As the week continued, the children prepared to the best of their abilities for their upcoming hunt.
They had spent a great deal of time learning about survival in the forest and about beasts and their weaknesses from Albert during their tutoring sessions.
With no knowledge regarding how long it would take them to hunt a beast nor how dangerous the surrounding area is, Albert advised them on the materials that should be brought in case of emergencies.
Although there were many items imbued and crafted with Ki that could easily save their lives if needed, Agni Igris wouldn't allow them to make use of them.
Nor even could they as they cannot activate most of those items without being able to manipulate the Ki in their bodies.
After getting counsel from Albert, they prepared themselves mentally and physically with the knowledge they gained from these lessons.
Most importantly, they prepared the necessary gear for their hunt as well.
Well, some did, as they each approached this test differently.
Iris cleaned and sharpened her Katana and her technique as she prepared a backpack full of survival equipment.
She packed spare hand wraps, in case her hands slipped from her sword because of blood or in case she needed to cut off blood circulation.
She packed water bottles, a compass, micro-fiber rope, a fire starter, spare rations, bandages, and cleaning alcohol.
As she looked over her inventory, she nodded her head in satisfaction at her handy-work.
All thats left for her to do was tidy up her strategy, consult Albert and Mira about her approach, and figure out if there was anything that she could improve or do better on.
Thor was also preparing his gear but his method of attack was a bit different to Iris's as he didn't clean his weapon at all.
He also prepared a backpack, however, he left it empty aside from a couple of water bottles and rations. He didn't think about the fact that he might need more if he failed to hunt a beast on the first day.
He also planned out in his head a strategy for hunting a beast and how best he should accomplish it.
Rudra prepared differently than them both, however. After defeating the 10 training dummies, Rudra had a sort of epiphany.
He was fighting well and could most likely be considered a top prodigy in his generation, at least that is what Mira told him during their last spar.
However, he didn't have the confidence to kill a beast. The ones he had learned about through Alberts's lessons and his self-study at the library wouldn't die from just punches alone.
He had to figure out a way to stab and slice them with nothing but his body and gauntlets.
He sat down in the middle of broken training dummies sweating buckets but his breathing and mind were completely calm and focused.
He stared down at his hands and got struck with an idea.
He realized that his gauntlets had claws on them that were sharp and metal. If he could somehow use those, he could kill a beast!
So, he trained for 6 days out of the week given to them to prepare. He didn't prepare survival equipment, he didn't prepare a strategy. He prepared his body and honed his strength to his current peak!
And his hard work paid off tremendously!
He had managed to learn a higher principle of body manipulation! Agni Igris was shocked, to say the least, when he saw Rudra achieve this!
Manipulating one's bones, muscles, and tendons is extremely hard, and something that only martial arts masters of the highest caliber can achieve.
There are entire fighting techniques dedicated to teaching just that.
And Rudra managed to learn the basic mastery of it in just under a week!
Agni Igirs watched, very impressed as Rudra manipulated his hand and fingernails to form them into claws.
His veins were protruding and his knuckle joints were dislocated. However, it made his nails sharp and flexible!
Looking at his hand, Rudra smirked in satisfaction but he was nowhere near done.
He trained for 12 hours straight with no breaks before he finally managed to achieved the result he was looking for!
As he stood in front of a stationary training dummy, he narrowed his eyes and sharpened his claws.
He focused all the strength in his body on his hips and claws, and clenched his fingers back, tightening them!
He sprung forward and stabbed towards the training dummy's neck with a double impact!
Stabbing through the metal dummy, Rudra decapitated it cleanly with unnerving precision as the body of the dummy flew away and landed on the ground a couple of feet away from Rudra!
He had adapted the {Draconia Arts: Twin Claw} to a slicing-like skill for his own needs.
Agni Igris stopped hiding as he came out into view of the panting but smiling Rudra!
Agni Igirs didn't show any of the shock he felt as he calmly asked, "How did you do that?"
Rudra grinned as he said, " "I didn't just learn {Twin Claw}—I mastered it. Progress like this comes when you're born to defy limits."
Agni Igris smirked at the boy's confidence as truly, he had the skill and determination to be cocky. Rudra reminded him of himself when he was a hatchling.
Agni Igris didn't praise Rudra, he simply told him, "Rest, you'll need your strength for the hunt tomorrow" with a proud expression on his face.
Rudra nodded as he left the training room and immediately passed out on his bed.
Just like that, he had nothing but an empty bag, his hand wraps, and his gauntlets prepared for his hunt!
*****
(The next day)
"Alright, here's how this is going to work" Agni Igris began as he held the kids at attention.
He told them that he was going to be watching them and their progress during their test. However, although he would see them, he would not interfere in any way shape, or form.
"If you are killed" He uttered with a cold tone that reflected no emotion, "It simply means you are weak, so be it"
This scared the kids a little, however, they all recognized it for what it was. This world didn't allow one to be weak.
If they relied on Agni Igris to save them every time they faced danger, they would be weak.
It wasn't because he didn't care, but because it was a necessary step for their growth.
After having experienced being weak with those who would oppress them, they wanted no part of it ever again.
He then went on to say that he didn't care how they killed a beast as long as they did.
The only rule was that they weren't allowed back here until they had a dead beast to present, thus, passing the test.
"In this world, the strong thrive and the weak die," Agni Igirs said sternly, "Only the strong have the right to live. Earn that right, or die trying—it's the only path a real dragon will take."
The children felt motivated to prove themselves as they heard Agni Igirs' speech.
"We are dragons" He shouted, standing tall.
"DRAGONS DO NOT YEILD" They roared back in unison as Agni Igris put his hand in the air and smiled.
"Let the hunt" he waved his and down, "Begin"
As soon as he said that, he disappeared from the kid's view.
He watched as they all started going their separate ways for their hunt. Hoping that they passed as he was truly powerless to intervene.
He didn't tell them the real meaning of this hunt, that it was a tradition among all young beasts that were coming of age soon.
They were to send their children on a hunt before their awakening to test if they were qualified to receive the draconian blessing that all dragons were granted upon their awakening!
Other beasts had other reasons for the test and other rewards, but it was a tradition started by the previous Dragon Emperor, Agni Igris' father!
This blessing would help them majorly throughout their entire lives and it could only be granted during one's awakening because of the irregularly high amounts of Ki that will surround them.
If he interfered with this rite of passage, he would be unable to grant that privilege to them, hence his dire warning in the beginning.
The other reason holds valid as well, as weakness in this world is a sin. So, unfortunately, if they died during this trial, he would do nothing about it.
He could only hope that they helped each other in case of emergency and that he had provided an environment that allowed them to grow prepared for this challenge.
Rudra narrowed his eyes as he thought, '"The hunt begins now huh' he focused on his surroundings as he took off in a random direction without waiting for his siblings to speak.
He raced as he thought to himself with determination and resolve, 'I will prove that I am more than the prey this world expects me to be."
The other two mirrored his determination as the hunt had finally begun!
*****
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