"Who else wants to challenge? Come on!"
Shen stood tall, her gaze sharp like a falcon's as she looked at the members of the Fighting class. The battle just now had left her feeling improved and given her new ideas, So she wanted to continue fighting in hopes of improving more.
Two boys and a girl who had followed Warren stood in front of her, looking uneasy. One of the girls stepped forward.
"Lily, Lost Track Fist"
(T/N: Lost Track Fist or "Mizongyi", is a distinctive Chinese martial art that emphasizes deception and mobility. Its history and lineage are tied to the Shaolin Temple and Sun Tong, and it has evolved over time through influences from other styles.)
"Shen, Bajiquan"
Lost Track Fist had a long history, going back over a thousand years. Many of Drakoria's ancient military generals had practiced this martial art.
Shen wasn't sure how skilled her opponent was, but she knew it didn't matter.
Within a dozen rounds, Shen had Lily on the defensive. The girl struggled to fend off Shen's relentless strikes until finally, Shen overpowered her using Bajiquan's powerful left-right split move, ending the match with a clear victory.
"That's amazing!"
"Shen is incredible!"
Watching Shen defeat two opponents in a row, even the prideful students from the special class started cheering. Luis even gave a smug thumbs-up to the Fighting class.
The spectators who had gathered clapped loudly in approval, making Shen blush slightly at the attention.
The pressure was now squarely on the Fighting class. They had come here to show off, but they had been defeated by a girl.
And looking at Shen still standing tall, it didn't seem like she was done yet.
"Is she going to take on three opponents in a row?"
Shen, having bested two already, seemed ready to keep going. Winning against various opponents using different styles wasn't just about racking up victories; it was about gaining combat experience and better understanding herself.
The best way to improve in martial arts was to fight.
"Who else?" Shen asked.
Julian raised an eyebrow. This familiar sounding tone, and that Power Trip was very similar to someone.
"Brother Walker, she got that from you," Luis whispered with a grin.
When Julian had faced off against six classmates before, he had issued a similar challenge.
It had been an extreme show of confidence. Now it was Shen's turn. At least she was showing off to the other class.
The Fighting class wasn't going to let this slide. They had their pride too. They had issued the challenge themselves, and now they couldn't back down.
"Let me experience your Bajiquan for myself."
A figure stepped out from the Fighting class. He was around 1.8 meters tall, with an ordinary appearance, but his eyes shone with intensity. It was the kind of presence that made people notice his eyes first before anything else.
"The class leader's here! Now it's getting serious!"
"This girl's done for."
"Bajiquan versus Bajiquan? This'll be good."
The newcomer was Dalton, the class leader of the Fighting class. He had earned that position by defeating anyone who challenged him.
In that sense, he was a bit like Julian.
"Dalton, Bajiquan"
"Shen, Bajiquan"
"Do you want to rest first?" Dalton asked.
"No need"
Shen shook her head. She knew momentum was crucial in battle. Taking a break would only cause her to lose the rhythm she had built up.
"Shen is in danger," said Kate suddenly from where she was resting.
"How can that be? Shen is so strong, and the opponent practices Bajiquan too. Isn't this a perfect match for her?" Luis said, brimming with confidence in Shen.
To him, Kate was just overthinking things.
"Does Dalton have something special?"
Julian could hear the seriousness in Kate's tone and asked curiously.
"If I'm right, Dalton is from the Davis family. Their Bajiquan is just as strong as Shen's family. The elder of the Davis family is a master, and Dalton is considered the top fighter of their younger generation."
"So what?" Luis scoffed. "If he's so great, why isn't he in the special recruit class?"
What Luis didn't know was that if Shen hadn't awakened her Heart's Eye at the last minute, Dalton would've likely taken her spot.
Neither party was aware of this too.
The duel between Dalton and Shen began. Both practiced Bajiquan, but their styles were slightly different.
"Shen is going to lose," Julian whispered.
Although Julian knew a little Bajiquan, and was not a martial artist, but his vision was still very good.
Luis wanted to refute, but when he saw that the speaker was Julian, he subconsciously closed his mouth.
Shen was fierce, but after several rounds, it became clear she was at a disadvantage. Dalton was more skilled, and Shen, having already fought twice, was starting to tire.
After about a dozen rounds, Dalton managed to knock her down.
"I've lost," Shen said quietly, accepting her defeat.
"Martial arts isn't about winning or losing" Dalton replied.
"But you are indeed better than me"
Shen shook her head, Even if she hadn't been tired from her previous matches, she knew Dalton was more proficient in Bajiquan.
It was a humbling experience, but it would help her grow.
Now, two of the three martial artists in the special class had lost. Only one remained, and all eyes turned toward him.
"Don't look at me," Gucci said quickly. "I don't know martial arts."
He wasn't lying. Even though he was a Fighting-type Pokémon trainer, he had never learned martial arts himself.
He had only made it into the special class by winning the National Fighting Elite Tournament, where Dalton had been one of his opponents in the quarterfinals.
In a Pokémon battle, Gucci wasn't afraid of Dalton. But in a hand-to-hand fight, he knew he wouldn't stand a chance.
"What? Are we just going to give up?" Luis asked, irritated.
The noble-born students from the special class felt the sting of defeat. They weren't used to being outclassed like this.
"If you've got the guts, challenge us to a Pokémon battle!" one of them shouted.
Dalton had expected this. He knew only two students in the special class practiced martial arts. He was standing there just because he was the class leader of Fighting class, to earn respect for their class.
He had no interest in embarrassing them any further, so he was about to leave when a voice stopped him.
"How about I be your opponent?"
Dalton turned around, surprised. Julian was standing there.
"Brother Walker, don't be impulsive!"
Luis hurriedly pulled at Julian's arm, worried for him.
"You are?"
Dalton asked, a little unsure. From what he had inquired about the special class, there were only two martial artists in there.
"Julian."
"You're this years student representative"
Hearing the name, Dalton finally recognized him as the one who had spoken at the opening ceremony.
No wonder he looked a little familiar.
But he had never heard anything about this guy knowing martial arts.
*****
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