King Cobra

King Cobra Chapter 5 Part 1: Rise Up!

 Hope you're having a nice day!

Definitely was excited to reach chapter 5! This definitely is a fun chapter to write, and it marks a major turning point in the story.

Note: Also could someone please tell me what is going on with the quotation marks in the titles? Thank you! Anyways...

 Enjoy reading📗!

King Cobra Chapter 5 Part 1 "Rise Up!"

Warning: Minor language usage

 ~○Part 1○~

Aaron adjusted his black Gi as he faced Payne, who stood readily across from him.

Aaron observed his stance and saw he already had gotten better at his footing and hand positioning. So maybe he had been practicing.

Aaron then situated himself and took up a well-grounded posture.

"Okay, so.." Aaron began as he decided where to begin. It had been a while since one of their lessons. "...I messed up last time and I had failed you. Something I'm not planning to repeat. I truly am sorry Payne about what happened, and I won't let it happen again."

Aaron sounded deadly serious, and Payne nodded sharply at the notion.

"Though, now that we know where we went wrong, we know how to go right," Aaron then assured him. He then raised his fists to cover his face. "We need defense. And you know what makes the best defense?"

"Proper blocking training," Payne guessed with a troubled shrug.

Aaron made a face of 'fair assumption' though he shook his head.

"More offensive," Aaron corrected with a slick grin.

Payne then nodded, now smirking, "I think like the sound of that."

"I assumed you'd say that," Aaron smiled knowingly, though his smile washed away as he became more stoic. "Let's get to work."

Over the next few days, the rigorous training had begun. Aaron had planned out multiple activities to build up Payne's strength, stamina, and endurance. All made in order for Payne to advance as a fighter.

As Payne went through the different exercises he could hear the questions Aaron had begun to ask boom in his head.

"Fear doesn't exist in this dojo does it?"

Payne found himself under the water again with his hands tied. Like before, Payne's mind went into panic mode as soon as air wasn't filling his lungs. He was drowning. He searched for some kind of inner-peace, but all he found was anxiety. It wasn't until a hand pulled him up again did Payne feel like he could relax.

"Pain doesn't exist in this dojo does it?"

Payne went up and down on his knuckles. Doing push-ups on his knuckles seemed to be more effective than ordinary push-ups, but it was also more exhausting. After a couple of them and throwing in a random burst of energy where he did 5 extra, Payne had exerted all his strength and fell flat on his stomach.

"Defeat doesn't exist in this dojo does it?"

Payne threw punch after punch as he sparred with Aaron, though Aaron continued to just maneuver around each swing. The way he did it so nonchalantly is what made Payne so angry. He began getting sloppy, and Aaron eventually just grabbed his arm after avoiding a punch, using Payne's own momentum to throw him to the floor.