Chapter 29 - Two Tigers.

Shi Lang and Jenkins stood facing each other but given their posture it did not look like they were about to fight. While the former stood with his hands behind his back, the latter stood with his shoulders drooping forward and his hands hung as if they had no strength in them.

The small dialog earlier ended abruptly. They stood gazing at each other with a gaze so cold that it made the other people freeze. It was as if they were waiting for something. A signal that will allow them to shoot forward their best attack.

Jenkins had lost his weapons and only a knife was left hanging on his thigh strap. Jane and the three boys were cleaning stuff up but they were not as eased as they were earlier. Two people would end the guys while the other two would be guards. To reduce the risk they kept their movement pattern obscure as well.

Suddenly, Tim said, "I think..."

Before he could complete it, Jane placed her knife on his neck and said, "You have a crow's mouth. You better shut up and do not jinx him."

Tim gulped and swallowed back the words in his mouth along with the saliva inside. He did not doubt that she will spare him. Jane has been Shi Lang's guardian in the class. The reason, no one knew. They got back to their task. The stare-it-out had reached a very crucial situation. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew and with that, the people moved.

Shi Lang and Jenkins covered a distance of ten-meter each with one step, Jenkins attacked the former with his right claw aimed at his chest. Shi Lang simply shifted his weight letting the attack miss as he used the momentum in his charge to get the right side of Jenkins, however, the next moment his right knee made contact with the latter's torso.

Shi Lang was not unscathed, Jenkins had retracted his claw and bent the hand to strike with his elbow. The mutual exchange of the blows canceled out the force behind their attacks, and they both recoiled back after the exchange but they had no intention to stop.

Jenkins was a master in a combat art called Tiger Brawling. Using the attack instincts and movement tactics of a tiger this martial skill was developed by some experts. It ranked among the best skills out there. To learn this skill one needed to pay a very high price, that was not monetary.

Shi Lang on the other hand was using a set of skills that he had mastered in his past life, Tiger Sutra. A complete set that included, movement, breathing, and attack and defense patterns. Unlike Jenkins, the tiger in this skill was just a stand-in with the word courage.

The two people charged at each other and close-quarter combat began. They both aimed at each other's vital spots. However, none of them bore fruits of the labor because they were equal. Yes, this development had shocked everyone, whether it was those inside the simulation or outside it.

...

Aries nodded repeatedly and said, "They both are very strong."

The rest of the people nodded at this. However, Stevenson said, "They only have five minutes to finish this duel and thirty seconds have passed already. If Shi Lang could not deliver some significant damage to Jenkins, the latter will be an advantage with his superior star grade. Shi Lang will lose."

The people nodded, they all had speculated something like this to happen. Aries said, "Shi Lang has a more refined technique, I wonder how he got this skill set."

Stevenson nodded and asked, "Instructor Rosa, what is this skill he is using?"

Rosa gave a wry smile and shook her head indicating that she has no idea what the boy was doing. She could only reply, "Self-taught."

Two worlds made the people all look at her as if they had seen a ghost. Major Rackham asked, "What do you mean by that? How can that be possible? Such finesse in the martial technique, this must be some skill he had learned from the federation Library."

Rosa shook her head and said, "Sir, Shi Lang used to be a one-star Terran three days ago. He is top of the class when it comes to his grades. His athletic skills are also top-notch. Command and combat, tech and execution, he is top-notch. It is as if he is a sponge, I have given him harder topics every time, but he always delivered the results.

What is more, he had read human anatomy in his pass time. His understanding of the human body is enough to compete with a normal orthopedic. So, it is possible, that he taught himself."

This explanation made them all stumped. The reason was that the invigilators did not know Shi Lang's academic skills. The principal had never taken much interest in the technological branch after he had come over here. It was not that he did not wish to but because the skills of the people in the technological knowledge were low, and Shi Lang was just a one-star Terran.

...

While the people were reeling in from the shock, Shi Lang and Jenkins were going at it like no tomorrow. Shi Lang was bleeding from his forehead, one of Jenkins claw attacks managed to graze the side of his forehead and cut open his skin.

Even if he was injured his output did not stop. On the contrary, his fighting spirit increased. His blows became sharper and concise. The damage of a compact punch or kick would make Jenkins take back a step every time he made contact with it. It was not only that his attack has peaked out but even his defense also increased.

Slowly, he was evading all the attacks thrown at him. His ability to sense everything around him was in play now, compared to him what made Jenkins so strong was that his body will lose senses after he became focused on the fight. He would feel no pain in his body as the attacks connected.

Shi lang said, "You cannot win."

The boy had been holding on for two minutes and now he had accumulated enough momentum to deliver his final strike.

Shi Lang said, "Here I come."

Jenkins replied, "I am not backing off, come."

Shi Lang uttered, "Tiger Fist Barrage." following that his hands turned into after images. Jenkins was not slow either, he countered with his best technique and a secret card up his sleeves.

He said, "Fang Fist."

...

Aries stood up and said, "Two tigers on a mountain, forgiving misery and pain.. They fight to prove their might, two tigers won't back down without a fight."