The Gauntlet: Rising

Chapter Ten: Mind Without the Body

"I don't get it." Minor Novak sat in a chair. In front of him, a gorgeous white-haired girl pointing to picture.

"How do you not get it?"

"If the person's hand is out and the other is put in "the chamber", as you call it, how do you block?"

"With the out hand."

"But what if I block a hit and then attack with my chamber hand, do I reset or...?"

"You do a takedown or a knockout move."

"But what if they take the hit or block?"

"They will be stunned."

"But what if they're not."

"That's it!" Gaz interrupted. "I'm done! We should be training 10 times harder, after being called out by that wench! But instead, we're wasting time training this idiot!"

"Wow, If that's the case your mind is weaker than his." Yuri leaned against the wall of the combat room. Gaz stopped in his tracks and turned to the girl.

"And how is that?"

"Teaching is the ultimate lesson." Yuri quoted.

"You can quote the instructors all you want, bu-"

"I wasn't finished," she interrupted him. " Mental training is all about preparing your mind for the gauntlet, it shows you patience is a virtue and tactics that can end up saving your butt. Teaching someone about this is the best test of patience I can think of, and it's good to review combat styles. So if you can't handle it, you don't deserve to be here." After a brief silence, she added an awkward, "...in my opinion...anyway."

"Find out what happens next on the overdramatic series of gauntlet training." Aero cleared the silence, Yuri tried to contain her laughter, Minor only smiled and caught the corner of Gaz's lips raise a little.

"Fine." He said. "But can you at least try, milquetoast?" It took Minor a moment to realize Gaz was talking to him.

"Yeah... I mean -- yes." Minor responded.

"We should try a different approach, showing styles and tactics in the start doesn't seem to be working," Aero said.

"Physical response." Gaz suggested. "It was the first thing we learned before memorizing stances."

"Yeah, I guess we could try that." Minor said as he realized: they barely knew what they were doing, there was no agenda.

"Great." Yuri walked to him. " Stand up." Minor did as he was told. Yuri winded her fist back and swung at him. In response, he winced pulling his arms close to his body while giving a sharp, high-pitched yelp. He slowly opened his eyes and seen Yuri's knuckles close to his face. He felt no pain. She had stopped herself.

"Ouch." Aero said.

"Yeah, we have to fix that." Gaz added.

"Wait, I wasn't ready!" Minor tried to defend himself.

"That's the point," Aero said. "That was worse than Eren."

"I don't get it." Minor said. Gaz put his hand on the confused boy's shoulder.

"You, milquetoast, need to learn how to take a hit and always be ready for one." Aero switched the picture. It now showcased a character model of the boy with its fists raised head slightly bent, it's shoulders squared and right foot ahead of the left foot.

"What position is this?" Aero questioned.

"Basic fighting stance." Minor responded, recognizing it almost instantly.