Flat-Brim Samurai Chapter 36
,"What the hell is this?" the sensei of a dojo said ,"This note says 'I will be at your dojo tomorrow to compare techniques against your whole school -Sincerely Apollo Musashi'." He paused for a moment to soak that all in, HIS dojo was going to be challenged to a comparison of technique? It just didn't seem right to him as he dismissed it and continued with his lesson. Apollo decided, instead of training more with his father the next day, to challenge a dojo in order to increase his battle IQ and strength to a higher level. Real battle training with people he hasn't sparred with before was just what he needed.
The next day just as promised, he arrived at the dojo but nobody understood why he was there. Apollo opened the door and went to the front counter ,"Are you here to sign up for the dojo?" the secretary asked. ,"I'm here to challenge everybody in this dojo" he replied straight up to the secretary and just walked past the counter. He went near the mats and waited. He had decided on a jiu-jitsu dojo to hone his grappling. He then bowed and walked on the mats ,"Hey sensei, I'm the one who wrote that note for you yesterday." The sensei looked at him with a disgusted face, absolutely bamboozled that the note was actually real.
His face then turned up into a smirk ,"I think we'll just do this gradually, from white belt to me." Apollo then satisfied, said ,"That'll work" and he started to spar with the students. As he rolled with the newer students he jotted down notes on movement, technique and strength control. Some of the students didn't have much new to offer him but it made him think which is what he wanted. The coach expected someone more rude and aggressive but he was surprised to find someone calm and technical. He noticed how even though he was stronger than a lot of the other students, he had controlled his strength to be on equal ground and refine his skills.
But as he got further into defeating better and better opponents, the challenge he faced got harder. He had to increase his skill to contend with increasingly difficult opponents. He went up against a blue belt and hit a double leg takedown, he then passed the guard but his opponent had his elbow in the way. His opponent then shrimped outside and took Apollo's back, Apollo then grabbed one of the arms and swung him down. He then, still holding the arm cinched with an americana. The fights in terms of skill were getting closer and closer until he was pretty much even with the higher belts.
Most of his fights were getting pretty difficult but his technique still outclassed most of his opponents. The first purple belt was in his midst and it was surprising because he wasn't expecting a girl. This girl looked about ¾ his size with much less muscle, Apollo thought it would be easy. She walked up to him relaxed and said ,"My name's Ava, Let's have a good match" Apollo's eyebrows shrunk down ,"Yeah…".
Apollo tried for grips but failed in doing so. Although he could overpower his opponent with brute force, he thought it would devalue himself in a battle using pure technique. So he tried all he could do, but in the end he got swept. When he landed on the ground Ava already had top mount. Unfortunately when Apollo tried to counter with a sweep of his own, she slid up his chest and wrapped her arms around his arm. He had underestimated his opponent, he stared straight faced at the ceiling. He was trapped in an armbar and had tried to use hitchhikers escape but failed. He had lost and the dojo had gotten the better of him. With grace and a little bit of disappointment, he bowed to the students and said ,"Thank you for having me, but don't think that I've given up. I will come back better than ever so be ready." The sensei smiled at him and retorted ,"Don't keep us waiting too long, my students need a challenge again."
Apollo jotted down a lot of notes and had a lot to think about from what he had just experienced. His intelligence and strength expanded. He was content and happy at the progress he was making but he knew that just this wouldn't be enough. Noah was strong and Apollo still had a lot to do in order to reach his level. Training with his father would continue. His eyes narrowed, looking up at the sky with a serious face ,"I will beat you, I will NOT lose again."