Chapter 3: Trials and Determination
The morning sun shone brightly as Rehan hurried through the streets. Today was important—his final exams were scheduled, and he couldn't afford to be late. However, trouble was waiting for him.
As he took a shortcut through a narrow alley, a group of thugs blocked his path. Their leader smirked, cracking his knuckles.
"Rudra sends his regards," the thug sneered. "You're not making it to school today."
Rehan clenched his fists. He had no time for this.
The fight was swift and brutal. Rehan ducked under the first swing, delivering a counterpunch to the attacker's gut. Another came at him with a wooden bat, but Rehan dodged and struck his opponent's leg, sending him crashing down. Within moments, the alley was littered with groaning bodies.
But despite his victory, he was already late.
Just as Rehan sprinted towards the school, a motorbike screeched to a halt beside him.
"Hop on!" It was John, the Level 4 warrior who had been watching him before. Without hesitation, Rehan jumped onto the bike, and they sped off towards the school.
Despite John's efforts, by the time Rehan reached the school gates, the exam had already begun. The invigilators refused to let him in. His heart sank. All his hard work felt wasted.
John placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "Don't let this bring you down. In three days, the Warrior Exam is happening. You can prove yourself there."
Rehan's eyes lit up. The Warrior Exam was his chance. Determined, he spent the next three days training harder than ever, refining his combat skills and pushing his limits.
He woke up before dawn, practicing his strikes against a makeshift training dummy in his backyard. Every blow carried his frustration, every dodge honed his instincts. His body ached, but he kept pushing. The knowledge that failure would mean wasting his talent kept him going.
Finally, the day arrived. John picked him up early, and together they arrived at the massive training facility where the exam was held. Hundreds of young aspirants were gathered, all eager to prove their strength. Some were from wealthy families, donned in high-end combat suits, their confidence apparent. Others, like Rehan, had come from humble backgrounds, their determination their only armor.
The first stage of the exam was a virtual reality battle simulation. Participants were fitted with neural links and transported into a digital battlefield. The objective was simple: survive and defeat the virtual monsters.
As the test began, Rehan found himself in a vast digital arena. The ground trembled as monstrous figures materialized—Level 1 beasts with razor-sharp claws and glowing red eyes.
A grin spread across Rehan's face.
"Let's see what I can do."
The first monster lunged at him, its massive claws swiping toward his chest. Rehan reacted instinctively, rolling to the side before countering with a fierce punch to its gut. Though the attack landed, the beast barely flinched. Its hide was tough.
Rehan frowned. This wasn't going to be easy.
Another beast charged at him from behind. He ducked at the last second, allowing the monster to stumble past before delivering a powerful kick to its hind leg. The creature howled as it collapsed, but Rehan had no time to celebrate. More monsters were closing in, their glowing eyes filled with killing intent.
The other participants weren't faring much better. Screams echoed through the battlefield as some of the weaker candidates were quickly overwhelmed. Those who failed to hold their ground were instantly ejected from the virtual simulation, their scores plummeting to zero.
Rehan gritted his teeth. He wouldn't go down so easily.
He focused, analyzing the monsters' movements. They were aggressive but predictable. With precise timing, he sidestepped another claw attack and delivered a devastating uppercut to the monster's chin, sending it sprawling backward. He grabbed a fallen blade from a defeated candidate and spun it in his hands.
"Time to even the odds."
With a weapon in hand, Rehan's movements became sharper. He sliced through the beasts with calculated precision, his strikes landing with deadly efficiency. The once-overwhelming horde started to dwindle as he adapted to their attack patterns.
John, watching from the observation deck, nodded approvingly. "His instincts are remarkable. His raw power may not be high yet, but his battle sense is extraordinary."
The test continued, with fewer and fewer candidates remaining. Rehan's arms ached, his breathing was ragged, but he refused to stop. He was one of the last ten still standing when the timer finally ran out.
As the simulation faded, the remaining participants found themselves back in the real world. The examiners recorded their scores, murmuring among themselves.
Rehan wiped the sweat from his brow, his heart still pounding from the battle. He had made it past the first stage, but he knew the real challenges were still ahead.