Page 78 of Shifting Gears

I surged forward, my footwork light and quick as I jabbed with a left hook aimed at his jaw.

He didn’t even flinch at my incoming fist. Instead, he brought a hand up and caught my punch mid-throw, redirectedit past him, and pivoted around to the side of me. It felt like I’d just punched through a wall of smoke.

I spun around to face him once more; this time, I kicked out. One of the few things I’d learned from training with Sydney was some kickboxing moves. I’d saved them for this fight, so no one was expecting it.

This time, I connected in the middle of his chest. But something still felt off. He flung a few steps back and gripped his chest, but I didn’t feel like I’d kicked him that hard.

Still, it was better to not let him recover.

I rushed him, swinging a right cross to knock him off his feet. But it didn’t connect, as he dropped forward and hit the deck, just as I reached him with my swing.

“Fuck,” I swore under my breath as I turned.

I decided to try a different approach. I straightened up and stuck my hand out, bending my fingers, taunting him.

“You gonna just dodge and weave all day? Or are you going to actually fucking swing?” I said with a smirk, my arms stretched out wide, begging to be hit.

I usually let a guy get the first hit anyway, but today, I couldn’t risk it. But at this point, I needed to do something to get this guy to fight me.

We stood there, staring at each other, neither of us moving. The crowd got restless, shouting at us to fight and to stop standing around. The air was thick with anticipation.

Koroshi made his first move. He swung his body left as he rushed me and drew his arm back. Based on his movement, he was about to try and lay my ass out.

I felt it connect with my shoulder as I tried to dodge. Wincing, I countered with my own spinning back kick.

Koroshi moved again—not stepping, not dodging; he just folded his body around the attack. My heel barely grazed the fabric of his shirt.

Gritting my teeth, I faked a high shot and dropped into a vicious low-body blow, aiming for his gut. I was on my A game today; there was no way this wouldn’t land at this distance.

But at the last possible second, where my fist’s impact should have hit him at full force, he twisted just enough to avoid the brunt of it. It was barely perceptible, but enough to make me feel like I was swinging at shadows.

Arrogant son of a bitch. He’s playing with me.

I pulled back, reassessing my next move as we circled each other. But he was done letting me attack.

Koroshi launched himself forward, his hands moving like lightning bolts as they flew around my last-second guard, connecting with pressure points along my chest.

I sucked in a sharp breath as a tightness went through my left shoulder. Sydney had warned me to not let him touch me. I’d do better and not let it happen again.

I cut left and threw a brutal inside-leg kick, aiming to knock his balance out. My shin slammed toward his thigh as he hopped back, and my kick passed through the empty space he’d left behind.

But that was exactly what I’d wanted him to do.

Growling, I planted my back foot harder and twisted, countering with a brutal right cross straight for his temple. This was the kind of punch that’d drop a regular guy cold.

And at first, I felt like my hit finally connected like normal. I felt his head snap to the side.

The crowd roared, upset I’d knocked their favorite down a peg or two with that hit. I advanced on him, ready to hit him with another solid swing, but he backed off. He was damn fast on his feet, quiet too. I could barely hear his shoes touch the floor as he moved.

Koroshi snapped his arm out, aiming a sharp jab toward my ribs that I barely managed to block with a quick drop of myelbow. The strike stung; a pinpoint of pain shot through my side, making it numb for a second.

I circled, my jaw clenched, breathing deep through my nose. I needed to concentrate.

All right. Play it smarter.

I feinted a right jab before dropping low for a sweeping takedown. My aim was to tangle his legs and slam him to the ground, where his speed wouldn’t matter.

Koroshi leaped over me, twisting midair like some goddamn ninja, landing soft on the balls of his feet behind me. I spun, but he was already sidestepping away.

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