The morning after felt like like I have been hit by a bus.
Twice!
I could not move without groaning. Every muscle in my body screamed rebellion as I tried to sit up in the tiny dorm bed. The bruises were not badges—they were a lesson.
Worth it.
Still, I had to crawl out. Genzou said 6 a.m. sharp. And the old man do not do leniency.
I limped my way out of the campus housing. No Reina this time. Just me with aching limbs, and a sunrise that looked way too smug.
At Genzou's Dojo - 6:15 a.m.
I was late. By fifteen minutes.
Genzou didn't speak. Just pointed to the floor.
"Push ups. Until you hear the word 'stop', don't stop."
I groaned but still obeyed.
Twenty in, my shoulders trembled.
Fifty in, I tasted blood.
Somewhere around ninety, I started to hallucinate my old desk job. Cubicle hell. The safe life.
And I laughed.
Genzou raised a brow. "Somethin' funny?"
"Yeah," I panted. "I used to think Excel sheets were hard."
He grunted. "Keep going."
The Real Training Begins
The next two hours were like hell. But it was not just a mindless punishment.
Every drill had a purpose. Timing. Coordination. Balance. My legs felt like lead, and my core? It's on fire.
He did not let me punch once.
"You'll earn your shot," he said.
We moved from balance to breath control. I had to hold stances until my knees screamed. Then repeat it. Over and over. Genzou watched everything, like a drill sergeant, measuring weakness.
"No shortcuts," he muttered. "Strength without form is just violence."
When Reina finally showed up, I was halfway through a footwork exercise that made my ankles cry.
She leaned against the wall. "You still alive?"
"Define 'alive.'"
She smirked. "Good. You'll need to be, for your next match."
I blinked. "My next what now?"
New Opportunity
Reina tossed me a flyer. It landed in my lap, sweat sticking it to my skin.
Underground fights. Local city qualifiers. A real tournament.
Winner gets a shot at a mentorship with a ranked Master.
"You're signing up," she said. "Koji vouched for you, and Genzou agreed. You want to grow? This is it. This is your opportunity."
I looked at the flyer.
It had a roaring tiger logo, bright red kanji, and a list of names. Some were scratched out. Some were circled in red ink.
"Wait... these guys looks like killers," I said.
"Then try not to die." She smirked.
I laughed, then winced. My ribs did not appreciate the humor.
Still—
Something deep in my chest stirred.
Fear?
No.
Hunger.
Later That Night – Dorm Rooftop
I sat under the stars, my knees were sore, and my knuckles hurt too. Reina had gone home. Genzou said to rest. But my mind wouldn't stop replaying Koji's punch. The way the crowd gasped. The feeling when I landed that first clean jab.
'I did that.'
In another life, I wouldn't have stepped into that ring. I would have stayed behind the fence, watching others fight like beasts.
Not anymore.
I curled my fingers into a fist.
I will not just fight.
I will prove that I exist.