He scanned his surroundings, looking for the source, and that is when he noticed it...
A simple speaker fixed to the trunk of one of the large trees, vibrating slightly as it let out the ear-piercing screech.
"These f*ckers, just because it is a test they want to burst my eardrums."
Arthur dashed from where he stood and, with a powerful punch, destroyed the speaker, uncaring whether it was part of the test or not, or even if it was precious equipment of the military.
It was a disturbance loud enough that he thought he might bleed from his ears.
"That's taken care of." He dusted his hands of the remnants of the broken speaker, he, was once again scanning his environment.
Before he could make his next move, he unconsciously turned to the rustling of leaves at his side, a giant green head peeking out.
Slit-like pupils stared maliciously at him.
"A python." He unconsciously stepped back, breathing slowly so as not to startle the creature.
The creature lifted its massive head, a jade-like horn protruding from the centre of its eyes, its split tongue occasionally licking the air, eyes still locked on Arthur, seemingly scrutinizing him.
Arthur held his breath. He had heard from somewhere that remaining still usually worked on predators. Maybe it would think he was a tree or something.
But he was sure it was not working, as the creature was looking directly at him, its massive green body slowly sliding towards him, head still raised.
Arthur looked up at it. Despite less than half of its body being off the ground, it was taller than Arthur, who was 5'10".
"What the f*ck kind of test is this?" Arthur cursed in his heart, his heartbeat slow only because of his ability.
If not, it would have been an orchestra in his chest.
The creature then stopped moving. Its gaze shifted to Arthur's side, and with lightning speed it pushed its massive body forward, maw opened, exposing its fangless yet terrifying mouth.
It hit the ground a metre away from where Arthur stood, moss , grass and dirt flying his way.
Whatever had gotten the attention of the creature, he thanked his creator in his heart.
In a split second, his muscles contracted, lightning pulsating through his veins.
He bolted, faster than he had ever been, leaving a firm footprint in his wake. In a second, he was up in the trees, jumping from branch to branch, from tree to tree.
He prayed in his heart that the creature could not climb a tree, his gaze forward, afraid to look behind him.
...
Several minutes later...
Arthur leaned on the trunk of a moss-covered tree, his breath heavy, catching every last breath he had lost.
"Man, you are fast. I almost didn't catch up to you..." a familiar voice sounded beside him, hitched between heavy breaths.
Arthur's tired gaze turned to the lad, Luke, whom he had noticed running after him.
"Thanks, man..." Arthur smiled weakly.
Before he dashed from the creature, his acute senses had caught sight of Luke hiding in the bushes.
He did not know what Luke did, but he was sure he was the reason the creature did not attack him.
Curious, he inquired, "How did you get its attention?"
"I threw a rat at it..." Luke replied.
"A rat?..." Arthur tilted his head in confusion.
"Yeah, it is a..." Luke looked around. "Yeah, this thing." He pointed to an agouti gnawing on some fruits.
"An agouti," Arthur said in acknowledgement at the giant, long-legged rat.
"Thanks, man. Let's rest for now..."
The two sat in silence for a while, Arthur occasionally sneaking glances at Luke.
Something felt off about him.
His shoulders were not this broad.
They seemed to be half a centimetre wider. His pale skin wasn't this tanned, but this was to be expected as they were in a forest.
Eyes a shade brighter.
"Is this the test..." Arthur wondered, sure the guy sitting by him was not Luke.
Even if he missed the physical features, the way Luke had spoken was not what he knew of the guy, not to mention he had not spoken of the fight they had in the second test.
And the last detail that made him sure this was not Luke was that the guy did not know what an agouti was.
He knew what it was, and the Luke he knew was smarter than him, though Luke did not know what it was.
He did not usually watch nature channels, so he would not know its name. Most people would call it a giant rat, yet Arthur was convinced that because Luke did not know something he knew, he had to be an imposter.
"So, man, how is Asya and your mom..." Arthur deliberately broke the silence with a question.
"..."
Luke did not respond. Arthur's eyebrows raised.
"They are good. The real Luke does not like talking about his family." Arthur thought to himself as he sat up straight.
"Yooo, man, I am talking to you..." Arthur tugged at Luke's shoulder, the latter ignoring him.
"Wow, they are good..." Arthur smiled to himself.
He then began to bombard Luke with numerous questions and small talk, yet Luke only looked at him with his blank expression, occasionally nodding.
"Yes, I got you, b*tch. Luke would never look at me when I talk nonsense." He screamed at the top of his lungs, smiling from ear to ear.
At this moment, he felt like a detective who had cracked the case, but Luke just looked at him as if he were a fool.
"Man, stop your nonsense. This is a test. We do not know what they will throw at us next..." Luke rose to his feet, dusting the dirt from his trousers.
Without another word, he started moving towards a random direction.
"Was I wrong..." Arthur began to doubt himself.
He, like a stalker, had studied Luke like a doctor would a patient.
Ever since his defeat at his hands, he had been curious about the seemingly studious boy having the muscle to beat him.
Though they were both young, ten and twelve respectively, he was big for his size, yet the little twirp had knocked him down.
"Hey, wait up..." He followed after Luke.
Once again, he bombarded him with questions, Luke ignoring him entirely.
"Wait..." Luke finally spoke, his arms stretched, stopping Arthur from advancing.
Arthur stopped talking, his gaze shifting from Luke to where he was looking.
In front of them was a small, blood-red pond filled with numerous croaking toads...
"F*ck... They said I should avoid them..."
~~~~~~~~
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A/N
Still here