BENEATH THE MASTER'S SHADOW

The training hall’s air was thick with tension. Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta stood in a loose circle around Karn, breathing hard, sweat dripping down their temples. They’d been through weeks of grueling drills, endless sparring, and countless corrections. But today was different. Today, they were going to try something they hadn’t done before — bring Karn down.

Arjun leaned casually against the wall, arms crossed, watching with that half-smile of his.

“Looks like you might actually get knocked over today,” he teased.

Karn smirked, rolling his shoulders. “Let them try.”

“Now!” Karn commanded.

The four lunged in at once. Alpha went for a quick low sweep to Karn’s legs, Beta came in from the front with a flurry of boxing jabs, Gamma aimed a Taekwondo kick to the ribs, and Delta tried to hook Karn’s arm from behind for a judo throw.

For a split second, it looked dangerous — but Karn moved like water.

He caught Beta’s punch mid-air, twisted, and used Beta’s momentum to block Alpha’s sweep without even looking. Gamma’s kick was parried with just a subtle shift of Karn’s hip, and Delta’s grab found nothing but air as Karn pivoted away.

“You’ll have to do better than that,” Karn said calmly, his voice almost taunting.

Frustration flashed in Alpha’s eyes. They regrouped. This time, Delta charged first, forcing Karn back a step. Gamma leapt in with a flying kick — only for Karn to sidestep, grab his ankle, and spin him into Beta. Alpha took the chance to rush in from behind, trying to lock Karn’s neck — but Karn bent forward, grabbed Alpha’s arm, and flipped him neatly onto the mat.

The sound of impact echoed in the room.

Arjun chuckled. “You’re moving around like you’re trapped in a blender.”

They tried again. And again. For ten minutes straight. Every attempt was shut down before it could land. Karn’s breathing hadn’t even quickened. Theirs, on the other hand, was ragged and desperate.

Finally, Karn stepped back, raising a hand. “Enough.”

The four stood there, drenched in sweat, shoulders heaving.

“You’ve all improved,” Karn said, his tone steady. “Your coordination, your reflexes… much better than when you started. But remember—strength alone won’t take me down.”

He let the words hang for a moment, then added with a faint smile, “Training complete. From now on, you’re eligible for the new member selection trials.”

A spark lit in all four pairs of eyes. Despite their exhaustion, they straightened, pride swelling in their chests.

The boys exchanged glances, expecting him to walk away like always. Instead, Karn grinned. “Since you didn’t manage to throw me down… how about I throw you into something else instead — a big lunch.”

“Wait,” Beta said, suspicious. “Is this… a trick?”

“Yes,” Karn said with a deadpan face. “The food is poisoned. Only the strongest stomach survives.”

They stared at him. Then he broke into laughter. “Come on, I’m buying.”

Minutes later, they were crammed into a table at the base cafeteria. Karn ordered enough food to feed a small army — double portions for everyone.

As plates hit the table, Karn pointed at Delta. “You, my friend, have the wildest punches I’ve ever seen. Are you trying to fight me or conduct an exorcism?”

The boys laughed. Delta shook his head. “You kept dodging! What else was I supposed to do?”

“And Gamma…” Karn grinned. “You slipped twice on the mat today. Were you wrestling me or auditioning for a breakdance competition?”

Gamma groaned, covering his face while the others laughed louder.

Arjun joined in, smirking. “See, this is the real Karn. Not the cold, scary trainer. Out here, he’s the most annoying, loud, extroverted guy you’ll ever meet. He can’t go ten minutes without making someone laugh.”

Karn pretended to look offended. “Excuse me, I can totally go ten minutes without making someone laugh… I just choose not to because life’s too short.”

Alpha raised an eyebrow. “So all that ‘mean coach’ thing was just… an act?”

Karn leaned back. “Not an act. A method. If I was nice from the start, you wouldn’t have pushed past your limits. I wanted you to hate me just enough to work harder than you thought possible.”

The table went quiet for a second — then Beta said, “Well… you’re still paying for dessert.”

Karn pointed his fork at him. “Deal. But you’re carrying the trays back.”

The rest of the lunch was filled with playful insults, exaggerated retellings of training moments, and laughter that echoed across the cafeteria. By the time they left, the four boys weren’t just trainees anymore — they were part of Karn’s team. At least according to Karn