Bully Lord

Part-92

"Alright, James," Ryan clapped him on the shoulder, his voice surprisingly gentle. "Don't get discouraged. Judo takes time and practice. Brute strength can only take you so far."  He saw the dejection in James' eyes and decided to offer some encouragement. "How about we try something a little different tomorrow?"

James perked up, a flicker of hope rekindled. "What do you have in mind?"

"You've been going head-to-head with me," Ryan explained. "Why not try someone closer to your current skill level?  Zia here," he gestured towards a boy with a mop of black hair, "would be a good opponent to practice the De Ashi Barai on."

James cast a hesitant glance at Zia, then checked his internal stat display. Zia's combined stats stood at a respectable 92, only slightly higher than James' own 83.3. Maybe, James thought, this could be a chance to finally experience the success he craved. 

The next day, James stood opposite Zia, his nerves buzzing with anticipation.  He recalled Ryan's instructions, focusing on the footwork, the hip movement, the precise timing.  He lunged, executing the De Ashi Barai.  This time, it felt different.  There was a smoothness to his movements, a newfound awareness of his body's position.  With a satisfying thud, Zia found himself sprawled on the mat.

Relief washed over James, followed by a surge of exhilaration. He'd done it!  He'd thrown someone using proper Judo technique.  The feeling was empowering, a stark contrast to the brute force tactics he'd relied on before.

The following days were a blur of intense practice.  James drilled the De Ashi Barai relentlessly, each attempt building on the one before.  Here's a breakdown of his throws against Zia:

* Attempts 1-3:  These were rough attempts. James struggled with the timing and coordination required for the throw. His footwork was sloppy, and his hip movement lacked power. Zia easily defended against James' attempts, sometimes even reversing the throw and landing James on the mat.

* Attempts 4-7:  James started to get the hang of it. His movements became more fluid, and he began to anticipate Zia's reactions. He landed a couple of close calls but wasn't yet able to fully execute the throw.

* Attempts 8-10:  With newfound confidence, James focused on perfecting the details. His footwork was sharp, his hip movement explosive, and his timing impeccable.  Finally, on his tenth attempt, he successfully threw Zia with a textbook De Ashi Barai.  The feeling of accomplishment was exhilarating, a testament to his hard work and dedication.

**[Mission 15-18: (Chain Mission 1): Success!]**

**[Mission 15-18: (Chain Mission 2): Throw Judo players 100 times using a single throw technique]**

A wave of relief washed over James.  He'd completed the first step of the chain mission, the reward hidden from view but undoubtedly valuable. 

James sank back onto the mat, a wave of accomplishment washing over him. "Finally," he muttered, wiping the sweat from his brow, "I've done it."

Beside him, Zia, ever cheerful, sat up with a grin. "Looks like you've finally shaken off that self-doubt, huh?"

He was somewhat Confused by Zia’s attitude.