As soon as Rudra spotted Sohajan chanting a spell he figured out that Sohajan was about to use a technique. Rudra knew that he had to counter with a powerful move, he did not dare to underestimate Sohajan and his combat technique.
Rudra too began to Recite a mantra as he prepared his black line punch! After a few moments, an incredible energy that was his kundalini surged out of his body, and engulfed his whole hand, which had now clenched into a fist.
Rudra shifted his gaze towards Sohajan to see that he was already prepared with his next move. Here Rudra too was prepared with his Black line punch, a low-level type 3 technique. Both of their eyes were locked in determination to win.
Both of them sprang towards each other with their fist lifted above in the air, ready to land on their opponent at any moment. As soon as Sohajan launched out his fist, Rudra did the same. Both of their fists travelled through the air to encounter each other.
Both of their fists collided, releasing a powerful wave of energy. But it didn't much of effect on either of them except for making them stagger a few steps back. However, Sohajan's fist attack was a bit powerful, it completely paralyzed his arm for a few seconds. Rudra flicked his arm. Both of them again dashed forward and released a series of rapid strikes on each other.
Rudra was defending all the strikes from Sohajan or deflecting them, with his own counters. He knew that if he gets hit with Sohajan's fist technique that he used recently then it will be quite tough for him to stay within that arena. Therefore he somehow had to avoid that strike, whenever it was delivered by Sohajan.
At last, after exchanging those strikes, Rudra performed a swift side-kick, hitting Sohajan's leg. Causing Sohajan to be imbalanced.
In that split second while Sohajan tried to balance himself. Rudra chanted a mantra and formed hand mudras. His kundalini circulated at it fullest and his hand was filled with a surging power.
As soon as Sohajan realized what had happened, he began to prepare his defense. He was ready to block the first technique initiated by Rudra. Because, he knew Rudra's punch could push him out of the arena. But till then it was a little late, Rudra's punch had already approached Sohajan very closely.
That punch landed on Sohajan's chest. The blow was very powerful, the punch caused Sohajan to lose his balance and was thrown back. Sohajan flew back a few meters in the arena, and crashed down on the floor, falling right next to the edge of the arena.
If he hadn't fallen there or had gone any further, then he would have lost the battle. He was saved by just a brink. But until Sohajan could get up Rudra taking the time walked to him. Sohajan crawled and got himself up on his legs.
Till then, Rudra also approached him and instead of launching an attack, he calmly kept his hands on Sohajan's shoulder.
"You better accept your defeat, or I will just have to give you a slight push.", Rudra said as he indicated towards the edge of the floor, where Sohajan's feet were.
Sohajan looked at his place and his feet, he then looked above, staring into Rudra's eyes with quiet determination he said, "Fine, you win, but next time I will ensure not to let you have the same ending."
"Ha Ha Ha, we will see about that.", Rudra laughed.
"So, the winner of the battle is, Rudra!", the guardian said as he raised up Rudra's hand.
For a few moments, the whole field was silent as they were processing the result of that intense battle. But suddenly some one began clapping. It was Jahnvi and Vedna, a few more claps echoed, including Anya and Kavya. Then the whole field erupted into cheers.
Unfortunately both the brother and sister lost to the other brother and sister. Thus the rivalry will continue. Here, Vihaan had a huge smile on his face as he was impressed by his grandson's performance.
After that even though the final hours of the tournament were going on but no one of the clan members challenged Rudra. It seemed as if people were scared to fight him. After a few more battles, the sun was about to set down and the tournament had ended.
And now the top ten warriors of the young generation of the Skambha clan would be announced.
"Here by, through the judgment of our dear leader and elders, the top ten warriors of the young generation shall be announced.
At first Mayra
Second Sohika
Third Rudra
Forth Sohajan
Fifth Vedna….", Rudra was granted the third position among the top ten, the top ten got special admiration from the leader, whereas others were motivated to work harder.
Whereas Sourav had wry expression on his face. Due to Rudra's performance he was pushed back to the top 7th.
It was already evening and all the members were having rest in their rooms due to the tiredness of the clan tournament. But amidst if this at the western gate of the city stood a horse with golden hairs and a few carts filled with some metallic crates.
Near that golden horse was an old man, his granddaughters, grandson and the elders of the clan and a few clan members who would drive those carts.
"Grandpa! Why do you need to go!", asked kavya, and Anya nodded as she too was curios about this.
"I have left some necessary works incomplete, if the deal is done, our clan will have huge benefit!", Vihaan explained.
"What are those necessary works, we know you like to roam around the land!", Mayra complained.
"Yes, grandpa, what are those necessary works?", Rudra asked.
"I can't tell, but its for the greater good of the clan.", Vihaan said as he hugged all four of them and then sat on his horse.
Vihaan jumped on the horse, he instructed the drivers of those carts, and then the drivers drive those carts ahead while Vihaan at their back with his horse. Very soon running towards the horizon all of them disappeared.
One hour later….
It was nighttime already, and Rudra was calmly sitting cross-legged on the ground, meditating to increase his practice and concentration. In today's battle he experienced a lot of close calls, only if he wasn't lucky he would be eliminated very earlier. He also had to increase his control over his kundalini to perform his techniques more better.
After meditating for three hours, Rudra slowly opened his eyes. He sighed as he looked out of the window to find it was already midnight and the moon shone in the night sky as a gem. Rudra walked towards the window and took a peak of the surroundings.
Rudra decided to wait there for a few moments and take the cold natural air. After a few minutes when Rudra was about to turn back and go to his meditation again, avoiding those thoughts, he spotted a black figure from the corner of his eyes.
But until he turned back to take a proper glance, the shadow hid itself behind an object. Whoever owned that shadow seemed to sneak inside the clan mansion. With just one glimpse of its moves, Rudra had estimated that the shadow was excellent in assassination and stealthy skills.
With most of the chances, it could be an assassin sent by someone with enmity towards the clan. But Rudra's eyes were left open when he saw that the Black figure, jumping through shadows, was moving towards a specific part of the Mansion.
Slowly changing its course, the shadow began to move towards Rudra's room. Rudra here tried to sense the approximate power level of that figure.
'so, he is on the practitioner level: fourth stage. Why would anyone send a warrior of practitioner level within our clan? For what purpose?', but Rudra right now didn't have much time to think about it, as the shadow neared his room.
Rudra with a plan to check on the purpose of that shadow, went into hiding. Soon, a shadow jumped inside the room through the other window. The shadow was covered in black clothes to blend itself in the darkness of the night easily.
That shadow swept its gaze across the room in order to check all the things in that room. Slowly, that guy with quiet steps headed towards the single-person bed in the corner of that room. But still, his quiet steps on the floor made a little tapping sound of his boots. He even hit a nearby table while walking. Eventually, the shadow approached the bed and unknowing of the situation removed its mask.
"Huh, finally, I am going to complete my first and hardest mission till now. Fortunately, gods are on my side.", it was a guy who seemed nearly twenty.
That guy had mixed emotions of happiness, excitement, and fear on his face. Obviously, he still feared that if something went wrong at the last moment. But he avoided all those thoughts and shifted his vision to a bed in the corner of the room.
Upon which a boy, slept peacefully hidden under a blanket. The guy takes out a glass flask filled with a weird kind of liquid. It seemed some sort of potion The guy then took out a piece of cloth and poured all the elixir over it. After rubbing all the elixir and spreading it across the cloth properly, the guy with a thought to check, lets the weird fragrance let out by that cloth in his nose. That weird fragrance was actually being released by the elixir on the cloth.
A small bit of its essence, as it made its way through that guy's nose, in a few seconds it began showing its effect, making him feel dizzy. Immediately he pulled the cloth away from him. Slowly the guy removed the blanket, and put that cloth on the face of the person asleep on that bed. But later he realized that there was no one on the bed.
The only things on the bed were the pillows, wearing Rudra's clothes, disguising them as Rudra. They were hidden under the blanket quite nicely. The guy was shocked to know that he was tricked.
'Now, where could that boy Rudra be? My actual mission is to capture him alive. But where did he disappear, at the last moment…', the guy with a realization thought, 'This is my bad fortune, the gods are not on my side, where could that fellow be.'
That guy gritted his teeth as he thought about it. Soon, a hand emerged from the dark and tapped on his shoulder, calling him from behind.