The morning sun streamed through the treetops, illuminating the clearing where Draven trained.
The three shadow monsters—Kryphid, Gorefang, and Torrak—moved more fluidly than before, but still depended entirely on his commands to act in sync.
Draven took a deep breath and began:
"Today we'll work on combined attacks and quick reflexes.
First exercise: attack while moving."
He ran between trees simulating enemy attacks and gave simultaneous commands:
"Kryphid, Gorefang, flank! Torrak, protect my right flank!"
The shadows responded, but not perfectly. Kryphid hesitated slightly before attacking, Gorefang moved too quickly, knocking down some leaves in the process, and Torrak was still adjusting his positioning.
Draven smiled, understanding that each mistake was a learning opportunity.
He adjusted his posture and gestures, giving small verbal commands along with hand movements.
This time, the combined attack was much more precise: each shadow struck its imaginary target with force and coordination, and Draven managed to move between them without losing control.
Second exercise: dynamic defense
Draven simulated attacks coming from different directions, rapidly changing the position of his hands and body:
— Form a barrier!
Kryphid advanced with tentacles to block lateral attacks, Gorefang intercepted frontal attacks, and Torrak protected Draven with physical strength and intimidating presence.
For the first time, he realized how to use natural body movements to reinforce commands, saving energy and increasing response speed.
After a few hours, he tested improvised attacks in sequence, simulating that the monsters attacked independently:
Kryphid struck one point while Gorefang attacked another and Torrak moved to intercept possible threats.
Each shadow responded better, and Draven felt the coordination was beginning to become instinctive.
He took a deep breath, looking at the aligned shadows:
"Well… that's enough for today. Tomorrow, we'll try to increase the reaction speed."
As he walked away from the clearing, Draven thought of Zayra. He hadn't interacted with her again yet, but he knew she was also training alone. That parallel growth would be important for both of them.
The Great Sage mentally recorded:
Progress detected:
- Improved combined attacks
- Dynamic defense applied
- Shadow coordination beginning to become instinctive
- Evolving mental concentration and physical stamina
Draven looked at the shadows. Each one now seemed more alert, more fluid, but still dependent on clear commands.
"We will grow together," he murmured. "And no one will be able to stop us."