(A/N):
Drop a meme here that you find funny. Or reflects your mood.
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Hero Public Safety Commission...
Waiting Area...
Rudra sat quietly,
His gaze fixed on the empty air before him,
His expression unreadable.
He neither fidgeted nor shifted,
"____"
The calmness in his posture almost unnerving—
Like a mountain unmoved by storm or flame.
Besides him sat Surge Rider,
One of the rising stars in the hero world.
Though not as legendary as Star and Stripe,
Her name was spoken with admiration in cities across America.
Young, bold, and already decorated,
She had twice won the Sexy Hero Award,
Celebrated both for her power and her striking, tomboyish beauty.
Wherever she went, attention followed.
But here, before this man… nothing.
Rudra hadn't so much as spared her a glance.
Even through she was the one who tagged along due to curiosity.
No flicker of recognition, no spark of interest.
His silence wasn't dismissive—
No, that would have been easier to swallow.
Instead, it was as though she didn't exist at all,
His stillness denying her the validation she was used to.
Her pride as a young, celebrated hero stung.
For past 2 years,
People had cheered her name,
Reporters had chased her for interviews,
And even seasoned heroes had praised her talents.
'But this man… this enigmatic stranger… sat unmoved.'
And yet, beneath the irritation,
She felt something else stir within her.
"____"
Intrigue.
There was something magnetic about the way he carried himself—
Aloof, steady, detached from the world's noise.
The more he ignored her,
The more she found her curiosity gnawing at her pride.
It wasn't attraction in the usual sense,
But something subtler, more dangerous.
Perhaps it was a woman's curiosity,
Or perhaps the beginnings of something deeper.
For the first time in years,
Surge Rider felt a very different feeling which she had never experienced before.
The minutes ticked by in silence—
Rudra sitting still as stone while Surge Rider's restless energy simmered beside him.
Thud. Thud.
"____"
Then, the heavy click of polished shoes echoed down the corridor.
A man approached, his steps measured, his aura commanding.
He wore a black coat pressed sharp as a blade,
A pair of sunglasses hiding his eyes despite the indoor lights.
A silver ID card gleamed on his chest, the nameplate catching Rudra's attention as the man stopped in front of him.
"I am Kevin Darwin,"
The man said in a deep, composed voice, his posture straight as steel.
"I'll be overseeing your evaluation for Hero Certification."
Without another word,
Kevin gestured for Rudra to follow.
Surge Rider tilted her head curiously but didn't move from her seat—
Her eyes tracking Rudra as though she were watching a puzzle unfold piece by piece.
Rudra rose with calm precision,
His footsteps matching the older man's steady pace.
Kevin led him through a polished hallway,
The walls lined with framed photos of legendary heroes and their most iconic rescues.
Rudra's eyes brushed over them but revealed no awe,
No excitement—
Only a quiet, unreadable thoughtfulness.
"____"
Finally, they entered a large room.
Several pro heroes sat waiting in a semi-circle,
Their faces serious but assessing, eyes weighing Rudra the moment he stepped inside.
"____"
"____"
"____"
Each bore the hardened aura of battle-tested veterans.
The session began not with action, but with words.
They questioned him about his resolve.
They warned him of the burden.
They described—
Without hesitation—
The gruesome deaths of fallen heroes, the mental scars,
The thin line between justice and destruction.
One veteran leaned forward, his voice hard as stone.
"Being a pro hero isn't glory, kid. It's pain, sacrifice, and living with blood on your hands—even when you did the right thing. Do you still want this?"
Rudra listened, his expression calm, his eyes steady as if carved from granite.
"____"
He gave no sign of wavering.
Satisfied—
Or perhaps unsettled by his composure—
The council finally ended.
Kevin Darwin, watching every moment behind his shades, gave a small nod.
Nod~
"Very well,"
Kevin said, his tone shifting as he gestured towards another set of steel doors.
"Counseling is complete. Now comes the real trial—your Hero Qualification Test."
HISS~
The doors opened with a hiss of hydraulics, revealing a massive training arena beyond.
Far away from the testing arena,
HPSC Skyscraper...
Inside a towering skyscraper adorned with the insignia of the Hero Public Safety Commission,
An old man sat in his office.
The room was vast, lined with holographic screens and glowing data pads,
The faint hum of futuristic servers filling the silence.
At the center sat the Director of the Hero Public Safety Commission—
An elder in years,
Yet his body looked like it was sculpted from steel, broad shoulders and corded muscles visible even beneath his tailored cyberpunk-style suit.
His green hair, streaked with faint metallic strands, fell back in sharp waves,
And his beard was groomed into a precise, almost warrior-like cyberpunk design.
On one of the massive wall screens,
Rudra's interview and counseling session was being broadcast live.
Every word spoken, every twitch of movement was captured.
"____"
The Director leaned forward in his chair, eyes narrowing.
Frown~
His gaze was sharper than any blade,
Filled with a weight of authority that had broken countless young hopefuls before.
Normally, these applications—
Called Reactivation Protocols—
Were filed by retired heroes seeking to return to duty after a break,
Either from injury, trauma, or personal reasons.
It was a standard process, not unusual.
But this man,
Rudra Eswar, was not standard.
The Director tapped his fingers on the desk,
And streams of data scrolled across holographic panels.
His analysts had already run the checks.
His identity showed up as valid—
An Indian national, age and name matching.
Yet everything else…
Deleted.
Not hidden.
Not classified by a single government.
Deleted from every government system on Earth on tire dark gold.
That kind of power wasn't available to even the Commission.
Not even the UN Security Council could bury someone's record this completely.
His jaw tightened,
And for a moment his cyberpunk beard caught the neon glow of the holo-screens.
"Who are you, Rudra Eswar…?"
He muttered under his breath.
The Director leaned back in his chair, eyes never leaving the screen.
If this candidate truly had such backing,
He wasn't someone to be dismissed lightly.
But that was exactly why the Director made his decision.
He would watch every second of this test.
Every movement.
Every word.
Every slip of truth.
Because this man wasn't just mysterious.
If he was dangerous.
And if the Commission couldn't control him… they might have to destroy him.
Hero Public Safety Commission...
The chamber doors slid open with a sharp hiss, and Kevin Darwin's voice rang out.
"Candidate Rudra Eswar. Phase Two begins now."
Rudra stepped into a wide, reinforced training arena.
The walls were plated in obsidian-black alloy,
Faint runes of energy glowing across their surface.
A viewing gallery hung above,
Where several pro heroes and commission officials leaned forward in anticipation.
In the center of the arena stood three pro heroes—
All ranked under the 88th position.
They weren't top-tier,
But they weren't weaklings either.
Their faces were calm, seasoned by fieldwork.
One carried a massive steel hammer strapped across his back, muscles rippling as he cracked his neck.
"Ironjaw."
Another, thin and wiry, wore a sleek blue suit lined with energy coils, electricity flickering across his gloves.
"Voltline."
The third, a woman in crimson armor with clawed gauntlets, crouched low like a predator.
"Scarlet Fang."
Kevin's voice echoed through the speakers.
"First, combat evaluation. Candidate Rudra must incapacitate all three pro heroes within the time limit of five minutes. Following immediately, without pause, he will transition into a live rescue simulation. Minimum requirement: 80 rescues completed. Begin."
The buzzer screamed.
The three heroes moved instantly, teamwork fluid.
Voltline fired arcs of lightning,
Scarlet Fang dashed forward at blinding speed,
And Ironjaw slammed his hammer into the ground, sending a shockwave toward Rudra.
Boom!
"____"
But Rudra didn't flinch.
The Hope System chimed in his head.
[Ding...]
[Instinctive Combat Awareness Activated.]
[Adaptive Reflexes boosting reaction time.]
His body moved like water.
He slid under the crackling lightning, pivoted,
Viberates~
And raised a golden shield of Brahmastra energy just in time to absorb Ironjaw's shockwave.
Sparks showered the arena.
Scarlet Fang lunged—
Swish~
Claws aimed for his neck.
Rudra's hand flicked up,
Fingers glowing faintly with chakra flow.
In a single motion,
He caught her wrist, twisted,
"____"
And with a controlled strike, sent her skidding back across the floor,
Dazed but not broken.
The audience gasped.
Gasp~
"____"
"____"
"____"
Above, the Director narrowed his green eyes.
Frown~
This wasn't raw luck—
This was precision.
Voltline unleashed a barrage of lightning bolts, filling the air with crackling death.
Creak~ Crezk~
Rudra's Third Eye opened for a flash of a second—
His perception stretching beyond human limits.
He weaved between the bolts, closed the distance in a blur,
Thud.
And with one clean strike to Voltline's chest,
Sent him sprawling to the ground, electricity fizzling out.
Only Ironjaw remained.
"____"
AHHHH!!!
The man roared, muscles swelling as he lifted his hammer overhead for a decisive blow.
Rudra exhaled deeply, chakra energy flowing through his arm.
The two collided in the center—
BOOOOM!
Dust exploded.
WHOOSH~
Creeaaaak!!!
The floor cracked beneath them.
When the smoke cleared,
Ironjaw was on his knees, hammer trembling in his hands, his face dripping sweat.
Rudra stood tall, calm, his hand pressed lightly against Ironjaw's chest—
No strike delivered, but a silent message.
'I could end this anytime.'
The buzzer rang.
[Combat complete. Time: 2 minutes, 12 seconds.]
The gallery erupted in murmurs.
The pro heroes exchanged glances.
Surge Rider, still watching from the sidelines, blinked in disbelief.
"____"
But Rudra wasn't given a breath.
Kevin Darwin's voice immediately cut in:
"Candidate—proceed to rescue simulation. Begin now."
The gates groaned open and the artificial disaster zone stretched before Rudra—
An entire city block recreated within the commission's underground facility.
Buildings leaned precariously, roads were split open, fire and smoke filled the air.
Holographic civilians screamed and scrambled, though their fear was chillingly lifelike.
Sirens wailed, and digital debris rained from above.
The system chimed again.
[Mission Objective: Rescue 80 civilians within the time limit.]
The countdown clock appeared on the walls.
[30:00 minutes.]
The buzzer sounded.
BUZZ!!!
Rudra tightened his fists, muscles pulsing with newfound energy.
"Alright,"
He muttered under his breath, his tone calm and steady,
"time to move."
With a sudden burst of speed,
Rudra dashed into the chaos.
Debris Trap Zone...
Rudra sprinted down a smoke-filled alley,
His Adaptive Reflexes steering him around falling rubble.
He spotted a group of civilians pinned under collapsed concrete.
Without hesitation,
Rudra activated his Ravan Template: Architecture (Beginner).
In his mind, schematics appeared—
"____"
Stress points, load-bearing angles, structural weaknesses.
He pressed a glowing palm against a cracked beam and muttered.
"If I pull here, the whole structure collapses. But if I wedge support first…"
He grabbed a bent steel pipe from the ground,
Wedged it into place at the exact angle,
Then summoned his golden Brahmastra shield to act as reinforcement.
Buzz~
The beam lifted, civilians scrambled out, coughing but safe.
A cheer erupted from the observation deck.
The Director stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"He's not just brute force… he thinks like an engineer."
Firestorm Disaster Zone...
A building ahead blazed with fire, holographic screams echoing from within.
Rudra dashed inside, heat washing over him.
His Divine Body (10%) dulled the flames' bite,
But visibility was near zero.
Closing his eyes,
"____"
He tapped into Musician (Beginner), recalling rhythm and vibration.
He struck a loose pipe with his knuckle, sending out a steady metallic beat.
Ting~ Vinnnnng~
The echoes rebounded through the smoke, mapping the room like sonar.
"Three… no, four people, corner left."
He surged forward, pulled the trapped civilians free,
And wrapped them in his golden aura to shield them as he carried them out.
The gallery murmured again.
Surge Rider's lips parted slightly.
"He… used Viberation? I know this guy is not simple!"
The Collapsing Shaft Zone...
A subway tunnel simulation had partially caved in.
A small child hologram cried, trapped deep inside a narrow shaft too tight for Rudra's normal form.
His Hope system chimed.
[Ding...]
[Shapeshift (Beginner) available.]
[Warning: limited to one minute.]
Rudra clenched his jaw, then activated it.
Creak~ Creak~
"____"
His body compressed, bones softening, form shifting into a leaner, smaller version of himself.
With fluid, almost unnatural movements,
He slithered through the shaft, reached the child, and whispered.
"Don't worry. You're safe."
Grabbing the kid, he kicked backward.
Thud.
The timer in his head ticked down.
[00:59… 00:45… 00:30.]
At the last second,
He emerged, shifting back to his normal form, child safe in his arms.
The observers leaned forward, shocked.
"____"
"____"
"____"
"He could increase and decrease his shape…"
Murmured Kevin Darwin.
"Rare quirk. How many quirks this guy has."
Crowd Evacuation Zone...
The biggest challenge awaited—
A plaza filled with over forty civilians, surrounded by crumbling skyscrapers.
The system projected imminent collapse.
[Time to full structural failure: 2:30 minutes.]
Rudra's mind raced.
He had neither the time nor the strength to manually carry them all.
Instead, his Instinctive Combat Awareness and Calm Mind Lvl-6 synchronized,
Sharpening his voice with authority.
"Listen to me! Everyone form two lines—move towards the open street. Stay together, don't panic. You, grab that kid. You three—carry the injured man. NOW!"
The civilians obeyed instinctively,
Drawn to his calm yet commanding tone.
Rudra summoned the Brahmastra energy shield,
Expanding it into a massive golden dome overhead, bracing it against the skyscrapers' collapse.
Thud. Thud.
Concrete thundered down, sparks rained like hellfire—
But not a single pebble touched the civilians.
The last group fled into safety.
Rudra dropped the shield,
Sweat dripping from his brow.
"____"
He moved zone form zone rescuing public with a unwavering resolve.
The buzzer rang.
BUZZ!!!
[Simulation Complete.
Civilians Rescued: 92.]
The arena fell silent for a heartbeat—
"____"
Then erupted into applause.
Up in the gallery,
The Director leaned forward, his cyberpunk-styled beard twitching with a faint smirk.
Smirk~
"He didn't just pass. He set a standard."
Surge Rider clapped enthusiastically from the sidelines, eyes locked on Rudra.
Claps~
Curiosity had now fully transformed into fascination.
Rudra, meanwhile, exhaled slowly.
Sigh~
His system chimed one last time.
[Special Task Progress: Ravan Template Integration 15% → 18%.]
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(Author's POV)
(A/N):
Thanks for reading the chapter!
Please give a review!!! And power stone!!!
Which will motivate me more?