Bully Lord

Part-84

Sensing an opportunity, James launched a move Auto Combat had identified as a "Kangaroo Uppercut."  It was a powerful strike delivered from a low crouch, designed to catch an opponent off guard.  Ryan, focused on defending against James' newfound jabbing technique, underestimated the speed and force of the attack.  He raised his arm in a desperate block, but the blow connected with a sickening thud.  The impact sent a jolt of pain through Ryan's arm, forcing him to take several staggering steps back.

"What the—what was that sudden strength?" Ryan exclaimed, looking at his reddened arm that had taken a direct hit from James' uppercut.

Kashem Chowdhury observed the situation with a keen eye and thought to himself that the true power of James' uppercut didn't come from his arm but rather from the strong foundation of his lower body. It was the momentum and speed generated from his legs and core that enabled James to deliver such a devastating and precise blow. Kashem considered that this kind of attack was both highly impressive and incredibly dangerous, showcasing James' growing prowess and potential in combat. The blend of technique and raw power was something Kashem had rarely seen in someone of James' age, making him ponder the young man's potential future in martial arts.

The crowd erupted in a roar. The underdog, the newcomer who fought with a strange mix of raw power and unorthodox techniques, had landed a clean blow on the Judo prodigy.  The tide had truly turned.

"What is that fighting style?" one student marveled. "It's like a wildcat, all claws and teeth!"

"Never seen anything like it," another chimed in. "But hey, it's working!"

Mili, her eyes wide with a mixture of excitement and concern, shouted, "Come on, James! Don't let up!"

Even Kashem Chowdhury, the stoic head instructor, couldn't help but crack a smile. This unexpected turn of events had certainly injected a jolt of energy into the training session.

Fueled by the success of his unorthodox strategy, James pressed his advantage.  Auto Combat, operating at peak efficiency, directed him in a relentless barrage of finger jabs.  These weren't wild, flailing strikes; they were precise and targeted, exploiting the pressure points Ryan's Judo training hadn't prepared him for.  James, his body a vessel for the System's calculations, moved with a fluidity and speed that belied his lack of experience.

Ryan, on the other hand, found himself increasingly frustrated.  His usual tactics – throws, sweeps, and grapples – were rendered ineffective by the constant barrage of jabs.  The numbness in his wrist hampered his defense, and the nagging instability in his knee made lunges and takedowns risky propositions.  He found himself constantly on the back foot, struggling to close the distance with James, who darted around him like a bee buzzing around a sluggish fly.

The difference between human and System-enhanced performance became glaringly apparent.  A typical human fighter, even a skilled one like Ryan, utilized only a fraction of their full potential.  Studies suggested humans typically tapped into around 50% of their physical capabilities and a mere 30% of their skillset in any given situation.  James, however, was a different story.  Auto Combat, a ruthless efficiency machine, pushed him to his absolute limit, utilizing 100% of his available strength, speed, and every last drop of stamina.  It not only extracted every ounce of his physical potential, but also executed the skills within its database with flawless precision.  This, in essence, narrowed the gap between the experienced Ryan and the relatively novice James.