Bully Lord

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 picking on someone who can't defend himself."

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

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

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

Suddenly, Ryan appeared at the gym entrance, his face flushed from his conversation with Mili.  He took in the scene, his gaze flickering between James, Mili, and Sourov.  A scowl marred his features.

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

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

Ryan's confusion deepened.  He glanced at Sourov, silently questioning him. The Judo student shrugged, offering no explanation.

Meanwhile, James straightened his back, a hint of defiance in 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 can't win this."

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

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

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

Both boys froze in their tracks.  A tall, broad-shouldered man with a neatly trimmed beard strode purposefully towards the ring. It was Gin, the stoic but respected Judo coach.  His presence instantly commanded attention.

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

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, torn between honesty 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 attacking James for no reason."

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

Sourov squirmed under the coach's scrutiny. "No, sir," he stammered, "it was just a misunderstanding."

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 chance. "See, Coach?" he exclaimed, pointing at James. "He wants to fight, right?"

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

Coach Gin considered the boys for a moment, his eyes assessing their stance and demeanor. While James displayed a newfound determination, 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 and get yourself up to Sourov's level. Then, and only then, will we have a proper match, following all the rules."