Name: Rudra
Race: Human
Class: ✦ Death Bringer ✦
Title:
Apex Predator
Strongest Creature
God's biggest mistake
Walking Calamity so on, other titles are far too much for this world to handle]
Level: Cannot be determined
Overall Rank: SSS+(Walking Nuke)
The heavy gates shut behind Rudra with a final, dull boom. The world he stepped into was not the quiet village he expected. It was a scene from a nightmare.
The air was thick with the smell of smoke and something worse—the coppery tang of blood. The first thing he saw was fire. The villagers' homes, once cozy with thatched roofs and wooden walls, were now shattered and burning.
Flames licked at the blackened skeletons of houses, sending sparks dancing into the smoky sky. The village well was smashed, its stone circle broken. Carts were overturned, their contents—grain, vegetables, simple belongings—scattered and trampled into the mud.
Beyond the houses, the fields were ruined. The neat rows of crops were torn up, the earth churned into a muddy mess by heavy, clawed feet. Nothing green remained.
And then he saw the people. Some lay still on the ground, their forms broken and unmoving. Others huddled in the ruins, their faces blank with a terror so deep it had stolen their voices.
Their quiet sobs and whimpers were a sad melody under the crackle of the fires and the guttural roars of the monsters.
The creatures were horrors from a dark fantasy. Hulking, wolf-like beasts with spines of jagged bone running down their backs snarled as they ripped at the wooden walls of a house with claws like sickles.
Smaller, gremlin-like creatures with glowing red eyes scurried, setting new fires with torches they carried. They moved with a cruel, joyful energy, dedicated only to total destruction.
Rudra's eyes, cold and focused, scanned the chaos. Then he saw it.
A young boy, no more than ten, stumbled out from behind a burning cart. His face was streaked with tears and soot, his eyes wide with pure, animal fear.
He tried to run, his little legs pumping desperately across the torn-up ground. But his foot caught on a broken plank, and he fell hard, crying out as he hit the dirt.
One of the wolf-beasts turned its massive head. A low, hungry growl rumbled in its chest. It lowered its head, drool dripping from its fanged jaws, and began to stalk towards the fallen child. The boy scrambled backward, his hands digging into the mud, a helpless whimper escaping his lips. He was trapped.
Rudra didn't run. He didn't shout. He simply raised a hand.
Thwip. Thwip. Thwip-thwip-thwip!
From the sky above, a rain of arrows fell. They were not normal arrows; they glowed with a faint, pure white light. They struck with impossible accuracy, each one finding its mark. The wolf-beast about to pounce on the boy took three arrows to its neck and collapsed with a choked yelp.
The gremlins setting fires were pinned to the ground. The other monsters in the immediate area were cut down in a single, swift volley, their roars silenced instantly.
A profound silence fell over that part of the village.
Then, a soft light began to emanate from behind the boy. Rudra walked forward. An aura of power, visible like a shimmering heat haze, rolled off him. He didn't seem to just walk; he seemed to calm the very air around him.
The chaotic fires near him dimmed slightly, and the smoke seemed to part in reverence. He was a figure of impossible calm in the heart of the storm.
He stopped beside the trembling boy. He didn't look at the dead monsters; his gaze was on the villagers who were now staring, their hopelessness replaced by stunned awe.
The boy looked up, his small body shaking. A man, brave with desperation, stepped forward, his voice a rough whisper. "Who... who are you?"
Rudra looked at them, his expression serene yet filled with an unshakable authority. His voice, when he spoke, was clear and rang with a truth that settled deep in their bones.
"I am your saviour," he said, his words simple and direct.
He paused, letting the promise hang in the air, a lifeline thrown to drowning souls. He stretched a hand out, not in a threat, but as a benediction towards the ruined village, towards their broken lives.
"And I am here to bring you salvation."
The people stared, tears of a new emotion—not fear, but a fragile, blazing hope—beginning to trace clean lines through the grime on their faces.
The silence after the rain of arrows was broken by a single, shaky voice.
"Th-thank you..."
It was an old woman, emerging from a collapsed hut. Her words were like a signal. Slowly, cautiously, the surviving villagers began to creep out from their hiding places.
They moved towards Rudra, forming a hesitant circle around him. Their eyes were wide, filled with a mixture of awe, fear, and desperate hope.
"Thank you for saving us," a man whispered, bowing his head.
"You killed them... just like that..." another murmured, staring at the dead monsters.
But not all looks were grateful. A group of men, those who had tried to fight with farming tools, stood a little apart. Their faces were marked with suspicion. They knew such power was not normal. It was terrifying.
Suddenly, a woman broke through the crowd. Her clothes were torn and her face was pale with fear. "Liam!" she cried, her eyes locking onto the little boy.
The boy, Liam, sobbed and ran into her open arms. She held him tightly, crushing him to her chest as if afraid he would be snatched away again. Then, her eyes, overflowing with tears, found Rudra.
Still holding her son, she stumbled forward and dropped to her knees in the mud before him. Before anyone could react, she bowed her head deeply, pressing her forehead against the dirty toes of his boots in a gesture of ultimate gratitude and submission, not caring about being dirty.
"My son... you saved my son..." she wept, her voice cracking with emotion. "Thank you, my lord! Thank you!"
Rudra's serene expression softened. A gentle, kind smile touched his lips. He did not let her stay there. He bent down, his movements graceful and sure, and took her by the shoulders, lifting her back to her feet.
"Please," he said, his voice warm and firm. "A mother should never bow like this. There is no need for that." He looked at the boy, Liam, who was clinging to his mother's leg. "I am just grateful your son is safe. That is all that matters."
As the mother stood, trembling, Rudra reached out and gently caressed her forehead where it had touched the dirt, efficiently removing the dirt from her forehead.
At his touch, a wave of overwhelming relief washed over her, and she broke down into even harder, cleansing sobs. Two other women quickly stepped forward, putting their arms around her. "It's alright, Elara," one of them whispered, leading the weeping mother and her son away to comfort them.
This act of kindness seemed to ease the tension for many, but the group of men still watched carefully. One of them, a broad-shouldered man with a gash on his cheek, found his courage. He stepped forward, clasping his hands nervously.
"Forgive our questions, great one," he began, his voice meek and respectful. "But we must know. Who are you? This is the Forsaken Land. Our village, Sunstone Hollow, was abandoned by the gods and the kingdoms long ago. No one comes here except monsters. Why... Why are you here? What are your intentions?"
All eyes turned to Rudra. The air grew still, waiting for his answer.
Rudra looked at their weary, questioning faces. His gaze was calm and full of purpose.
"I am an emissary," he declared, his voice carrying to every ear. "I am from a world far from here. My god saw your suffering. He saw how you were left to die, with no one to answer your prayers. He saw how you guys are suffering everyday without a single second of comfort. He is a very benevolent god and he couldn't just sit idle and watch you guys suffer."
He paused, letting his words sink in. The villagers listened, their breaths held.
"He saw that no one from your world came to help you," Rudra continued, his tone becoming more powerful. "That is why he sent me. His most trusted aid here. I am here to help you. I am here to bring salvation to the people of this Forsaken Land, and be their protector."
The villagers of Sunstone Hollow listened to Rudra's words. A benevolent god? A trusted emissary? It was a beautiful dream, but after years of suffering, some found it hard to believe. The suspicion on the faces of the men did not fully fade. They wanted to believe, but they needed more.
Rudra saw the lingering doubt in their eyes. He gave them an understanding smile.
"You have suffered for so long," he said, his voice gentle. "It is natural to be wary of a stranger's words. So, let me offer you proof of my god's care, not just his power."
He took a step back from the crowd. He closed his eyes for a moment, as if in quiet prayer. Then, his hands moved in a slow, precise pattern, tracing shapes in the air that seemed to glow for a split second. A low, musical chant, a mantra of ancient power, whispered from his lips, though none could understand the words.
As he finished, a bow of pure, shimmering light appeared in his hands. He drew back the string, and an arrow of brilliant blue energy knocked itself. With a graceful motion, he shot the arrow straight up into the sky. It flew high, like a reverse comet, until it vanished into the thick, smoky clouds above.
For a heartbeat, nothing happened.
Then, a deep rumble echoed from the heavens. The dark clouds swirled, turning a softer, grey color. A single, heavy drop of water landed on the cheek of the man with the gash. Then another. And another.
In moments, a gentle, steady rain began to fall.
It was not a storm. It was a blessing. The cool, clean water fell upon the burning huts. The fires, which had resisted all their efforts, hissed and sputtered and died, leaving behind only wet, steaming charcoal.
The rain washed the soot from the leaves of the few surviving trees. It cleaned the blood and mud from the faces of the people.
They looked up, letting the rain fall on their skin. It felt like a healing touch. The oppressive heat of the fires was gone, replaced by a refreshing coolness. The air, once thick with smoke, now smelled clean and new.
Rudra stood calmly in the rain, untouched by it, his gaze peaceful. "This rain is a gift," he said, his voice carrying easily over the soft patter. "It quenches the fire that devoured your homes. It cleanses the land. This is the nature of my god's will. To heal. To protect."
He looked directly at the men who had doubted him. His expression was kind, but there was a firmness in his eyes. "This should be enough proof of my god's benevolence. But I will not force myself upon you.
If you are still wary of me, if you doubt the one who sent me to your aid… then I will leave right now. My god is benevolent, but I will not stand by and let his kindness be questioned. I cannot tolerate his honor being doubted."
The villagers stared at him, then at the miraculous rain that had saved their village from total destruction. The final shred of suspicion melted away, replaced by a sharp fear of losing this protection.
"No!" several voices cried out at once.
The broad-shouldered man who had questioned him quickly stepped forward, shaking his head. "Please, no! Forgive our foolishness! Please, don't go! We… we need you."
Others joined in, their voices pleading. "Please stay with us!"
"Protect us!"
"Be our saviour!"
Rudra looked at their desperate, hopeful faces and gave a slow, gracious nod. "Very well. I will stay here in Sunstone Hollow for a while. I will make this place safe. I will get rid of the monsters that plague these lands."
At that moment, Elara, the mother, stepped forward again, her son Liam holding her hand. Her eyes were red from crying, but they were clear and determined.
"Then please stay with us," she said, her voice strong. "In my house. It is small, but I'll make sure you are provided with everything. It is the least I can do."
A murmur went through the crowd. One of the older women looked concerned. "Elara… are you sure? You are a single mother… your husband… it's not proper…"
Elara turned a fierce gaze on the woman. "I don't mind!" she said, her voice filled with a mother's ferocity. "He saved my son. My son was the only reason I was pulling through everyday after my husband died.
If he had died today, I wouldn't have been able to live anymore, so I want to serve him any way I can. That is all that matters to me. My home is his home for as long as he needs it."
She looked back at Rudra, her expression full of unwavering gratitude and resolve.
Rudra smiled, a genuine, warm smile. "I would be honored to accept your kindness, Elara. Thank you."
A wave of relief and joy passed through the people of Sunstone Hollow. They had lost so much today, but they had gained something they never thought they would have again: a protector, a hope, and a future.
They gathered around Rudra, no longer as a suspicious circle, but as a community welcoming its greatest guardian.