Time slipped by faster than anyone expected, and soon, the moment for the Trail had arrived.
The forest gates loomed ahead, guarded by Gurukul's officials. Students gathered in organized clusters, their assigned numbers glowing faintly on the holographic tags strapped to their wrists.
Om's team had been given the number 214.
The organizers sent students inside in batches, each group starting from a different location to prevent early clustering. No one knew what lay ahead, but the tension in the air was electric.
At one of the trail entrances…
Before entering, Om and his team stopped at the equipment tent.
Om already had his sword from Mark, so he opted for armor instead. Arun made the same choice—lightweight armor over any new weapon. Rudra, however, needed both, and took a bow along with armor that allowed for free movement.
Then there was Ghato.
The broad-shouldered, mace-wielding giant didn't take anything. He already had his gada strapped to his back, and his sheer physical presence made it clear he needed little else. Though friendly enough, Ghato spoke carefully, revealing little about himself.
Within thirty minutes, the team was ready and waiting at the entrance.
At the checkpoint, officials confirmed their identities, synced their GPS coordinates to the Gurukul system, and ensured their devices were working.
Ten minutes after stepping past the gate, they were already deep within the forest. The initial crowd of students thinned quickly—what had started as a large group splintered apart until only Team 214 remained.
Om stopped, glanced at the GPS strapped to Arun's wrist, and spoke with quiet authority.
"Arun—you handle navigation. Keep us on course. Rudra, you watch our rear. If any students try to follow us, let me know immediately. There's no rule against stealing in this trial. Teams can attack each other—so stay sharp."
He turned to Ghato. "You'll handle defense. I'll take offense. Arun—if you spot a white dot on the map, it's a treasure chest. Inform everyone. We'll go for it together, but I have a feeling treasure hunting won't be simple."
The three of them replied in unison, "Okay."
Ghato's expression flickered with something unspoken—perhaps reluctance at following Om's lead—but he didn't protest. Instead, he silently took up his position.
Fortunately, the Eternal Kingdom's starting points were far from the Dharma Kingdom's, so the chance of encountering them early was slim.
An hour passed before Arun pointed at the GPS.
"There—blip on the map!"
Excitement surged through the team. They tightened formation and made their way toward it.
Minutes later, they arrived at a tall tree, its roots twisted like gnarled fingers gripping the earth. Beneath its shadow sat a small chest, emitting a faint beeping sound.
The group's excitement spiked—but they didn't rush in blindly. Om raised a hand, signaling caution.
They inched forward.
Then—
"Stop!" Ghato's voice cut through the air like a whip.
Everyone froze, eyes scanning the surroundings. Seeing no enemies, they turned to Ghato in confusion.
Without a word, he bent, picked up a fist-sized stone, and hurled it toward the chest.
The moment it hit the ground, the earth shuddered. Dirt crumbled away as the soil beneath the chest collapsed into a wide pit.
A trap.
Had they stepped forward without checking, they'd have fallen straight in.
The others stared at Ghato with newfound respect. He caught their looks, smirked, and rubbed his nose with exaggerated nonchalance—half shy, half smug.
Om and the others stifled their laughter. Carefully, they moved to the edge of the pit.
It wasn't impossibly deep, but climbing out would waste valuable time. Om jumped down lightly, approached the chest, and flipped it open.
Inside sat a small vial of green liquid.
Turning it over, Om noticed markings carved into the box's interior:
Green – Health medicineRed – Adrenaline boostBlue – StaminaWhite – Food and water supplement
This was healing medicine, capable of tending to injuries during the trial.
He slipped it into his bag, then leapt out of the pit.
"We'll save it for when someone really needs it," he said.
The others nodded in agreement.
From that moment on, they not only watched their surroundings—they began watching the ground as well.
Still, Om reassured them, "I doubt they've set walking paths with traps like that. It's probably just for treasure sites. But this confirms—chests aren't easy to claim."
As they traveled, they found various herbs and stones—materials they could exchange for points at Gurukul. They collected most, leaving behind only those too heavy or bulky to carry.
Another hour passed before a distant howl shattered the forest's stillness.
The team immediately tightened formation, weapons drawn. Their steps slowed to a cautious crawl as they advanced, eyes darting to every rustle in the undergrowth.
From ahead, faint footsteps approached. Rudra didn't hesitate—she loosed an arrow straight into the sound.
It vanished into the thick brush without emerging on the other side.
A flicker of satisfaction crossed her face. "Hit it."
But then—
The bushes parted, and a massive dog stepped out.
The arrow was clenched between its teeth.
Shock rippled through the team. Rudra's jaw tightened—she'd never seen an animal intercept a projectile mid-flight.
Ghato, however, grinned with barely contained excitement.
"It's a wolf," he said, voice thick with anticipation.
The beast's golden eyes glowed faintly, its fur bristling as it lowered its head in preparation to strike. Saliva dripped from its fangs, each drop sizzling faintly as it hit the earth.
Om shifted his stance, sword angled forward. Rudra nocked another arrow. Arun gripped his weapon tighter. Ghato adjusted his hold on the gada, his knuckles whitening.
The forest around them fell utterly silent—save for the wolf's low, rumbling growl.
The trial had truly begun.