Always Been You- Eli Moskowitz

Chapter 24- Warzone

"So in war,
The way is to avoid what is strong
And strike what is weak."

-Sun Tzu

~~*~~

"Never underestimate your enemy. You always have to stay one step ahead of them. That's the only way to guarantee a victory. Is that understood?"

"Yes sensei!"

Kreese stood in the middle of the mat where the class was facing him from all directions. Next to him was a tall pillar with a singular bonsai tree  balanced at the top of it.

Michelle and Eli stood side by side listening intently to every word he said.

"Good. Now let's see if you truly understand the lesson. I want you to kick this tree off the top. Red, you start." Kreese motioned towards the pillar and stepped to the side.

Red stepped up and kicked his leg up high but it wasn't enough. He fell to the ground hard. Kreese walked towards him and towered over Red as he got up and held his shoulder.

"Pathetic. Rickenburger, show him."

Doug stepped forward and immediately sprung into a flying tornado kick. But once again fell short of the bonsai tree and fell to the ground in pain.

Michelle thought to herself for a moment. The answer to this test seemed quite obvious to her. The class was thinking of it too literally. Why not go the easy route?

"I can do it sensei," Eli said confidently.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Kreese replied.

Eli stepped forward near the pillar. He looked it up and down, assessing it.

"Don't you want a running start?" Kreese asked him.

"Don't need one," Eli gave a strong side kick to the pillar causing it to fall over and the bonsai to shatter on the ground.

That's one of the things she loved the most about her good friend Eli. He was still the smartest person she knew. Michelle smiled brightly at him.

Eli stood there waiting for confirmation that he passed as Kreese chuckled.

"Not bad. Not bad at all."

"But he cheated," Doug argued.

"Just cause you're too stupid to understand the lesson doesn't mean we all are. Neither of you dimwits have enough brain cells to look at things intentionally and not literally. If you had, then maybe you would have passed the lesson on the first try and we wouldn't still be here talking about it," Michelle snapped at him.

Eli looked down at her impressed. She just defended him.

"Miss Diaz is right. Hawk didn't cheat. Unlike you, he did exactly what I asked him to do. If your mind is agile, so are you. That's the best way to beat your enemy," Kreese paced amongst the students.

"Not just with brute strength. But you have to fight smart," Kreese stopped to look at Eli and Michelle. "Do that, and you'll always come out on top."