Shortly after leaving the shack Kuma nonchalantly headed in to the forest. His destination was a large lake deep within. He found it several years ago while hunting with Shuri. It was the resting place to many beast as well as their water source. He forbid Shuri from going there because she was far to weak, but with his strength it was not a problem.
He planned on using some materials found there to make Shuri a necklace.
traveling a few miles in he began to see more and more creatures. Ranging from little rabbits to huge wild beast. Like the the Banther right in front of him.
Banthers were lean panther like beast with tusk like boars that were harder than steel. Hence the simple name Kuma gave to them as he had little to no knowledge of the outside world.
A fierce battle began as Kuma and the Banther charged each other. Using his footsteps and precision he gracefully stepped to the side and and stabbed the beast in both eyes.
"Rawwgh" wounded the beast roared out in rage. With a flick of its head to the side it hit Kuma slamming him into a near by tree.
"Uhhh" Kuma groaned as he picked himself up and gathering his bearings before charging again.
The blind beast flayed about kicking and clawing at random as his senses were in disarray. Kuma took this as a chance. Using the techniques he learned from his mother he began to raise his aura releasing his Qi. A dark green light with black spots in it flowed from his body. If anyone from the outside world would have seen him they would have been shocked. That's because he was a rare dual Qi user!!!
When his Qi reached its peak Kuma flickered jumping high above the beast then with his downward momentum he stabbed down hard with his daggers. The Banther didn't even have the time to cry out as it's head was split in two. It collapsed falling down dead.
"Phew that hurt a little bit. I need to work on my shadow steps a little more it seems" Kuma mumble to himself as he sat down to recover.
His green Qi that covered his body rapidly healed his minor wounds, while slowly healing the gash in his back from where he hit the tree. The green Qi was of the wood element. It held no combat power only possessing the ability to heal.
After recovering Kuma removed the two tusk from the Banther with a special method before heading on his way.
Trudging along he met a few more beast but none of them as strong as the Banther he encountered earlier. As he made it to the area where the lake was supposed to be he froze in his tracks!
"Gone... it's all gone this is no more than a puddle!!" Kuma exclaimed in shock, confused as to why the huge lake was now nothing more than a crater. There was only a puddle of water at the bottom, barely enough to take a bath in. As he was about to go explore the crater he heard a sound that caused fear to rise from his heart. It was a sound He was all to familiar with. It was the cries of the war horns!!!
"Ahvroon" "Avrooonn" As the Sound ranged out the faces of the villagers paled. Shock and disbelief were in their hearts. It was just too much to take in. The last raid was several years ago this was just way too early.
"We are doomed... we are doomed... how can this be!" A male voice that sounded like he was on the verge of insanity spoke out.
"Shut your mouth rabbit. How can you be so cowardly. We need to believe in the chief and the elders. Every things going to be okay."
Came a female voice that spoke out berating rabbit. As she tried to soothe the other children in the room.
This woman was Shuri she was huddled in the corner of the room holding some young children.
"Big sister is right guys we need to stand strong and trust the elders." A trembling child within her arms cried out.
Shuri couldn't help but smile Thankfully at the young boy. he was normally very mischievous running around the village playing pranks on the females and stealing their undergarments, but in troubled times is where people's true colors show. As the boy was now speaking out to calm the crowd even though he was shaking and scared himself.
Shuri was calm on the outside, But in her heart she was worried hoping Kuma would hurry and come back. She had figured out the reason why he slept In a long time ago as she secretly watched him train during the night. She was shocked to find out his true strength had long surpassed the village chief who was at the late condensing stage. Kuma was in the early form stage! Even though they were only one level apart there was a huge gap in strength between the two. With Kuma here Shuri knew the village would be safe.
At the front of the village the chief and the elders fought with a fury.
The red haired chief swung his large axe around cleaving beast after beast. His dark Qi pulsing around his body making him seem like a demonic lord.
Despite all that despair filled his eyes because he knew they couldn't last much longer. the casualties were piling up while they still haven't recovered from the last raid. He looked over in the direction of the elders scanning a little bit before calling out.
"Ruma go to the kids and have them leave there are just too many beast you hav- arghhhh!" Before he could finish a beast tore his left arm off!! being distracted in a battle could be fatal but the stakes were to important so he took the risk anyway.
The large Axe fell with his arm sinking the ground due to its weight. Ignoring the pain he punched out with his right arm. Enveloped in his Qi the arm crushed through the defenses of the beast easily. Shattering it's spine and killing it in seconds.
"Rumaaaaa goooo" he roared before diving in to the beast undauntedly! This moment was his final stand