Theodore and I walked to our martial arts elective. When we got to the room, Sensei Barrett was sitting in a lotus position meditating. We quickly hurried to the changing room and returned for class.
When we returned, the sensei had already stopped meditating and stood with his hands behind his back. The two of us lined up side by side in front of him. It seemed Asmura wouldn't be joining us today.
It must've been because of what happened at the last class. She was a demon that got beaten by a human. An old man, no less.
I understood how she felt to some degree.
The demon king specifically asked us to kill the heroes in the academy that might pose a threat to him. If we failed, it meant death.
The only other way out was if I sought the protection of the protagonist. If I confessed to him that I was a demon and asked him to protect me against the demon king's wrath.
As if...
That was the path most of the demons that infiltrated the academy took. They bowed their heads to the protagonist. Trading one master for another who was more caring and gentle.
It is for that reason that I won't only get rid of the heroes but also the demons too.
Though I understood Asmura's thoughts, if we couldn't even beat an old man, what chance did we have against the top students of the academy? Granted, we weren't using our abilities, but still.
The sensei didn't seem bothered by Asmura's absence in the slightest and started teaching as normal. He started by teaching Theodore the basics of jiu jitsu while I sat on the ground and watched.
I think he made the right choice teaching this martial art to Theodore. Theodore would likely have the size advantage over most people he'll fight, so learning grappling along with wrestling was a good choice. If he didn't have the size advantage, then that's where boxing came in.
As for me, I didn't know why he decided to teach me Wing Chun, Taekwondo, and Muay Thai. I already knew what Muay Thai and Taekwondo were from my old world, but Wing Chun was new to me. That is why I decided to do a bit of research about it last night before going to bed.
Apparently, it was a martial art that focused mostly on using your opponent's force against them. It was a close-quarters combat style that focuses on high-speed attacks. And it was one of the only martial arts that focuses on attack and defense simultaneously.
When Sensei Barrett was done teaching Theodore the basics, he moved on to me. Seeing his approach, I hopped to my feet and stood with my hands behind my back.
"We'll first start by learning the appropriate stance. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and create a V shape with your heels. Bend your knees slightly."
I followed the sensei's instructions, and he stepped forward to correct me wherever I was wrong.
"You should tuck your tailbone forward and up. Doing this aligns your spine to absorb and generate force when you're being pushed off balance. Alright, that should be fine," he said before stepping back to where he first was.
"Now for your hand placement. Before that, you must understand that Wing Chun utilizes the centerline theory. It's an imaginary line that runs down the center of your body. By keeping control of this line, you can defend against attacks while simultaneously launching attacks of your own."
"What is the point in protecting your center?" I asked. I wasn't quite getting what he was saying.
Seeing that, he approached me and tapped me on my head, my chest, and then my stomach.
"It encompasses your vitals, like the head, heart, and solar plexus. Those are just a few vital spots in your centerline. There are many more," he explained.
That made sense. It almost seemed like this martial art was created to target an opponent's vitals. If I could memorize the different pressure points of the human body and use this martial art to target…
I stopped when I noticed the sensei's eyes on me. His gaze had gotten sharper, as if he was reading my mind.
"You're already coming up with ways to use this technique to the fullest, aren't you? That is why I thought it would be perfect for you," he said.
"..."
I didn't answer him. I only met his gaze as we stared directly into each other's eyes.
This old man...
Might be more than I first thought...
"Anyway, as for your hand position, your leading hand should be extended forward at chest height. Your elbow should be kept low and tucked in while pointing to the floor. Your rear hand should be held near your chest with your palm facing up."
I followed his instructions and made sure my hand positioning was correct. Sensei Barrett didn't make any complaints, so I knew I must've had it right.
"Good. The first attack I'll teach you is the straight punch. It's a simple technique that emphasizes speed and power. It is done with a relaxed fist."
I spent the next two hours practicing the straight punch. Theodore had given up within the first 30 minutes, which caused him to be brutally punished by the sensei until he was curled up in a ball of mess on the floor. By the way things were going, he would most likely drop out of the elective.
After the sensei was confident that I had learned the technique, he then taught me Chung Choi, which was a rapid series of straight punches aimed at the opponent's centerline.
I practiced on the metal striking post until my fingers bled and my knuckles adapted to punching metal.
"You're a lot easier to teach," the sensei commented as I struck the metallic striking post in quick succession. "You don't complain, and you barely react to anything I say."
I didn't react to his words and only continued hitting the metal striking post. I inhaled before every strike and exhaled upon striking. I continued this monotonous action over and over, engraving the movements in my brain with every strike.