7 [7] The Art Of Shadow Boxing!

The old geezer seemed to look at me like I was a complete weirdo, which was completely justified since I kept on making some strange faces while this so-called 'life energy' was ravishing my body.

But who wouldn't, this was literally cheating.

If I found a way to complete missions more often then I could simplify the process of getting fit. I won't have to bother about resting and recovering and the struggles of fatigue because I'll be good as new after completing the exercises.

Actually no, I'll be better than before, since the life energy was repairing my exhausted muscles in my arms and legs and strengthening them.

"Brat, stop with your gawking, if you keep on making those weird faces when you're tired, I'll have you throw double the punches next time."

Only at the geezer's threat did I get ahold of myself. It was one thing to receive a mission but another was to be stuck trying to complete an impossible one.

"Anyways, come with me, we're going to focus on footwork today."

Big Brian took me back indoors and to the centre of the mats where he had laid down some red tape in a huge '+' format.

"What's this for?" Ryan asked confused.

"What does it look like, it's to teach you basic footwork..." Seeing that Ryan still hadn't caught on to things, the geezer sighed and stepped forward. "Look, I'm only doing this once ok!"

His left foot was placed at the top left of the plus sign and his back foot was diagonal to his left at the back right.

"This is your standard feet placement when you are just standing still, you following this?" The geezer asked prompting a response from Ryan.

"Yep, I understand, you normally stand like that before you throw a punch"

"Good, do you know why?" Brian asked out with a rare smile.

Ryan didn't think to long because he thought the answer was obvious, "Hmmm, is it for balance?"

The geezer clearly expected such a response from Ryan so although he was agreeing with Ryan, he was also adding what he missed, "Well yes, but you're just touching the surface level of things."

"Footwork is a beautiful thing, it can help you attack or defend but you need to know how and it all stems from the basics. As does everything in life..."

"Footwork can help you throw more punches while receiving fewer punches and although it does help you stay balanced in the ring, just treating it as such is poor."

Ryan nodded as the geezer's words made sense but when he was about to speak up the geezer cut in, "I see you understand, now try to follow this footwork workout, this is called shadow boxing and every boxer learns to do this. But for you, we should let you crawl before you start to even think about walking never mind running."

After saying such words with a tone of ridicule. The geezer began.

He was completing the earlier punching routine like before but this time, Ryan wasn't even bothering to look at his upper body. This time he was focusing on his legs and feet.

They were moving from different sections of the '+' but every single time, not once did the geezer lay a foot on the tape.

"You can punch but you can also retreat." Brian's voice sounded out after a few punches.

And soon after he began to move. he treated the plus sign like it filled the entire room. Sometimes he spun 90 degrees and other times he just moved side to side or back and forwards.

When he moved he did small steps instead of large strides and rarely was he ever flat-footed.

And of to the side, Ryan just watched with his mouth agape...

All of this was being imprinted into his mind.

Around 5 minutes later the geezer stopped before he spoke to himself, "Ah, I really have gotten sloppy, it's been I while since I moved around like that."

"Brat, were you paying attention?"

Ryan nodded.

"Good, get to work, 300 hundred more sets but this time if you touch the tape even once you start again!"

After dropping the second bombshell of the day, he just went and sat down in the corner and closed his eyes, clearly tired after his small workout.

Ryan would have normally come up with something funny to say or complain about the fact that this was challenging for someone on their second day of boxing to achieve.

But as he was about to give the geezer hell.

*DING*

[Mission Received: Complete 300 sets of footwork heavy punches!]

[Requirement: Don't touch the tape!]

[Reward: The basic art of shadow boxing!]

Ryan just looked like he was staring into midair, but he was actually thinking about what the reward meant. It claimed to be basic but it also had the word art next to it.

"Ah what the heck, only one way to find out!" He muttered before he placed his feet in position.

He began and at first, he kept trying to be too quick and at other times he was too reliant on punching. So much so that he kept on stepping on the red tape.

Then an annoying voice would follow.

"Start over..."

And Ryan would not because the geezer told him to but because he wanted the system reward.

10 minutes turned into 30 minutes which soon became an hour.

Ryan felt exhausted but he didn't stop even though he wanted to scream.

Wasn't I meant to be talented at this?

He had thrown close to 500 sets with good footwork but he would always set on the tape in a moment of confusion or lack of concentration.

Sweat was dripping down Ryan'd forehead and his football shirt was drenched like he had taken a bath with his clothes on.

"Let's stop there for today, keep practising when you get a chance but we won't be moving on from this until you can understand it, so every day you come here this will be it..." The geezer spoke neither getting up from the chair nor did he try to make Ryan feel better for not succeeding.

He was blunt but that was the geezer.

He could have quite easily consoled Ryan and said spoke flattering words like "good job, you only 7 and you can already start to pick advanced things up like this... Amazing!"

But that wasn't his way of doing things and if Ryan wasn't an old ass man inside a young him, he was pretty sure he'd have quit by now.

So instead, he just nodded silently while stealing a water bottle on the way out the door.

...

Yep, it's future me again, or should I say the cooler version of me. Anyway, I'm here to give you some insider scoop about my thought process at the time when I was on my way home defeated and tired.

I can remember the mood I was in after that second day of training.

OOOOOF!

That's all I can say. Why was I trash at boxing and couldn't understand it even after nearly two hours, even big brian seemed disappointed when he said 'that's enough for today.'

I was being a pussy pretty much!

In hindsight, I know that now, but the me before hadn't had to deal with this sort of challenge and setback. I had always pushed it to the side and hadn't dealt with it head-on. But now, with the system calling me talented, I had expected to breeze through life with minimal effort.

Possible make enough money to live a life of doing whatever I wanted and then retire. You know the types of fantasy every 9 till 5 worker dreams of.

But all I can say to that is, I WAS NAIVE!