The forest was alive with the whispers of leaves and the distant calls of hidden predators, but to Iris, it was silent.
She had long since learned to drown out the distractions of the wild, focusing only on the hunt.
Two years had passed since she had first been allowed to venture into this training ground—an isolated section of the beast lands where only creatures that had yet to awaken Ki roamed.
To any normal warrior, these beasts would still be dangerous, but to her, they had become nothing more than stepping stones.
Iris exhaled, steadying her stance as she surveyed the clearing ahead. Five beasts stood in her way—massive creatures with thick, matted fur, clawed limbs, and beady eyes that glowed with latent aggression.
Their breaths came out in deep, rumbling huffs as they sniffed the air, sensing something unnatural about the girl before them.
She did not hesitate.
