Single Mother of a Werewolf Baby

Chapter 243: Mixed Martial Arts

When Eleanor entered the Mixed Martial Arts School, she found the same shade of darkness and the same absence of life. But this time, she knew Instructor Arrichion would be waiting in the dark room.

"Instructor, I am here for training," she said aloud, her voice carrying into the silence.

As expected, Arrichion emerged from the shadows. "You are here. Good. Follow me."

He led her into another room, which was a lot larger and bare in the middle. The walls were lined with shelves, each holding rows of neatly ordered weapons. In the centre of that immense space stood Instructor Arrichion, a mountain of a man whose stillness was more intimidating than any combat stance.

Eleanor followed and stood before him in her green robe and uniform. Her heart beat steadily, firmly, with determination. She had trained Martial Arts before... under Oswyn Elizabeth Raynor, the former clan head of the Raynor Clan. But this was different. This was under a conqueror, a true legend of Mixed Martial Arts.

"The foundation you possess is a scaffold," Arrichion’s voice boomed... not with sheer volume, but with a density that seemed to vibrate in her bones. "We will not tear it down. We will use it to build a fortress. Your mind is your greatest asset and your greatest liability. It records everything. But your body must feel it. Your bloodline gives you some advantage in learning, but not much in the reality of life and death. Today, you will learn to make your body remember."

He began to circle her like a predator weighing its prey. "I do not believe in styles. I believe in efficiency. In the singular, perfect motion to end a conflict. Not only a conflict... a true warrior can end a war if they can overwhelm their opponents completely. We will start with the three pillars... Structure, Breaching, and Finishing."

He paused, then commanded, "Structure is the most unbreakable form of a martial artist. All power flows from the ground... it is the root of the fighter. A tree without roots will topple at the slightest breeze. Now, assume your basic horse stance."

Eleanor slid into the stance she had first learned as a child in Teresa’s family dojo, later refined under Oswyn’s guidance. Feet spread wide. Knees pressed outward. Hips lowered into a controlled squat. Back upright, chest proud, spine slightly curved, but balanced.

"Adequate for a rookie. Useless for a master."

In a blur, Arrichion was behind her. His foot tapped the inside of her ankle. "Your root is narrow. A push here," his hand pressed against her shoulder, "and you fall."

She stumbled, catching herself just in time.

on her concept of stance. He shoved her, kicked at her feet, yanked at her

he seemed somewhat satisfied. "Now... widen your intent! Feel the energy from the floor! The academy’s nanobots in

her frame. Her body

to a forward stance. No... not a lunge. A falling step. Catch yourself with your structure. Again! Follow me in your own way. Do

body... the precise tilt of his spine, the subtle shift of weight. But knowing was not the same as being. Her muscles screamed, unaccustomed to such

within her bones and muscles. The nanobots were rewriting her... mapping

but it was

time, she swayed... but

only reward. "The scaffold holds. Now we add the

a fortress by pounding its walls. You find the flaw...

physics. Arrichion drew a practice dummy woven from enchanted straw out of his storage

over." He didn’t strike the dummy’s legs. Instead,

angle

the dummy’s role. He adopted a guarded stance. "Find the flaw. My weight is on my back foot.

Eleanor answered instantly, memory rising from

"Then use it."

She attempted the kick.

mindless dummy. They move and retaliate. Calculate motion, probability, battle awareness." He caught her foot and with a gentle twist sent her crashing to the floor. "Knowledge is not action. The

overwhelming flood of data. But her body was too slow. By the time she chose one, it was already gone. Arrichion was like

failed, Arrichion demonstrated... his gentle taps to her legs precise and

her muscles, but in her nerves. Her perception sharpened... the world slowing by a fraction. Her body moved before the thought had fully formed. She saw his weight shift, the micro-opening of a stance... and her

He pushed her leg down. "Good. You are beginning to not