The third bell had barely stopped echoing across the mountains when Rudra moved first.
Unlike most disciples—who were still adjusting to the crushing spiritual pressure—Rudra did not hesitate.
His small five-year-old frame walked forward with steady steps, his black robes fluttering lightly in the mountain wind.
Behind him, dozens of children still struggled.
Some were on one knee.
Some were gasping for breath.
Others had only just managed to stand after the pressure wave.
Neha stood outside the gates, her fingers clenched tightly around her dress as her worried eyes followed Rudra's back.
She wanted to call out.
Wanted to tell him to be careful.
Wanted to tell him to come back alive.
But she didn't.
Because she knew...
The child walking ahead of her...
Was no ordinary child.
Rudra paused for a brief moment.
Without turning back, he spoke calmly.
"Wait for me."
Neha's body trembled.
A small smile appeared on her face.
"Yes... Young Master."
And then—
Rudra stepped through the gates.
The moment he crossed the boundary—
Whoooosh!
The thick silver fog swallowed his entire figure whole.
Gone.
As if he had never existed.
The disciples behind him stared in shock.
"What—?!"
"He disappeared!"
"Was that teleportation?"
Fear began spreading.
But seeing one child move first ignited something in them.
One after another...
The disciples began entering.
None of them knew...
That Arvind, the lazy young man from before...
Had intentionally been vague. He never told them the path to the Grand Library was not a path at all.
It was chaos.
Every disciple...
Would begin somewhere different.
Every disciple...
Would face a different trial.
Every disciple...
Would be alone.
Somewhere inside the Gurukul...
Darkness.
Cold.
Silence.
Rudra opened his eyes.
The first thing he noticed...
Was the ground filled with soft mud and wet leaves. The surroundings carried the smell of old wood.
Then—
The fog.
Thick.
Dense.
Unnatural.
Even with his enhanced soul perception, he could barely see more than a few feet ahead.
Rudra's sharp black eyes narrowed.
He quietly observed his surroundings.
Gigantic ancient trees towered above him, their trunks wider than houses.
Wild grass reached his knees.
Twisted roots spread like snakes across the ground.
No birds chirped, not a single insects hummed.
Nothing.
The silence was so unnatural...
That it made the forest feel alive.
Rudra slowly exhaled.
"So... we've been teleported to random locations."
His voice was calm.
His mind worked rapidly.
"If my assumptions are correct... countless formation arrays must be hidden across the academy grounds."
He looked upward.
But the canopy of leaves blocked the sky entirely.
Not even moonlight entered.
Then Rudra frowned.
My senses...
He could feel it clearly now.
His hearing was weaker.
His sense of smell was duller.
Even his spiritual perception had been compressed.
As if the forest itself was rejecting him.
"Interesting."
Rudra's lips curved slightly.
"A trial ground disguised as a battlefield."
Then—
Rattle...
The sound came from his right.
So faint...
That an ordinary disciple would've missed it.
But Rudra's entire body froze.
His pupils contracted.
His breathing slowed.
Every thought in his mind disappeared instantly.
Because he understood one thing.
If I sensed something despite my senses being suppressed...
Then I'm already in danger.
Without making a sound—
Rudra crouched down.
His already small body became even lower.
His hands slowly moved behind his back.
There...
Two daggers rested.
One glowed faintly red, its blade resembling burning steel. Its hilt black like charred obsidian. They were the same daggers gifted to him on his naming ceremony by his third uncle, who himself was keenly looking on this trial.
The other...
Was pitch black.
Its blade appeared crystalline, as if forged from solid darkness.
Not metal.
Not stone.
Something far rarer.
Rudra's fingers wrapped around both hilts.
His body became still.
Silent.
Waiting.
Then—
A shadow exploded from behind him.
Fast.
Too fast.
So it circled behind me...
Rudra didn't even know when it moved.
But that thought could wait.
His body turned instinctively.
Smooth.
Fluid.
Like flowing water.
SHING!
One dagger appeared in his hand.
Instead of slashing—
He struck with the flat side.
THUD!
A cry echoed.
"Awooo!"
The creature was knocked sideways.
Rudra landed lightly and turned fully—
Now facing it.
His eyes narrowed.
A jackal.
But no ordinary beast.
Its body was enormous.
Nearly the size of a fully grown lion.
Brown fur.
Yellow glowing spots covering its body.
Sharp fangs.
Eyes filled with bloodlust.
The beast growled.
Low.
Dangerous.
Its yellow markings began glowing brighter.
Rudra's eyes sharpened.
"An elevated species..."
The jackal lowered its body.
Then—
It vanished.
Fast.
It sprinted toward him in a criss-cross pattern.
Left.
Right.
Left again.
Its movement was unpredictable, its killing intent filled the air. The yellow marking glowing more intensely.
Then
It lunged directly toward Rudra's face.
Most children would freeze, many adults would panic.
But Rudra...
Smiled.
At that exact moment—
White energy began flowing through his meridians.
Karm-Shakti.
The daggers in his hands began glowing.
One crimson.
One black.
And then—
Rudra moved.
Instead of retreating—
He charged forward.
Directly toward the beast.
The jackal's eyes widened.
At the final moment—
Rudra dropped.
His body knee-slid across the mud.
The jackal's claws passed mere inches above his head.
Its fangs barely missed his face.
Then—
Rudra struck.
BOOM!
His small fist slammed upward into the beast's chin.
But the fist coated with Karm-Shakti made the impact lifted its head violently.
Its body lost balance mid-air.
It stumbled during its landing.
And that one mistake...
Was fatal.
Because Rudra was already behind it.
His eyes turned cold.
His body lunged.
Both daggers moved together—
SHHHK!
The crimson dagger carved deep into its spine.
Karm-Shakti exploded into the wound.
The jackal screamed.
Its back legs gave out.
Before it could recover—
Rudra kicked its side.
The beast collapsed.
Hard.
Mud splashed everywhere.
Its vision blurred.
Its instincts screamed.
But it was too late.
Because Rudra was already on top of it.
Sitting on its stomach.
Like death itself.
The beast looked up—
And saw the eyes of a child.
Cold.
Cruel.
Empty.
Then—
STAB!
The dagger plunged into its stomach.
The beast screamed.
STAB!
Again.
STAB!
Again.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Blood exploded and splattered everywhere.
Rudra's face.
His robes.
His arms.
Everything was drenched.
Yet his expression never changed.
He continued stabbing.
Methodically.
Relentlessly.
Like a butcher.
Like a predator.
After nearly a minute...
The beast's screams weakened.
Its limbs twitched once.
Then—
Nothing.
The light in its eyes faded.
Death reclaimed it.
Silence returned.
Rudra slowly stood up.
Blood dripped from his daggers.
He flicked them once.
Shhhk.
Most blood flew off.
He stared at the corpse.
Then—
Something strange happened.
A stream of pure white energy rose from the beast's body.
Panch-Tatva energy.
It floated through the air...
And entered Rudra's body.
His pupils contracted.
The energy traveled directly toward his soul.
Toward the place where his consciousness resided.
For nearly a minute—
Rudra stood motionless.
Absorbing it.
Then—
His eyes opened.
He looked around observing the changes.
And smirked.
"I can see further."
Only inches.
But it was enough.
The suppression on his senses had weakened slightly.
Rudra looked down at the dead beast.
Then his smile became colder.
"So that's how it works."
He looked deeper into the forest.
"This isn't just a trial..."
"It's a training ground."
His fingers tightened around his daggers.
"If I gather enough energy... I can strengthen my soul."
He smiled.
Cold.
Clever.
Dangerous.
"Besides..."
"I only need sixth rank."
And then—
He vanished into the fog.
Hunting.
Elsewhere in the Trial Grounds...
Deep within a black swamp—
Mud exploded.
A gigantic crocodile lunged from the water.
Its jaws wide enough to crush a horse.
But standing before it—
Was a burly boy.
Brown hair.
Broad shoulders.
Aloof expression.
No fear.
No excitement.
Nothing.
The boy cracked his neck.
Then calmly said—
"Too slow."
The crocodile attacked.
But instead of dodging—
The boy grabbed its jaws.
With his bare hands.
BOOM!
The swamp shook.
Muscles bulged.
Veins surfaced.
And with monstrous physical strength—
He began forcing the jaws apart.
His expression remained emotionless.
As if this wasn't battle.
As if this was routine.
2. The Rune Princess
High above a rocky cliff—
A giant vulture circled.
Its wings created slicing wind blades.
Below—
A girl with light pink hair smiled brightly.
Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.
Her body was slender.
Graceful.
Almost delicate.
Yet her fingers moved rapidly.
Paper talismans floated around her.
She giggled.
"How interesting..."
The vulture dove.
She snapped her fingers.
The runes exploded into golden chains.
The bird screamed.
And the girl smiled wider.
She wasn't scared.
She was... intrigued.
3. The Arrogant Flame
In a rocky canyon—
A massive python lunged.
Its body twice the size of its prey.
Yet—
A handsome red-haired boy laughed loudly.
"Hahaha!"
His sword burned with spiritual energy.
Arrogance filled his eyes.
"Trash."
SLASH!
One cut.
The python screamed.
SLASH!
Second cut.
Its body split.
The boy spun his sword and smirked.
"As expected of me."
4. The Poison Ghost
Inside a dead forest—
A thin white-haired boy crouched.
His smile was disturbing.
His green aura leaked like poison mist.
A knife rested in his hand.
Covered in green liquid.
Venom.
He watched something in the dark.
Then whispered—
"Found you..."
His creepy smile widened.
5. The Golden Pride
On a grassy battlefield—
A lion roared.
Its claws shattered stone.
Standing before it—
Was a golden-haired boy.
Tall.
Proud.
Strong.
A massive broadsword rested on his shoulder.
His expression radiated confidence.
Not arrogance.
Pride.
He pointed his sword.
And calmly said—
"Kneel."
The lion roared—
And charged.
The boy smiled.
Then—
He charged too.
Like a king meeting another king.
To be continued...