Azaire reacted on instinct immediately rolling quickly out of the way before his mind could even catch up to the situation. The one bonus to this particular enemy was that Rhinestone Rhinos were heavy and bulky so although it was an advanced beast it's current level was not enough to control its bulk with sufficient dexterity. It was still surprisingly fast but not in a way that was impossible for Azaire to dodge and twist around.
It was not something that could be repeated indefinitely however. He would run out of stamina far before the rhino did and the smallest mistake on his part would mean his life. Azaire could barely even keep the mysticism of the Ki tome in the background of his mind as he focused with all he had. The rhinos charge took it a little further before it could stop itself and turn around. These precious moments just what Azaire would need, some "breathing room" for himself, while he faced off against the beast.
Earthly power seemed to radiate from the beasts body before it stomped the ground causing a quake on the ground to come rushing towards Azaire, forcing Azaire to roll away again and Azaire noticed with his senses sharpened from the adrenaline pumping through him the rhino was taking the opening from its dodge to charge him again and in a near panic Azaire added speed to his tumble using his current momentum and kept rolling to dodge the second charge. He only managed it by a breath paying for his mistake with a long thin scratch across his left side leaving blood leaking faintly from it.
'Damn how is it this smart at just the Advanced level!'
Most normal beasts couldn't use tactics and strategy till at least the mid-to-late Master level and more normally at the champion level. Azaire couldn't have guessed the small intelligence boost was actually the work of his beloved master!
Meanwhile Jared was struggling under master Talya's supreme gravity field hardly able to move himself. Indignant he immediately tried to release his true cultivation level and his body began to grow as he started to get closer to his actual height as a giant, consequences be damned! But master Talya was not that nice to let him have his way.
'It would be to bothersome to try and contain him at full height.'
He may not be her match strength wise but trapping a full height giant under gravity wouldn't be easy and she already had to make sure she focused on her apprentice to be able to pull him out at the last second. Luckily the fairy has more common sense but if it starts to look like I can't control the situation I'm sure she'll make her move against me without hesitation!
Indeed Titania stood silently in the field generated around her waiting patiently. Not only had she seen such awakening strategies before but she had invoked similar tests before. She knew more than enough how to keep her troops alive through the ordeal and she also knew what to look for in case things got out of hand. She was the acting fairy king after all! Who could keep her imprisoned if she really wanted out and she had no intention of letting Azaire die. As Jared got to twelve feet he suddenly felt a weight on his forehead and he immediately returned to his seven foot height and the gravity even seemed to hold him tighter as he noticed a slip of paper before his eyes that was clearly stuck to the middle of his forehead.
'This is....' Jared was astonished this was a specific type of talisman made to suppress junior giants cultivation and height.
'She came prepared for me?' But of course master Talya would ensure she had whatever necessary to control a situation before it occurred. With her level of life experience how could she not come prepared.
The exchange while seeming to take an eternity only lasted a few moments as master Talya quickly returned the bit of focus she expended on the giant back to her apprentice.
During the time of the exchange Azaire had to dodge three more charges and another two quake steps, which was what the earth attack from earlier was called. Azaire panted in semi exhaustion and frustration with sweat beading his face and a slight shake to his body. He couldn't handle much more of this but he refused to admit defeat. Wasn't this a test of the durability of his body and bones? Then how could he think to succeed until he put his body on the line as well!
Azaire thought he'd finally found the answer to this situation and he was willing to put his body and his life on the line to prove it. Squaring off a change came from Azaire and the next time the rhino charged he didn't run away! Instead he rushed right to the rhino head on jumping up to land a punch at the last minute and the moment he soared into the air there was a resonance in Azaire's heart like a ripple and the ripple spread through his body almost immediately.
With that small ripple everything changed as Azaire traded a surprisingly firm punch to the rhino's softened head with the cold bloody piercing of the rhinos horn in his abdomen but only the tip of the horn could pierce before Azaire pushed away. It had happened so fast and suddenly and no one had expected Azaire to actually charge the rhino! No one, not even master Talya could stop it in time as the gravity holding Jared completely disappeared and the rhino fell dumb to the ground a moment too late after Talya had tried to stop it's last charge.
A grieving master, frantic fairy king, and a hysterical suddenly 22 foot giant was at Azaire's side instantly but the site that greeted them left all three in shock. Standing there seemingly confused by the sudden interruption of his fight was an adrenaline filled Azaire with strange midnight colored fur speckled with silver dots on his arms and legs and a canine set of fangs for teeth with the small hole in his chest already filling up and mending itself in self repair.
"Isn't this the legendary Legacy of the Wolves? How did he awaken such an amazing Ki on his first try!" That came from Titania who was the first to speak after the shock filled silence. Shaking the cogs from his head Jared suddenly shrunk once again back to his seven foot frame and rushed to Azaire hugging him tightly as if afraid he'd fall apart if he didn't hold him tight enough.
"Don't you ever scare me like that again!" Jared gave Azaire a firm look tinged with slight accusation. Azaire looked at the giant incredulously.
'What did I do! When did I worry you exactly?'
He felt he was being blamed unfairly why was he being bullied so soon after that horrible fight! Azaire looked towards his master who wore a weird mixture of relief, fury, guilt, and worry as she looked him over. Eventually fury won out.
"How could ya be so foolish! Your assignment was ta survive, nawt run up and deliver yer life on a platter! Stubborn chile' you woulda had plenty of opportunity in the future to 'waken Ki! How could ya risk yer life like that? You realize if you hadn't 'wakened such a powerful Ki at the end I'd have to bury us both when ya mamma found out!"
At the end of the rant Azaire's cheek was covered in red from embarrassment but he made no attempt to apologize or no indication that he regretted his actions. "To practice cultivation is to go against the heavens master. If it was safe or easy it wouldn't make sense or be worth it. How could I not be willing to put my life on the line? Wouldn't I be a failure before I started then?"
Master Talya was speechless as she could not refute this same as the others but she really didn't want to hear his reasonable response. Meanwhile Jared and Titania after ensuring Azaire was safe and well turned on master Talya prepared to let her have it but Azaire quickly placed a hand on both their arms stopping the argument before it started.
"That goes for you two as well. It was necessary to face that danger to grow and I wouldn't have it any other way! I don't want to hear any complaints after all I'm no longer a child. I can take care of myself!"
With the stern reminder Azaire and the others set up camp again. Everyone needed a break after all the excitement and stress of the first test. Taking the chance to cool down in their corners it wasn't long before Roran woke up after all the action concluded and had to get a second hand account of what happened from Titania.
Being forced to settle his emotions added to the irritation of being so easily put out of commission Roran stayed with Titania to cool off, and Jared eventually snuck over to Azaire and managed to convince the man who had gotten used to being held by the giant to cuddle some more while they waited. Master Talya had disappeared to blow off steam and it could be counted as lucky none of them had to witness the terrifying scene of Talya the Beastmaster letting off steam....