“I want to test out a theory I have about your ability, so come at me,” Kaen hesitated, it wasn’t that he was scared he would hurt the man, no. He was scared that he would be hurt. Kurokawa was at least twice as big as him. Easily two meters tall and at least 95 kilograms. Kaen’s own 180 cm seemed very short right now. Kaen took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. He raised his fists, adopting the fighting stance Asahi had taught him. He could feel a slight tremor in his hands. He took another breath, forcing himself to focus. Kurokawa stood a few steps away, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp and watchful.

“Okay,” Kaen muttered to himself. “Here goes nothing.”

He lunged forward, aiming a punch at Kurokawa’s face. The movement felt clumsy and uncoordinated. Before his fist could connect, Kurokawa’s hand shot up, catching Kaen’s wrist with ease. The grip was strong and steady. Kaen’s eyes widened in surprise. He shifted his hand trying to loosen the grasp, but it was in vain. Without missing a beat, Kurokawa shifted his weight and swept Kaen’s legs out from under him. The world tilted abruptly as Kaen fell to the ground. He landed on his back with a thud, the breath knocked out of him. For a moment, he just lay there, staring up at the sky cloudy sky, trying to process what had just happened. Kurokawa stepped back, giving Kaen space to get up. “You need to be faster,” he said, his voice matter-of-fact. “And more focused. You hesitated.”

Kaen groaned softly, pushing himself up onto his elbows. “Yeah, I noticed,” he muttered, feeling frustrated. He had barely managed to do anything before being taken down. He got to his feet slowly, brushing dirt off his black cargo pants.

“Try again,” Kurokawa said, watching him closely.

Kaen took another deep breath, trying to focus on the agent’s movement. He raised his fists once more, his eyes never leaving Kurokawa. This time, he needed to be better. He needed to be faster, more precise. He couldn’t let hesitation get in the way. He moved forward again, this time aiming a punch at Kurokawa’s midsection. His movements were still a bit awkward, but there was more force behind them. Once again, Kurokawa intercepted the punch, his hand closing around Kaen’s wrist. But this time, Kaen was ready. He twisted his body, trying to use the momentum to break free from Kurokawa’s grip.

Kurokawa’s grip tightened, and he adjusted his stance effortlessly. With a swift motion, he unbalanced Kaen once more, sending him sprawling to the ground. Kaen gritted his teeth, frustration bubbling up inside him. When he fought Kenzo the day before, he felt like he could be good at this, but it seemed like he wasn’t.

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

“Better,” Kurokawa said, a hint of approval in his voice. “But you’re still relying too much on brute force. You need to think about your movements, anticipate your opponent’s actions.”

Kaen lay on the ground for a moment, catching his breath. The frustration was eating away at him; he was competitive and had to find a way to improve to win. Kurokawa watched him with a calculating look. “Use your heat manipulation,” he said. “Make yourself warmer, then come at me.”

Kaen blinked in confusion. “How’s that gonna help?”

“Trust me,” Kurokawa insisted, his tone brooking no argument. “Just try it.”

Kaen pushed himself up, his mind racing. He stood in his fighting stance, fists raised. This time, he took a deep breath, drawing in as much air as he could. He focused inward, trying to tap into his ability. He felt a warmth spreading through the first layer of skin, radiating inward. The grass around him started to glisten with frost as he absorbed the heat from the air, the moisture in the air condensing and freezing. He felt a surge of energy, his muscles tingling.

Kurokawa nodded approvingly. “Good. Now, come at me.”

Kaen moved forward, faster this time. He aimed an uppercut at Kurokawa’s jaw. Kurokawa’s hand shot up, catching Kaen’s fist again. But Kaen didn’t stop. He immediately followed with a side punch aimed at Kurokawa’s face. Kurokawa intercepted the punch, his grip firm.

Just as Kurokawa was about to swipe Kaen’s legs out from under him again, Kaen anticipated the move. He jumped, evading the sweep. Kaen landed lightly on his feet, feeling a rush of excitement. He had finally managed to avoid one of Kurokawa’s attacks. But in that moment of pride, he let his guard down.

Kurokawa took advantage of Kaen’s lapse in focus. With a swift, decisive motion, he delivered a powerful punch straight into Kaen’s stomach. The force of the blow knocked the wind out of him, and he doubled over, gasping for breath. The warmth that had filled him moments ago seemed to dissipate as he staggered back, clutching his midsection.

“Never lose focus,” Kurokawa said sharply, his voice cutting through the pain. “Even if somebody hits you don’t stop using your ability.”

“That’s easy for you to say,” Kaen mumbled weakly, the pain in his stomach wouldn’t cease. He straightened up slowly, wincing slightly. Kaen didn’t even know his ability could do that, but maybe it was his fault for not using it enough. At least he was learning, even if it was the hard way.

Kurokawa stepped back, giving him space to recover. “You’re getting there,” he said, his tone ever so slightly softer. “But you have to stay focused. Always.”