[ Mountains, Star City Outskirts ]
Although her body was freezing, Thea's mind was becoming clearer and clearer. Even someone with a low IQ could understand the purpose of this training.
She had always believed her perception was well-trained, but today she had revealed her original, unrefined form under external stress. Will the same thing happen in an actual fight if there's interference? she wondered grimly. I still don't have a solid grasp of the basics.
With this realization, Thea corrected her attitude. She remove her coat from her head. After all, they were both women. If something was seen, then so be it. She just convinced herself to think of it as being on a beach. She tried not to think about the cool breeze brushing her exposed skin and instead focused entirely on exploring the surrounding environment. She wasn't sure if she had gone numb from the cold or made progress in her training, but gradually, the world around her grew quieter, and the bird calls that had previously seemed distant became sharper and more distinct.
After what felt like an eternity, Lady Shiva's voice echoed. "Catch it."
A faint rush of wind came from the side. Thea judged the direction, reached out, and caught what appeared to be a wooden stick.
"Let's see what you've learned. Attack me."
By now, Thea had a decent understanding of this unconventional training style. Afraid that she'd lose the delicate concentration she had built up, she didn't remove the blindfold. Instead, she closed her eyes beneath it, shutting out all distractions as she sensed Lady Shiva's position. She crept forward, and when she estimated that she was within three steps of Lady Shiva, she suddenly burst forward and struck down with the stick.
As expected, Lady Shiva blocked her attack and immediately hit Thea's left shoulder with a backhand. "Not bad. But you can go faster. There's still a flaw on the left. Again."
Snap. "Your right hand is too high. Try again."
Pah, pah. "Faster. Again."
Lady Shiva was ruthless. Thea was so frustrated she wanted to grind her teeth to dust. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been hit so many times. Any smugness she'd felt after drawing with Malcolm in a duel had evaporated. Still, she gritted her teeth and stayed on the path of self-improvement, constantly adjusting her attacks.
After who-knew-how-long of getting beaten, Lady Shiva's voice suddenly sounded like that of an angel. "That's enough for today. Take off your blindfold. I'll apply the ointment."
Leaning on the stick, Thea slowly removed the cloth from her eyes, as if rising from the depths of hell and returning to the world of the living. Light flooded her vision again, and the world looked stunning. Those blind swordmasters in anime always looked so elegant, striking heroic poses with incredible skill. But now she knew the truth: massages were the true salvation for the blind. Who would train sword techniques in this condition?
Touching her body gingerly, Thea discovered that her bruises were so numerous they had gone numb. She no longer felt the cold, only a dull ache everywhere. There wasn't a single uninjured spot left. Compared to her earlier training, this transition from primary school to junior high felt like leaping into hell. Still, if she wanted to stand out, there was no choice but to persevere.
"Sit still. I'll apply some ointment," Lady Shiva said calmly.
Thea blinked, dazed and exhausted, watching as the woman poured some oil into her palm, rubbed her hands together, and began applying it to her shoulders.
"Wha—what are you doing?" Thea stammered, uncharacteristically nervous.
"I'm treating your bruises. You've got places you can't reach. Stop fidgeting." Lady Shiva didn't understand why this girl was always so skittish. She assumed it was just a case of unfamiliarity and didn't press the issue.
Thea felt numb and overheated. Lady Shiva's hands moved with expertise, brushing over sore spots with firm, practiced pressure. It felt like millions of tiny ants were crawling through her bloodstream and bones. She couldn't deny the sensation felt oddly good—but it was also way too intimate. She clenched her jaw, face burning, as she suppressed any sound that might escape. Her little face was now red enough to challenge a tomato.
By the time Shiva had applied ointment to every bruised inch and given a final pat, Thea was soaked in sweat. She wasn't sure if this was all part of the standard curriculum or just her overactive imagination. Her skin felt hypersensitive, attuned to every breeze. She felt like a cicada sensing the coming autumn long before it arrived.
"You're progressing faster than I expected," Lady Shiva remarked. "We'll skip perception drills for now. Come fight me." Feeling a bit warm herself and sensing that the day's instructional goals had largely been achieved, she decided it was time to test how much Thea's combat ability had improved.
Still burning hot, Thea didn't even bother putting on her coat. She grabbed her stick and rushed forward.
The two women clashed immediately. Thea, filled with new energy and sharpened instincts, struck with all her might. Though her movements were still clumsy, she managed to push Lady Shiva back several steps.
"That's the spirit! Thea Queen, you're worthy of being my opponent!" Lady Shiva cried, leaping backward out of range. She removed her long windbreaker, revealing a red tight vest underneath. Her arms rippled with lean muscle, and her flat stomach displayed defined mermaid lines.
But when Lady Shiva got serious, she really got serious. The world's one of the top martial artist didn't earn that title for nothing. Thea's early rush was swiftly dismantled. Even though she rotated through three sword techniques and two stick styles in rapid succession, they were effortlessly neutralized by Shiva's fluid, practiced counters.
"Let's fight bare-handed!" Thea declared, flinging the stick far into the distance. She hadn't trained much with weapons, and at the moment, she only wanted to release her frustration through hand-to-hand combat. Worried that her opponent might not agree, she resorted to a bit of provocation, discarding her weapon in advance—banking on Shiva's proud nature to take the bait.
As expected, Lady Shiva tossed away her weapon—but ten seconds later, Thea deeply regretted her life choices. Weapons had at least let her have few rounds of fight. Hand-to-hand? She was instantly overwhelmed. Lady Shiva's unarmed technique was terrifying.
Despite trying her best to hang on, determined not to lose too embarrassingly, Thea was quickly pinned to the ground. Shiva's fists danced like lightning in front of her eyes, moving too fast to track. Clearly, she was holding back. If those fists had actually connected, Thea might've needed reconstructive surgery.
Why does this feel like one of those war movies where the hero pummels a hapless enemy soldier? she thought. And why do I feel like the poor guy getting pummeled?!
"Wing Chun?" she blurted.
"You've got a good eye, little Thea. Want to learn it?" Lady Shiva had eased out of combat mode. Though her voice was still cool, a faint teasing note crept in.
Is there Wing Chun in this world? she mused. Come to think of it, Oliver once went at a wooden dummy with a flurry of punches.
Learn it? Of course. In this world, finding a boxing style that suited her was essential.
To Be Continued...
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[POWER STONES AND REVIEWS PLS]