(Rudra's POV)
The trees in the part of the forest that Rudra had rushed off to were few and far between. He had found himself in a field of lush grass with trees that stood and swayed with the breeze in the distance.
He panted slightly as he had been sprinting around the forest area for hours on end now, searching for a beast. His boots crunched against the small amounts of leaves fallen to the ground, as he stood still to catch his breath.
"Tch, how hard is it to find a simple animal?" he murmured to himself, his voice low and laced with annoyance.
He had found many small animals by now, like deer, rabbits, etc. However, he would never settle for such weak creatures.
All the training he did, the work he put in, and the expectations that Agni Igris had put in them made him feel repulsed at the idea of bringing back a mere deer.
He decided that he would find a worthy trophy or keep hunting until he did.
He would never bring back something so weak, for he was not!
His fingers flexed, the metallic glint of his gauntlets shining in the glow of the trees 'Weakness is not to be tolerated' thoughts of failure gnawed at him as he once again narrowed his eyes and started hunting.
He wasn't afraid of failure, it was the indignity of it, the idea of his family looking at him as if he were only strong enough to bring back prey.
No, he wanted to hunt a predator! His resolve grew at the thought.
Arriving at another clearing, his eyes narrowed as he saw tracks in the mud. Paw prints, large and deep.
"Finally" he muttered, examining the direction of the trail.
One of Alberts's many lessons had taught them how to avoid and track some animals. Although Rudra couldn't tell what type of animal it was, he knew that it must be a predator.
He felt his blood boil at the notion of finally finding what he was looking for, "Time to collect my trophy"
He ran in the direction of the trail of prints and as the tracks led deeper into the woods and yet another clearing, Rudra's mind sharpened, his senses resonating with the wild yet focused environment.
Suddenly, he heard a low rumbling growl that sent vibrations through his chest.
Golden and Glorious, regal and filled with destructive power, a lion appeared out of one of the tall stalks of grass.
Its steps were deliberate and measured, its golden eyes held a ferociousness that fixed solely on Rudra and nothing else.
It truly resembled a king protecting its territory.
Although the sight would've sparked fear and apprehension in most others, Rudra felt different.
His lips curled into a smirk as he challenged the mighty beast, "You wanna play with me, Kitty Cat?"
*ROARR*
The Lion roared, a sound that shook the air and sent the birds flying from the treetops!
Rudra's muscles tensed as a fleeting feeling of exhilaration wafted over him. He loved the feeling of getting into a battle of dominance, a test of strength!
The lion lunged at Rudra, a blur of muscle and fangs! Rudra narrowly sidestepped as the claws of his gauntlets sliced through the air as he countered!
His clawed attack grazed the beast's shoulder as he pivoted and they both came face to face once again!
The attack made the lion growl but it only drew a drop of blood, nowhere near enough to slow the lion down.
The lion turned and pounced with a frightening speed for its massive size! Rudra was unable to dodge the attack and instinctively tried to block it.
"GRrah" Rudra grunted as a searing pain shot out of his left arm, as he held the wound that was gushing blood with a deep claw-like gash on it!
Rudra had trained and trained but only against a human-like opponent. He realistically couldn't have blocked that attack with his small body.
Although his body and strength had been augmented to superhuman levels thanks to the [poor grade: body nourishment] potions and Ki-infused water and meat, the lion was still infinitely more times bigger and stronger than him.
His inexperience against all types of opponents led to Rudra making the wrong decision and getting hurt as a result of it!
"Good" He hissed as he stopped clutching his wound, "You'll make this interesting"
With gritted teeth, Rudra flexed his fingers again and charged at the lion who pawed at the ground in defiance!
Their battle raged on as Rudra's mind raced with adrenaline as he acted on instinct. Each move was calculated yet chaotic as he dodged, struck, countered, and defended with a precision honed through his intense training!
Although neither had gotten injured besides the initial blows, the lion stayed relentless, its violent roars sounding off each attack.
"Haaa, haa, ha" Rudra panted as sweat flowed down his body and fatigue hit him like a truck.
"IS THIS ALL THE STRENGTH THAT YOU HAVE?" He roared through ragged gasping breaths, talking more to himself than the lion.
The blood from his wound continued to drip, staining the ground around them red, however, Rudra refused to fall here!
He knew that if he slipped up or faltered here, he would die!
The lion lunged again, its claws narrowly missing Rudra's throat as he slipped under the giant paw! Rudra seized the opportunity as he dug both of his gauntlets into the beast's cut shoulder, almost tearing the entire leg off!
*ROAAR*!
The lion howled in pain as both it and Rudra were sent tumbling to the ground!
The impact knocked the wind from Rudra's lungs, but he stubbornly refused to let go! The beast thrashed from underneath Rudra as its growls reached his ears!
His muscles burned as he used every single ounce of his strength to keep the beast pinned!
"Not so strong now, are you, Kitty cat?" Rudra snarled, his voice dripping with anger and satisfaction as he strained himself to keep the lion pinned down.
Almost as if the lion could tell that it was being mocked, it thrashed violently, throwing Rudra off of it!
Both scrambled to their feet as Rudra once again clutched his arm, the wound deeper than he had thought at first.
Rudra's vision blurred before he shook his head, forcing his focus back onto the fight.
He glared at the lion, completely tired and exhausted, "Let's end this shall we?"
The lion charged for the umpteenth time, however, Rudra didn't dodge this time! The lion was tired and injured, only being able to attack with one paw, meaning that its attack could only come from one place!
He shifted slightly to the right, hoping with his entire being that he was right.
And he was, as the lion's claws flashed next to Rudra's head but didn't touch him!
Rudra flexed his fingers inside his slightly worn gauntlets and in one smooth motion, dug his hand into the beast's chest while using the motions for {Twin Claws} in one final savage movement!
Rudra skewered the beast's heart with the first impact and the second impact severed the heart from the lion's body!
The lion went silent as it slumped on top of Rudra, who with great difficulty, shrugged the beast off.
The world seemed to still be in Rudra's perspective as he stood panting and staggering, victorious with the beast's heart in his bloodied hand!
He fell to his knee as the pain in his arm flared once again, however, Rudra welcomed the pain, as it meant that he was still alive.
It was proof of his victory, a scar to be proud of!
He stumbled back to his feet as he stared down at the lion's body. Feelings of pride and exhaustion washed over him as he began to understand the fact that he had actually won!
"I told you," he said quietly, almost to himself. "Weakness will not be tolerated."
He turned and cut the head of the lion off to take back as his trophy and proof of a successful hunt. Although he was staggering back, he had passed his test with flying colors!
He had also finished it first as Iris and Thor had yet to encounter a beast!
Grabbing the lion's bleeding head, Rudra began the long trek back to the waterfall, the lion's heart held alongside his trophy.
Each step was a reminder of his strength, his resilience. He had passed the test, not just by killing the beast, but by proving—to himself and anyone who dared doubt—that he was strong.
He had proved to himself that he was no longer the weak little boy he used to be, at the mercy of others!
As the forest faded behind him, a smirk played on his lips. The whispers of pain, exhaustion, and doubt had no hold on him now as he felt reborn. Only one thought remained, clear and unwavering:
"I am Rudra, and I do not yield."
*****
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