Nemesis, Vol. 1

Combat Training

 "Let's see what you got!" Bob shouted.

Yuki doesn't hesitate to initiate combat by mindlessly charging toward the assigned teacher. Bob clearly became aggravated by the senseless motion, so much so that he swiftly erupted without hesitation.

"Stop!!"

Yuki stopped in his tracks, similar to the brakes being pulled on a train. Yuki. Still confused by the sudden command that contradicted the very purpose of this training, he didn't have much time to think about what his response would be.

"Huh?"

Bob immediately flicks Yuki right in the forehead, disciplining him for whatever he may have done wrong.

"What was that for?!" Yuki asked in pain.

"You don't even have a combat stance, do you have any experience?! You can't just blindly rush at your opponent and expect results! You need a strategy for combat!"

"Um... Ok." Yuki said. 

Yuki didn't know what the right response was. Bob's thoughts didn't escape, as they may have been regretful had speech accompanied them. He couldn't quite understand how someone is capable of gaining membership within the youth program and have little to no experience in combat, it was unfathomable that this child was able to get this far.

"Step aside for now. You there, come up and show me how it's done." Bob aimed his words at Paul, who seemed disinterested in this to begin with, which explains his very bland aura. 

Paul slowly walks forward and stands across from Bob while Yuki watches from the side. It almost seems as if he'd rather be anywhere else but here. 

Paul began stretching, preparing himself for a physical confrontation with his temporary teacher. He then squatted himself into a self-defense stance that was common in mixed martial arts. The experience was apparent in his demeanor, violence was nothing new to the camouflage.

"Excellent, now we're talking—that is a fighting stance!—you can sit now, Paul."

Who knows what he would've done to me one on one..., Bob thought.

Paul didn't hesitate to get back to the comfortable position he was in prior to being dragged into this.

"What do I have to do to get my own?" Yuki replied. 

He was curious and eager, and somewhat impatient for lessons as if he thought this was going to be a one-day process. Not even cliche workout exercises are completed in such short spans.

"Don't overthink it, just implement a basic stance that can help you defend and attack. Your focus isn't so much on the stance per se. Although having one can help you intimidate your opponent by showing your experience, you should focus more on your approach."

Yuki, as impatient as possible, did exactly what Bob instructed, but more bluntly than needed. Without thinking at all, he positioned himself into a stance that even an elementary student could gain an advantage from. He completely closed off his vision by placing his forearms squarely in front of it.

"You have to be able to see at least!!"

"Oh... my bad..."

"How about this—use a simple stance, put your dominant hand in a closed fist and your other hand in an open palm. You use your dominant for attack and your opposite for defense. Something this basic should give you the comfortability you need."

"Ok—" Yuki didn't hesitate to mimic the stance that was portrayed to him by his teacher for the day, eager to get this training over with, he perfectly mimics it without any issue "—like this?"