A giant among men

Chapter 5: A Giant Among Men

The decision to join the Punjab Police was not one I took lightly. In this life, Dalip Singh Rana had come from nothing—one of seven siblings, born into poverty, struggling just to survive. But the man I had become was no longer bound by the limitations of the past.

I had power. Strength beyond imagination.

And I would use it.

The Road to Selection

Joining the Punjab Police wasn't as simple as signing a form. It required passing one of the most grueling selection processes in India—physical tests, endurance challenges, and rigorous training. Thousands applied, but only the strongest, the fittest, and the most disciplined made the cut.

For an ordinary man, it would be a brutal test of will.

For me?

It was an opportunity to see just how far my enhanced body could go.

I arrived at the police recruitment camp just before dawn. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth, the sounds of men stretching, breathing heavily, mentally preparing themselves for the ordeal ahead. I stood among them, towering over the tallest recruits by nearly a foot. Some stared in open disbelief.

"You sure you're in the right place?" a wiry man beside me muttered. "They're testing for police, not elephants."

I glanced down at him, offering a small smile. "We'll see who gets through."

The first test was a 1600-meter (one-mile) run. I lined up with the others, my heart steady. The signal sounded, and we took off.

At first, I held back, pacing myself, blending in. But after the first lap, something inside me pushed forward. The serum had enhanced every aspect of me—not just my strength, but my endurance. My lungs expanded like a bellows, my legs moved with a power that felt limitless.

I overtook one recruit. Then another. And another.

By the final stretch, I wasn't just leading. I was dominating.

When I crossed the finish line, I turned back to see the others still sprinting, their faces drenched in sweat, their bodies straining for breath. I wasn't even winded.

The murmurs started again.

"Who is this guy?"

"That speed… at his size?"

"This is insane."

The other tests followed. Push-ups. Sit-ups. Rope climbing. An obstacle course designed to break men down. But with every challenge, I felt my body thriving. While others collapsed from exhaustion, I felt like I could keep going forever.

By the end of the day, I was standing at the front of the recruit lineup. The selection officers whispered among themselves.

One of them, an older man with a thick mustache and a sharp gaze, stepped forward.

"What's your name, recruit?"

I straightened my posture. "Dalip Singh Rana, sir."

He studied me for a moment, then nodded. "Welcome to the Punjab Police."

The Making of a Titan

Police training was no joke. The academy drilled discipline into recruits like a blacksmith hammering steel. Combat training, firearms, riot control, and endurance drills that tested every fiber of a man's being.

But for me, it was something else entirely.

Every day, I pushed harder than anyone else. I ran faster, lifted heavier, fought longer. At night, while others collapsed into bed, I snuck out to train alone—punching trees until the bark split, running through the dark fields, testing the limits of my body.

And the limits kept expanding.

I learned to control my strength, pulling my punches so I wouldn't accidentally break a man's ribs. I practiced wrestling maneuvers from the akhara, adapting them to police combat. My instructors took notice.

Within months, I was the undisputed strongest recruit in the academy.

One day, during hand-to-hand combat training, I was paired against a senior officer—a veteran known for breaking recruits. He was tough, skilled, and fast.

But not faster than me.

The moment he lunged, I sidestepped effortlessly, grabbed his arm, and threw him over my shoulder like a ragdoll. He hit the ground hard, gasping in shock.

Silence fell over the recruits.

Then, the instructor chuckled. "Looks like we've got a real monster here."

The Shadows of Power

With my rise in the Punjab Police came attention—both good and bad. My superiors took notice of my strength, my endurance, my seemingly inhuman abilities. Some admired it. Others feared it.

One evening, as I was finishing my training, a senior officer named Inspector Suraj Mal called me into his office.

He was a seasoned man, his face hardened by years of dealing with criminals, his eyes sharp like a hawk's.

"You're not normal, Dalip," he said, offering me a cup of tea. "Men don't move like you. Don't fight like you. Where does your strength come from?"

I met his gaze, keeping my expression neutral. "Hard work, sir."

He smirked, as if he didn't believe me. But he didn't push further. Instead, he leaned forward.

"There are men in this world," he said, "who would do anything to have the power you have. Politicians. Crime lords. Foreign interests." He sipped his tea. "Be careful who you trust."

I nodded, understanding his warning.

Power attracts attention.

And attention brings danger.

A New Path Unfolds

Over the next year, I became a respected name in the Punjab Police. I led raids against criminal gangs, broke up riots with nothing but my towering presence, and earned the nickname "The Mountain in Uniform."

But even as I rose through the ranks, I knew this wasn't my final destination.

The world was bigger than Punjab.

Bigger than India.

And I needed to find a stage worthy of my power.

One evening, while patrolling the city, I saw a poster—a wrestling tournament in Delhi. The winner would get a chance to train with international wrestling coaches.

A chance to leave India.

A chance to step onto the world stage.

I tore the poster down, my heart pounding.

This was it.

My true path was calling.

And I would answer.

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End of Chapter 5