready for anything.”

Tarek exchanged a glance with Kael, her competitive spirit igniting. “So it’s not just a fight; we’ll need to be quick on our feet.”

“Exactly,” Rudra replied. “Now, go decide who will go where.”