The first stage of the year-end evaluation began under the watchful eyes of elders and examiners.
A massive testing machine stood at the centre of the arena.
One by one, students stepped forward and struck it using raw physical strength only.
The results quickly spread through the crowd:
Shraddha — Shishya Rank 5 — 1050 kg
Arjun — Shishya Rank 6 — 1200 kg
Garvit — Shishya Rank 6 — 1300 kg
Sarthak — Shishya Rank 8 — 1680 kg
Then it was Siddharth's turn.
He stepped forward calmly and punched.
BOOM.
Siddharth — Shishya Rank 7 — 1480 kg
A wave of murmurs swept across the arena.
The second stage began soon after.
A straight 100-meter track, no movement techniques allowed.
The results appeared one by one:
Shraddha — 8.56 seconds
Arjun — 7.83 seconds
Garvit — 7.37 seconds
Sarthak — 6.43 seconds
When Siddharth ran, his figure blurred across the track.
Siddharth — 5.78 seconds
This time, the murmurs turned into outright shock.
The third stage followed immediately: a vertical jump, raw power only.
Shraddha — 56 inches
Arjun — 63 inches
Garvit — 68 inches
Sarthak — 79 inches
Siddharth bent his knees lightly and leaped.
He landed smoothly.
Siddharth — 82 inches
Silence.
Then chaos.
Everyone was stunned.
How could someone who had been Shishya Rank 2 not long ago reach Rank 7 so quickly?
And not just raw strength—his speed and jumping ability were terrifyingly high.
Siddharth, however, remained calm.
That mutated stone from the Nether Cat really helped, he thought.
Leg strength, flexibility… everything improved.
His gaze remained steady.
And I only used about seventy-five percent of my strength. If I went all out… they'd probably faint on the spot.
After nearly thirty minutes, an examiner finally stepped forward with the initial rankings:
Shraddha — Shishya Rank 5 — Rank 62
Arjun — Shishya Rank 6 — Rank 52
Garvit — Shishya Rank 6 — Rank 44
Sarthak — Shishya Rank 8 — Rank 28
Siddharth — Shishya Rank 7 — Rank 36
The fourth stage began immediately.
Challenges erupted across the arena.
Fights broke out one after another.
When the dust finally settled, the revised rankings were announced:
Shraddha — Rank 50
Arjun — Rank 46
Garvit — Rank 42
Sarthak — Rank 27
Siddharth — Rank 36
Sarthak stood proudly on the stage, his aura heavy.
He looked down at Siddharth and sneered.
"You should know your place. If you're too afraid to challenge me, then kneel and become my subordinate."
The crowd stirred.
In the next instant—
Siddharth jumped onto the stage.
"I'm not afraid of you," he said calmly.
"An ant like you isn't even worthy of exchanging blows with me."
He paused, eyes cold.
"But fine. I'll entertain you today."
Sarthak's face twisted in rage.
"You can talk now—but I'll show you your place!"
The fight erupted.
Sarthak unleashed a barrage of attacks, his Shishya Rank 8 power shaking the platform.
But Siddharth moved like the flowing wind.
Every strike missed—sometimes by less than an inch.
As the fight dragged on, Siddharth's eyes remained sharp, silently observing.
His rhythm… his breathing… the slight delay in his right shoulder…
Then—
An opening.
Siddharth struck.
Not with overwhelming power—but with speed.
Punch after punch landed cleanly.
Sarthak tried to defend, but the blows accumulated relentlessly.
Finally—
His body trembled.
And he collapsed, unconscious.
The arena exploded into uproar.
By victory, Siddharth claimed Rank 27.
Yet he knew the truth.
This is my current limit.
In raw strength, he was still behind.
Maintaining that speed drained his stamina rapidly.
Sarthak was pushed back to Rank 28.
With the rankings finalised, Siddharth was assigned to the Expert Class.
Monthly resources.
Better manuals.
Superior training conditions.
He wasn't in the Genius Class yet—
But his goal was no longer the peak of Ayodhya Gurukul.
It was far higher.
That night, Siddharth returned to his room.
Someone was already inside.
A tall figure sat calmly, hands behind his back.
Drona.
"Young man," Drona said, smiling faintly.
"In just a few weeks, you went from last place in the normal class to seventh place in the expert class."
He looked directly at Siddharth.
"How about becoming my disciple?"
Siddharth bowed respectfully.
"I'm honoured," he said politely,
"But I already have a master—to whom I am fully devoted. I can follow no one else."
Drona studied him for a moment.
Then he laughed.
"Very well."
He placed a small pill on the table.
"A Sadhak Rank breakthrough pill. It can help a Shishya Rank 9 peak cultivator step into the Sadhak realm."
Drona turned and walked away.
"Take it as a gift," he said over his shoulder,
"For entertaining me today."
The door closed.
Siddharth stared at the pill silently.
His journey had only just begun.