The largest werewolf leaped toward Shima, followed by three others. They attacked from every direction. Shima drew in a deep breath. Every sense in her body heightened sharply, allowing her to predict the path of each incoming strike. There were no blind spots, her ears, eyes, skin, and instinct all worked together, feeding her brain the exact information she needed.
She jumped high into the air, twisting her body in a full spin, and kicked the faces of the lunging werewolves. The four beasts were hurled back into the trees behind them.
Seeing their comrades thrown aside, the remaining werewolves grew furious. As Shima landed, they charged again. One massive claw swung straight for her face, but her reflexes were lightning-fast. She slipped to the right, ducked under the beast's shoulder, and punched its rib cage. The werewolf dropped to its knees, clutching its chest in pain.
Another kick came flying from behind. Shima ducked as if she had eyes on the back of her head, the heavy leg missed, and she seized the chance to sweep its other leg. The beast lost its balance and fell hard. Shima jumped up, driving her heel into its stomach. The creature froze, motionless.
Two more werewolves attacked in unison, this time from both sides. They grabbed her arms and leapt together, slamming their combined kicks into her chest. Shima was thrown backward, crashing into a tree trunk. Fortunately, her anti-Broja suit absorbed most of the impact. She was shocked nonetheless, these creatures weren't supposed to have that kind of coordination or intelligence.
Eight werewolves now gathered before her, ready to launch a brutal final assault. Their sharp fangs glistened, saliva dripping as their growls echoed through the forest. They barked and howled, enraged that such a small human dared to fight them.
Shima's face broke into a nervous sweat. The situation was getting out of control. She looked up, her master stood on a high branch, watching calmly. Adrin's eyes were cold and unreadable, his face emotionless.
"Damn it, I can't keep relying on him," she thought. "I chose this fight myself, and I have to stand by my word. I must defeat them on my own."
She steadied her breathing, in, out, in again. The werewolves grew impatient and began closing in, sensing that their prey had stopped resisting.
Then, suddenly, Shima spread both her arms wide. The beasts hesitated, startled by the sudden motion. Slowly, she began to rotate her hands, summoning gentle streams of wind that followed her movements. The air spiraled, gathering more with each turn. The werewolves watched warily, stepping forward but with caution.
When the wind had gathered enough, Shima redirected her motion forward, guiding the swirling air like taming a wild serpent. The wind coiled gracefully around her body, moving where her hands went. She looked like she was dancing with the air amid a circle of fanged predators.
When the werewolves were close enough, they all leapt at once. In a single elegant, fluid motion, Shima completed her final spin and launched a punch charged with compressed wind.
A roar like a tornado shook the forest. The storm blast hurled the werewolves deep into the woods. Trees bent and leaves rained down under the shockwaves. Some of the beasts lay unconscious; others scrambled to flee, howling warnings to their kin to stay away.
Shima remained frozen in her final stance, panting heavily, her face pale.
From afar, Adrin smiled with pride. His apprentice had grown stronger, the final move she performed was unfamiliar to him, yet it felt… ancient. He descended slowly from the branch, hovering toward her.
The girl was still trying to catch her breath; the technique had drained her energy completely.
"Well done, my apprentice," Adrin said. "You've proven yourself."
"So… does that mean I'm worthy enough to join your journey now?" Shima asked between breaths, smiling weakly.
"Of course. Your progress astonishes me. Tell me, where did you learn that last technique?"
"I don't know," she said softly. "It felt like the wind itself was whispering to me, offering its strength to help defeat the monsters. My body moved on its own, following the flow of the wind, and before I knew it, they were all under my control."
"The movements you made weren't random," Adrin replied. "They resemble the original Untai technique, the ancestral art of this planet. You've unknowingly rediscovered a lost technique."
"Really? Then maybe the ancestors were the ones who whispered to me, passing down their Untai to me! Does that mean I've mastered the first stage?" Shima asked, eyes gleaming.
"No, you're still far from it. The true first stage of the Untai can summon a tornado powerful enough to erase an entire village."
Her excitement deflated instantly. She pouted and looked down.
"But," Adrin added, "you're getting close. What you just did might only be twenty percent of the original. Keep training, and one day, you'll master it completely."
"Yes, Master! May the ancestors continue to guide me."
Adrin smiled, the smile of a teacher proud of his student. He stepped behind Shima and placed his palm on her back.
"Kyaa!" Shima gasped, startled and embarrassed. She didn't expect Adrin to touch her like that."M-Master, what are you doing?" Her face flushed red.
"Relax," he said calmly. "I'm restoring your energy. That last technique drained you more than you realize."
From his palm flowed a warm blue light that entered her spine. The girl felt extremely embarrassed, her cheeks and ears turning red and her thighs moving uncomfortably. Her shoulders twitch several times. But slowly her energy began to return. Two minutes later, her breathing steadied; the trembling in her legs stopped, and the sweat on her skin vanished.
"How do you feel?" Adrin asked, pulling his hand away.
Shima hopped a little, flexing her fists. "I feel great! Thank you, Master!"
She instinctively hugged him, then immediately stepped back, mortified. Her cheeks glowed bright pink. If Adrin still looked like his old, aged self, she probably wouldn't have minded. But in his youthful, muscular, handsome form, she couldn't help feeling flustered.
"Alright then," Adrin said with a soft laugh. "Let's continue our journey."
Together, they headed west, leaving the dense forest behind.