The days after my clash with Garou felt different. The air in the dojo shifted. Students whispered in hushed tones when I passed, some with awe, others with suspicion. I had not defeated Garou far from it. Yet the single moment where I made him stagger had planted something new: recognition.
But recognition came with its own weight.
Rumors spread quickly, faster than blades drawn in the dark. Whispers of "Bang's rising disciple" and "the boy who faced Garou" found their way beyond our walls. And with whispers came attention.
By the end of the week, the dojo doors opened to strangers.
He arrived unannounced.
A tall boy, no older than me, stepped into the courtyard one late afternoon. His shoulders were broad, his posture proud, his eyes sharp like the edge of a spear. Unlike the plain robes of our students, he wore a dark sleeveless gi, its fabric stitched with a crimson insignia that I did not recognize.
"Is this the dojo of Bang?" he asked, voice deep for his age.
Bang himself emerged to meet him, arms folded behind his back. "It is," he said. "And who are you?"
The boy bowed, but there was no humility in the motion. "My name is Renshiro. I am a disciple of Master Kuzen of the Iron Fist Dojo. I have come with a challenge."
The courtyard stiffened. Iron Fist Dojo its name was infamous. Unlike Bang, who preached discipline and restraint, Kuzen was known for his brutality. His students fought with raw aggression, breaking bones as if it were proof of skill.
A challenge was no small thing. It was a test, not of one fighter, but of the dojo itself.
Bang's gaze narrowed. "And what challenge does Kuzen's disciple bring?"
Renshiro's lips curled into a smirk. "Word spreads quickly. They say one of your students fought Garou and survived. My master does not believe it. He says your dojo grows soft. I am here to see if the whispers hold truth."
The words burned in my ears. Survived. Always that word.
Bang's reply was calm. "Strength is not measured in whispers. If you seek a fight, you will have one. But under my rules. No killing. No maiming. This is not an arena."
Renshiro chuckled. "Then let one of your disciples step forward." His eyes swept across the courtyard before settling on me. "Him. The survivor."
The dojo fell silent. Every gaze turned to me. My chest tightened, breath caught in my throat.
Garou smirked from the sidelines, arms crossed. "Looks like your fame's already drawing wolves, Kaizen."
Bang studied me for a long moment, then gave a small nod. "Very well. Kaizen will face you. Remember control, not chaos."
The courtyard cleared, students forming a wide circle. Renshiro stepped into the center with a predator's confidence. His fists were heavy, scarred, wrapped in crude cloth. His presence alone felt like a wall of stone.
I stepped forward, my stomach twisting. This was different from Garou. Garou was a storm unpredictable, overwhelming. But Renshiro… he was a hammer. Direct. Crushing.
Bang raised his hand. "Begin."
Renshiro wasted no time. His fist shot forward like a battering ram. The air cracked as it came for my chest.
I inhaled, stepped aside, exhaled, guiding his strike past me. But his momentum didn't falter. His other fist followed, slamming into my guard with bone-shaking force. Pain shot through my arms.
He grinned. "Not bad. But you won't last."
He pressed forward, each punch heavier than the last. I tried to flow, to guide, to redirect but his power was suffocating. Each block rattled my bones. Each dodge came a fraction too late.
Bang's lessons echoed in my mind. Inhale. Exhale. Flow.
I forced my breath steady, timing each movement with precision. I shifted low, guiding his strike off-balance, and countered with a quick jab to his ribs. My fist connected but it was like striking a wall.
Renshiro barely flinched. He grinned wider.
Then his knee shot upward, slamming into my stomach. The world spun. I staggered back, coughing, the circle of students blurring around me.
"Is this your strength?" Renshiro jeered. "No wonder Garou broke you."
The words stung worse than the blow. Rage surged, but I swallowed it. Bang's voice echoed in my head: Control, not chaos.
I steadied my breath, planting my feet. Inhale. Exhale.
Renshiro lunged again, fist swinging like a hammer. This time, I stepped inside, twisting my body. My palm struck his wrist, redirecting the blow past me. My other hand shot upward, striking his jaw with sharp precision.
His head snapped back. Gasps rippled through the students.
For the first time, Renshiro's grin faltered.
"You" he growled, wiping blood from his lip. His eyes burned hotter. "Now you've done it."
He roared, unleashing a barrage of strikes. His fists blurred, each one crashing like thunder. I moved, redirected, absorbed. Each breath guided me through the storm.
And then, the moment came. His arm overextended, his chest exposed. I struck a clean, focused blow to his solar plexus.
The impact echoed through the courtyard. Renshiro stumbled back, clutching his chest, gasping for air.
The circle erupted in murmurs.
Bang's voice cut through the noise. "Enough."
Renshiro straightened slowly, fury in his eyes, but Bang's presence alone froze him in place.
"This is not a place for your master's brutality," Bang said, voice like steel. "Strength without restraint is weakness. Tell Kuzen that if he wishes to test us, he may come himself."
Renshiro's jaw clenched, but he bowed stiffly. "This isn't over."
He turned and left, his footsteps heavy against the stone.
Silence hung in the courtyard. Students looked at me with new eyes some with respect, others with disbelief.
Garou broke the silence with a low chuckle. "Not bad, Kaizen. You're still rough, still weak but maybe… just maybe… you're worth crushing myself."
His grin widened, sharp as ever. "Don't disappoint me."
He walked away, leaving me breathless, bruised, but alive.
Bang approached, his gaze steady. "You learned today. Power can overwhelm, but flow endures. Remember that."
I bowed, sweat dripping into the dirt. My body screamed, but my chest burned with something more.
Not whispers. Not survival.
For the first time, I had stood not against Garou, but against the world beyond him.
And the world had noticed.