An Audience with the Old Goat
The next morning, Suraj was dragged — by ear — into a chamber that smelled like burned scrolls, old incense, and disappointment.
"Is this how you greet all newcomers, or am I special?" he asked, wincing as the bulky instructor tightened his grip.
"Quiet!" barked the instructor, releasing him with a shove. "The Head Elder wants a word."
Suraj straightened his robe and looked up. The chamber was carved from one single mountain stone, with jade lanterns floating mid-air, glowing with blue spirit fire. At the far end sat a man with a beard longer than Suraj's career as a responsible adult.
Head Elder Harinandan Devacharya. Known in legend as Storm-Soul Sage. Known to students as The Old Goat.
Suraj bowed, unsure how low was respectful and how low was boot-licking. So he went halfway and wobbled.
"Disciple Suraj Bajaj, reporting after gloriously defeating his flaming opponent!"
The Old Goat raised a white eyebrow.
"Scanning elder... Hidden cultivation: Unknown. Flaw: Severe back pain when standing for long. Secretly knits finger puppets to cope with stress."
Suraj blinked. "Wait, seriously?"
"Not out loud, beta."
Harinandan cleared his throat. "You made quite a spectacle yesterday."
"Thank you. I accept all forms of applause and roasted peanuts."
Another elder coughed behind a screen.
Harinandan continued, "We don't tolerate flashy egos in Agnivardhan. You may think what you did was clever—"
"But the flaming moron started it!" Suraj protested. "He challenged me! I just… won with flair."
There was a long pause. Then the Old Goat chuckled.
"Your app… the one we sense but cannot read. Where did you get it?"
"Lie, lie, lie, lie."
"Er… divine blessing? From a passing uncle deity?"
Harinandan's eyes narrowed. "I see."
Another pause. "You are not from this world."
Suraj went still.
"You do not belong to any clan, sect, or bloodline we know. Your spirit rings are odd. And you arrived the night of the Sky Crack…"
"RUN."
"...Which is why I'm giving you a chance."
"Wait… what?"
"You're not stupid, Suraj. Reckless, yes. But I see in you the spark of chaos. That may just be what this academy needs."
"Wait, are you… promoting me?"
"No. I'm assigning you."
He stood.
"You shall form your own training group. Take the rejects, the failed, the misfits. Train them. Make something of them."
Suraj's jaw dropped. "You want me to start… a class?"
"Congratulations. You are now Principal of 'Class Zero.'"
2. The Girl in the Red Veil
Later that evening, Suraj sat under a tree, chewing on spirit-fried pakoras and contemplating his new job as a glorified daycare provider.
"This is a trap, Guru ji."
"Of course. But now you have a title. That's how traps work."
Dhruv sat nearby, reading a scroll upside-down.
"You ever trained anyone?" he asked.
"Does teaching my cousin to fake sneezes for extra samosas count?"
Suddenly, a soft rustle.
From the temple path, a figure descended — silent as a shadow.
She wore deep black robes embroidered with blood-red lotus petals. A silver veil covered half her face, and her eyes — piercing, calculating — scanned him like a hungry scholar scans footnotes.
"Ahem," she said.
Suraj froze mid-bite.
The woman stepped closer. "Suraj Bajaj?"
"Uh… yes? Unless this is about unpaid bills, in which case I'm 'Ramesh.'"
She ignored the joke. "I watched your duel."
"Ah, my first public embarrassment. A classic."
"You were not only unorthodox. You were deliberate."
"Danger. She sees too much. Abort flirtation attempt."
"Who are you?" Suraj asked, suspicious.
"A nobody," she said. "But I'm interested in your… 'Class Zero.'"
He tilted his head. "You're not a student here, are you?"
"No."
"You're an undercover empress, aren't you?"
She smiled faintly. "You think too highly of me."
"Confirmed: Avi Manchanda, Empress of Shadow Lotus Sect. Hidden cultivation: Monarch Class. Intent: Curious observation."
Suraj gulped.
She stepped closer. "I wish to recommend a student to you."
"Oh?"
She handed him a small jade slip.
"Her name is Vedika. She… doesn't fit in. Teach her."
Suraj looked up. But she was already gone.
"Yeh toh straight up royal sabzi hai," he muttered. "Guru ji, we've got a spy story brewing."
"Correction: Spy, romance, and possible heartbreak. Buckle up."
3. Class Zero is in Session
The next day, a scroll was pinned to the academy's courtyard board:
"Class Zero is recruiting. No talent? No background? No abs? Apply today!"
– Instructor S. Bajaj (Definitely Not an Idiot)
Six students showed up.
Dhruv, naturally, was first.
Vedika, quiet and cold, stood beside a tree.
A boy with a lisp named Mannu kept fainting whenever Suraj looked at him.
Twins named Sanya and Sagar showed up late, bickering.
And Chintu, a seven-year-old who was definitely in the wrong academy.
Suraj looked at them.
Then looked at the sky.
Then at Guru ji.
"Shall we begin Operation Lost Cause?"
"Let's turn these pebbles into problematic diamonds."
4. A Training Unlike Any Other
Suraj didn't teach forms or breathing techniques.
He taught them the flaws of their enemies — how to analyze, adapt, and break expectations.
With Guru ji scanning everything they faced, Suraj could predict incoming moves, weak points, and emotional triggers.
"Vedika, that girl you're fighting? Her sword always swings high. Duck and kick."
"Dhruv, this guy? He flinches every time someone raises their eyebrows. Try it."
"Mannu, faint later. Hit first."
He made training fun. He made losing funny. And slowly, his class began to rise.
5. And Far Away… A Plot Begins
Meanwhile, deep beneath the mountains, a cloaked figure placed a jade token on an altar.
"The one with the Divine App has awakened."
A second figure, wrapped in chains of spirit light, replied, "Then the Seals must be broken."
They looked to the sky, where the stars flickered unnaturally.
"Let him rise. We shall crush him at his peak."