Kazaf: The upside down

The first light of dawn painted the sky in soft hues of gold and violet as Kazaf made his way toward the Elara Sect's training grounds. Dressed in the robes Asma had given him, he blended in more with the disciples around him—though their stares and whispered remarks still made it clear that he was not welcome.

"Half-breed…" one of them muttered under his breath.

"He doesn't belong here," another sneered.

Kazaf ignored them. He had learned long ago that words only had power if he let them.

As he stepped onto the training grounds, Master Hisham stood at the center, his sharp eyes sweeping over the gathered disciples. Around him, senior disciples stood in formation, their expressions ranging from disinterest to outright hostility.

"Kazaf," Hisham called, his voice carrying authority. "Step forward."

Kazaf did as he was told, standing tall in front of the group.

Hisham studied him for a long moment. "You come from the Upside world, but here, strength determines respect. If you wish to be acknowledged in the Elara Sect, you must prove yourself. And there is no better way to do that than through combat."

Kazaf's eyes narrowed slightly. "You want me to fight?"

A smirk played on Hisham's lips. "I want you to survive."

At his signal, a young man stepped forward from the group. He was taller than Kazaf, with a lean but powerful build. His name was Faisal, one of the strongest among the junior disciples. His gaze was filled with disdain.

"This is your opponent," Hisham announced. "If you cannot hold your own against Faisal, then you have no place here."

The disciples around them murmured in amusement.

"He doesn't stand a chance."

"Faisal will break him in seconds."

Kazaf didn't respond. He simply stepped onto the training circle, rolling his shoulders.

Faisal smirked. "You should've stayed in the Upside world, half-breed. You don't belong here."

Kazaf's lips curled into a smirk of his own. "Then prove it."

Hisham raised his hand. "Begin!"

Faisal wasted no time, launching forward with a burst of speed. His fist came straight for Kazaf's face, but Kazaf sidestepped effortlessly, letting the blow pass harmlessly.

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

Faisal growled, spinning into a follow-up strike, but Kazaf ducked low, sweeping his leg out in a sharp counterattack. Faisal barely managed to leap back in time, his expression shifting from arrogance to frustration.

"Enough running!" Faisal roared, channeling his energy into his palm. A faint glow surrounded his hand as he struck again, this time with enhanced force.

Kazaf's eyes sharpened. He met the attack head-on, catching Faisal's wrist and twisting it with calculated precision. Faisal yelped as Kazaf used his own momentum against him, flipping him onto the ground with a loud thud.

Silence.

The disciples watched in stunned disbelief.

Hisham's expression remained unreadable, but a hint of approval flickered in his gaze.

Kazaf released Faisal's wrist and stepped back. "Still think I don't belong?"

Faisal groaned, clutching his arm as he pushed himself up, his face burning with humiliation. He said nothing.

Hisham turned to the rest of the disciples. "Let this be a lesson to all of you. Underestimation is weakness. Strength is proven, not assumed."

He then turned to Kazaf. "You will continue your training here."

Kazaf nodded. He didn't need their approval—only his own conviction.

As the training session ended, Asma approached him with an amused smile. "Not bad, Kazaf. You made quite an impression."

Kazaf smirked. "Did I?"

She chuckled. "Definitely. Though now, you've made enemies too."

Kazaf glanced at Faisal, who was glaring at him from a distance. He already knew this wasn't over.

But that was fine. He had never expected this journey to be easy.

End of Chapter 16

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