The dojo was silent, save for the soft rustle of fabric and the faint sound of Kyle's measured breaths. Across from him, Instructor Dan stood at the other side of the mat with his katana held in loosely.
Kyle tightened his grip on the katana and hit into his stance, ready to fight. His stats had seen a very large leap from the last time they fought and Kyle was somewhat confident of keeping up against Dan this time.
"Remember, this isn't about showing off," Dan cut off Kyle's thoughts with a reminder. "This is about control, precision, and growth. If you think mastering the Air Steps Technique means you can slack off, think again."
"Wouldn't dream of it, Instructor," Kyle replied with a grin.
Without another word, Dan charged and his katana sliced through the air in a controlled arc. Kyle met the attack head-on and their blades clashed with a resounding clang.
