The dojo was completely paralyzed. No one spoke. No one moved. Even Julian’s girlfriend had her hands clamped over her mouth in shock.
Sensei Vance walked slowly onto the mat. He didn't look at Julian. Instead, he walked straight up to Elias, placed his hands on his thighs, and bowed at a perfectly crisp ninety-degree angle—a bow reserved only for grandmasters.
"Thank you for the lesson, Master Kenji," Sensei Vance said, his voice trembling slightly with reverence.
Julian, rubbing his numb arm and wiping his eyes, stared in horror. Master Kenji? The legendary founder of their martial arts lineage who had supposedly retired to the mountains a decade ago?
Elias—Kenji—chuckled warmly, the terrifying aura instantly evaporating. He patted Sensei Vance on the shoulder. "He has good speed, Vance. But you must teach him that a belt only holds your pants up. It does not fight for you."
Elias walked off the mat. He slipped his heavy boots back on, pulled his gray overalls up over his shoulders, and grabbed the handle of his mop. As he pushed the yellow bucket toward the locker rooms, humming his quiet tune, Julian remained