Part-32

  A dull ache throbbed in James' hand as he ehe school gym. The memory of his makeshift training and the subsequent bckout was a stark reminder of his limitations. Practig thundercps at home was clearly out of the question, not to mention the suspicious gnces his mother and sister might throw at a lumpy pillow dangling from the ceiling.

  He sed the room, hoping to find it empty. Unfortunately, a group of boys occupied the far er – three figures unmistakable from Ryae. They were members of the Judo club, notorious for their roughhousing and general ck of respect. James felt a knot of apprehension tighten in his stomach.

  One of the boys, a nky teen with a smug grin, sauowards James. "So," he drawled, his voice dripping with mock , "you're the ohetic kid who put Ryan in the ground, by sheer luck?"

  James squared his shoulders, trying to proje air of fidence despite his throbbing hand. "If that's what they're calling a bruised ego these days," he replied with a foronce.

  The smug grin faltered, repced by a flicker of ahe tallest of the group, a hulkih-grader with a shaved head, stepped forward. "You little runt," he snarled, his voice ced with menace. "Is that how you talk to your seniors?"

  James felt a surge of heat rise in his chest. These guys were bigger, stronger, but something had ged within him. He wouldn't back down anymore. He met the uppercssman's gaze, a steely glint in his own eyes.

  "Respect," James said, his voice firm, "is earned, not demanded."

  Sourov, the hulking senior, bristled with rage. A vein throbbed in his temple as he stared down at James. "You think you just talk bae, runt?" he boomed, his voice eg in the empty gym. "I'll teach you some respect the old-fashioned way!"

  James stood his ground, the warmth in his hand intensifying. He knew a brawl wouldn't end well for him, at least not without his thundercp. But bag down now, after his newfound fidence, felt like a betrayal of himself. He took a deep breath, surprised at the ess that washed over him.

  "Look," James said, his voice steady despite the tremor in his hand, "if you want to settle this, let's do it right. e on in the ring."

  He gestured towards the padded grappling area in the ter of the gym. A surprised silence desded upon the room. The other Judo club members exged bewildered gnces. Surely, the sy James wasn't serious about challenging Sourov, a seasoned Judo pyer known for his throws that could send you flying.

  Sourov's anger momentarily sputtered. The idea of James stepping into the ring, a pce where strength and teique reigned supreme, was absurd. Here, James wouldn't be able to rely on a lucky sp. A cruel smirk pyed on Sourov's lips. "You think you handle yourself in a ring, pipsqueak?"

  James met his gaze, a spark of defian his eyes. "We'll see about that, won't we?"

  A slow smile spread across Sourov's fabsp; This ued development was too good to pass up. He relished the thought of humiliating James in front of everyone. "Alright," he bellowed, stripping off his jacket, "prepare to be schooled, shrimp!"

  James ehe ring, his heart pounding against his ribs. He had never set foot in a grappling ring before, let alone faced someone heavyweight like Sourov(Except Lemon). But the warmth in his hand thrummed with a strange power, a silent promise of something more. He g the blue window, hoping for some guidance, but it remained bnk. This was on him.