{6th Floor Gym, Megabuilding H10, Little China, Watson}

...

'A mentor system? Why, there was nothing like it in the game,' I thought as I read the notification. The CDPR was a dead giveaway as to where this system came from, but does that mean that this was a lot different than the game?

'Well, there is no Tiered component system available to me even though it was an integral part of the game. The guns are tiered, but the bullets were not in the game. And now, with this mentor shit... I'll take the extra EXP, but with this new mechanic in place, I need to watch who I piss off. The main characters of the game will likely be legendary mentors who should provide an even bigger EXP boost.'

"Stop dreaming, choom, and focus," Coach Fred smacked his hands together. The muffled sounds of pads smacking together broke me out of my thoughts.

"Right... what now?" I asked. I had no plans to take part in the underground boxing scene that he was a part of, but the exp boost was substantial enough for me to train under him, at least in the beginning.

"Now we focus on boxing. Your footwork is good, but it still needs to be refined properly for boxing. First, I need to show you how to throw a punch." Coach Fred said as he took off the pads and threw them to the ground beside his feet.

"Let's work on your stance. I can see that your resting stance is more open, which while would help you in a sitch with a blade in hand, would leave you wide open when boxing." Coach Fred said as he jumped slightly. When his feet landed on the ground, he was already standing somewhat differently.

"In boxing, stability matters a lot more. While there are many movement techniques that we'll discuss, first, we need you to get used to this stance. Balance is key. Imagine you're standing on a very narrow ledge. You wouldn't want to lean too far forward or backward, right? The same goes for boxing. You want your weight evenly distributed between both feet, with a slight bend in your knees." Coach Fred started explaining as he pointed to his feet.

"Why is the slight bend necessary?" I asked. I knew one reason it was good was probably balance, and even for pouncing at your opponents or dodging away.

"Your knees are like coiled springs, ready to explode into action. But there is another greater advantage of lowering your body: it lowers your center of gravity, which allows you to absorb blows and not get blown off your feet. Get it?" Fred explained.

At my nod, he pointed toward his feet and continued, "Now, let's talk about your foot placement. Typically, you always face your opponent's sidewise, with your dominant hand facing your opponent. Similarly, your dominant foot is supposed to be in front of the other. We call that the 'lead foot' and the 'rear foot'. Your lead foot should be pointing straight ahead or slightly turned inward, while your rear foot is at about a 45-degree angle. This setup gives you stability and allows you to generate power quite easily."

...

The lecture went on for a while. I kept on summarizing the lecture in my mind as he explained that I have to stand with my feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent, and weight evenly distributed. I put my lead foot forward and my rear foot at an angle that's comfortable for me. I put my hands up for defense by my face or in front and with my elbows in.

After forcing me to break out of this stance and walk a bit, Fred pushed me to cycle between the boxing stance and walking around. Experience kept flooding in, and this was the easiest level that I have gotten for now. I shivered slightly as new muscle memory emerged in my mind, along with the experience of going through the stances and the basics of boxing for hours on end.

...

[100 {Body} Exp gained]

[150 {Boxing} EXP gained]

...

[Boxing Lv 1 {50/1000} *Body attuned {Passive}]

[Boxing is a combination of technical proficiency, physical abilities, mental acuity, and strategic thinking that allows you to fight barehanded.]

Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

...

"You okay? Should we take a break?" Coach Fred asked, but he had a frown on his face.

"Nah, I'm just thinking about something. I think I have got this stance down. What next?" I spoke as I settled down into the stance once again. Fred's face was surprised as he walked back and forth around me, examining my form.

"Well, no kidding. You weren't joking about being a quick learner..." Fred said. His eyes shone as he nodded and motioned for the red punching bag hanging on one corner of the ring.

"Now we learn the basics of punching, come on." He said as he walked over to the punching bag. He took the stance and started explaining, "We will start with the most fundamental punch: the jab. A jab is a feeler. You use it to keep your opponent at bay or set up other punches. Here's how you throw one: it's quick, straight, and versatile. To throw a jab, extend your lead hand straight out in front of you, rotating your fist so your palm faces the ground upon impact. Keep your other hand up to protect your face. Your elbow should be slightly bent, and you should snap your jab back quickly after throwing it."

I understood the intent of his words a lot better this time as the punch rippled through the punching bag; his muscles were not for the show. It seemed as if the punching bag moved slightly as it bent around his punch.

"You feel me. Now you try," he said, moving aside, giving me space. I nodded, feeling a lot more confident as I walked in front of the punching bag. My jab was quite good. I focused mainly on mimicking the form that was burned down through my muscle memory, but even still, even without focusing on power, the soft 'Pah' that rippled through the corner as my knuckles made contact with the punching bag felt surreal.

Feeling the sting of the leather against my knuckle, I appreciated the knowledge download system a lot more when I gained a skill. As long as I practice what I'm being taught by these memories, I will quickly learn and master the techniques.

"That... that was good," Fred spoke after a long time. He gave me a strange look before he walked over in front of the punching bag again and showed me the next punch, the cross. This one was a little more complicated than the jab as it involved more movement from the shoulders and the waist, but I knew I already knew it.

...

In the next 15 minutes, we flew by the lesson on the basics of boxing that Fred likely had planned, and his frown deepened as we moved from throwing punches around to dodging and weaving, movements that are synonymous with boxing but would have very little to do with using a blade or something similar.

"Are you pulling my leg here, Gonk? You clearly know the basics of boxing." Coach Fred finally burst out. His frown had deepened.

"It's..." I pretended to hesitate before I moved a bit closer to him and pointed to my neural port, "It's a biochip in my head, my father worked for Militech, and it was a program that was installed in me. It allows me to learn things quickly, especially combat-related ones. That's how I learned how to handle knives, and now it's breaking down your stances and moves and telling me which muscles to move in order to achieve the same effect." It was a lie, of course, or at least a half-truth... quarter truth?

He looked doubtful, but his hostility had faded away slightly, "What's it called?" He asked.

"Something called CDPR, it's an assisted program. I didn't know boxing before, I swear, but when you broke down the stance, it started analyzing it and then compared it to its own data library to adjust the stances and moves to my build." I kept on mixing truths and lies, and finally, his frown lessened.

"Look, I don't want any part in this corp biz," he said, backing away. You can take your money back, and we'll call it a day."

"Wait, wait," I called out, not wanting to lose out on gaining free experience. "How about you not worry about teaching me stuff and just spar with me every day for a couple of weeks, and we'll call it even?"

Fred looked a little doubtful, but after a minute of thinking, he sighed and nodded. His reaction to me mentioning the name Militech was a little alarming. I need not mention my corp alignment if I want to avoid trouble.

"Alright, I haven't sparred with anyone yet, so go easy on me in the beginning, okay? I'm not lying when I say I have no experience in boxing," I said as we moved to the center of the ring. Fred still looked doubtful, but he nodded. We both took our stances before he nodded at me, telling me to start.

I jabbed at his guard and backed away from the cross that almost snapped my head off and flew in front of me. Thankfully, my balance was maintained as my body adjusted to the movements. I kept my guard up; he didn't pursue me, so after taking a couple of tentative steps toward him, I jabbed once again. This time, he tapped his knuckle against me as I kept my guard up.

After a couple of seconds of no counter, I tried a one-two punch combo, the only offensive combo that I knew after the level 1 upgrade, and he effortlessly blocked my jab and cross. I could have tried an uppercut, but all my moves were rather basic, and he seemed content with being on the defensive.

Punching against a real guard was a lot more tiring as my stamina drained out in a couple of minutes. I panted, backed away, and put my hands down, signaling the end of the fight. The good thing was that I gained another 150 EXP from that spar. The bad thing? Fred had another frown on his face.

"What now?" I asked.

"Nothing..." he shook his head and sighed, "What kind of program is this? Your proficiency in basic movements and punches is unlike that of a beginner, but you have no semblance of how to stitch a fight together. Your movements are perfect, but they aren't fluid; they look like broken pieces of puzzles put together..." He mumbled the last part before he shook his head.

"Never mind, don't tell me. I'll teach you how to fight. Now take a rest, and we'll spar again in a bit..."

I sighed in relief at hearing those words; the weight of a corp behind me might make me seem dangerous, but considering that everything I said was a hoax would make things difficult.

'Alright, I'm never throwing Militech's name out again, and I need to level up fast. I don't know when trouble will find me.'

...