Dark red clouds rolled across an endless sky.
Lightning moved sideways.
Mountains floated upside down.
Rivers of molten metal carved through black stone valleys.
This was no mortal land.
This was the Divine War Realm.
A place built from battle, power, and the memories of ancient wars.
Saksham stood silently on cracked ground, staring ahead.
Before him rested the gigantic iron blade Eltharos had thrown.
It was taller than him.
Wider than a shield.
Heavy enough to crush elite knights.
The God of War crossed his arms.
"Lesson one."
"Survive."
Without another word, Eltharos snapped his fingers.
The earth exploded.
Ten armored warriors rose from beneath the ground.
Each was made of bronze and divine steel.
Each carried different weapons.
Spears.
Axes.
Twin swords.
Chains.
Their empty eyes glowed crimson.
Saksham narrowed his gaze.
"Golems?"
Eltharos smirked.
"No."
"Memories."
The warriors charged.
Instantly.
Saksham jumped backward as a spear stabbed through where his chest had been.
A chain wrapped toward his ankle.
He twisted midair.
A hammer struck downward and shattered the ground below.
No pause.
No hesitation.
They attacked with perfect teamwork.
Saksham drew his academy blade.
CLANG!
He blocked twin swords.
Kicked one warrior backward.
Turned.
Parried an axe.
Ducking low, he slashed through another warrior's neck—
The blade bounced off.
"Hard."
A fist smashed into Saksham's ribs and sent him flying.
He rolled across stone, stood immediately, and exhaled sharply.
Eltharos watched like a bored teacher.
"You relied on sharpness."
"Wrong answer."
Another spear came.
Saksham grabbed the shaft, yanked the warrior forward, and used its body to block three incoming strikes.
Then he sprinted toward the giant iron blade.
A chain wrapped around his wrist.
He pulled back hard.
The warrior attached to it flew toward him.
Saksham punched its chest with lightning-coated fist.
BOOM!
The construct shattered.
Eltharos raised an eyebrow.
"Better."
Saksham reached the iron blade.
He gripped the handle.
Nothing happened.
He pulled harder.
Still nothing.
Three warriors attacked at once.
Saksham released the handle and dodged desperately.
A sword cut his shoulder.
Blood splashed the ground.
Eltharos spoke coldly.
"If you die here, I'll choose another."
Saksham wiped blood from his arm.
"There won't be a need."
Back at the Royal Academy, one day had barely passed.
Students still discussed the divine arrival in every corridor.
Aryan Singla was currently being thrown across a training mat.
THUD!
He groaned.
Instructor Daren stood over him.
"Again."
Aryan sat up angrily.
"You didn't have to throw me that hard!"
Daren folded his arms.
"If your brother trained with gods today, you think I'll train you softly?"
Aryan blinked.
"…Fair point."
He jumped up again.
Across the room, several first-years watched in awe.
Roderic, the noble student Aryan had beaten, frowned.
"Why push so hard?"
Aryan rolled his shoulders.
"Because I'm behind."
Daren nodded once.
"Good answer."
Back in the Divine War Realm—
Hours had passed.
Or months, by realm standards.
Saksham's breathing was heavier now.
Bruises covered his arms.
His clothes were torn.
Around him lay pieces of broken divine warriors.
But more kept rising.
He dodged low.
Spun.
Kicked one into another.
Grabbed a fallen spear.
Threw it through two enemies.
Then a giant axe smashed into his back.
He coughed blood and crashed forward.
Eltharos sat on a throne of stone nearby.
"Still too slow."
Saksham pushed himself up.
"Then make me faster."
Eltharos grinned.
"Good."
He stood.
Every warrior froze.
Then shattered into dust.
Saksham steadied himself.
"You're fighting now?"
"No."
Eltharos pointed upward.
The sky split open.
A monstrous beast descended.
Six legs.
Scaled hide.
Burning tusks.
Eyes like molten suns.
Its roar shook mountains.
Saksham stared.
"That wasn't funny."
"I wasn't joking."
The beast charged.
Saksham barely leaped aside as it crushed a hill behind him.
He landed and instantly ran.
Eltharos called after him.
"Lesson two."
"Fear is useful. Panic is not."
The beast swung its tail.
Saksham blocked with mana barrier.
The barrier shattered.
He flew through the air and smashed into a cliff wall.
Pain shot through his body.
System window flashed.
[WARNING: MULTIPLE FRACTURES DETECTED]
[EMERGENCY REGENERATION ACTIVE]
He stood anyway.
The beast charged again.
Saksham closed his eyes for one second.
Breath slowed.
Mind sharpened.
When he opened them—
Everything looked clearer.
Footsteps.
Wind direction.
Muscle tension.
He moved at the last instant.
The beast missed.
Saksham ran up its side, lightning gathering in his palm.
"Storm Impact!"
BOOOOM!
The strike blasted one eye apart.
The beast roared wildly.
Eltharos smiled.
"There."
"The first spark."
At the academy, night had fallen.
Aryan sat on the dorm roof staring at stars.
His knuckles were bruised.
His body ached.
Yet he smiled.
Footsteps approached.
Elena Frostveil stepped onto the roof.
Aryan nearly jumped.
"You move too quietly."
"You complain too loudly."
She sat beside him.
"You trained well today."
Aryan puffed his chest.
"Of course."
Then he grew quieter.
"Do you think I can ever catch him?"
Elena looked at the moon.
"No."
Aryan's face dropped.
Then she smirked faintly.
"Because by the time you reach where he is now... he'll be higher."
Aryan groaned.
"That wasn't helpful."
"It was honest."
She stood.
"If you truly wish to stand beside him…"
She tossed him a weighted bracelet.
"Wake before sunrise."
Aryan caught it.
His eyes widened at the weight.
"This is insane!"
Elena walked away.
"Goodnight."
Back in the Divine War Realm—
The wounded beast collapsed at last.
Saksham fell to one knee, exhausted.
Eltharos approached.
"Three months completed."
Saksham looked up sharply.
"Three... months?"
"In mortal world, three hours."
Eltharos tossed him a flask.
Drink.
Saksham did.
Energy surged through his body instantly.
"What is this?"
"Liquid thunder."
"…That sounds unhealthy."
"It is."
Eltharos pointed to the horizon.
Far away, thousands of lights began rising.
Marching lights.
An army.
Saksham slowly stood.
"What now?"
The God of War smiled like a battlefield itself.
"Lesson three."
"How to win while outnumbered."
The army roared.
Mountains trembled.
Saksham gripped the giant iron blade again.
This time—
It moved.
END OF EPISODE 4