Sanda Club and Information (1)

[Scanning Target: Kirihara Takeshi (Sanda Club President, Third Year)]

Sanda (Practical Combat Style): B+ Rank (Core Skill, nearing A-Rank threshold)

Physical Fitness (Endurance & Burst): B Rank

Observational Skill (Combat Prediction): C Rank

Club Management (Authoritative Type): C Rank

[Affinity: 0 (Neutral)] - Unlocking any skill requires Affinity ≥ 40 (Recognized Strength)

[Scanning Target: Sanda Club Member A (Third Year)]

Sanda (Solid Fundamentals): C Rank

[Scanning Target: Sanda Club Member B (Second Year)]

Sanda (Technical Style): C+ Rank

Toudou Shizuka stepped forward, a hint of interest in martial arts and perfectly measured politeness on his face. "Senpai, hello. Is the Sanda Club still recruiting new members?"

Kirihara Takeshi's gaze fell upon Toudou Shizuka, sweeping over his form as if it had substance.

Toudou Shizuka deliberately suppressed the subtle sense of danger emanating from his S-Rank Fighting Style, making himself appear like an ordinary freshman with a well-proportioned physique, interested in combat but lacking systematic training.

"We are."

Kirihara Takeshi's voice was concise, deep, and powerful. "However, Sanda isn't just for show. If you want to join, you need to prove you have the resolve for hardship and real combat."

He pointed to a nearby open space covered with soft mats. "If you're interested, go spar a bit? Let Murata from the second year try a hand with you."

The second-year member Murata (Member B), who had been called out, stepped forward with a relaxed smile, stretching his wrists and ankles. "Don't be nervous, junior. We'll just exchange a few moves, get a feel for it." He clearly didn't take Toudou Shizuka seriously.

Toudou Shizuka nodded, took off his school uniform jacket, and placed it aside, revealing the sports T-shirt underneath. He walked onto the mat and assumed a slightly unpracticed combat stance, his eyes unusually calm.

"Begin," Kirihara Takeshi ordered indifferently, crossing his arms.

Murata's smile remained unchanged. His footwork was light and quick, and a probing straight punch whistled through the air, heading straight for Toudou Shizuka's face! His speed was decent for an ordinary student.

Deep within Toudou Shizuka's pupils, the combat instincts from his S-Rank Fighting Style had already clearly perceived the force generation trajectory of the opponent's muscles and the shift in his center of gravity. However, his body's movement was deliberately half a beat slow, making his arm block appear "hasty."

"Thwack!"

The punch landed on his arm with considerable force. Toudou Shizuka "stumbled" back a step, a look of "surprise" and "pain" on his face.

"Your reaction is okay, just a bit weak on power," Murata commented. He followed up, his footwork smoother now, launching a low sweep kick towards Toudou Shizuka's lower body.

This time, Toudou Shizuka seemed to have "judged" the timing correctly. The moment the opponent's leg swept out with force, his body flashed sharply to the side, narrowly evading the kick. His movement was somewhat clumsy, but he had indeed dodged it.

"Oh?" Murata raised an eyebrow, his dismissiveness lessening slightly. "Your footwork is quite slippery." He closed in again, launching a combination of punches like raindrops, his speed noticeably increasing.

Toudou Shizuka moved evasively on the mat, his movements appearing flustered and clumsy. Each block or dodge seemed extremely forced, as if he would be hit the next second.

Yet, at the last possible moment, he would evade vital points or dissipate most of the force with minimal movement and the most awkward posture.

To outsiders, he looked like a small boat tossed about in a storm, on the verge of capsizing at any moment, but miraculously righting itself time and time again.

[Accelerated Thinking (Basic)] turned Toudou Shizuka's brain into a precision computer, meticulously controlling every subtle reaction of his body and perfectly disguising his S-Rank techniques as the "good luck" and "instinctive reactions" of a C-Rank fighter.

During several dodges that seemed to push him to the brink, he even deliberately exposed a weakness, allowing Murata's punches to graze his shoulder or arm, leaving behind minor, non-injurious "battle scars."

Three minutes passed. Murata's breathing became noticeably heavier, and sweat beaded on his forehead. He had a "great" time, feeling like he had completely dominated the opponent. Yet, bizarrely, despite the opponent's disheveled state, he hadn't been hit in a vital spot or knocked down. This left Murata with a frustrating feeling of having strength but nowhere to apply it.

"Stop!" Kirihara Takeshi's voice rang out.

Murata reluctantly withdrew his hands, panting. He looked at Toudou Shizuka, who was also "panting" and sweating on his forehead, his expression complex. "Kid... you've got some serious luck! And you can take a hit!"

Toudou Shizuka wiped his sweat, flashing a smile that was a mix of "fear" and "relief." "Senpai is too strong. I almost got beaten down."

Kirihara Takeshi stepped forward, his sharp gaze sweeping over Toudou Shizuka, lingering on the few spots that had been "grazed." Toudou Shizuka controlled his muscles, making those areas show normal, slightly reddened impact marks.

"Your reaction speed is good, your body coordination is decent, and you have grit," Kirihara Takeshi stated in a deep voice, a hint of approval in his tone. "Your technique is rough, but your foundation isn't bad. If you're willing to work hard, you can improve. Murata, give him a form."

"Yes, President!" Although Murata was a bit displeased, he deeply respected the president's judgment and handed Toudou Shizuka an enrollment application form.

[Kirihara Takeshi Affinity +5 (Recognized his basic qualities and resilience). Current: 5 (Neutral) -> Target 40 (Recognized Strength).]

[Murata Affinity: -5 (Slightly displeased)] - Harmless.

"Thank you, President! Thank you, Senpai!" Toudou Shizuka took the form, his face beaming with "joy," his attitude respectful.

Successfully joined the Sanda Club! The first objective achieved.

----(Divider)----

The first training session after joining the Sanda Club took place a few days later. The intensity was high: basic physical fitness, footwork, punch combinations... Kirihara Takeshi's requirements were extremely strict; any improper movement would be immediately pointed out or even result in extra punishment.

With his S-Rank foundation and [Accelerated Thinking] learning ability, Toudou Shizuka easily "played" the role of a promising newcomer with above-average physical fitness, whose techniques were progressing from clumsy to gradually standardized. He remained inconspicuous, yet his progress speed was considered "worthy of cultivation" in Kirihara Takeshi's eyes.

After training, the club members went to the locker room or rest area in small groups. Toudou Shizuka "happened" to walk towards the vending machines with a few senior members (including Murata).

"Phew... I'm exhausted! President Kirihara is still a devil!" a third-year member (Member A, tentatively named Kobayashi) complained while wiping sweat, pulling out his point card to buy a can of iced coffee.

"Yeah, I feel like I'm falling apart after every training session," another member chimed in.

"But it's really effective! Didn't you, Kobayashi-senpai, win a ranking in the inter-school competition last time?" Murata added, flattering him.