Zen's gaze rested on Jason, a mad gleam danced in his eyes and a wide grin on his mouth. He motioned Jason forward. Jason shuffled forward hesitantly. He began feeling that this was a very bad idea, idiot that one, brain doesn't work quite as fast as it should most times.

He didn't like how excited the professor seemed to be about the whole thing. He would have thought him angry., yes, that would have made sense for disrupting his class. The professor outright smiling, eyes twinkling in anticipation was not what he expected

“Emm, I’m beginning to think this is my worst idea yet.” he whispered anxiously to Felix.

“ You think?” Felix chuckled through a mouthful of popcorn.

“ C’mon now boy, don’t chicken out’ Zen coed. "This is only going to be a harmless training exercise.” His eyes though said it was going to be anything but . They promised pain for Jason and fun for Zen.

Jason finally made it to the center of the arena, and faced the professor.

“ Take up your combat position boy” Zen ordered.

Jason took a low fighting stance, with his arms out front. He widened his feet, balanced on the balls. Zen appraised him giving a hint of a nod . He appeared relaxed, hands tucked away behind his back not unlike those Kunfu fighters in Chinese movies.

“I am the referee of this training exercise, score one hit on me, and it’s over. Score no hits and I say when it’s over.”

That seemed fair yeah? Wrong, his eyes said, you’d score no hit and I’m free to bludgeon you to my utter satisfaction.

A cold chill crept down Jason’s spin.

“Ready, Fight!!”

Jason prepared to attack knowing scoring an early hit was his only chance at coming out of this duel unscathed. He made to attack _ then blazing hot pain erupted from Jason’s nose. He was on the arena floor, chicken eggs circled his eyes. He reached out to touch his aching nose and winced, it was broken. He struggled to his feet.

The professor stood as he had, arms folded behind his back. The only indication that he had attacked Jason was the blood dripping down his right fist and the amused look on his face.

“ How?” Jason whispered. All he had seen was a blur and baam!, he was down.

He gulped, a sinking feeling jellying in his belly as he realized he never really had a chance. The man was just too quick, and Jason had thought he was quick. Boop, reality check.

The professor chuckled.

“ C’mon boy, we haven’t got all day, are you going to make your move or just stand there staring at me with your idiot face?”

Jason just continued to stare so did every other stunned student, Felix included. He had a mouthful of popcorn he had failed to chew. He stood there, unblinking. He had to catalogue every detail because this was prime teasing material. When else would he get such a great opportunity to watch his best friend get mauled. He shock his head in disbelief at the professor’s speed. Jason just continued to stare.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“ Well boy, c’mon. As much as I’d like to pommel you into the ground, its no fun if you don’t attempt to fight back, whatever good that will do you.” Zen chuckled.

That seemed to snap Jason out of his trance. He shook his head and began stalking forward, weary of the Professor’s speed. He closed into melee range, threw a right punch, which the professor easily side stepped, but Jason had anticipated that, a high swing of his right hand sought out the professors undefended side.

The professor ghosted inside Jason’s guard, evading both punches and letting loose one of his own. Jason reared back a fraction too slow, the punch clipped his lower chin sending him sprawling to the floor. The professor took a step back motioning for Jason to rise.

"Yes, yes that’s much better. Anticipate your opponent's moves, let him be the one to react." He commented. Jason grunted, standing up. His mind worked overtime, creating and discarding multiple strategies to land that all important hit.

This time, the professor attacked first, not giving Jason time to get his bearings right, but Jason was ready. He weathered attack after attack, side stepping or blocking fist and feet, he feel into a nice rhythm, dancing through everything Zen threw at him up until he didn’t. Jason shuffled left evading a punch only to fall into a super kick to the chest followed by a brutal upper cut .

He was on the floor again, wheezing. The gash on his nose now in discussion with swelling on his chin and some quite possibly cracked ribs.

“Too... quick_" he wheezed. "You are_ you are just_ too quick"

The professor chuckled “Then you’ll just have to get quicker. Now on your feet. Learn from your mistakes and plan better!”

“You'll just beat me with overwhelming speed” Jason grumbled, rising to his feet.

The professor grinned “ That’s life my boy. Sometimes, no matter what you do, you are still going to lose. Now fight!”

Jason sprung into action, determined as hell to land a punch and end this beat down. It only got worse. Again and again he attacked, again and again he was put down. What's worse, Zen laughed as he did it.

Every time Jason rose, Zen slapped him down, throwing in remarks on Jason's form that he would have found very insightful if Zen wasn't beating him half to death. As it was , Jason did listen even though not entirely. He took in Zen's corrections and tried again.

Again he was slapped down. It become a competition of sorts between them, who would tire first. Jason wouldn't give up until he got what he wanted, and Zen was having the time of his life beating down a 16 year old seconder cadet. Not sure what that says about his mental health if he gained pleasure from inflicting pain on a child, but, I'm not a psychiatrist so.. let's just carry on.

Jason darted sideways evading a right punch, throwing on of his own. The professor easily sidestepped to his the left where Jason waited with another. Zen moved into his guard, just as Jason had anticipated, striking out with a quick punch that caught Jason in the chest. Jason had anticipated that too, but hadn't found a solution, he had to take the punch, while landing a disguised left kick.

What he did not anticipate was the speed of Zen’s punch. Zen's foot blurred and struck, sending Jason flying to the floor, his planned counter completely forgotten. Jason struggled for air, breath knocked out of him. He tried rising, but promptly fell back to the floor, he had nothing left in him.

“ Stay down kid.” the professor said. “ You did as well as could have been expected.” Jason wasn’t listening, once more trying to get to his feet, he failed again.

“I said stay down” the professor hissed, clearly annoyed. Only then did Jason relent.

Zen moved over to where Felix stood wide-eyed. “ Hey, skinny one, you in there?” Zen flicked a finger at Felix’s head to get his attention

"oh, Professor uhh... I… uuh, yes Sir?” Zen sighed, shaking his head.

“ Take him to the infirmary before he dies in my arena.” He walked for a bit then suddenly stopped like he’d forgotten something. “Ooh, and tell him he is now my apprentice for the Grand Tounoi, that was what he wanted wasn’t it?

Felix nodded a bit too enthusiastically, but the professor no longer watched. He was strolling casually out of the arena, muttering to himself before abruptly stopping again. He turned back to the absolutely stunned class

“And uhh… class dismissed.”