Mistakes

Kenichi nodded then Ohma and the thugs moved back, giving the two their space.

'Let's see how much you improved, Kenichi.' Ohma thought from the side as the fight began.

Tsuji was first to strike with a dashing hard right, Kenichi dodged, pivoting to Tsuji's left while deflecting the punch, all before throwing a hard left punch to Tsujis' face.

Tsuji was stunned for a moment. "Awesome punch." He then grunted lashing out, forcing Kenichi to step back.

'That didn't do much damage. Should have striked with the right and deflected with the left.' Ohma thought before shouting. "Use the force of your hips, Kenichi! Strike harder!"

Tsuji came in again with a hard left, Kenichi pivoted to his back while deflecting the blow and then struck hard on Tsuji's back, this time powered by the hip rotation.

'Idiot.' Ohma thought. "You should have struck his ribs, you moron!"

Tsuji staggered back. "That one hurt!"

Then Tsuji stopped attacking, and just stood in his position, staring at Kenichi in his eyes. "Now come, your turn, hit me!"

Kenichi grunted.

"Don't!" Ohma shouted.

It was too late as Kenichi threw a punch to the face. Tsuji's countered; slamming his forehead onto the oncoming fist.

'Defense was your advantage in this fight and you just threw it all away.' Ohma sighed.

Kenichi retreated his first but at the same time, Tsuji rushed in and stomped on his opponent's foot before he could pivot again. Kenichi screamed in pain but was quickly cut off by a hard punch that thew his head back.

He gritted his teeth and jumped back while again taking the defensive stance.

'It's too late.' Ohma thought. 'His arms are shaking with pain, his balance is weak, his posture is broken.'

"You should have just joined me, Kenichi," Tsuji said and lunged at him. Kenichi was quick to counter with the punch to the undefended face but Tsuji ducked just his time, before throwing an uppercut to Kenichi's chin. Kenichi's head was thrown back, he tried to regain balance but then his vision spun and he fell hard on his bottom. It took a moment before got back up with his legs trembling, his fists shaking from the damage.

"Give up, now," Tsuji said.

"I am still standing, mophead," Kenichi gritted his teeth, "bring it on."

Tsuji lunged at him, Kenichi pivoted to the side and swept him off his off-balance feet while slamming ing his arm of his neck like Akisame had taught him. Tsuji fell open hand first on the ground on the ground but at the same time, he gripped Kenichi with his legs like a scissor throwing him off balance with his weight.

'A scissor takedown.'

Kenichi felt losing his footing balance and the next moment he dropped hard on his back. Tsuji didn't stop and reverse mounted Kenichi and twisted the left ankle. "You should have admitted your loss while you could. Now I am taking your legs."

'This has gone long enough.'

Ohma dashed in and kicked Tsuji in his face knocking him off Kenichi.

"He lost," Ohma said. "You won. Now, fuck off."

"What are you doing?!" Tsuji shouted before he could say anything else suddenly someone punched from behind on his cheek sending him rolling back. All the punks looked to see a tall older boy with tan skin and blue hair that had suddenly appeared in the scene.

"Ah... the party started without me." He said looking at Tsuji.

"What are doing, Takeda?!" Tsuji shouted at him. "You turn will Shirahama is already over."

"Don't interfere, Takeda." One of the punks said.

Another one added, "This is not the time for infighting."

"This is not infighting, morons," Takeda grinned looking over to them before declaring, "I am no longer a part of this Ragnarok or this hunt."

"The fuck are you saying, Takeda?!" Tsuji looked at him with rage.

Takeda raised his right hand while his other arm dangled to the side.

Tsuji gritted his teeth, "Fuck up this traitor!"

One of the punks immediately obliged and lunged at him, Takeda moved, taking down the punk with two swift consecutive rights to the face.

"I don't have a quarrel with you, Tsuji, but I can't let you do this," Takeda said. "I owe Shirahama my arm and boxing career."

Then he took his guard, raising his left fist.

Tsuji's eyes winded. "Your left arm!"

All the punks suddenly backed for some reason.

Takeda picked up groaning Kenichi over his shoulder and looked at Ohma. "You are Kenichi's friend right."

Ohma nodded.

Takeda asked, "You can fight."

Ohma nodded again.

"Alright then," Takeda said. "I am going to create a distraction then-"

Takeda wasn't finished with his sentence when Ohma lashed out and punched the punk near him.

"Then we take these bastards down," Ohma said.

Another thug dashed at Takeda, but the boxer was quick to react, sliding to the right, his left hand holding Kenichi, the right sending a knockout punch to the thug's face.

"I was gonna say, we get the fuck out of here," Takeda said.

"Then you do that," Ohma said. "Get him to the hospital quickly, I'll take care of these guys."

"You sure?" Takeda asked while Ohma knocked out another thug.

"Yes, I am sure," Ohma replied, "Now get him out of here."

Tsuji got back up as Takeda nodded and made a run with Kenichi.

"Good luck..." Takeda looked over his shoulder while running. The last standing thug was knocked out by Ohma at the same time.

"I expected you all to be tougher," Ohma remarked, looking over to the thugs he knocked out. By that time Tsuji got back on his feet.

"You bastard!" TAKE THIS!" Tsuji growled and lunged at Ohma. Ohma dodged swiftly to the side and struck Tsuji hard, straight in his abdomen. The punch was strong and Tsuji felt the weight of it, the air escaping his lungs, as fell to his knees, clutching his stomach and gasping for air.

"Not even a warm-up."

*****************

A few hours later, at Ryozanpaku Dojo, Kenichi lay on his bedding, surrounded by the masters and Miu. Ohma lay against a wall nearby his eyes closed until he heard Miu's voice say.

"Ah, he is waking up!"

Kenichi's face twitched and he slowly opened his eyes. "Where am I?"

"The third level of hell," Akisame said with a hint of anger.

"To even dare to lose to those delinquents," Sakaki said, his voice was more than a hint, "perhaps hell would be a better place for you, given the circumstances."

Shigure remained silent and stoic but she too had that. Only Miu and Apachai remained sympathetic.

Kenichi jumped back hugging, he felt a fear under the gazes of the master, he never had before.

"What are you talking about?" Miu met their gazes. "Kenichi fought well."

"No, he did not." Ohma walked over to them.

Miu snapped at him, "What do you mean?!"

"Kenichi had all the advantages except for experience in that fight," Ohma remarked, "first mistake was going all offensive on that mophead giving away your defensive advantages, second was giving him a chance to react instead of placing him a lock when you had the chance, third and the most important issue was not striking the weak points while he was full of openings - but then again you lack a fighter's natural intuition."

"So you had all the advantages." Sakaki glared at Kenichi and slammed his fist in front of him. "Yet, you still lose!"

"I am sorry, alright," Kenichi mumbled as he crawled behind Miu.

Sakaki added, "That's one thing, the other is that from now on all those punks are going to come after you. Already your name has been spreading, once they hear how you lost to the mophead; they will come for you. Trust me on this."

"I don't want to die." Kenichi cried.

Akisame chipped in, "That's the situation, so you better always have a look over your shoulder."

"You are scaring me."

Sakaki snickered, "All I am saying is be careful at the school tomorrow."

Kenichi's expression then changed as something struck him. "How did I get back here?! Ah... Ohma."

"Bingo," Kensei said entering the room, "If it weren't for Ohma and that boxer kid, you would have been bedridden for a long time."

'Takeda?' Kenichi thought then looked at Ohma. "How did you get me back? How do I not remember any of this?"

"Because you were knocked out," Kensei said while taking out his camera and playing the video of Kenichi's fight then switched to Takeda's intervention and Ohma's fight.

"You defeated Tsunji in one punch!" Kenichi looked at Ohma with his eyes wide, "HOW!"

"My fists are better conditioned," Ohma replied, "and I never cared about hurting my opponents."

Kenichi sighed, "It's hopeless for me."

"Cheer up," Ohma said, "You still have your leg. You'll get your chance for a rematch."