Lady Shiva

Though it appeared that the two were once again engaged in a duel, the situation was entirely different from the initial encounter.

Malcolm was currently unarmed, forced to rely on his least proficient skills of hand-to-hand combat. Moreover, the wound to his waist had significantly affected his overall speed and strength.

While Thea had also taken a punch, half of her face was swollen, and blood was dripping from her chin, forming a small pool on the ground. It looked dire, but in reality, it was just bleeding from her mouth, with minimal impact on her combat ability. Furthermore, with the katana in her hand, she had a significant advantage against Malcolm, who was unarmed.

Thea raised the katana overhead, slowly approaching Malcolm. This was the starting position of Italian swordsmanship, emphasizing stillness until striking with maximum speed. Although traditionally used with a two-handed sword, a katana would suffice!

Watching his daughter approach, Malcolm stared intently at her shoulder. If he were in good condition, perhaps he could use empty-handed blade entry to counter this move. However, with the lingering pain under his ribs, though he clenched his muscles to stop the bleeding, blood continued to seep out, staining his pants crimson in a matter of moments.

He decided on a strong offensive! But he couldn't rush in recklessly. Using a slight trick, he made a feint forward, and Thea fell for it, bringing down her thunderous strike towards his shoulder. Unbeknownst to her, Malcolm swiftly twisted his waist and stepped to the side, moving right into Thea's right side, delivering a forceful blow to her wrist.

The momentum of the strike couldn't be retracted! Thea also felt the frustration Malcolm experienced earlier with his moves. She had no choice but to abandon the katana and turn to defend against the incoming punch. However, to prevent Malcolm from utilizing the weapon, she exerted a bit of force to throw the katana out of their combat circle.

Next, the two engaged in hand-to-hand combat. Hand-to-hand combat had always been her focus, and in their usual sparring sessions, they could maintain an even record. What more in this current situation? Leveraging her strengths against the enemy's weaknesses was her initial plan, and now it had been fully realized.

With Thea's full outburst, Malcolm could only barely defend himself. The wound under his ribs, aggravated by the recent exertion, could no longer be clamped shut. Blood flowed freely, staining his pants red. Malcolm knew he was going to lose, and in a life-or-death struggle, he might have fought to the bitter end, but there was no need for that now.

Stepping out of the combat circle, he made a halting gesture and hoarsely said, "Well done. I've taught you all I can. I hope you don't waste your talents. You can go now. Don't come looking for me again."

Thea glanced at his wound, knowing it was just a superficial injury. With the plethora of ancient remedies he had stolen from Ra's al Ghul, a few doses of medicine would suffice for his recovery. At the same time, she sighed inwardly, it seemed like she had graduated from the beginner's class, right?

She bowed slightly. "Thank you for all your teachings. I'll always remember these hundred-plus days. Thank you."

After picking up her weapons, she walked out of the dense forest. What about those three idiots lying on the ground? She hadn't taken their lives, which was already merciful enough. Did they expect her to call a doctor to save them? Batman typically just leaves them half-dead at the entrance of the police station. When did he ever call a doctor? According to the universal values ​​here, whether they live or die is their fate!

Watching his daughter's retreating figure, Malcolm, who had stood upright, bent over due to the pain. That unfilial daughter! She really hurt me! He took off his outer garment, hastily wrapping it around his waist. He would need to tend to his wounds when he got back.

At the same time, he softly spoke into the dim woods, "Lady, what do you think of my disciple whom I've taught? She should meet your requirements, right? Are you interested in my proposal?"

After a moment of silence, with the surroundings calm and the unknown birds perched on trees watching from afar, Malcolm realized he had been embarrassed. Damn it, she left without saying a word! I hate these people who suppress my perception the most!

Not dwelling on Malcolm's lonely return home for self-care, Thea was rubbing her cheek, cursing her old man. That punch was too hard; would it affect her delicate face? Punching someone without hitting the face is one thing, but hitting the face of this beautiful woman is another! This old guy deserved to be single for a lifetime!

At the same time, she felt excited about her blood boiling during the fight. Although her father's words were harsh, she indeed was a born warrior. Even after the battle had ended for so long, she was still immersed in that state. Though she didn't have any instruments to measure, she could feel that the blood flow rate throughout her body was 20% faster than usual.

Just as she was about to slow down to get her heart rate to return to normal, she unexpectedly felt a hint of strangeness. Drawing her katana and staring behind her, she demanded, "Who's there? Come out!"

"Indeed, very sharp." The newcomer spoke in a strange tone, sounding like a foreigner.

"Hmm?" As the person gradually emerged from the shadows, Thea realized it was a woman. The woman under the tree had long, glossy black hair flowing down to her waist,bright eyes shining with flashes of brilliance. Dressed in a black trench coat and dark leather pants, she looked like a sharp sword gazing at Thea.

Feeling a bit dumbfounded despite her confidence in knowing the plot, Thea wondered who this person was. Judging by her astonishing aura, she was definitely not an ordinary person. Given Thea's current poor condition, she couldn't afford to engage with her. With a hint of caution, she asked, "Who are you? What do you want with me?"

"You can call me Shiva, or Lady Shiva if you prefer. Originally, I was commissioned to teach you more combat skills, but after watching your fight just now, I admire you. Despite lacking in strength, experience, and technique compared to your opponent, you managed to hold your own. I'm impressed. Would you like to be my disciple?" The mysterious woman spoke with a slightly strange foreign accent.

Lady Shiva? Where did she come from? Thea could only confirm that she wasn't a character from Green Arrow or The Flash. Judging by her presence, she seemed very skilled in combat, but she didn't seem like a superpowered individual. Could she be from the neighboring Gotham?

Considering her statement about being commissioned, it was easy to guess. Besides Malcolm, who else could it be? Probably not Felicity, right? Should she accept it or not? This woman gave off an icy, cold, and destructive vibe. None of these words were synonymous with benevolence. This woman was definitely not a righteous hero!

Was she going to accept guidance from a villain? After some thought, it wasn't such a big deal! Malcolm was also an antagonist; he taught her well, didn't he?

But some questions still needed to be clarified. "What are you planning to teach me?"

"You have a good foundation in combat. I intend to further teach you the essence of fighting and train your perception," Miss Shiva said in a calm tone.

She wondered if Malcolm would be furious if he heard this. The teachings he generously imparted were just basic in her eyes? Did she think she was more skilled? Thea was starting to become interested in this woman.