"Ugh, bullshit!", you groaned while a fist came your way.

Swiftly, you dug below it, did a wide step and mad your way to the other side of the monk who was just about to beat your face.

As light as a feather you jumped up, kicked him in the back and pushed his body right into another attacker who wanted to charge at you as well.

Two out of five were dealt with.

Your breath was steady and your gaze firm. Even though this fight went on for quite some time now you could feel how your stamina kept a steady and consistent level.

There was no exhaustion that you could feel, nor a risk that you needed to catch your between attacks. Over the past weeks you truly had made some progress, more so than over the last few years training with your old master.

Another monk came your way. He was more of the careful kind, you could tell by the look in his eyes. Your hands raised in a defensive manner, you walked your circles around him while he kept his attention fixed onto you.

Slowly, you came closer and closer until it was too late for him to realise. You had already trapped him in your influence.

In one quick swipe of your leg you brushed him off his feet. He hit the ground, groaning, wanted to come back up again hastily.

You turned off his lights with a single punch between his eyes. Not a fair way to fight but efficient nonetheless. If you weren't allowed to kill them, at least you could get them off your plate.

"Sweet dreams.", you purred with a satisfied you smirk and went onto the last two monks.

They exchanged a glance, nodded, then separated to try and make you fail at their resistance. However, you managed to guess what their plan was. So you refused to walk right into the trap.

Instead, you tilted your head, avoiding a kick to the face by the width of a hair and slid back. The stone ground felt rough below your feet.

Your muscles tensed.

Many times you had felt the stony embrace, had cut your elbows and knees open. Your bones tingled only thinking about it. Preferably, that wouldn't happen today.

All of a sudden one of the monks was right behind you. His arms wrapped around your shoulders, locking you into a tight embrace.

Your arms were forced together, leaving you defenceless.

The other monk changed from bait into attack mode. With his teeth clenched he charged at you, landing two good hits that made your groin twist with pain.

"Aw shit! Here we go again!", you pressed out between clenched teeth, struggling in the monk's arms, trying to regain an ounce of your control. "Fuck, fine!"

In a leap of faith, you threw your weight back onto the man, fully expecting to let go of you. But he didn't so you had to improvise.

Your legs shot shot up, a split second decision. You used the chest of the monk to lean onto and went for a kick to the other monks head.

He ran right into it, not expecting you to be able to fight on. The force struck him frontally. He stumbled back, fell over his own feet.

You used that moment to regain control by tearing your arms apart, forcing the grip of the monk that held you open. Your hand reached back, getting a hold of his shoulder.

With a roll, you used him as a springboard and found yourself back on your fight right behind him.

Confused, his head turned around.

But not fast enough.

You had him on the floor in one punch. Blood covered your knuckles as you stood up straight to honour his efforts with the usual gesture, one fist pressed against the palm of your other hand and a bow.

"I hope you got insurance.", you joked as you leaned over him, knocked out, blood poring from both his nose and lips.

Taking a deep breath, you spread your arms to stretch the muscles and arched your back. As you exhaled your posture loosened and relaxation made you sigh with relief.

It was one of the many things that your old master had taught you and it proved still useful.

"You haven't changed your ways, I see.", Liu Kang appeared from thin air.

Startled by his sudden appearance you flinched. A soft curse escaped under your breath.

"Goddammit, you'd make one hell of a predator.", rubbing the back of your head, you turned around to look at him, yet still refused to meet his gaze.

Something about this man made you uneasy and it wasn't the fact that he was a literal god. His eyes made you feel like to spoke to a creation rather than a person.

There was this kind of distance between the two of you and it wasn't just because of the eyes.

"I can assure you that I am not a threat.", he said with a polite nod of his head. "How is your training going? The monks have told me you improved greatly."

Beaming with pride you gestured around the yard.

"Sure did.", you grinned. "Improved so much, I'd beat your Sub-Zero guy with ease."

A very thin smirk tugged at the corners of Liu Kang's mouth. He let out a long breath and nodded slightly.

"Perhaps we should put that to the test.", he simply said.

Startled, your shoulders clenched. A nervous laughter chased sweat down your spine.

"Right now? As of, this instant?", nervously, you looked around, fully expecting the man in blue to charge at you out of nowhere. "I might have to pass on that. Uhh, shouldn't fight on an empty stomach? I haven't had breakfast yet."

You smiled at him awkwardly, hoping he would swallow this excuse.

But Liu Kang couldn't care any less. He was a god and his mind was burdened with other things than your cowardliness.

"Come.", he did a gesture so that you'd join him for a walk. "New champions arrived. I'm sure you would like to meet them."

"Fresh meat? Finally! Been ages since I've seen a new face."

"Indeed. Let's welcome them."