Shijima Gorou stripped off his upper clothes, revealing his broad and solid back muscles.
Each time he got into a stance, he took a deep breath.
Two assistants would swing wooden sticks, beating his back and sides.
Or they would forcefully kick his thighs and shinbones.
His skin quickly became patches of red and purple.
Yet Shijima Gorou remained totally still.
After exhaling loudly, he continued into the next stance.
His muscles were as tough as iron, seemingly insensible to any pain.
Fang Cheng stood by watching.
Through several days of watching instructional DVDs and exploring related knowledge,
he knew that what Shijima Gorou was practicing was the Soft and Hard Style’s Three Battle Forms of karate.
In Xia Country’s traditional martial arts, it is called the Striking Power Technique, and in other Japanese martial arts styles, it’s known as Hard Body Skill.
The Three Battle Forms belong to the "Hard Type" of the Soft and Hard Style.
It requires keeping all the muscles in a state of maximum tension, adjusting strength through Breathing Technique, and training the fundamentals of attack and defense.
Among the most important and combat-applicable is the practice of the Pain Tolerance Method.
By using breath to tighten muscles and having a sparring partner continually strike weak areas of the body.
Ultimately making the muscles tough and the stance stable, enhancing the endurance to withstand intense strikes.
The purpose of this training method, as the saying goes, "Learn to take hits before you hit others."
You punch me, I feel no pain.
I punch you, and it could be lethal.
At home watching the DVD, Fang Cheng didn’t feel much.
But now observing up close, he couldn’t help but develop some interest in these traditional training methods.
Though his Constitution was already much higher than ordinary people,
if he could make his body even tougher and more durable, it would certainly be beneficial.
While Fang Cheng was having this realization,
Shijima Gorou clenched his teeth, remaining silent.
He wasn’t emotionally numb or devoid of pain.
He was merely addicted to the fleeting trance brought by tormenting his flesh.
Before coming to Xia Country, he was full of hope.
Yet over the past six months, he had encountered either swindlers or weaklings.
Everyone he met was so intolerable to pains!
He could only vent his pent-up emotions and suppress the lurking monster within his heart through this self-mutilating method.
Shijima Gorou’s eyes radiated intense disappointment and anger.
Suddenly he exhaled sharply and said in a low voice:
Then he relaxed his stance and walked up to the ring, pointing at Fang Cheng.
A simple phrase accompanied by a gesture.
No translation needed, Fang Cheng understood his meaning
and climbed onto the ring with a red square target pad.
Just as he positioned the target, he looked up, only to see Shijima Gorou’s sweeping kick coming at him.
Fang Cheng, agile, promptly held the target across his chest to block the sudden kick.
Since the kick started hastily, the force transmitted through the foot was not very strong, and he only took a half step back to absorb the impact.
Now Fang Cheng was in the role of the most novice "human target."
The coach had already informed Shijima Gorou that he was a newcomer.
Therefore, the first lesson was mainly about practicing fixed target positions.
That is, the sparring partner standing in a suitable place, serving as various types of targets to guide the employer’s kicks.
Fixed target training is an essential course in karate, helping in forming basic movements and cultivating a sense of distance.
For intermediate and advanced players, this continuously solidifies technical movements and develops body instincts.
After catching this side kick, Fang Cheng immediately adjusted his stance, stabilizing his lower body.
Shijima Gorou’s next attack was relentless, coming in a swift spin.
In a blink, he continuously kicked around Fang Cheng, smack, smack, smack, launching several kicks in a row.
For a moment, the strong wind brushed against the face and whipped up strands of hair; the attack was fierce.
According to normal circumstances, the sparring partner should guide the employer in training and maintain a good rhythm.
However, Shijima Gorou is clearly not a normal person!
Right now, he is merely attacking aggressively, with a desire to kick the "target" flying away to relieve his resentment.
Another jumping spin kick.
The heaviness of the leg techniques and the great strength made Fang Cheng involuntarily step back repeatedly.
Fang Cheng took a slight breath, looking at Shijima Gorou with ferocious eyes, his gaze also filled with solemnity.
Previously, watching him spar with others couldn’t afford a personal understanding.
Only when it was his turn to step up did he truly feel that beast-like brute force from the opponent.
Every attack felt like being pounced on by a rampaging bear.
If measured by the standard Attributes panel,
Shijima Gorou’s Strength would definitely be above 15 points, possibly even close to 20 points.
Obviously higher than Fang Cheng’s 11 points of Strength.
Fang Cheng had no intention of retreating.
His eyes glimmered brightly, as if igniting a fierce combat will.
Even if only as a beginner sparring partner,
it’s not just about wearing protective gear, holding a target, and being a human punching bag.
A sparring partner also has an extremely important role of "feeding moves."
Monitoring the opponent’s habitual moves, movement patterns, attack strength, and speed, allowing the employer to execute combos more smoothly and display techniques.
Therefore, an excellent sparring partner should have sharp observational skills and the judgment to capture the right moment to switch between offense and defense.
This is what is commonly referred to as "sense of rhythm."
Fang Cheng still remembered a phrase from the boxing coach when teaching elite students:
"The deciding factor of a duel between experts is to see who can disrupt the opponent’s rhythm first, making the opponent follow their own."
Thinking of this, Fang Cheng’s gaze calmed down.
If the beast is obstinate, then tame it, make it heed one’s own call.
Shijima Gorou’s stamina was still abundant, continuously moving his feet non-stop.
Both legs alternated like whips, relentlessly lashing at Fang Cheng.
It was as if he didn’t consider Fang Cheng as a living person, just a breathing human-shaped target.
Front kick, side kick, front thrust kick, side snap kick, instep kick...
Various technical moves attacked from all angles like a storm.
Fang Cheng held the foot target firmly with both hands, constantly adjusting his steps and target position.
While blocking attacks, he tried to sense each attack route of his opponent and detect the points of force applied.
Had it been before, this would have been very difficult.
However, after Spirit Attribute broke through 20 points, it became much easier.
Every punch, every kick, every initiation of an attack, there are signs.
Breathing, heartbeat, changes in gaze, foot movement, shoulder swaying...
The difference between a master and a novice lies only in the more succinct execution of moves and the skill to conceal intentions.
But strength cannot be produced out of thin air.
It needs to be transmitted through the body to accomplish an effective strike.
Fang Cheng both fed moves and observed.
Catching the fleeting opportunity from Shijima Gorou’s actions.
Gradually, he completely figured out the opponent’s attack routes, faintly grasping a certain feeling.
Shijima Gorou suddenly raised his foot and knee, a fierce instep kick aimed directly at his face.
Fang Cheng’s pupils dilated, the world in front of him seemed to slow down by a fraction of a second in that moment.
Shijima Gorou’s pupils flickered slightly, facial muscles twitching.
the foot cutting through the air, drawing a crescent arc, sending ripples of air currents around.
the power transferring from the sole to the knee, then through the twisting of the waist and hips, accelerating back to the calf, instep, Tiger Claw...
The foot, sharp as a blade, striking—right on the target pre-positioned in its attack path.