'Maybe I'm not as bad as they think.'
Confidence swelled in Alex's chest as he parried another combination, his body moving with fluid precision.
Pavel's attacks felt... manageable. Predictable, even.
He was handling this.
Pavel disengaged, circling slowly. His expression hadn't changed... calm, patient, almost bored.
"Good," Pavel said quietly. "You can handle basics."
Then something shifted.
Pavel's stance loosened. His shoulders dropped. His breathing changed... slower, deeper, more controlled.
And when he moved again, it was different.
The jab came from the same angle as before. Alex moved to slip it...
But it wasn't a jab.
Pavel's fist stopped mid-extension, converted into an elbow that clipped Alex's cheek before he could adjust. Not hard. Just enough to sting.
'What the...'
A kick followed. Alex saw it coming, raised his guard...
But the kick was a feint. Pavel's real attack came from below... a sweep that caught Alex's planted foot and sent him stumbling.
