"Hey! Why aren't you warming up or something?!"
Arthur, calm and composed, turned to William and said, "My body is always kept warm. To adrenalize it requires a certain level of engagement. Me taking off my shirt isn't for show."
William's eyes narrowed with a smile on his face.
"Oh really?" he declared. "Then I'll just have to give you everything I've got!"
He then straightened up, trying to mentally prepare for the challenge.
As they situated themselves into their respective stances, Arthur stood tall with a relaxed posture, exuding an aura of confidence and control.
William, on the other hand, had transformed self-doubt into resolve. He squared his shoulders, feeling the heat of the moment.
Stepping forward, Arthur began his explanation of the next lesson.
"This part of our training is centered around understanding your own body and how to use it effectively in a combat situation. Jada," he addressed her specifically, "you might be strong in many ways, but the truth is that you have limitations in your physical strength. It's affecting your chakra and, consequently, your overall performance."
Shock widened Jada's eyes as she took in this revelation. She wanted to ask how he knew that despite never having seen her fight, her admiration of him kept her silence and made her undoubtful.
Arthur, sensing her curiosity, answered her unstated question: "It's a fundamental principle—you move, and your body reacts. All shinobi and kunoichi alike share a baseline of physicality, and it's evident from your chakra flow that your physical strength isn't where it should be."
With one smooth motion, Arthur lifted his arms and entered a defensive stance while saying, "Don't hold back, boy…"
William's heart pounded in his chest. With a nod to Arthur, he charged forward.
"Oh, you're so going down!" he shouted, swinging a punch aimed directly at Arthur's forearm.
The moment William's fist connected, Arthur used the force of the blow to slide away from William's next intended action before swiftly returning. Then, in a fluid motion, he released his defenses, pivoting and delivering an uppercut straight to William's chin!
The force sent William flying upward, his body arcing through the air.
Jada's eyes widened in disbelief. She had witnessed the two fight before, but the raw power Arthur wielded at that moment seemed much stronger than the last time she had seen him.
It was incredible—a realization that if Arthur's body had once been forged from steel, it now resembled mithril, a material known for its remarkable strength and lightness.
How was this possible? Arthur, regardless of what he was doing, never stopped training!
William landed hard on his back, but without hesitation, he instinctively flipped to his feet. His overall resilience hadn't changed one bit.
"No way!" he nervously laughed. "That was just a warm-up!"
As he lunged at Arthur again, Arthur simply kicked at William's knee, forcing him to stumble backward.
William comically grabbed at his knee. "Oww!" he exclaimed, attempting to mask his embarrassment with bravado.
Arthur raised an eyebrow, clearly unamused, as he calmly explained, "In any fight, a good strategy is to throw your opponent off balance… especially if they're trying to gain momentum."
William grinned, brushing off the moment.
"Alright, listen! I'm gonna take you seriously now!" He straightened up, shaking off the earlier mishap. "No more playing around!"
He then charged at Arthur once more, but in an instant, Arthur was behind him. Before William could react, Arthur had a firm grip around his neck, holding him tightly.
"Take note, Jada; I will heal him afterward," Arthur stated calmly, making it clear that their training was about to take on a more serious tone. "The body is fragile, and understanding how it works is crucial for any combatant."
"Wait—what are you—" William began, but Arthur interrupted him.
"For instance," Arthur continued, still holding William's neck in a firm yet controlled manner, "the area of the body that, when fractured, causes the most pain is right here—"
In one swift motion, Arthur dug his fist into the precise spot behind William's shoulder blade.
"Ahh!" William cried, feeling the sudden surge of pain overwhelm him.
He doubled over, trying to catch his breath as he went down on one knee, tears forming in his eyes. His face honestly looked ridiculous.
"The game is called anatomy," Arthur said, not disguising the precision or the authority in his voice. "Every fighter you encounter will have some understanding of this through combat experience, but mine is different."
Jada, leaning in with intrigue, actually scribbled notes furiously on her notepad.
As entertaining as it might have looked, she came to understand that Arthur's knowledge rivaled that of major biologists and medical professionals.
Once William managed to finish his cry of pain, he let out a strained chuckle.
"That move was straight from Baki!" he exclaimed, panting slightly, his eye twitching from the residual discomfort.
"Never heard of him," Arthur replied, dismissing the reference without a second thought. "Now, let's go through some vital areas…"
Without waiting for William to fully recover, Arthur moved swiftly, targeting another critical point. His fist collided with William's abdomen, enough to knock the wind out of him.
"This," Arthur began, "is the solar plexus. A strike here disrupts your breathing and can incapacitate an opponent temporarily."
William gasped, clutching his torso as he stumbled backward. Jada watched intently, pen hovering just above her notepad, dying to take notes on everything she was witnessing.
Arthur continued, his voice calm and almost clinical, "Next, you have the liver."
He delivered another precise blow to William's side, prompting an involuntary grunt from the young shinobi.
"A punch to the liver can overload the body's ability to deal with things such as poison. In a prolonged fight, that can lead to a knockout."
"Okay, okay! I get it!" William wheezed out, trying to catch his breath. "You don't have to keep hitting me to prove your point!"
"The kidneys are crucial as well," Arthur addressed, striking William's side once more.
That hit made William cry out in disbelief.
Arthur then explained in a steady tone, "The kidneys filter the blood, manage waste, and balance fluids. An attack here can cause severe pain, crippling your ability to function normally, and could even injure an opponent to the point of muscle failure."
Jada jotted down every word as Arthur demonstrated the strikes, ensuring that William's cries of pain shaped their learning.
"This is so fascinating!" she noted, scribbling down notes about the anatomy of combat and the tactical applications of understanding one's opponent.
"Even more crucial," Arthur continued, "is the area around your neck."
He gently rotated William to face him, keeping him under control while delivering a quick jab to the side of the throat.
"This area is incredibly sensitive. A strike here disrupts not only breathing but can also affect messaging to the brain."
William instinctively recoiled, his hands flying to his neck, slightly bewildered.
"Okay," he attempted to say, trying to catch his breath. It took him a moment to fully form a complete sentence. "I… can see… where this is going…"
Arthur then stepped back, contemplating the next area to address.
"The temples and jaw can also be glaring weaknesses," he noted, glancing over at Jada, "but for now, let's focus on recovery techniques. Remember, every one of these areas can be used to incapacitate an opponent—but a gifted fighter learns how to recover and defend."
Once again, he turned to William. Thinking he was going to hit again, William raised his guard, only to be shocked that no strike was delivered.
"To assist in that recovery," Arthur continued, "pain should be used as a reminder to be aware of what your opponent can do and leverage that knowledge to boost your own defenses. Mental fortitude is just as critical as physical strength."
"I… I think I understand," William stammered, lowering his guard and regaining some composure. "But that still hurt, you crazy idiot!"
"That's the point of sparring," Arthur calmly replied, "to test limits and push beyond them. You'd do well not to underestimate that first blow."
Turning slightly to Jada, he added, "For you, observing William's reactions is just as important as understanding what I've been teaching… Note how he adapts, how he stands after taking a hit, and what adjustments he makes in strategy. You'll be poised for greater growth if you do."
Jada again scribbled down a torrent of notes.
"Adapting to immediate circumstances during a fight—got it!" she announced. "This is so insightful!"
"Wait!" William suddenly said after recovering. "How does beating me to—"
Before William could react, Arthur delivered a sharp jab to his ribs.
"Ahh!" he screamed. "That hurt a lot!"
"As well as it should," Arthur said. "A direct strike there affects the respiratory system and can disrupt anyone's ability to breathe properly. The ribs protect vital organs like the heart and lungs, and when they're damaged, not only does it cause severe pain, but it can lead to a punctured lung. Consider yourself fortunate for being so resilient."
Arthur then stepped back, watching as William staggered before finally doubling over, gasping for air.
"That's the effect of a well-placed blow," Arthur added. "Remember, the body is fragile, and knowing exactly where to hit makes a difference in combat."
"Okay, let's move on… I get it…"
But Arthur wasn't finished.
"Next is the solar plexus." He moved in close again. "This area, just below the rib cage, houses many nerves. A strike here controls the diaphragm, which means it's a more effective way to take someone's breath away."
Again, he struck, driving his fist into the flesh beneath William's ribs. The sensation was excruciating as William felt the very air inside him escape entirely. He fell to his knees, clutching his stomach.
"Can't I get a break?!"
"Learning involves discomfort," Arthur informed him in an even tone. Jada was simply processing all of the information, intrigued by how martial arts could really destroy the interconnected workings of the body. "Next, the jaw, like I promised…"
Before William could brace himself, Arthur executed a quick, precise jab that caught William right on the side of his jaw, sending shockwaves of pain through his head.
"The jaw houses the nerves that influence the teeth and muscles used during speaking. A strike can not only cause immense pain but can also disorient someone during a fight."
The world around William had slightly blurred as he tried to maintain his composure.
"You're killing me!" he tried to exclaim.
"You're not dead yet," Arthur replied.
"Yet?!"
"Moving from the jaw to the temples." He then struck swiftly, aiming just above William's ear. The rapid blow rattled the man's senses, and his vision swam as he tried to recover from the assault. "This can create a daze or even unconsciousness if hit properly."
"Doesn't make sense!" William gasped, his breath hitching. "And this is just too painful!"
Arthur inclined his head slightly, saying, "Pain is also your teacher… The body gives us feedback. Pay attention to it, and you can learn how to respond better."
As William writhed on the ground, trying to recollect his thoughts, Arthur moved in once more, this time aiming for the sternum.
"The sternum houses the heart and lungs," he said while pressing a firm blow into the center of William's chest. "A strike here can damage your heart's ability to function, which is usually fatal. But for our purposes, it creates a high level of pain and can temporarily incapacitate the body."
William gasped again, clutching his chest as he fought to get air back into his lungs. He looked up at Arthur, bewildered and exhausted.
"I get it!" he cried out, finally at the mercy of Arthur's relentless instructional and clinical approach. "She's learned enough!"
"Not yet, we're almost done!" Arthur continued, unfazed. "Let's discuss how a strike to the back of the head or neck can lead to concussion or worse." In a swift motion, he struck the back of William's head lightly, testing both his control and the applicability of the lesson. "The importance of maintaining awareness is a basic principle."
William winced, the world spinning around him as he tried to comprehend all that had been addressed—an anatomy lesson interlaced with pain.
He couldn't make sense of the information mixing with the sensations throbbing through his body.
Finally, with a sense of definitiveness, Arthur stepped back to conclude the lesson.