Part-34

  "Mili, what are you doing here?" James stammered, surprised by her sudden appearance.

  "What does it look like?" she retorted, her gaze fixed on Sourov. "I'm here to stop you from pig on someone who 't defend himself."

  Sourov scoffed. "He challenged me to a fight, didn't he? This is fair game."

  James, still catg his breath, opened his mouth to protest, but Mili cut him off. "This isn't a fight," she decred, her voice ringing with authority. "This is you bullying someone weaker than you."

  A tense silence desded upon the room. The other Judo club members shifted unfortably, unsure of how to reabsp; Mili's fiery demeanor had clearly caught them off guard.

  Suddenly, Ryan appeared at the gym entrance, his face flushed from his versation with Mili. He took in the se, his gaze flickeriween James, Mili, and Sourov. A sarred his features.

  "What's going on here?" he demanded, stepping forward.

  Mili gred at him. "Just admiring your handiwork, Ryan," she said sarcastically. "Or should I say, your ck of handiwork?"

  Ryan's fusion deepened. He g Sourov, silently questioning him. The Judo student shrugged, no expnation.

  Meanwhile, James straightened his back, a hint of defian his voice.

  "Actually," James interjected, "this fight has nothing to do with Ryan. It's between me and Sourov."

  Sourov let out a humorless chuckle. "Don't be a fool," he said. "You know you 't win this."

  The warmth in James' hand intensified, the energy c through him like a live wire. He held Sourov's gaze, a steely resolve repg his earlier fear.

  "Maybe not," James said, a hint of a smile pying on his lips, "but I'm willing to find out."

  Sourov, fueled by a renewed sense of domier Mili's interruption, luowards James. Just as his hand was about to ect with James' shoulder, a booming voice echoed through the room, "Enough!"

  Both boys froze iracks. A tall, broad-shouldered man with a ly trimmed beard strode purposefully towards the ring. It was Gin, the stoic but respected Judo coabsp; His presenstantly atention.

  "What is the meaning of this?" Coach Gin said, his voice stern as he surveyed the se. His gaze settled on Sourov first. "Sourov, I thought we discussed respect within the dojo. Pig fights outside of training is uable."

  Sourov mumbled a half-hearted apology, clearly surprised by the coach's sudden appearance. "He, uh, challenged me to a fight, Coach."

  Gin turned his sharp eyes on James. "And did you, James?"

  James hesitated, torween hoy and the desire to avoid trouble. "Well, I…"

  Before James could finish, Mili spoke up. "Actually, Coach," she said quickly, "there was no challenge. Sourov was just attag James for no reason."

  Coach Gin's gaze shifted back to Sourov, his expression hardening. "Sourov, is that true?"

  Sourov squirmed uhe coach's scrutiny. "No, sir," he stammered, "it was just a misuanding."

  Coach Gin crossed his arms over his chest, his silence speaking volumes. Finally, he sighed, a hint of exasperation in his voice. "Look," he said, "I don't care who started it. If you want to settle things in the ring, you do it the right way. You inform me, and we follow the proper rules and procedures."

  Sourov, eager to save face, jumped at the ce. "See, Coach?" he excimed, pointing at James. "He wants to fight, right?"

  James, caught off guard by Coach Gin's ued interventio a flicker of doubt. He g Mili, hoping for some guidance, but she simply shook her head, her lips pursed in a disapproving frown.

  Coach Gin sidered the boys for a moment, his eyes assessing their stand demeanor. While James dispyed a newfouermination, he was clearly at a disadvantage against Sourov's obvious physical strength and judo experience.

  "Alright," Coach Gin finally said, his voice decisive. "You two want to fight? Fine. But it won't be today." He looked at James. "Two weeks. You, James, will have time to train a yourself up to Sourov's level. Then, and only then, will we have a proper match, following all the rules."