CHAPTER 5: AND THE WINNER IS…

“Are you okay?” Ding Wu asked Zen as he marched pass him.

“Just start the match!” Zen angrily ordered. He turned around, kicking dirt into the air as he looked at his friend.

Zheng did not recognise the look. It was not the friendly look his friend had always given him, even in the early stages of the match. Zheng gulped as for the first time, he sensed a feint trace of something in the air directed at him. Wait… is that killing intent?

Ding Wu nodded and raised his hand. “Re-start!”

In a moment, Zen was barrelling down Zheng. Zheng was forced on the defensive against his friend’s ferocious attack. Even with his blocks he was being throttled around with each emotion fuelled punch and kick.

“This is starting to look less like a friendly sparring match,” Ding Wu said under his breath, wondering if he should stop the match.

Zheng was desperately blocking. There were a few openings he spotted but he forced himself not to retaliate. If he scored one more point, he would have lost the match but simultaneously, he could not take this thrashing for much longer.

He looked behind him. Of course, the ring! Zheng began allowing Zen to push him back, which was not difficult with his ferocious attack. He summarised that being forced out of the ring would be better than fake losing 3 points.

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He kept losing ground, hoping that he was not doing it too fast for people to figure out he wanted to lose. Things were going well, that is until…

“Blits Fist!”

Zheng jumped back and out of range as the fists came for him.

Ki was already instinctively flowing through his body. He wanted to lose but he did not want to get hit by that attack not when he sensed a feint killing intent from his friend. A barrier came from his body to protect him again.

Zen was undeterred as he activated his technique again and punched the barrier. The attack failed but, in his anger, he simply reactivated it again. This time, the barrier was overwhelmed and to Zheng surprise smashed apart.

“BLITS FIST!” Zen angrily shouted as he sent his ki roiling through his meridians. He threw the first punch but Zheng blocked it, to his surprise, the second punch was too slow and that was when he realised it. I don’t have enough ki left for the technique!

Zheng, expecting the worst, had already blocked the first punch and when the second did not come he retaliated before it could. However, he realised that something was wrong. Zen had failed to execute the technique, meaning he was in no danger, but he had already thrown the fist and could not stop until it made contact with Zen’s chin.

Zen was knocked of his feet by the punch and landed on his butt. He looked up at his friend, who was just as stunned, with his fists still held out to where his chin had been.

“Winner, Yin Zheng!” Ding Wu raised his hand in favour of Zheng.

Zen looked to the shaded walkway where Zheng Yin and his father, Wang Shu were still watching. His father simply stood up from his leaning position on the walkway railing and left.

Zheng watched as Master Wang left before he looked at Zen, hoping his look conveyed how sorry he was. But Zheng knew that being sorry was not enough. I’m sorry; I’ve failed you, Zen. So, this is how our friendship ends.