Chapter 71 - Tran Style

Mike began panting as he tried to calm his nerves. Minh's strikes were more powerful than he had originally given them credit for. The impacts of Minh's punches were clear all over Mike's body, the audience letting out a gasp in shock.

Zenzo: It seems that Thong has taken a strong lead over Mike!

Zachary: Could he be able to finally turn this match around?! Or will Mike take his rightful place as the one standing!

Minh glanced over at the announcer table in annoyance. He let out a chuckle before looking back at Mike.

Minh: Looks like you losing was something no one was expecting. You're lucky you landed all those strikes earlier, or else this match would seem too far into my favor.

Mike stared at Minh before pushing himself back up. He shook his head before raising his fists once more. Minh let out a sigh before lifting his own fists.

Mike's thoughts: His punches are strong. But that's the thing about Wing Chun. It lacks techniques outside of upper body strikes. Kicks act complementary to the upper body strikes and the style lacks throws and grapples. I just need to force him onto the ground, and I got this!

Mike ran in, throwing a right straight that Minh casually moved his arm to block. Shifting the weight in his body, Mike moved in with a left low kick, striking the side of Minh's leg.

Minh's thoughts: I see…

Minh staggered from Mike's kick, moving back as Mike moved in with another punch. Before Minh could get back into motion, he took another strike to the leg before pushing one of Mike's punches away.

Minh's thoughts: That shorty left this body in harsh condition. I can't let him take control of our movements.

Mike leaned in for a left straight, watching as Minh leaned in as well. Minh's right arm moved instinctively, pushing Mike's punch away as he moved to Mike's right. Mike refused to hesitate, launching a side kick that pushed Minh away. Minh's left forearm took the brunt of the kick before he charged back in, throwing a right jab that struck Mike right in the nose.

Remy: He's trying to keep the range close!

Gonzalez: After all the punishment he took earlier, he knows that being struck with Mike's kick directly is dangerous. He can shatter stone slabs fairly easily with them.

Remy: What are Mike's chances?

Gonzalez: I want to say that he still has a good chance of winning since Thong is getting a second wind in a damaged state. But he's impressed us this far, so I can't tell.

Remy: This is awful!

Mike let out a series of quick punches, Minh moving his hands out as he attempted to block each one. The punches landed heavily on Minh's arms before they were eventually pushed away. Opportunity filled Mike's eyes before his leg snapped into action, flying directly at Minh's solar plexus. Minh let out a laugh as he moved into the range of the kick, wrapping a leg around Mike's stable one before placing a hand around Mike's throat.

Minh: Tran Style, Tear Dropper.

With full force, Minh swept Mike's leg into the air, placing all his strength into his arm before slamming the back of Mike's head into the ground. Mike let out a gasp as he was unable to soften his fall.

Zenzo: What?!

Zachary: That's not a Wing Chun move that I know of!

Minh's thoughts: That's cause it's not a typical Wing Chun technique, idiots. Grandpa found ways to improve our style. That's what made him so much stronger than our father.

Minh turned around, staring at Mike's entrance where Violet and Tristian looked on at the match with shocked faces.

Minh: Hey bastards! After I'm done slaughtering this idiot, you're next! I'll crush the Kaisuto Group myself!

Violet and Tristian gasped, Minh letting out a laugh before feeling something wrap around his ankle. Before he could turn to face it, his leg was pulled back, his face slamming into the ground as a series of quick kicks sent him rolling down the ring. Mike stood there, blood dripping from the sides of his mouth as he stared at Minh.

Mike's thoughts: Were you always this strong? Where were you hiding it?

Minh laid face down on the concrete. The strikes to his side made it difficult to stand back up. A pounding came to his head before he smiled.

…

Thong breathed heavily, his body felt weak and his mind was at its end. He was forced to fight for food on this isolated ranch. An old man stood across from him, his arms crossed.

???: Thong, you've still failed to get past me to win your meal. If you don't act soon, your mind will break and you will die.

Thong tried to speak, but his voice was hoarse and his throat dry. His body felt weak, yet he knew that he could do nothing but continue trying, for that was his only way to survive.

???: Your parents would believe me if I told them you had gotten yourself stranded out here and died of dehydration. So if you wish to continue your existence, use what I've taught you.

Thong's thoughts: Grandpa… Why?

Grandpa: Your father was not a ripe soul for this training. He lacked the strength needed to learn my true Wing Chun. So come forth. You will take on the name of Minh, and become the true heir to our special martial arts.

Thong's body entered its primal urges, his fingers quivered before he ran at grandpa, pain being all that laid behind those eyes.

…

Minh pushed himself upward, Mike breathing heavily as he could do nothing but watch.

Mike's thoughts: I need to strike him down, but that hit to the head is making the distance between us hard to tell.

Minh: You're real unlucky, Mike. Your little act of defiance just reminded me of something. So I hope you don't mind dying a little inside.

Mike's thoughts: What does that mean…?

Minh charged forward, planting both feet firmly in front of Mike before throwing out a vertical punch. The punch landed squarely on Mike's chest before another one struck his side. Mike gasped before he collapsed to the ground. Li and Gonzalez let out gasps as they realized what Minh had done.

Li: No way…

Hugo: Are you going to explain or what?

Mason: Couldn't you… tell?

Hugo: Am I missing something? He just punched him.

Li: It's a bit more than that. Even in his delirious state, those punches didn't have enough power to take down Mike. It's what Thong did to those punches. He attacked Mike's pressure points but poked his middle finger out just a bit. Enough that it made the fist uneven, but it made striking specific areas easier!

Hugo: Pressure points? That doesn't sound very good.

Li: It isn't. Who knew he had that potential in him?

Jason watched from up above, bringing a hand up to the chin of his mask.

Jason: So he knows about the extended knuckle strikes too, huh? He might win this.

Minh grabbed onto Mike's hair, pulling him up before bringing his own face down to Mike's level.

Minh: I hope you didn't think that my Wing Chun was like that shorty. I'm far superior.

Before Mike could respond, Minh threw a quick punch into his face, sending him flying back as Minh stood back up. He cracked his knuckles, noticing the blood that laid on them.

Minh: I accidentally got his blood on me. Oh well, I'll wash it off after this match. I got a good while before his consciousness can take over again.

Mike laid on the floor, attempting to maintain his breathing as his eyes moved around. He watched as Minh slowly approached him, his own body starting to heat up as he used his elbows to push up his upper body.

Mike's thoughts: I don't know what's off about you, Thong. You're different, you're stronger… But I won't let that change my goal. I'll beat you and help the Imperium win this tournament. It's for us…