Episode 3: The Trial
Aarav's pulse pounded in his ears. His breath came in ragged bursts.
The Void Hound moved.
It wasn't a simple dash. It was a distortion of space. One moment, the beast was twenty feet away—the next, its fangs were inches from Aarav's throat.
MOVE.
His instincts screamed. His body reacted before his mind could catch up.
Aarav dove sideways, rolling across the cold metallic floor. The beast's claws shredded the air where he stood a split-second ago. The sheer force of its movement sent a shockwave through the arena.
He scrambled to his feet, heart hammering.
This isn't like the goblins. This thing is faster. Stronger. And I don't have a weapon.
The Void Hound turned, its ember-like eyes glowing with predatory intelligence. It wasn't rushing this. It was playing with its food.
Aarav's fists clenched. He wasn't going to die here.
"Use it."
The voice in his head. That same haunting whisper from before.
Aarav gritted his teeth. That "power" inside him… was it real?
The Hound lunged again.
Aarav had seconds. He reached inside himself—
And his body ignited.
Not in flames. Not in light.
But in sheer, raw energy.
The moment Aarav tapped into it, the world around him slowed.
Every movement became crystal clear. The shift of the Hound's muscles. The tightening of its hind legs. The micro-adjustments in its claws.
For the first time, he could see everything.
*Balance.*
Aarav moved.
Not just dodging—countering.
His foot slammed into the ground with perfect force. His body twisted, shifting at the exact right angle—not wasting a single ounce of energy.
And as the Void Hound's fangs came for him—
Aarav's fist lashed out.
A simple punch. No magic. No weapons.
Yet—
BOOM.
The Void Hound was sent flying.
Aarav landed, his breath heavy. His knuckles burned. But his body felt alive.
*This power…
It's real.*
From the shadows above the arena, Division 404 watched in stunned silence.
One of them—a lean man with cybernetic arms—whistled. "Damn. The kid's got something."
Another scoffed. "Beginner's luck."
The scarred man from earlier grinned. "Nah. That ain't luck. That's instinct."
Raghav, still standing with hands in his pockets, didn't react. But his golden eyes gleamed.
*He's starting to wake up.*
The Void Hound wasn't dead.
But it wasn't the predator anymore.
Aarav could see it in its eyes. Hesitation. The beast had never felt fear before.
But now?
Now it was staring at something it didn't understand.
Aarav stepped forward. He didn't know what this power was.
But he was going to use it.
He surged forward—faster than before.
The Hound reacted, swiping with razor-sharp claws.
Aarav dodged. Perfectly.
His movements were effortless. Precise. Like his body knew exactly how to move before he even thought about it.
Then—he struck.
A single blow to the beast's skull.
CRACK.
The Void Hound collapsed. Its massive body twitched. Then it stopped moving.
Silence.
Then—
A voice echoed through the arena.
"TRIAL COMPLETE."
The shadows above shifted as the watching members of Division 404 murmured among themselves.
Aarav stood, chest rising and falling, staring down at the beast he just killed.
He had never beaten something like this before. Never felt power like this.
His fingers curled into a fist.
He wanted more.
---
As soon as the arena doors opened, Aarav was met with mocking applause.
"Well, well. Look at that."
A woman with violet cybernetic eyes smirked at him. "Our new recruit actually has some fight in him."
Another member—a towering brute with metal-plated arms—grinned. "Not bad, kid. But let's be real… you just got lucky."
Aarav clenched his jaw. He wasn't just lucky.
Before he could respond—
Raghav spoke.
"Enough."
The room fell silent.
Raghav stepped forward, his golden gaze locking onto Aarav.
"Your real test starts now."
Aarav blinked. "What?"
Raghav smiled—but it wasn't a kind smile.
"Welcome to Division 404, recruit."
He turned away. "Training begins at dawn. Try not to die."
Aarav swallowed hard.
Something told him...
This was just the beginning.
---
TO BE CONTINUED...