Noah went over to a chair and plopped down his bag, taking off his sweatshirt in the process.
Soo went outside of the office and turned toward him. His eyes lit up, "This is even better than I imagined! Kid, you might get tested by the government to see if you're an alien, but don't fret!"
Noah laughed, putting on his gloves. "What are you talking about?"
"Keeping up with school?" Soo questioned.
"Of course," Noah responded. "I mean, my mom is always on top of me for it. She wants me to join a club soon, but none of them are interesting and are just a waste of time."
Soo waved him into the ring, bringing a few pieces of equipment such as padding with him. "Maybe you can create your own, but that's not a concern anyway. Just focus on training."
Noah entered the ring, warming up his arms and legs. "So," he spoke. "What's this test about?"
"Nothing much, just seeing if you're at the benchmark that I want you to be at."
Soo lifted up his hands, covered in boxing pads. "Jab."
Noah jabbed, the force nearly knocking Soo over. "Didn't expect that much force!"
"Cross."
Noah twisted his body, utilizing his legs and core and delivered another strong punch.
Soo braced himself, strengthening his position. "Hook."
Noah spun, pivoting on his foot and landing a clean powerful strike. The impact seemingly echoed through the gym. Soo took a small step back, raising an eyebrow. "Hmm... not bad. Now, combinations!
"Combinations?" Noah asked, fists raised.
Soo nodded, moving into a rhythm. "Jab, hook, reset. Jab, cross, reset. Jab, uppercut, reset. Go, and don't stop until I say to!"
Noah followed, each strike precise and powerful. He began feeling the familiar rush of adrenaline as his training instincts kicked in. Sweat began to bead along his forehead.
Soo shuffled around him, adjusting the pads, testing angles and timing. "Good... now reaction time. I won't tell you what comes next. Stay alert."
Soo flicked the pad toward his side, then another toward his head. Noah reacted instinctively, blocking and striking in one fluid motion.
"Impressive," Soo said, lowering the pads slightly. "Your strength is more than enough, but your precision and speed still have room to grow. In that short time, an experienced fighter could have countered and knocked you out cold."
Noah stood straight up, sighing. "Master, give me a break! You know I've barely practiced boxing at all. Not to mention, I-"
Soo sent a jab right to his face, and Noah quickly lunged, the punch barely missing his face. "Hey! What was that for."
"I told you," Soo spoke. "Stay alert. Well, we're done with that. You pass!"
Noah raised his hands in the air, celebrating. "Finally!"
In the corner of the ring, Soo began putting on his boxing gloves. "What are you doing?" Noah asked.
"What do you mean?" Soo inquired. "We're going to box?"
"B-but you said I passed?"
"Yea, I did," Soo stated with a grin on his face. "Now, we're back to training!"
Noah rolled his shoulders. He wasn't excited for this. Sparring with Soo meant getting tossed around, and he knew it.
"Ready?" Soo asked, bouncing on his feet, relaxed as ever.
"As if..." Noah muttered.
He raised his guard and threw out a jab. Soo leaned away, hardly moving. Another jab. Soo slipped to the side, expression calm.
Noah squinted. He tried a cross, sharper this time, but Soo stepped back and let it miss clean.
At first, Noah thought nothing of it. But as Soo kept slipping and kept refusing to block, a thought crept in.
"He doesn't want to take these punches. He's avoiding them on purpose!"
A small grin tugged at Noah's lips. The nerves that had sat heavy in his stomach like butterflies started to fade. "Maybe I am really hitting too hard for him to risk it," Noah thought again.
"You're scared of getting hit, aren't you?" Noah spoke, circling around Soo.
Soo's eyes narrowed slightly, but he still didn't answer.
Noah's confidence surged. He let his hands fly: jab, cross, hook, uppercut. The rhythm felt good, his power pouring into every strike, only getting heavier. Each punch cut the air with a snap, and still, Soo wasn't standing in front of them.
Noah stepped in hard, loading his right hand with everything he had. His cross shout out like a cannon.
This time, Soo didn't move. Rather, their fists collided. The sound was sharp, the shock running up Noah's arm.
He stumbled back, the sting buzzing through his knuckles. His eyes went wide.
Before he could recover, Soo was on him. A jab snapped his head back, fast enough to blur. A cross buried itself into his body, forcing the air out of his lungs.
Noah staggered, arms scrambling to defend. Soo already put Noah into the corner. Another jab split his guard, then a hook slammed into his ribs.
"Too slow," Soo said, voice steady.
Noah tried to swing and push back, but his punches met nothing. Soo's glove found his chin, then his temple, then his stomach. Each strike landed clean, not crushing, but sharp enough to sting. Noah's guard sagged. His arms felt heavier by the second.
"Too open, keep that guard closed no matter what!" Soo shouted, slipping another punch.
The next thing Noah knew, he was on the canvas, staring up at the bright yellow lights. Soo stood over him, calm as ever, peeling off a glove.
"Don't confuse dodging with fear," he said. "I was giving you a chance to see yourself."
Noah groaned, "Y-yep, I see that now..."
Soo chuckled, pulling him up. "Better you learn it here than out there. I pulled my punches so you shouldn't be bruised in any noticeable spot..."
"You pulled your punches? But I'm extremely strong now, so how-"
Soo clicked his tongue, "No, no, no!"
Noah blinked. "What?"
"You've got it all wrong," Soo spoke. "You're confusing strength with fighting. Power's only one piece of the puzzle. Why do you think trained fighters are able to beat most bodybuilders?"
Noah shrugged.
He held up a finger. "Well, first, let's talk about physical ability. That's your strength, speed, endurance, reflexes... the raw stuff. And yes, you've got plenty of it."
Another finger went up. "Second, technique. How you move, how you guard, the way you throw punches and kicks so it lands clean and maximizes power. Without technique, all that strength leaks out before it even connects. You almost have the technique, but you only understand the basics of boxing."
Then a third finger. "Lastly, application. That's the rope tying it together. Knowing when to throw and kick, how to set up openings, when to stay calm, when to explode. It's the difference between flailing with power and fighting with intent. It's like the rope that ties the ship to the harbor."
He tapped Noah's chest with a glove. "You're sitting on the first piece, but you've barely scratched the surface with the other two. That's why I can run circles around you, or beat you in a physical confrontation of fists. Doesn't matter how much muscle you pack if the hits never land."
Noah titled his head, still puzzled. "But... that doesn't explain how you were able to match my strength when our fists connected. You didn't just stop it, but you overpowered me and sent me back."
Soo chuckled softly. "Good question. That's where all three pieces come together."
He took off his glove and raised his hand, curling it into a fist. "You swung with simply raw strength and a little bit of technique. It looked powerful, and probably felt that way, but your timing, your angle, even the way your weight shifted... it wasn't clean. When I threw mine, I didn't just use strength, I utilized my technique and application. I made sure it landed at the exact right moment and placed it at an angle where I could overpower you."
"In other words," he continued. "It's like two ropes pulling on a knot. Yours is thick but frayed, mine's thinner but braided tight. Which one breaks first? The one without structure. The same concept applies to almost everything created in this world!"
Noah blinked, slowly nodding. "So, it wasn't about you being stronger than me."
Soo smirked, "Stronger? I mean, maybe... I didn't say you were stronger. But I did say I pulled my punches. Nonetheless, it doesn't matter. What matters is that my punch was 'smarter'."
Noah exhaled sharply, "So, if I learn to tie those three things together..."
"Then," Soo said, grinning, "you'll stop fighting like a tank and more like a fighter. But, you still have much work to do if you want to beat me in raw physical ability!"
After Noah showered and changed, he slugged his backpack over his rounded shoulder, exhaustion written on his face.
"Remember not to tell your mom we sparred today, Noah!" Soo shouted.
Noah closed the door, giving him a thumbs up as he walked away.