looper training

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...

All I wanted was to take a nap. The amount of tests I had to deal with after the weekend was insane, and it didn't help that everyone—teachers included—was in a bad mood.

"Kasumi, why were you even in that room?" I asked tiredly, trying to keep my serious mode on. The teachers already knew what was coming out of their classroom budgets, so I couldn't afford to slack off.

"You pissed me off with that haughty attitude of yours," she shot back. I had almost forgotten how fiery she could be. Normally, she was energetic and honest, but today was different.

"That's not a good enough reason, you gorill—" I stopped myself before the frustration could slip out further. "Look, I'm not blaming you for what happened, but... kendo?"

"I got a little homesick," she admitted, her voice softening. Right, that was another difference between the canon and this world. I had either been created or born here in the States, staying at an orphanage, while Kasumi's family immigrated from Japan.

"Ah, I'm sorry. How about we head to the park? We don't want you breaking down your door," I said, lightening the mood. Her face brightened at the thought of some cool training.

---

Batman was many things, but lazy wasn't one of them. He kept tabs on everyone linked to Gotham, especially around his dark resurgence.

Spande was a city with a rising crime rate, largely due to the lack of heroes and the poor luck those who did try had with the power lottery.

"These criminals won't get away. I will never let them go," the bat-themed hero muttered to himself. He had research to do—and action to take.

---

Looper, now in his civilian identity as Steven Maxwell, was heading to his martial arts class. He walked down the street, taking a few lefts before arriving.

**POV shift**

"Mr. Tendou, I'm back for my daily lessons!" I announced, hoping he wouldn't notice I was late.

"My grandmother always said, 'Platitudes don't excuse lateness.'" I sloped down him and his wise grandma.

"Hey max how are you." It was my partner Brent greeting me as I entered he was man of a dark complexion good fighter to.

I sighed in response opened my mouth to speak.

"Someone at school probably won the power lottery. What I wouldn't give to have whatever they got."

"The super game is nothing I would get involved with kid that whoever it was got a power that made it easy to protect themselves."

Yeah I got where he was coming from but soon, I'll be able to help with the city's problems if Mr. Tendou's training pays off.

Honestly, I think he makes up these quotes. There's no way his grandma said half of this.

"Training starts now." with those words we step on the tatami mat this is my first time sparring with Brent infact things were going a little bit too fast werent they supposed to go through katas and get him prepared for spars .

"What are you doing max go now and start sparring."

I started off with a punch I missed so I threw another punch, my fist cutting through the air with a grunt. And once again, I missed. My opponent wasn't even sweating, just easily sidestepping, like he had all the time in the world.

From the corner of the room, I heard Master Tendou's voice, calm but firm. "You're putting too much weight on your front foot again. That's why you're losing balance. You're making yourself slow."

Slow? I could feel the irritation bubbling up. I wasn't slow. I was going full speed, trying to land a solid hit. But as I threw another strike, I felt it—the weight shift, the subtle imbalance just before my opponent slipped away from me again.

"Stop overextending," Tendou added, his eyes sharp on my movements. "You're leaving your ribs wide open every time. Your punches are too big, too telegraphed. A good fighter will read you long before your fist reaches them."

I clenched my jaw, trying to adjust. I pulled my hands up higher, kept my punches tighter, but I could feel my frustration taking over. I threw a kick, this time aiming lower, but my leg swung too high, and I nearly lost my footing.

"Your kicks are too wild," Tendou pointed out from the side. "You're going for power, but you're sacrificing your balance. What good is a strong kick if it leaves you wide open?"

I cursed under my breath, trying to focus. He was right—I could feel myself stumbling out of position every time I attacked, leaving me exposed. But it was hard to slow down. I wanted to hit something, to make contact.

"Breathe," Tendou said, his voice a little softer now, but still firm. "You're rushing. You're reacting out of frustration. That's exactly when you make mistakes. A fighter needs patience, control. Right now, you're wasting your energy. Watch. Wait. Think."

I threw another punch, this time more controlled, but still, my opponent read me like a book. And before I knew it, my legs were swept out from under me, sending me crashing to the mat.

"See?" Tendou said as I stared up at the ceiling, gasping for breath. "Strength is useless if you don't use it properly. Your opponent isn't just a target. He's watching you just as closely as you're watching him. Learn to see the openings, and stop giving him so many."

I lay there, catching my breath, feeling the sting of both the fall and his words. "Yes, teach," I muttered, more to myself than to him.

There was one thing I've learned from sparring with his well only other student don't fuck with tendou.

...

End chapter little perspective of the all the previous characters and Batman will come in circa 10 or so chapters I want things to escalate.

I know you're like batman should be preparing a take down plan since he knows the gangs power set already but I have pretty good reason to keep him behind and that's called two face and penguin acting up that's the excuse and you may be like isn't that lazy writing yes yes it is.

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