After Rudra stepped into the red circle, the Chief Instructor pressed the button to start the machine.
"Start!" he called out as he pressed the red button.
Du~~ Du~~!
The massive barrel of the Neural Reaction Speed Test machine began to rotate. Dozens of small openings along its surface instantly lit up, emitting beams of red light. The beams varied in speed and direction, flying chaotically toward the red circle—completely unpredictable.
To everyone's surprise, Rudra closed his eyes.
Gasps echoed across the room. Everyone watching was stunned. To dodge these beams, you had to see them. What was he thinking?
"Heh, I knew it. He doesn't excel at Neural Reaction Speed," one martial artist sneered. "Just look, he's already giv—"
But before he could finish, his words caught in his throat. His eyes widened.
Rudra, eyes still closed, was moving effortlessly—dodging every single beam. It was as if he knew exactly where they would hit.
Mouths dropped open in disbelief. No one could believe what they were seeing. Even the Chief Instructor stood frozen in shock.
This continued for a full 30 seconds. Then, the machine suddenly accelerated. The speed of the beams increased dramatically.
Rudra opened his eyes.
They were sharp—like an eagle's—scanning the room with terrifying precision. He lowered his stance and began dodging with the fluidity of a wildcat. His movements were agile, precise, and calculated.
But as the pressure ramped up, even he couldn't avoid them all. In the final 20 seconds, a few beams managed to hit him.
Soon, the timer hit zero.
Wu~~
With a press of the button, Chief Instructor Peter Jons halted the machine. The barrel gradually slowed down before coming to a stop. A moment later, the central display lit up, revealing a stream of data.
"Duration: 60 seconds. Hits taken: 17. Red beams avoided completely—not a single one touched."
Peter Jons stared at the screen for a moment, then burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! Excellent! Absolutely excellent!" he exclaimed, his voice booming through the hall.
As soon as the test ended, Rudra stepped out of the testing room. Hearing the Chief Instructor's booming laughter, a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Good, good. Rudra, you're truly exceptional." Chief Instructor Peter Jons walked toward him with long strides, a wide grin on his face. "I never expected that one day our country would produce a genius like you. Truly, this is a blessing from the heavens."
He clapped Rudra on the shoulder, his pride evident. The instructor was clearly elated.
The other martial artists were still in shock. They exchanged stunned glances, unable to believe what they had just witnessed. Even more so after seeing the Chief Instructor—usually so composed—acting so openly proud.
Rudra understood why the Chief Instructor was so happy.
For many years, India hadn't produced a young prodigy who could rival the talents emerging from other countries. Among the five global powerhouses, India currently ranked the weakest in terms of overall strength.
"Hah…"
Taking a deep breath, Peter Jons composed himself. As he looked at Rudra and Lily, a proud smile still lingered on his face.
"You two performed exceptionally well today," he said warmly. "In the past several decades, no one has achieved such high scores in the Quasi-Warrior Exam. Congratulations to both of you."
"Thank you, Chief Instructor," they replied in unison, bowing slightly in respect.
"It's alright," the Chief Instructor said with a nod, acknowledging their respect. "Also, your official documentation will be ready soon. Once it's uploaded, your status as Quasi-Warriors will be formally recognized."
He spoke with a tone of finality, signalling the end of the assessment and the beginning of a new chapter in their journey.
Note: - This chapter was too short. I'm sorry about this. But, I have no choice. Because, tommorow my family organizing a Puja. And I have to do various task realted to it.
Also, with this chapter, i finally cross the threshold for enteringin the power ranking. So I hope you all will support me with vote.