My Soul card is a Reaper-Chapter 1023: Dreams of the Past: The World Tournament (Part-1)
Knight Captain Philip furrowed his brows. "The Deathbound Pact? Never heard of it. What is it, Miss Remia?"
Remia explained. "It’s an ancient seal where souls of loyal soldiers are linked to the Lord. It is slightly different from slavery. While the soldiers were forced to stay loyal to their lords, they also shared their soul energy like a giant pool of reserves. However, the side effect of this sealing technique is that once the lord dies, his soldiers die with him. There is another side effect of this seal. The ones branded with the seal can never make a breakthrough." She then clenched her fists, her face dark as she added. "Only one dark organization is known to possess the knowledge of this forbidden sealing technique. It is the Temple of Thanatos."
"The Temple of Thanatos? Why would they join with the Jotunns? Their Supreme Pontiff is well known to be incredibly racist against other races." Knight Camilla pointed out a fact.
Remia shrugged. "Who knows?" She then turned toward Rael and Eon, and her violet eyes narrowed. "With enemies like this, I think it is better for both of you to shift to academy dorms." 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖
Rael and Eon exchanged their glances at each other, voicing their response at the same time. "We don’t think so. We stay here."
The Knights of Garcia House in the room sighed at the same time, thinking along the same lines, too. "This set of troublemakers never stop being a headache, do they?"
*
The morning sun had barely risen when the academy representatives gathered at the grand courtyard.
The air buzzed with anticipation—today marked the beginning of their journey to Gaia Planet’s Hastinapura, the capital of the Kuru Dynasty, and the stage for the Junior World Tournament.
Rael adjusted the straps of his travel bag, glancing at the magnificent flying warship that awaited them. Sleek and imposing, the vessel was adorned with the insignia of their academy, its runes pulsing with magical energy.
Eon yawned beside him. "Ugh. Why do all important events start so early?"
"Because life is suffering," Artaigne quipped, standing beside her and watching the warship in envy.
Rael said nothing as he didn’t have any words to console her. She lost, and so she can’t accompany them on the warship. Artaigne could come as a supporter on her own, which he secretly hoped, but she decided to train instead during this time.
Her gaze wandered to the others boarding the ship—Rael, Eon, and others as they ascended the ramp one after another.
Rael waved his hand to her, and she returned with a smile as the airship flew into the sky.
Once the airship was out of sight, disappearing into the world portal, Artaigne’s forced smile vanished, and a deep frown crept to her face. "I need to get stronger."
Meanwhile, the airship was flying in the skies of Gaia.
It flew for hours before descending toward its destination. As it broke through the clouds, the great city of Hastinapura came into view.
Rael’s eyes widened. It was nothing like his homeland.
Hastinapura sprawled like an endless sea of golden and white, its architecture a blend of ancient grandeur and modern elegance.
Towering temples and palaces gleamed under the sun, their intricate carvings depicting tales of war, gods, and celestial beings. The streets were lined with bustling markets, and in the distance, a massive coliseum stood tall—the very arena where the Junior World Tournament would be held.
Even from above, one thing was clear: Hastinapura was far more prosperous than Camelot and every other northern city out there.
As the airship landed at the designated port, the students stepped onto the marble-paved roads, greeted by a delegation of Kuru officials.
It was then that Arjuna—dressed in a deep blue tunic embroidered with golden trims—stepped forward.
"I suppose I should explain," he said, glancing at Rael and the others.
"Explain what?" Bheema asked, stretching his massive arms.
"The way things work here," Arjuna replied.
As they walked through the capital, Arjuna began his lesson.
"The Kuru Dynasty and kingdoms around it operate differently from the northern kingdom," he said. "While cultural influence from neighboring kingdoms exists, the core structure of society is still built around an ancient caste system, supposed to have been the norm thousands of years even before the pre-apocalypse period—the golden age of mankind. Based on the ancient records we managed to find, our ancestors tweaked the caste system to suit our needs."
Rael raised an eyebrow. "Caste system?"
"Yes." Arjuna nodded.
"It’s divided into seven categories," he explained.
1. Brahmins – "The intellectual elite. Scholars, priests, and script keepers. They control all knowledge, even forbidden ones, and are the most influential group in the kingdom. Even the King listens to them."
2. Kshatriyas – "The warriors and rulers. Everyone who could fight who serves the palace falls into this category. The nobles and vassal lords also belong here."
3. Vyshyas – "The merchants, bankers, businessmen, and landowners. The ones who run the economy of the kingdom."
4. Shudras – "The working class. Farmers, craftsmen, laborers—everyone who physically maintains the city."
5. Rajanya — "Arcana Masters who are adventurers, mercenaries, and everyone who works for guilds. They are placed below those four because these are considered selfish as they don’t pursue the best interests of the people but care more about their own happiness and wealth."
6. Untouchables – "The lowest of the low. Beggars, corpse handlers, road sweepers, and toilet cleaners. They live on the fringes of society. Don’t look at me with those eyes. Not everything could be perfect. Sometimes, when you open the doors for fresh air, dust comes along. The higher caste influential people don’t want to be associated with some jobs. Anyway, let’s continue..."
7. Tribals – "The ones who live outside civilization, deep in the forests. They follow their own rules and rarely interact with the kingdom."
Rael frowned. "Sounds like you’re born into a rigid structure."
Arjuna shook his head. "It used to be. A thousand years ago, caste was entirely dependent on birthright. Now, it’s different. Unlike in the ancient records, it isn’t based on birth but on one’s profession they chose."
Eon raised her eyebrow. "Won’t that cause instability in the kingdom? I don’t know anything about this caste system of yours, but I can see the problems it has. If society formally paints those jobs into categories, placing one job higher in societal status than others and giving them more benefits, won’t everyone try to opt to become Kshatriyas or Brahmins? Society couldn’t possibly function properly with such a thing. That’s why in our homeland, nobility is rarely granted to the commoners."
Arjuna shook his head. "Not necessarily." He continued, "No, caste is still determined at birth and can only change based on a person’s profession. The only exception is the Brahmin caste—they never allow outsiders into their ranks."
"What do you mean?" Eon asked.
Rael asked. "Why?"
"Because they hold all forbidden knowledge and control the King like a puppet," Arjuna said bluntly. "For them, knowledge is power, and power must remain in their hands. And of course, Nobility is never granted here. It is strictly based on birth. Even if one marries into the royal family, they are still treated as commoners, although their children will be royals. You know that my great-grandmother was actually a fisherwoman but became the Queen.
Silence settled over the group.
Rael exhaled. "Sounds different at first, but when I look at the broader picture, it does seem like a society you would pretty much see everywhere. It is just that no one formally recognizes it and makes it look so organized. You know, the Kings and Dukes listen to the High Priestess of their respective Olympian Temples, the merchants run the economies, and the knights are treated with greater respect than Arcana Masters who work in guilds, although it vastly depends on Arcana Masters’ soul realms. Those untouchable people, you told, are being looked down on everywhere as if they are filth."
Arjuna gave him a small, knowing smile. "That’s exactly what it is. And yet, you northerners always point at it, mocking us as if our culture has a defect in it."
"C’mon, Arjuna. You grew up mostly in Camelot, too. You are basically a northerner." Nuada couldn’t help but comment, interjecting himself into their conversation.
As they stepped deeper into one of the most prosperous cities in the entire world, the weight of Hastinapura’s reality began to sink into their minds.
The inn was grand and well-furnished, a warm place within the grand capital of Hastinapura. The academy had booked six rooms—four for the students, and one for each teacher. Catherine Purple, their combat instructor and a formidable Rank-9 warrior, led the group.
As Rael and the others entered the common hall of the inn, the air was already buzzing with tension.
At one of the long wooden tables sat a group of students from another academy—a prestigious one representing one of the powerful kingdoms. Their uniforms were embroidered with gold, their insignias gleaming under the inn’s lantern light.
They smirked and whispered among themselves as Rael and his companions walked in.
"Look at this," one of them sneered, his voice dripping with amusement. "Children playing at being warriors."
Rael felt Bheema tense beside him.
