Vance's knee, then placed a solitary palm against his chest.
It looked like a gentle push, but Vance was sent flying backward, crashing onto the mat with
a resounding thud. He gasped for air, completely winded, staring up at the ceiling in shock.
The gymnasium was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Chen stood exactly where he had
been, his breathing slow and even. He didn't look triumphant; he looked profoundly sad.
"Power without discipline is just violence," Chen said, looking down at Vance. "A black belt
is a symbol of mastery over oneself, not mastery over others. Return your belt to your
master. You are not ready to wear it."
Vance didn't argue. He slowly got to his feet, untied his black belt, and let it fall to the mat.
Defeated and humiliated by his own actions, he walked out of the gymnasium without
looking back.