Escape:Target D916 Book 2 |✓|

Chapter 23

Shifting from one foot to the other in an average-paced movement, Draven held up the boxing pads that were placed over his hands and he smirked for striking Jr in his face causing him to fall on his ass. "C'mon get up" Draven instructed, clapping the boxing pads together and Jr rose to his feet with a groan.

Draven chuckled and swung another strike, missing as Jr ducked and struck with his left, his face unguarded and Draven backhanded his cheek hard, and he tumbled once more.

A split second, Draven saw the water build in Jr's eyes, but he shook it off as Draven wanted and rose to his feet. "I'm not even trying hard" He chuckled.

"You're just..." He hunched over breathing heavily, tired, and with sweat dripping from his forehead. "Too fast" He huffed out, bracing his hands on his knees.

"You think they will slow down for you?" Draven folded his arms preparing to lecture him, but Jr stood up with his arms wide open. "Well, they won't exactly try to fight a 9-year-old now, will they?"

Draven smacked his teeth, looking away and ignoring Jr's impudence before he was to walk away and end training there. "Look they won't but that's your advantage"

"But why are we practicing how to punch? They're stronger than me anyway" He groaned, a hint of a pout but he knew if Draven were to perceive his comments and responses as complaints, again, he would end their training and never attempt again.

Draven chuckled as he shook his head, taking off the pads and throwing them to the ground. "We're not practicing how to punch junior. We're practicing focus. To win a fight, you don't have to use muscle or strength. Just watch" He palmed a blade, his index acting first along with the rotation of his wrist, followed by his palm opening for room and the thumb gripping. Repeatedly he followed these movements, the blade facing away, careful not to slash himself.

"Focus on the blade. What it's doing, where it's going, what way is it facing" He instructed maintaining eye contact with Junior whose eyes began to stare at the blade intensely.

When he noticed Junior's hand relax and his stomach fall from an exhale, the rotation of the blade fell into Draven's other hand, swiping his foot under Junior and he fell with a grunt. Before he could rise, the blade was pressed to his throat, Draven smirking. "You said to watch the blade not you"

"Both is important. Who holds the blade is important. What they do with that blade and where it disappears is imperative. Now on your feet" He instructed once more returning to his position.

He waited for Junior to rise and return to his position, his eyes traveling between Draven and the blade as instructed. This time, Draven didn't speak before he launched, the blade being transferred into his other hand, the open hand gripping Junior's arm. As expected, Jr pulled away before he could maintain a firm grip, and his foot shot out towards the blade, knocking it from his hand.

"What do you do next?" Draven questioned.

Junior eyebrow furrowed as if the question was one of Draven's tricks which it was. In order to train Junior, he also had to know Junior wouldn't use the knowledge and practice every time the opportunity presented itself and get himself killed. "Run?" Junior questioned.

"Yes. When they are disarmed you run. You are not strong enough to take on a grown man" Junior nodded but even Draven could see the disagreement, but he didn't complain. Draven placed the blade in Junior's palm. "Cut me" He demanded.

Junior didn't hesitate to attempt a strike at his arm, the closest and vulnerable place he could've gone to, which Draven expected, and Draven countered the attack with a twist of Junior's wrist and kneeing the blade away. He chuckled as Junior grunted. "Again"