My Fists Are Thirsting for a Fight

Night's darkness had completely taken over the Marine training grounds, known as "The World."

Roya was moving so fast he was a blur, furiously swinging a jump rope. The rope was a shimmering, almost invisible circle, whipping through the air. It moved so fast that anyone who got too close would definitely feel its sting.

After a long half-hour, Roya finally started to slow down. With a final sigh, he stopped. He quickly drank some water, watching it go down his sweaty throat. Then, grabbing a towel, he wiped away the shine covering his skin.

I'm training three times harder than a normal Marine, Roya thought, judging how far he'd come.

With each burst of strength, he could stay in "The World" longer. Now, he could manage a whole five hours each day, pushing his training harder and harder.

He was one step closer to his goal of becoming 200 times stronger.

With only a half-hour left, Roya eagerly put on his boxing gloves, his eyes burning with excitement. He felt his strength getting close to Fullbody's level. The only real difference now was how much combat experience they had.

That guy comes from a long line of Marines, he thought, feeling a bit jealous. He's had expert close-combat training since he was a kid. If he hadn't been so lazy, he wouldn't have been sent to this forgotten corner of the 153rd Branch.

Roya stood in front of Fullbody, took a deep breath, and felt a thrill of anticipation. Hadoken! The time has come!

"Come on, Fullbody! Fight me!"

"Hadoken!"

---

Time kept moving forward, day after day.

In a quiet corner of the training field, Roya and Fullbody were in a fierce, all-out fight. Bruises were popping up all over their skin, and their faces were swollen and ugly, like overripe fruit.

Bang!

Their fists crashed together, making a loud noise that echoed in the air. At the same time, their knuckles hit each other's cheeks, making the skin ripple like water.

"Ugh... spit!"

Two teeth flew out of their mouths, tiny reminders of how brutal the fight was.

"Stop!"

Fullbody stumbled backward, holding his hurting mouth. His eyes were wide with disbelief as he stared at Roya.

How long had it been? Just a week?

How could Roya be improving so quickly?

He understood that Roya was a fast learner. The kid clearly had a gift for it. But how could he already know Fullbody's attack patterns so well, like they had fought countless times before?

They shared bunk beds, ate every meal together, showered in the same stalls, took breaks together, and argued about the best-looking women in Shells Town...

How could he have been so completely figured out?

Attacks that worked great the first time were useless the next. Roya even knew when Fullbody would leave himself open, hitting back hard and leaving him stunned.

It didn't make sense.

And what was this kid made of? He would get beaten almost unconscious, but the next day he'd be back on his feet, full of energy.

I can't keep pretending anymore!

"Roya!"

Fullbody announced, his face serious despite how ridiculous they both looked, "Let's stop this combat training. I have nothing left to teach you."

"Huh?"

Roya looked confused.

What did you even teach me, you big idiot?

How to get beaten up?

You've enjoyed beating me senseless these past few days. Now that I'm about to win, you don't want to fight anymore?

What a joke! Do you have any idea what I've been through? Do you know how badly you beat me in "The World"?

I've lost hundreds of teeth!

Do you know! Do you know?!

Of course, you have no damned idea!

Roya's eyes darkened, a storm brewing inside. "Bro Fullbody, that's not cool!"

"Cough, cough!"

Fullbody visibly shrank, pulling his head down into his shoulders. He cleared his throat and gave a sheepish smile. "I'll buy all your cigarettes for the next month?"

"Deal!"

You're a sneaky one, kid!

Roya's anger disappeared, replaced by satisfaction.

As the two turned to leave, three Marines appeared, blocking their way. The leader had a short crew cut, stood over six and a half feet tall, and looked like a tough fighter.

"Yo, Rookie!"

"Who are you?"

Roya asked, honestly confused. He really didn't recognize him.

"Linus, the Reinforced Fist!"

Linus's veins popped out, pulsing with anger. He was pretty well-known in the Branch, and this rookie didn't even know him?

"Are you looking down on me, bastard?"

"No."

Roya shook his head, his face unchanged. He really didn't recognize him.

He could barely remember the names of the Marines he knew, and he would forget them as soon as he turned away.

His eyes drifted to the other Marine's shoulders, noticing the three stripes that meant he was a Senior Marine. He wondered how strong he was.

"Senior Linus, what brings you here?"

"Nothing important."

Linus clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking. There was a dangerous tone in his voice. "Rookie, I've been watching your combat training. Want to try something different? Maybe I could be your next opponent?"

"Oh?"

Roya paused, a flash of surprise turning into excitement.

He had been worrying about Fullbody quitting, and he was sad about not having a good sparring partner. None of the Marines in his group seemed interested in training with him.

"Roya, don't do it!"

Fullbody interrupted, looking worried. He wasn't scared of Linus himself, but he was worried about his powerful connections.

Rumor had it that Linus's parents were high up in Marine Headquarters, making him a dangerous person to upset.

He was targeting Roya.

And he wasn't the only one. Many Senior Marines wanted to take Roya down a peg. His great performance and the Instructor's special treatment had made them jealous and resentful.

Roya's recent habit of training after hours had given them a chance. Linus was just the first to take it.

"Bro Fullbody, step aside."

As the two faced off, Roya grabbed Fullbody's shoulder and gently pushed him behind him.

How could he waste a chance to fight someone who had conveniently offered himself? Besides, he still had a lot of pent-up anger that needed to be released.

His fists were thirsty for a fight!

Roya pointed to the worn-out ring and eagerly showed that he was ready. "Senior Linus, let's start this dance now!"

"Ah, um, okay."

Linus hesitated, surprised by Roya's eagerness. Was this fool really unaware of his bad intentions? Or did he just not take him seriously?

Looking at the excited Rookie, who was warming up with exaggerated swings and grunting "huh huh ha hey," he had a sudden feeling that he might have made a mistake by causing trouble.

No, impossible!

This was just a raw rookie who had never been in a real fight. Even if he had some talent, he couldn't beat him. He had spilled pirate blood. He was one of the best in the 153rd Branch!

He would soon show Roya the terror of the Reinforced Fist!