And immediately stood up.

"No way..."

A student looked at him.

"What?"

The instructor didn't answer.

Because he recognized the stance.

A fighting style that had disappeared decades ago.

A style built around patience.

Timing.

Efficiency.

Not strength.

Henry noticed the instructor staring.

But he didn't react.

Damien didn't understand what he was seeing.

He only saw an old man standing differently.

"So that's your trick?"

Henry looked at him.

"No."

"What then?"

Henry answered calmly:

"Experience."

The room became silent.

Damien rushed forward again.

This time, angry.

He wanted to prove everyone wrong.

He wanted the old man on the ground.

But anger creates mistakes.

And Henry had spent decades learning how to find them.

One movement.

One step.

One perfect moment.

Damien suddenly lost balance.

His foot slipped.

His body turned.

He caught himself before falling.

Barely.

The students stopped breathing.

Because everyone realized the same thing.

Henry wasn't lucky.

He was trained.

CHAPTER 6 — THE CHAMPION WHO STOPPED LAUGHING

For the first time in years, Damien Brooks didn't know what to do.

Every opponent he had faced before reacted the same way.

They rushed.

They panicked.