chapter 6: Combat Training

*(Kenji POV)

For the last 2 years I have been going to an MMA training club. Initially they were just teaching how to punch and kick it went on for 2 months and later they made us do sparring. In the beginning I was just saprring with children of my age group but as I was progressing my physical strength out performed them. At first they thought I was using my quirk but I explained then that that was not my quirk. So I was grouped with larger age group. This was not a one time thing. Physical strength is not the only thing that increased in this time period my skills in fighting also increased.

At the end of my first year in the club I started learning grappling. Teachers here are strict with their training.The students also take their spar seriously. As I was training in my body my physical strength also increased accordingly l, I could easily lift about 100 kg in a dead lift at that time. No one would belive it if I said I don't have quirk related to physical strength.

Then I was included in the group that had quirk related to physical body. I was facing a serious loss in the beginning, but then I started doing weight training and started doing my physical strength exercise seriously. Within 2 months I was able to match their physical strength. In the next three months later I surpassed them in growth.

I have been constantly improving on a daily basis for the last 7 months. After two years, now I'm 8 years 7 months old. Now I'm in our lawn infront of me was my grandma. Yesterday my grandma asked me to meet her in the lawn.

Grandma: It's been two years since you have been practicing MMA. It should be enough, we should start you with real fights. First round without any quirk. Are you ready?

I was itching to fight my grandma. I am not a battle maniac but when you achieve something you just want to show it to people. It may sound vain but that is how I am.

Kenji: I'm ready grandma.

As I was saying I'm ready grandma already started running towards me at a very fast pace which I thought impossible for her age group. I wouldn't say that to her anyway I don't want to get abused by her.

She reached infront of me and was throwing a punch, I put a block with my hand and her punch lands. It was painful. I didn't expect granny to be this strong and she didn't even use her quirk. My hands are little numb actually.

The power from the punch pushed me like 2 meters. Using this as a chance I put a distance between us. She is physically stronger than me so I have to use the tactics I have used to defeat the opponents that were physically stronger than me.

She again came forward with a dash and she gave me a kick this time I tried to dodge but I didn't expect it to be faint and I was almost punched right in my face. I gave myself to the gravity and dodge the punch and roll out of the way to avoid a stomp from her. Then I do a backflip and was expecting a punch or kick to my face but she was just standing there looking at me smiling.

Grandma: Ken-chan nice decision after testing the strength, just dodge if he/she is stronger than you. you don't need to forcefully block it.

After that she dashed towards me and she gave a faint with her left hand but she started lifting her legs for a kick so I prepared to dodge both. To my surprise the kick never came instead it was an elbow to my chest.

That hurt. It's not like I never fought anyone it's just she is that skillful.

Grandma: Lesson number 2 if the opponent is faster than you dodging with a slow and wide step is a big no no.

Kenji: wow grandma that lesson was painful.

Grandma: Ken-chan fighting always cause pain. Endure it now and get stronger. I know you have fought a lot of people in your MMA club but it's just with children under 14 years old. If you fight with an experienced fighter you will learn a lot. you'll feel like a newbie.

Kenji: I'm not complaining grandma just kidding. Please dont go soft on me if I don't train hard with you I'll get my ass handed to me by some villain. I prefer you beating me than some random psychopathic supervillain.

Grandma: First of all, language. Second of all, I won't go easy on you. thirdly, where did you learn to talk like this. Ok I think it's time to get serious.

Kenji: you were not serious until now?

My grandma didn't answer me. She just stood there in her stance and stretched her arm out and invited me to fight her. I wouldn't back down. I dashed towards her, her hands and feet are long and has a better reach than me so I have to get tricky this time.

I went in with a feint straight punch but did a leg sweep to offset her balance. But she already lifted her legs by the time. I didn't falter but I aimed my next punch towards her thigh which was open but I saw her hand move so I had to take a step back and tried a jumping roundhouse kick.

I pretty much expected her to block this and I was planning for my next move. Unfortunately for me she caught my foot and didn't wait for me to respond and just threw me away like I'm some dirty laundry.

I ate dirt, quiet literally. I was opening my mouth when I was thrown like a frisbee so some od the mud got in. Anyway I got up and was expecting an attack but my grandma didn't move she just stood there and showing me the same sign. I was furious, I was never humiliated in a fight like this before. So I just run head-on with a shout accompanying me I was just sent flying away to the same spot with the a kick to my chest. After eating dirt for the second time I realised my third lesson.

Grandma: Don't get emotional in a fight. It's useless. There is no emotional power or power of friendship and anger in like some kind of movies or cartoon you were watching. So always be cool headed in a fight. That is an important rule.

Lesson learnt. I take a deep breath and take a stance. I have to keep my calm. I know how to fight don't just throw around punches and kicks.

Grandma: Ken-chan, Learning to fight is like creating awareness and responding to threats in a proper manner. Learning to punch and kick is like abc's of fighting. The second step is try to be aware of threat your opponent creates i.e, their attacks. The third step is to try and respond to that threat at your best means. This is fighting. Did you know why martial arts are very good at fighting than normal people because they are ingrained with the moves that they learn and just make it their way of life, So they are quick to respond to the threats.Do you understand?

Kenji: ..yes grandma.

Wow I didn't expect fighting to be this complicated.

Grandma: Do you still want to continue for today?

Kenji: yes grandma. I want to test my limits today. I want to improve everyday to become stronger.

Grandma: Good, as expected of ken-chan. Let's do this until you are beaten down and couldn't move your finger.

Kenji: No grandma. Not that severe. Be a little bit gentle.

Grandma: huh? what were you saying?

Grandma didn't give me any chance to speak after that and just asked me to attack her and did the same. I did fall in the same spot for a while and my grandma was standing in the same spot unmoved after an hour of fighting. I didn't think our difference would be this big. 'Damn it I'm weak as f**k. I was getting way over my head. There are plenty of strong people out there if my granny can toss me around like this I think I'll be a canon fodder even with my wishes. Stop. I must stop underestimating my grandma like this. She was a hero in the past and I remember gran Torino was kicking midoriya like he was a football'

while I was doing my inner monologue,

Grandma: Have you finished your inner monologue?

Kenji: Did I just say that out loud?

Grandma: No but did you think something bad about me. Because you are panicking like your grandpa when he tries to eat sweets and getting caught.

Kenji: ah...no grandma I- I would never think anything rude about you.

Grandma: oh really, ok then. Let's forget about all the sparring we have done for the last hour.

I was confused and happy for a second thinking that I got out of the situation without getting any problem but I knew it was all for naught when I heard she say.

Grandma: Well, let's start the sparring session from the beginning. This time my lessons will be harsher with a increase in level of difficulty.

That's when I knew I f**ked up.