After the encounter, Draven and Zayra remained in the clearing. The silence was natural, broken only by the rustling of leaves.
Zayra maintained a defensive posture, still assessing the young warrior.
"So… want to train?" Draven asked, with a slight smile.
"Train with me?" she raised an eyebrow. "What if I defeat you?"
"I believe you won't," he replied confidently, but without arrogance. "But we can find out."
She took a step forward, wielding raw energy in a restrained manner, and Draven did the same, instinctively assuming a fighting stance.
The first contact was quick:
Zayra charged with an explosive punch, releasing some of her power, but Draven dodged with agility.
He counterattacked with Armament Haki, blocking some of her force with precise punches.
Each of their movements was measured: dodges, targeted blows, jumps, and rolls between trees.
Even without weapons, Draven moved as if every muscle had battle memories. Zayra, on the other hand, compensated with brute strength and wild instinct, creating tremors in the ground with each barely contained attack.
The training intensified:
Zayra attempted a tail strike, which Draven dodged by rolling backward and counterattacking with a series of quick, firm punches.
He partially landed on her side, not to injure her, but to test her endurance and technique.
She reacted, throwing a kick that struck him in the chest, causing pain, but Draven merely smiled, assessing her movement.
"You're strong," he said, panting, taking a few steps back.
"You're not weak either," she replied, with a challenging smile.
The training wasn't just about brute strength. Both quickly learned to assess movement patterns, reaction time, and predictability. Draven began to realize that Zayra still didn't fully control her energy, and she noticed that he possessed unusual agility and precision, but also latent energy that could explode if necessary.
The fight continued for a few minutes, intense but controlled:
Punches, kicks, jumps, and rolls between trees.
Attempts to take each other down without causing serious injury.
Exchanges of strategic attacks and quick dodges.
In the end, both were sweaty and breathless, but satisfied.
They sat on a fallen tree trunk, observing the forest.
"Interesting…" said Zayra, taking a deep breath. "I didn't think I'd find someone like you around here."
"Neither did I," replied Draven, smiling slightly. "It seems the forest always holds surprises."
Mutual respect grew silently, and both knew that this was only the first of many training sessions.
Draven still needed to master his shadow soldiers, but at that moment, he was learning the value of facing someone strong as an equal—and Zayra, for her part, was beginning to realize that her strength could be refined with training and discipline.