[Target Scan: Kirihara Takeshi (Sanda Club President, Third Year)] Sanda (Practical Combat): B+ Rank (Core Skill, Nearing the A-Rank Threshold) Physical Fitness (Endurance and Explosiveness): B Rank Observational Skill (Combat Prediction): C Rank Club Management (Authoritative Type): C Rank [Affection: 0 (Neutral)] - Unlocking any skill requires affection ≥40 (recognition of strength) [Target Scan: Sanda Club Member A (Third Year)] Sanda (Solid Fundamentals): C Rank ... [Target Scan: Sanda Club Member B (Second Year)] Sanda (Technique-Oriented): C+ Rank ...
Toudou Shizuka stepped forward, wearing a hint of interest in combat sports and just the right amount of politeness. "Hello, senpai. May I ask if the Sanda Club is still accepting new members?"
Kirihara Takeshi's gaze settled on Toudou Shizuka, sweeping over his build as if it were a tangible force.
Toudou Shizuka deliberately reined in the faint air of danger that came with S-Rank Fighting Style, making himself look like an ordinary new student with an average build, an interest in combat, and little formal training.
"We are."
Kirihara Takeshi was brief and to the point, his voice low and firm. "But Sanda isn't just for show. If you want to join, you'll have to prove you're willing to work hard and face real combat."
He pointed to a matted area nearby. "Interested? Get up there and move around a little. Let Murata, a second-year, test you."
Murata, the second-year member (Member B) who had been called out, stepped forward with an easy smile, loosening his wrists and ankles. "Don't be nervous, junior. We'll just trade a few simple moves so you can get a feel for it." He clearly didn't take Toudou Shizuka seriously.
Toudou Shizuka nodded, took off his school uniform jacket, and set it aside, revealing the athletic T-shirt underneath. He stepped onto the mats and adopted a slightly awkward fighting stance, though his gaze was exceptionally calm.
"Begin." Kirihara Takeshi folded his arms and gave the order in a flat tone.
Murata's smile remained unchanged. His footwork was light as he sent a probing straight punch flying toward Toudou Shizuka's face!
Deep in Toudou Shizuka's eyes, the battle instincts granted by S-Rank Fighting Style had already mapped out the movements of Murata's muscles and the shift in his center of gravity. But Toudou Shizuka deliberately moved half a beat too slowly, raising his arm to block as if in a "panic."
"Smack!"
The punch struck his arm with considerable force. Toudou Shizuka went along with it, "staggering" back a step and letting a hint of "surprise" and "pain" cross his face.
"Decent reflexes, but you're a little weak." Murata commented, then pressed forward with a low sweep aimed at Toudou Shizuka's legs, his movements even more fluid.
This time, Toudou Shizuka seemed to have "timed it right." The moment Murata put his weight into the sweep, Toudou Shizuka abruptly darted sideways, evading the kick by the narrowest margin. The movement was clumsy, but he'd managed to dodge it.
"Oh?" Murata raised an eyebrow, shedding some of his contempt. "You've got quick feet." He closed in again, sending a barrage of combinations at him, his punches noticeably faster.
Toudou Shizuka floundered across the mats, his movements appearing frantic and clumsy. Every block and dodge looked like a desperate effort, as if he were about to get hit at any moment.
But at the last possible second, he always managed to use the smallest movement and most awkward posture to barely avoid a vital spot or take most of the force out of the blow.
To anyone watching, he looked like a little boat tossed about in a storm, on the verge of capsizing at any moment, yet somehow managing to steady himself again and again.
[Basic Thought Acceleration] made Toudou Shizuka's mind work like a precision computer, controlling every minute reaction of his body and disguising S-Rank technique as "good luck" and "instinctive reactions" around the C-Rank level.
Even when he seemed cornered and forced to dodge, he deliberately left openings a few times, letting Murata's punches graze his shoulder or arm and score a few harmless "hits."
Three minutes passed. Murata was breathing noticeably harder, sweat beading at his temples. He'd had a great time fighting and felt he'd completely dominated his opponent, but strangely, despite all his awkwardness, Toudou Shizuka had never taken a truly decisive hit or gone down. The frustration of having nowhere to put his strength left Murata feeling stifled.
"Stop!" Kirihara Takeshi's voice rang out.
Murata reluctantly pulled back, panting. He looked at Toudou Shizuka, who was also "panting" and sweating, his expression complicated. "You've got some real luck, kid! And you can take a hit!"
Toudou Shizuka wiped away his sweat and gave him a smile that was a little "shaken" but also "relieved." "You're amazing, senpai. I nearly got knocked flat."
Kirihara Takeshi stepped forward, his sharp gaze sweeping over Toudou Shizuka and pausing briefly on the spots where he'd been "grazed." Toudou Shizuka controlled his muscles so that those areas showed normal, faintly reddened marks from impact.
"Your reflexes are good, and your body coordination is decent. You've got grit." Kirihara Takeshi's low voice carried a hint of approval. "Your technique's rough, but you've got a solid foundation. If you're willing to work hard, you can be trained. Murata, give him a form."
"Yes, President!" Murata was a little unhappy, but he trusted the president's judgment and handed Toudou Shizuka a membership application.
[Kirihara Takeshi Affection +5 (Recognizes his basic ability and resilience). Current: 5 (Neutral) -> Goal: 40 (Recognition of strength).] [Murata Affection: -5 (Slightly annoyed)] - Nothing serious.
"Thank you, President! Thank you, senpai!" Toudou Shizuka accepted the form with an expression of "delight" and a respectful attitude.
He'd successfully infiltrated the Sanda Club! The first goal was achieved.
His first training session after joining the Sanda Club took place a few days later. The training intensity was high: basic physical fitness, footwork, combinations, and more. Kirihara Takeshi was extremely strict, immediately pointing out any mistakes and even assigning extra drills when movements weren't up to standard.
Thanks to his S-Rank foundation and the learning ability granted by [Thought Acceleration], Toudou Shizuka easily "played the part" of a "promising newcomer" with above-average physical fitness whose technique was gradually improving from awkward to correct. He kept a low profile, but in Kirihara Takeshi's eyes, his progress made him "a promising prospect."
After training, the club members headed in pairs and threes to the locker room or rest area. Toudou Shizuka "happened" to walk with several upperclassmen, including Murata, toward the vending machines.
"Phew... I'm exhausted! President Kirihara's still a monster!" A third-year club member (Member A, tentatively named Kobayashi) complained as he wiped away sweat and took out a point card to buy a can of iced coffee.
"Seriously. I feel like I'm about to fall apart after every session," another member agreed.
"But the training really works! Didn't you place in the interschool tournament last time, senpai Kobayashi?" Murata flattered him.
Before you continue