Mr. Larken continued with the next core principle of Dirty Fighting.
"Exploiting Opponent's Weaknesses." He said. "Every being has vulnerabilities. Some are obvious. Joints, eyes, throat, groin. Others are less so. A moment of hesitation, a psychological trigger, an overreliance on a specific move..."
He pointed at a training dummy. "Observe your enemy. Learn their characteristics. Then strike where it hurts most. Literally or figuratively."
Mr. Larken demonstrated a quick, almost casual kick to a dummy's knee joint. Then a sudden, palm-blade strike to the side of its head.
"A little pressure in the right spot can cripple a much larger opponent, or give them pain. This pain can also distract your opponent enough for you to prepare more lethal moves. Use it."
Sunny and Finn nodded intently. Already taking notes on human anatomy.
Jester, recalling the sheer resilience of the demons, knew that targeting weak points would be crucial. But it still need enough power to back it up.
His Wild Nunchaku attacks had been targeting their weak points. But his lower strength limited his damage.
Mr. Larken continued with the next principle.
"Making a Believable Feint... A feint isn't just a fake punch. It's a performance. You need to create realistic illusion that you're going for one thing, to open up another. Convince your opponent they've seen your true intent, leaving them vulnerable to your real attack."
Mr. Larken showed a powerful-looking, open-handed slap towards a dummy's face. Making the dummy's head snap back a little. Then immediately followed with a side kick to the waist. Explosive sound reverberated. The dummy's whole body shake heavily.
"The initial movement needs to be convincing enough to draw a reaction. But not so committed that you can't shift instantly."
The three students looked at the dummy in shock. Jester was sure he would fall for that feint. Focusing on the slap. And being defeated by the kick.
The instructor moved to another principle.
"Planning for Quick Takedowns... Rogues don't usually aim for prolonged battles. You want to neutralize a threat quickly and efficiently. This involves joint locks, chokes, pressure point strikes, or a sudden, explosive burst of force to knock an opponent off balance and render them unable to resist."
He demonstrated several lightning-fast takedowns on a dummy. Transitioning from a seemingly casual stance to a full incapacitation in mere seconds. "Don't waste time. Every second you spend wrestling is a second you could be exposed."
He continued with the last principle.
"Using the Environment Properly... This is the final and perhaps the most important. The environment is not just scenery. It is your weapon, your shield, your escape route."
He looked at the three students. "Obstacles can become cover. Loose objects can become improvised weapons. Darkness can become your shelter. Crowds can become your camouflage."
"Never fight in a sterile, open space if you can avoid it." He gave suggestion in serious tone. "Always look for an advantage in your surroundings."
He walked around the dojo. Pointing out imaginary scenarios. "This pillar? Perfect for breaking line of sight. Or as a spring-board for a movement maneuver. These ropes? A tripping hazard, or a makeshift snare. The floor, the ceiling, the light, the sound – everything is a resource."
Jester felt a thrill of understanding. This was the exact opposite of what he had attempted against the demons.
He had stood in the open. Relying solely on his weapon. With no thought to the environment or their weaknesses.
The lesson here was clear. Adapt, improvise, overcome, and never fight fair. His prankster personality recognized the inherent trickery and theatricality in these techniques. It resonated.
For their practical session, Mr. Larken had two of them pair up. While the last one observed from the side. They would take turn practicing.
Jester and Finn did the first practice. While Sunny observed. They started with basic drills. Practicing feints. Then leading into quick takedowns.
"Don't worry about hitting hard yet." Mr. Larken instructed. "Focus on the motion, the flow, the misdirection. Make your partner believe you're going one way, then go another way."
Jester tried a feint. A quick lunge towards Finn's chest. Then shifted his weight and attempted a leg sweep that Finn failed to evade. Tripping him to the padded floor. Jester followed up with a punch that stopped near Finn's head.
"Good, good!" Mr. Larken encouraged. "Let's begin again. This time, the other way."
Finn attacked a fake punch to Jester's head. Which Jester blocked. Allowing Finn to attempt a quick, low trip. But Jester managed to evade that.
"Alright, Finn! That was too similar." Mr. Larken gave a feedback. "Predictable. Use different feint. Mix hook and straight punch. Upper-cut and body slam. Low kick and high kick. There are lots of combination."
They drilled. Jester found himself enjoying the mental chess of it. After a few round, Sunny replaced Finn. And later Finn replaced Jester. And after several rounds, Jester faced Finn again.
"Now, incorporate the environment." Mr. Larken increased the difficulty. "Use that mat roll for whatever you want! Use the dummy as an obstacle! Use the pillar as a springboard!"
The sparring practice was nothing like Jester had ever known. It was not limited to certain arena. The whole room was the arena.
The walls, floor, pillars, dummies, and loose objects in the room were padded. But their sparring still could not be considered safe. There were still pretty high risks of injury.
Jester started to think of the dojo not as a padded room. But as a dangerous urban environment.
He used the springiness of the floor to enhance a jump. Used Finn's momentary glance away to reposition himself. Used the angle of a shadow to obscure his movement. He wasn't just performing techniques. He was creating a narrative, a deception.
Finn, though naturally agile, was more direct in his approach. He favored powerful, precise movements.
Jester, on the other hand, reveled in the trickery. He saw the flicker in Finn's eyes as his feints landed. The slight over-commitment that left an opening.
He started to chain moves together. A feint. A distraction. Then a rapid takedown attempt. Flowing from one to the next.
Towards the end of the session, Mr. Larken had them practice using improvised weapons. He provided them with wooden sticks, lengths of rope, and even some rolled-up newspapers.
"Anything can be a weapon." Mr. Larken explained. "When wielded with intent and knowledge of weak points. A simple stick can block, jab, or trip. A rope can entangle or choke. Even newspaper can be used to limit opponents sight."
Jester picked up a sturdy wooden stick. It felt somewhat familiar. Though far less dynamic than his Wild Nunchaku.
He imagined applying the principles of dirty fighting with his actual nunchaku. The thought of using his nunchaku for feints and incorporating it with environment was exhilarating. He could create true chaos. unpredictable and devastating.
The class wrapped up. Jester felt physically tired but mentally stimulated. He hadn't just learned moves. He had learned a mindset. A mindset of cunning, adaptation, and ruthless efficiency.
It was a stark contrast to the noble warrior archetype. But it felt right for him. It felt like him.
As he walked home, the setting sun painting the sky in fiery hues. Jester reviewed the day. Gadget Crafting and Dirty Fighting. Practical skills that would serve him well.
He still had the demons fresh in his mind. The memory of his loss was a burning ember in his mind. But now, he felt less helpless. He had tools. Both physical and mental.
He thought about the time dilation again. He had an extra half-hour in Toonworld. More time to hone these skills. To put them into practice against the Bowling Bouncers, Or other opponents in the dungeon.
He could explore the dungeon further. He could become stronger, faster, and more adaptable than ever.
The world was dangerous. But he was learning to dance with the danger. To turn its own momentum against it. Tonight, Nightclown would be back. And he would be bringing some new ideas with him.
...
Tuesday night came quickly. Jester lay in his bed. And then, with a determined glint in his eyes, activated his Toonworld Watch. The familiar swirl of colors engulfed him.
Nightclown was back.
He looked around to orient himself. He was still inside the North Dungeon. Not that far from the place he fought his final opponent the previous day.
It was time to continue exploration. Nightclown walked confidently. Following the tunnel. To the direction he felt lucky. And...
He heard it before he saw it. A low, rumbling thud that vibrated through the dungeon floor. Then, around a bend in the corridor, he saw it.
A Bowling Bouncer. But this one was different. This one was much bigger. Almost twice the size of the ones he had faced yesterday. It had only a single, large eye. One that glowed, fixated on him. A Big Bowling Bouncer.
"Alright, Big Guy!" Nightclown muttered. Drawing his [Wild Nunchaku]. He remembered the smaller versions' patterns.
They had two forms. Rolling Form... a deadly, high-speed charge, vulnerable to damage. Bouncing Form... a rubbery defensive form. Invulnerable to physical attacks. But also unable to directly harm him.
The Big Bowling Bouncer didn't hesitate. It became a massive, rolling sphere. And shot forward. The ground shook. This charge was faster. Heavier than the normal Bouncer.
Nightclown had just learned how to read movement, anticipate trajectories, and use his environment. He relied on that knowledge now.
He sprinted. Not away. But towards the nearest wall. Turning into a blur of grey and blue. The corridor was narrow. As the bouncer thundered behind him, Nightclown executed a sharp pivot.
He planted his foot against the dungeon wall. Running a couple steps on the wall. Before pushing off hard. Turning his legs into a coiled spring.
He launched himself over the rolling bouncer. The immense ball was unable to stop its momentum on the slick dungeon floor. It slammed into the stone wall with a resounding CRASH. Dust and small pebbles showered down.
The bouncer vibrated. Momentarily stunned. Halo of blinking stars rotated over it. A clear indicator of damage.
After landing on the ground, Nightclown immediately charged. This was his chance. He swung the [Wild Nunchaku]. Aiming for the bouncer's body. CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
The impact rattled his arms. But a satisfying series of cracking sound confirmed multiple hits.
Before he could follow up further, the Big Bouncer shifted. It glowed blue. The nunchaku's hit turned into BOINK! sound. It was in its Bouncing Form.