Bully Lord

Part-82

The whistle shrieked, shattering the tense silence. James, fueled by Crisis Mode, erupted into action. Auto Combat whirred to life, analyzing Ryan's stance and predicting his movements. It channeled James' amplified strength into a flurry of karate strikes. A roundhouse kick whipped towards Ryan's head, but Auto Combat's prediction faltered. Years of muscle memory kicked in for Ryan, allowing him to duck just in time. The force of the missed kick sent James spinning slightly, momentarily off-balance.

However, before James could dwell on his situation, a window suddenly popped up, announcing, "Congratulations. Mission 13 was a success. WIS +1."

James thought to himself that the condition was to challenge for a duel, not necessarily to win it; that's why the success window popped up.

On the other hand, Ryan, capitalizing on the opening, lunged forward. This was his element – close quarters, grappling, throws. He attempted a powerful Harai Goshi, a sweeping hip throw, but Auto Combat, lightning-fast, adjusted. It stiffened James' core and shifted his weight, allowing him to absorb the impact and remain rooted to the mat. The crowd gasped, surprised to see the newcomer defy Ryan's initial dominance.

Kashem told Mili, "Oh, that lad's reaction speed is impressive. I didn't think he could move like that."

Mili didn't reply to her father. It was only the second time she had ever seen James fight, so she didn't know the full extent of his capabilities. However, she knew for certain that James was strong.

The dance continued. James, a whirlwind of raw, System-enhanced power, launched a barrage of punches and kicks. Auto Combat, despite its limitations against Judo's grappling techniques, guided his strikes with surprising efficiency. Ryan, on the other hand, fought a more measured fight. He weaved through James' blows, searching for an opportunity to exploit an opening. His experience shone through in his calculated movements, his calm demeanor a stark contrast to James' frenetic energy.

Despite his system advantage, James was at a clear disadvantage. Judo was built on leverage and technique, something James, with his karate background, sorely lacked. Ryan, recognizing this, started employing throws that relied less on brute strength and more on exploiting James' lack of grounding. A well-timed De Ashi Barai, a foot sweep, sent James sprawling to the mat. He landed hard, the breath momentarily knocked out of him.

Ryan told James, "Not gonna lie. You are good. I more or less underestimated you before you fought Sourov. You're a hidden tiger of our school, aren't you?"

However, James remained silent. He couldn't speak if this crazy mode was on.

A collective groan rippled through the crowd. James, however, was fueled by a stubborn determination. Adrenaline surged through him, erasing the pain (Point of view of onlookers). He scrambled back to his feet, a fierce glint in his eyes. Auto Combat, constantly learning and adapting, started incorporating throws and takedowns it had observed Ryan execute. James mimicked the movements with surprising accuracy, though they lacked the finesse of Ryan's years of training.