Story 1 Martial Glory, Chapter 12

When Honoka and I got back to Ryouzonpaku while riding the bike, the Karate Master Shio Sakaki was actually sitting outside leaning against the large wooden door drinking something that looked like beer.

As we came to a stop and I turned off the chugging loudly motor, Sakaki grinned smugly as he burst into laughter as we got off the bike. "Not bad kid, the internet is already abuzz with the news that Ryouzonpaku has a new disciple, and a male one at that... One that is also willing to step into Kengan fights, unlike the rest of us." He said with a weight to his voice as his cocky voice died down and he eyed me seriously.

He continued with that same serious voice. "Kid, Ryouzonpaku is known around the world as the home of some of the best fighters in the world. Not only is one of the strongest Grandmasters here, who is all but a walking nuclear deterrent. But the other masters and Grandmasters here, are not something to joke about... What I am getting at kid, is now you are a target for people who want to smear our name by kicking the shit out of you. Who is undoubtedly the weakest in the dojo."

"Or they will drag me into being their Kengan fighter by hook or crook." I cut through his speech and he snorted at my candor but nodded in agreement with my conjecture and then shrugged seemingly uncaring.

"Well, at least you aren't stupid... Either way, go put that hog in the underground garage with the rest of the vehicles we won in bets." Sakaki said rolling his eyes and with a flicker of motion I couldn't even track the man jumped on the ten-meter tall divider wall and dashed deeper into Ryouzonpaku's property.

"Here, the garage is just this way," Honoka said wryly walking beside me as I turned back on the large tricycle to follow her across the path near the wall of the estate until we came across a long garage building once we got the door opened I saw the garage was actually a tunnel that leads underground to a nice concrete parking garage though there were no lights weirdly.

"Why aren't there any lights?" I asked Honoka as we both had to use our cellphone camera's light as a flashlight to get back out of the garage.

Honoka wryly smiled and answered dryly. "Because they use the garage as a place to train deprived senses... And they didn't pay to have that tunnel and underground made." She said dry as all hell and my face twitched as a thought popped into my head.

One that couldn't help but escape my mouth as I asked equally as dry. "They literally punched and kicked that tunnel into existence didn't they?"

Honoka's mouth twitched into a wry smile as she began a little story that made me snort as I had more context than she actually did! "Apparently word came to us about one of the Kaioh in the Bailin Temple back in China had decided to tunnel his way out of his prison by punching and kicking his way through the prison with just his limbs and even breaking all the rocks into a powder so the rocks wouldn't get in the way of his further tunneling." She explained and I realized she meant Dorian from Baki The Grappler that trained at the same martial arts temple that Retsu Kaioh did.

Then she continued and explained how the disdainful masters here at Ryozonpaku in Shio Sakaki the Karate Master, and the Chinese Kenpo Master in Kensei Ma both created that large garage in the course of a couple of hours, used the powdered rocks with some lime and water to make the concrete and yeah... Just to up show that one random Kaioh in China they literally made a garage to finally hold the dozens of vehicles the Master's and Grandmaster's snagged from the suckers who dared to fight them in the streets.

I couldn't help but facepalm at hearing this story... Truly these people were fucking crazy.

"Well that's something..." I muttered before shaking my head as I popped my neck and eyed Honoka speculatively and she rose an eyebrow at my judging look.

"What have you fallen in love with me or something and want to replace that 'imaginary boyfriend' buster?" She asked with a bit of snark in her voice making me snort but I answered quickly.

"Nah, I got an idea of how Kasumi, Marie, and even Miu fight after we talked during last night's dinner and our training. But I don't know your fighting style at all really." I said frankly and she blinked as my question seemingly stumped her for a second and I realized why as she chuckled wryly as she explained.

"Well. I don't really have a style at all really, I cannot stick to any style really as they feel just so confining with their movements, techniques, and being regimented... I love boxing and I train with master Apachai to practice my boxing, with some Goken and Muay Thai mixed in!" She said excitedly and I realized she was my perfect opponent.

Someone straightforward for me to practice my Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist, rather than trying to redirect the other's more oblique and complicated martial arts that were used to help their naturally weaker frames take down larger stronger opponents.

Though I wondered if this Honoka had that weird demon energy thing going on in her body allowing her to send out small little ki attacks that would wreak havoc within an opponent's body. Either way, I asked straightforwardly. "It's still pretty early today, wanna get some sparing in at the exercise area after we put away my stuff and get changed?"

Honoko only raised an eyebrow before chuckling and clenched her fist which made a harsh series of cracking noises as her knuckles popped like firecrackers going off while she smiled smugly as she responded. "Alright Jake, but for that imaginary boyfriend comment earlier I might give you a black eye!"

And to which I only snarked. "With how short and small, you are... You are going to need a stepping stool to punch me in the face you fun-sized short stack."

Oh, the way she flushed and her glittered with murder clear in her eyes... I knew I had a fight coming my way. And honestly, even if I felt an ass-kicking on the way. I was fucking excited!