Old man Blueflame
The duel continued for a very long time. the smell of sweat, the taste of blood, the riveting sense of his own heart beating. A sense of focus that he had never felt before in his whole life. No kickboxer had such precise kicks that came at his face.
No kickboxer had punched him flying.
No kickboxer had slammed his face to the ground.
He wanted to fight, more fight. MORE!
Dark eyes shining, his focus at an all-time high, his foot rightly put on the ground, he looked at the still leisurely Bamboo and said, "Your fist is the most real I've felt in a while."
He had never been beaten Ass down-to-earth like this ever since he had reached this world, of course, some eldritch godly Eternal had whooped him in the ass for once, but that was in the end inside an illusion and being beaten by a mortal felt more real.
Bamboo looked at the still shining black eyes of the kid and said, his voice calm, "At least you have a backbone. And some bit of talent too."