The Strongest Of All Beings (Mongu)

Chapter 3: The First Trial

Mongu's world tilted as the rift swallowed him whole. The swirling galaxies and infinite stars around him stretched and warped, the sensation of weightlessness overwhelming him. Time blurred as his body twisted and spiraled through the void. He was falling, or was he flying? It was impossible to tell.

Then, with a sharp jolt, Mongu slammed into solid ground. The air around him stung with the cold bite of a storm, and the crackling energy in the atmosphere sent a shiver through his fur. He blinked his eyes open to find himself standing on the edge of a jagged cliff, looking out over an expansive, storm-ravaged landscape.

The sky above was a violent whirlpool of dark clouds, lightning arcing across the heavens like jagged claws. Below him, the ground cracked and shattered, jagged rocks crumbling into an abyss of swirling black mist. The air was thick with sulfur, a heavy, oppressive pressure weighing down on him. This was no ordinary world. The Trial of Existence had begun, and Mongu was already caught in its grasp.

"Welcome, participant," a booming voice resonated around him, not through his ears but directly into his mind. It was deep, cold, and carried a sense of authority that made his fur bristle. "This is your first Trial. It will test your strength, your endurance, and your will to survive. Endure the storm. If you fail, you will be lost."

The voice echoed through the air, shaking the very ground beneath Mongu's paws. He squinted into the storm, trying to make sense of his surroundings. But there was nothing to see beyond the endless expanse of chaotic skies and the yawning chasm before him. He was alone.

Suddenly, the storm above began to twist and churn, and Mongu's heart skipped a beat. Bolts of lightning tore through the sky, crashing into the cliffside with deafening force. Mongu darted backward just as a massive strike landed inches from his paws, sending a shockwave that nearly knocked him off his feet. The power of the strike vibrated through his bones, a warning that this place would show no mercy.

From the cracks in the earth, monstrous figures began to emerge. They were made of rock, their bodies jagged and rough, glowing with an eerie, fiery light. Their eyes burned with a malice Mongu could feel deep within his soul. There were no words, no sounds, just the heavy, unnatural silence that accompanied their arrival. And then, the first of the stone creatures began to move.

It charged toward Mongu, its fists raised high, ready to strike. The ground trembled with each step it took. Mongu's heart raced, but his instincts kicked in. He had to move. He couldn't afford to hesitate.

The massive creature swung its fist down toward Mongu. With a burst of speed, Mongu leapt to the side, narrowly avoiding the blow. The stone fist slammed into the ground, sending a shockwave that sent stones flying into the air. Mongu rolled and sprang to his feet, his claws digging into the rocky ground. The golden energy that had flared within him earlier now surged again, amplifying his speed and strength.

The creature turned toward him, its glowing eyes narrowing as it advanced again. Mongu didn't wait for it to strike. He rushed forward, his body a blur of motion. With a leap, he scrambled up the creature's leg, his claws digging into the stone-like skin. The creature roared in fury as Mongu reached its shoulder, sinking his teeth into its neck, where the stone was weaker.

A surge of energy coursed through Mongu's body, and with a burst of golden light, the creature staggered back, its body cracking. It let out a deafening roar as its form crumbled into a pile of broken rocks. Mongu landed gracefully on the ground, his tail flicking with determination.

But the battle was far from over.

More creatures began to emerge from the ground, each one larger and more formidable than the last. Mongu's heart pounded as he scanned the battlefield. The storm above intensified, the wind howling like a pack of wolves. His golden energy flared again, and he knew that he couldn't keep up this pace forever. He had to find a way to end this, or he would be overwhelmed.

The ground trembled once again, and Mongu turned just in time to see a massive, electric creature descending from the swirling clouds above. Its body was composed entirely of crackling energy, its form shifting and twisting with the lightning. Its eyes glowed with an intense, electric fury, and its voice boomed like the roar of thunder.

"You think you can survive this Trial, little dog?" the creature's voice echoed through the air, its tone mocking and deep. "You are nothing compared to the storm that surrounds you."

Mongu's fur bristled, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end. This creature was unlike anything he had faced before. He could feel the power emanating from it, an almost tangible force that threatened to tear him apart.

Without warning, the lightning creature hurled a bolt of pure energy toward Mongu. He leaped to the side, narrowly avoiding the strike. The air sizzled with the electric charge, and the ground beneath him crackled with power. The creature hovered above the battlefield, its form flickering and shifting as if it were made of pure energy, almost impossible to track.

Mongu knew he had to act fast. The longer he waited, the stronger the storm creature would become. Gathering all his energy, Mongu dashed forward again, using his enhanced speed to close the gap between them. The creature responded by unleashing a barrage of lightning bolts, each one more intense than the last.

Mongu dodged and weaved through the onslaught, his senses heightened by the golden energy. With a burst of power, he leapt toward the creature's core, aiming for the heart of its stormy form. His teeth sank into the glowing core of the being, and a shockwave of golden light exploded outward, engulfing both Mongu and the creature in a blinding burst.

The storm creature let out a deafening shriek, its body beginning to crack and break apart under the force of Mongu's attack. The golden light surged through Mongu's body, overpowering the electric being. The storm around them twisted, the winds howling in fury. Then, with a final crack of thunder, the lightning creature shattered into sparks and dissipated into the storm.

Mongu stood amidst the wreckage, breathing heavily. The storm still raged, but he had won the battle. For now.

The voice of the Trial echoed once more, its tone colder than before.

"The first Trial has been completed. You have survived... for now. But the trials will only grow harder."

Mongu's tail flicked with determination. The storm would not break him. The Trial of Existence had just begun.

To Be Continued...