James removed the headset. His head buzzed slightly from the tDCS, not unpleasant but noticeable. He walked over to the training dummy he'd set up in the corner.
Attempted Osoto Gari on the dummy.
His body moved through the technique smoothly.
Not perfect, but significantly better than his previous attempts at the dojo. The movement felt natural in a way it hadn't before. His hips were in the right position. His weight distributed correctly. The sweep angle was good.
James stepped back from the dummy, breathing hard.
"It works," he said to the empty laboratory. "It actually works."
He reviewed the session data on his computer. The learning rate was approximately three times faster than normal training methods for basic techniques.
That meant skills that normally took three weeks of daily practice could be learned in one week with the Neural Interface.
Three times faster wasn't enough though. Not for what he needed to accomplish.
James spent the next week refining the system. Made the tDCS stimulation more targeted based on which muscles needed activation.
Improved the AI's motion analysis to detect smaller deviations. Added more training content, expanding from two hundred hours to five hundred hours of martial arts instruction.
Tested the improved version. Learning rate increased to four times normal speed.
Better. Still not enough.
He needed version 2.0.
He needed better hardware.
More sophisticated sensors. A full motion capture suit instead of just cameras. Faster computers for real-time AI analysis.
Made a shopping list. Advanced tDCS electrodes with better spatial resolution: five thousand. Motion capture suit with built-in sensors: eight thousand. Upgraded servers and graphics cards: twelve thousand.
Twenty-five thousand dollars for the improvements.
He had the money. The question was whether to spend it now or wait.
James decided to test the current system more thoroughly first. Needed to know if the accelerated learning actually stuck long-term or if it faded without reinforcement.
Over the next two weeks, he trained with the Neural Interface every day.
Two hours in VR learning techniques. One hour of physical practice without the system. One hour of live sparring at Hoshi's dojo to test real-world application.
The results were dramatic.
His Judo improved rapidly. Throws he'd struggled with for months suddenly clicked. Osoto Gari became reliable. Added Uchi Mata, Seoi Nage, Tai Otoshi. Each technique took a week of Neural Interface training instead of months of traditional practice.
His striking improved. Boxing fundamentals became solid. Jab, cross, hook, uppercut. Footwork patterns. Head movement. Combinations.
His grappling improved. Basic Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu positions and submissions. Mount. Guard. Side control. Arm bars. Chokes.
After two weeks, he returned to Hoshi's dojo for sparring.
Marcus was his partner again. The teenager who'd demolished him repeatedly before.
They faced each other on the mat. Hoshi watching from the side.
Marcus came in with the same straight punch as last time. James parried smoothly, used the momentum to enter for Osoto Gari. Executed the throw cleanly. Marcus hit the mat hard.
[A/N: Marcus again....if you're reading my other fics]
Hoshi's expression didn't change, but James saw the instructor's eyes narrow slightly.
"Again," Hoshi said.
They reset. Marcus was more careful this time, not underestimating James. Attempted a different attack, going for a takedown. James sprawled, took Marcus's back, threatened a rear-naked choke. Marcus tapped.
"Again."
Reset. This time James initiated. Used footwork to create angles, threw a combination, punches just to set up the throw. Caught Marcus with Uchi Mata. Another clean throw.
The session continued. James didn't win every exchange, Marcus was still skilled and experienced. But the gap had closed dramatically.
They were competitive now.
After class, Hoshi asked James to stay.
"Your technique improved significantly," the instructor said. "Very significantly. What changed?"
James had prepared an explanation. "I've been using visualization techniques at home. Mental rehearsal. Studies show it helps with motor learning."
Hoshi studied him for a long moment. "Mental rehearsal doesn't usually produce this level of improvement. Not this fast."
"I practice a lot. Multiple hours every day."
"Hmm." Hoshi didn't look convinced but didn't push further. "Whatever you're doing, continue. You have potential. Real potential now."
James bowed and left the dojo.
Walking home, he felt a mix of satisfaction and concern. The Neural Interface worked better than expected.
But he needed to be careful. Too much improvement too quickly would attract questions he couldn't answer.
He'd need to pace himself. Show steady progress rather than sudden jumps. Spread the learning across different skills so no single area improved suspiciously fast.
Still, the core achievement remained.
He'd built a machine that let him learn physical skills three to four times faster than normal.
That meant he could accomplish in four months what normally took over a year.
Not Batman-level yet. Not even close. But he was on the path.
Read more on Patreon marvelstark