SCIAW: Chapter 343: Discussion

In a boxing club in Beika City, a man and a woman stood inside the ring.

Originally, the club had quite a few members, but after seeing the news early in the morning, most chose to stay home.

Just yesterday, a massive explosion occurred. The municipal building had nearly been caught in the blast, leaving everyone shaken.

Whether to calm their nerves or avoid potential danger, most people who saw the news decided to stay home.

As a result, only the coach, Ren, and Sato Miwako were present at the boxing club.

Both had changed into casual clothes, and neither of them wore protective gear.

They stared each other down.

Sato Miwako moved first, accelerating in a single step and throwing a right punch.

However, before her punch could reach full force, it was intercepted by a blur striking her elbow. The hit wasn’t heavy, but it cut her power in half and even redirected the angle of her punch.

So fast!

Sato Miwako focused her attention, but she only caught a few afterimages.

Before she knew it, Ren had already shifted into a side-kick stance.

Bang!

Using his right leg as the base, his left leg shot out in a sweeping side kick, directly striking Sato Miwako.

At the last moment, she used her left arm, which had been raised in defense, to shield her abdomen. Her body wasn’t knocked away completely, but she was forced to slide back with the kick, minimizing its force.

The moment her feet touched the ground, Sato Miwako leaned forward and launched another attack.

Her body compressed as she charged, maintaining a controlled distance. One of her slender legs aimed precisely at Ren’s right leg, which hadn’t yet re-stabilized after the side kick.

Whoosh!

The sweeping kick cut through the air audibly, but there was no sensation of hitting anything.

Before her eyes could register it, she felt another weight land on her leg.

By the time she saw it, a foot had already appeared before her.

Bang!

Sato Miwako’s body flew backward again.

In that instant, she instinctively raised her arms to block the kick aimed at her chin. Even so, the impact left her slightly shaken.

But her narrowed eyes quickly adjusted as she regained her stance and dashed forward again.

Ren’s strength wasn’t overwhelming.

That was what she realized in the fight.

He was fast and agile, but not particularly strong.

While it wasn’t exactly something to brag about, Sato Miwako had confidence in her own power.

If I can just limit his speed, I can turn the tables with brute force!

Speed requires time and space to build up. So if she could restrict those, she could suppress both his agility and flexibility.

That was the theory, but putting it into practice was another matter.

That, too, was a fact.

Inside the ring, the two clashed in a rapid and intense exchange. Their nearly merciless fighting style left the two coaches outside the ring stunned.

“What the hell is going on?”

“…”

The two fighters exchanged attacks and counters at such incredible speed that it was dizzying to watch.

The coaches could barely keep up.

However, whenever the tempo shifted and the pace slowed, they could finally follow the action with their eyes.

“Are these two professionals?” the male coach couldn’t help but mutter.

“I don’t know if they’re professionals,” the female coach responded, shaking her head slightly, “but even pros can’t fight this fast or this aggressively.”

Neither was wearing protective gear or gloves. They were using nothing but their own strength, striking fast and without mercy. Compared to them, even pro fighters looked like kids playing house.

Professional boxers naturally have speed and fast reflexes, but it’s the kind of speed expected within conventional training. What these two displayed was not ordinary at all.

The tempo of their battle shifted constantly, and their stances adapted in real time. In simple terms, the attack rhythm and frequency were overwhelming. More importantly, the quality of each attack was top-tier.

Ren and Sato Miwako continued their high-intensity exchange in the ring.

However, Sato Miwako was starting to fall behind. The Justiciar pathway had enhanced her combat ability and physical strength, allowing her to perform beyond her usual limits.

But she was up against Ren.

Though the Fool pathway did not boost raw strength, it provided extraordinary agility, near-perfect balance, coordination, and bodily control. Combined with refined technique, this made Ren a dominant force in close combat.

Their sparring match lasted nearly thirty minutes before Sato Miwako finally began to feel fatigued.

“Ha… ha…”

“Break… I’m exhausted…”

Breathing heavily, Sato Miwako’s forehead dripped with sweat. One hand rested on her knees while the other signaled the end of the match.

Ren dropped his stance as well. Though sweat clung to his forehead, his stamina was only half depleted.

“Officer Sato, how are you feeling?”

Sato Miwako looked up, smiling as she caught her breath.

“Stronger than I expected. Suddenly, I had the stamina and technique to keep up for that long. I never imagined I could hold that kind of posture for so long.”

The Justiciar pathway had gifted her impressive physical reinforcement, advanced combat instinct, and an authoritative presence—though the oppressive pressure seemed to have little effect on Ren.

Now I understand why this power fits me so well… Sato Miwako reflected on the intimidation factor and the pressure of her authority. It was exactly the kind of power a police officer would want most.

At the same time, it made her realize something else—why ordinary people could never compare to superhumans… or rather, the extraordinary.

The gap in ability was like a chasm, permanently separating the two.

(To be continued.)