The sky above Kami's Lookout was painted with a soft orange hue. The sun was setting, but the air felt heavy, tense, as if it knew that something far greater than dusk was about to unfold. Everyone stood gathered at the marble-white platform—Kami, Popo, Goku, Bulma, Master Roshi, Gohan, Tien, Chiaotzu, Krillin, Yamcha, Nappa, Raditz, and Piccolo. Their eyes shifted back and forth between two figures who were stepping forward to face each other.
On one side was Rudra, calm, composed, yet carrying an aura of strange mystery that none could measure. On the other was the young warrior who had appeared with shocking revelations—the one Goku had secretly revealed to Rudra as Trunks, though to the others, he was just the strange boy with a sword and immense power.
Trunks broke the silence first, resting his hand briefly on the hilt of his sword before letting it drop.
"Rudra… before we go further, I want to see for myself what you're capable of. Goku trusts you—but I need to know if I can."
Rudra's eyes narrowed slightly, his voice calm yet sharp.
"You will know soon enough, Trunks. But be careful—once we start, there will be no holding back."
Trunks smirked faintly. "That's what I was hoping to hear."
Without warning, Trunks dashed forward. His speed blurred the air as he launched a sharp punch toward Rudra's jaw. Rudra blocked, the impact echoing like a thunderclap across the platform. Instantly, the two became locked in a furious exchange of blows—punches, kicks, and parries flowing in blinding succession.
Each strike cracked the air. Each block sent tiny shockwaves rolling across the Lookout's surface. Neither fighter unleashed their full strength yet; this was a test, a measure of the other's depths.
Rudra's instantaneous technique let him shift slightly, appearing inches away from where Trunks struck, countering with palm strikes and knee attacks. Trunks matched with swift dodges, spinning heel kicks, and bursts of ki to keep the rhythm fast and unpredictable.
After a furious exchange, the two slid back across the tiles, breathing calmly, yet their eyes gleamed with fire.
"Not bad," Trunks admitted. "Your speed is unusual. Even compared to Goku's…"
Rudra tilted his head slightly. "You're not holding back your full power yet. Show me more."
Trunks's smirk returned, but his tone grew serious.
"You asked for it."
In an instant, the air grew heavy. Trunks clenched his fists, his aura flaring bright white before erupting into a dazzling golden blaze. His hair shot upward, glowing like molten gold, his eyes turning sharp teal.
The Lookout shook violently as Super Saiyan Trunks stood revealed, his energy radiating like an unstoppable storm.
The spectators' clothes and hair whipped in the gusts of his aura. The ground beneath Trunks cracked and crumbled under the sheer force of his ki.
Rudra's expression remained calm, but within, his thoughts sharpened.
"This Super Saiyan Transformation of your is more powerful than Goku — Incredible!"
Trunks vanished, reappearing in front of Rudra with a speed that broke sound itself. His punch struck Rudra square in the stomach, sending him skidding back across the tiles. Rudra steadied himself, only to be caught by a follow-up knee to the chest and a hammer fist that drove him down into the marble floor, creating a crater.
Rudra rose slowly, dust falling off his shoulders, a faint smile touching his lips.
"Impressive. But you'll find that I don't fall so easily."
He clasped his hands together, closed his eyes for a brief moment, and then—
Rudra's Muladhara State
The air around Rudra deepened, vibrating with an earthy crimson hue. His aura shifted into a steady, grounded red, glowing with the primal energy of the root chakra. His muscles tensed, his presence grew heavier, more solid. The ground beneath his feet pulsed faintly as if the Lookout itself resonated with his state.
"This is my Muladhara State," Rudra said, his voice now carrying a deeper resonance. "The foundation of my chakra."
Trunks tilted his head, unimpressed at first. "Let's see if that can keep up with a Super Saiyan."
They clashed again. Rudra's strikes were heavier now, every punch carrying raw, grounded force, his aura pushing back against Trunks's golden blaze. Yet despite his transformation, Trunks's Super Saiyan form still had the upper hand. His speed was sharper, his power greater.
A roundhouse kick from Trunks sent Rudra skidding. A flurry of punches pressed him to defend desperately. Rudra gritted his teeth, realizing even in Muladhara State, the golden warrior before him was overwhelming.
Trunks pressed forward, launching a point-blank ki blast that detonated against Rudra, sending smoke billowing high.
"Is that all?" Trunks muttered.
But as the smoke cleared, Rudra's voice rang steady.
"Not quite."
His body glowed with a new light. Crimson lines etched themselves across his skin like ancient markings, hardening, expanding, until a shimmering red Chakra Armour—Chakra Varman—enveloped his form. The armour pulsed with radiant chakra energy, forming a semi-transparent shield across his body.
Trunks's eyes widened. "What is that…?"
Rudra raised his arm, the armour glowing.
"This is my defense, Trunks. Every strike you throw at me will only make me stronger."
Trunks, refusing to hesitate, lunged forward with a powerful punch. His golden fist crashed into the armour—only for his energy to be absorbed, sucked into Rudra's shield like water into sand. The blow had no effect.
"What—!?" Trunks gasped, pulling back.
Rudra's voice was calm, but it carried a heavy edge.
"Every attack feeds my chakra. Your ki blasts, your punches, your rage—they only strengthen me."
Trunks growled, gathering ki into his palm, unleashing a blazing beam at point-blank range. The golden wave slammed into Rudra's armour—but vanished, absorbed entirely.
Trunks's face twisted in shock. "No way… even my ki blasts don't work!?"
Rudra's smile returned, faint but sharp.
"Now, it's my turn."
In a flash, Rudra vanished using his Instantaneous Technique, reappearing behind Trunks. A swift elbow strike sent Trunks staggering forward. Before he could recover, Rudra appeared in front of him, landing a crushing knee into his stomach, the chakra armour amplifying the blow.
Trunks gasped, spitting saliva, clutching his abdomen. He tried to counter with a kick, but Rudra was gone—only to reappear behind him again, slamming a heavy palm strike into his back that sent him crashing to the tiles.
"His speed…" Trunks thought, struggling to rise. "It's unreal… he's everywhere at once!"
Rudra raised his hand, forming a crimson aura blade with his chakra armour. He brought it down with measured precision, stopping just inches from Trunks's throat.
The Lookout was silent. The wind carried only the crackle of Rudra's chakra armour, glowing like a furnace.
Trunks lay still, chest heaving, sweat dripping, his golden aura flickering weakly. He knew he was defeated.
Rudra pulled his hand back, letting the chakra armour fade slowly until only the steady glow of his Muladhara State remained. He extended his hand to Trunks.
"You fought well. Your power is extraordinary… but raw power alone is never enough."
Trunks, humbled, accepted the hand, pulling himself up. His golden aura flickered out, leaving him in his base form once again.
For a moment, the two simply stood there, breathing, studying each other with newfound respect.
Around them, the Z Fighters, Kami, and Popo had watched the entire battle in complete silence, as if frozen by the magnitude of what they had witnessed. Their expressions were unreadable, but their eyes burned with awe, confusion, and questions.
Bulma's gaze lingered on the mysterious boy—still unaware of his true name or lineage—yet something in her heart stirred, a connection she couldn't explain.
Rudra turned, his expression calm once again, as if nothing had happened.
"The fight is over. And I won the Bet."
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