Ryu relaxed against the corner post of the ring and awaited his next opponent. Maybe the next guy will be a better challenge, that last fighter was too easy he thought to himself. The crowd was deep and thick with awed faces. They must have thought that last guy was really something.

Fei Long had wanted to relax a little tonight, and decided he might as well do it defeating this new fighter to the Hong Kong Entertainment Ring. The guy moved well. Very well. Maybe I can at last fight someone who doesn’t pretend to cry in agony, he thought, remembering the day’s fights he had done over and over in front of a Camera set with stunt actors. It was so boring acting out a set story, when life was so different to what could be held within a T.V. screen. Well, time for a self-test, he thought, and a bit of fun with this kid.

The crowd gasped as they realized who had just slipped under the ropes and was standing facing Ryu. He slowly took off his black shirt, exposing rippling muscles, totally pushed to the limit.

“Wow, it’s Bruce Lee…” Ken was in awe. “I thought he was dead…”
“….Ladies and Gents…!” The announcer was obviously in shock for the second time that night. “ The next challenger will be the legendary martial arts superstar… Master Fei Long!”
“Well, he’s not Bruce Lee…. but if he’s studied Bruce Lee, he is probably not to be underestimated,” Ken thought.
Pushing himself through the seething swarm of people, he pulled himself up to Ryu’s corner.
“You gonna be alright, Ryu?”
“Well, too hard to say. He looks fast, but he’s also light.” Ryu peered down at his childhood comrade. “But this is what I live for. I’ve already told you, one more fight, one more step on the path to becoming a true warrior. And it’s the path I’ve chosen.”
Ken looked up at his friend’s face and saw in his eyes a deep longing to improve the weapon he called his body.
“Then go get him, buddy!”

The two fighters stepped into the center of the ring, oblivious to the wild cheering of the crowds all around them.
“Don’t hurt yourself, kid.” Fei Long smiled.
“I’ll try not to fall out of the ring too soon, friend,” Ryu smiled back. “I wanna give you something to remember me by at least.”
Both fighters slipped back into their stances, Ryu fully defensive, chin down, eyes on his opponent and Fei Long hands held loosely with more weight on his back leg than front.

This guy has a narrow stance, Ryu thought to himself, not to mention being very loose in his guard. It all points towards speed. Legs are in a position for a kick with the back foot and quick movement.

Solid. Solid yet very, very fast. This guy is more than he seems, Fei Long thought to himself. And he’s using a different stance to the one from the previous fight, although the previous was defiantly a karate stance. Well, lets see how fast he really is.

“Fight!” The announcer cried and both the fighters began to move around each other. Ryu kept his eyes on his opponent’s feet, waiting for a sign of attack.
Suddenly, Fei Long stepped into Ryu’s range, grabbing Ryu’s outstretched hand and pulling him into a cracking Rekka Ken to Ryu’s temple, a back fist. He instantly stepped in for another of the same move which usually caught many off guard, but Ryu, completely unfazed but the previous punch, slipped under his guard and sunk a hard punch into the lighter man’s stomach, pushing him back.
Following up, Ryu spun in the air while flying towards Fei Long and lashing out with is back leg.
The way Ryu had immediately caught onto his technique had surprise Fei Long, but his hard abs could easily with hold such a punch and he was more than ready to avoid Ryu’s spinning hook kick.
Ryu landed his missed kick and spun to face his opponent, right into a very powerful straight punch with Fei Long’s right hand, a trademark of the true master of Jeet Kune Do.
This knocked his head and body backwards, and he didn’t try and right himself. Instead he flipped backwards, his heel catching Fei Long’s chin as he somersaulted.
Fei Long fell away, using his momentum to land in a very low stance.
That was a very powerful kick, one he himself often used in such a situation as Ryu. In fact it was a kick first used by Bruce Lee, and Fei Long was amazed at the grace Ryu had pulled it off.
Both fighters readied themselves again, slowly circling each other, waiting for each other’s moves.

All this had happened in very few seconds, appearing a blur to the unaccustomed eye.
Ken looked around at the crowds, all aware that what they were seeing would be unlikely seen again. Ryu was doing well, Ken knew, just feeling up Fei Long’s style before attempting a knockout. He hoped Fei Long wasn’t expecting to be shooting anymore sets tomorrow. He might not look quite the same.

This was it. Time to finish this up Fei Long decided.
In an amazing flash of speed, he feinted forward with his right straight punch few would see coming, but Ryu just warily back away, just as Fei Long had expected. Moving forward with the punch Fei Long fired his hip, and kicked out with a sidekick into Ryu’s guard.
Ryu’s arms did little to stop the power of the kick, sending him flying back into the ropes. Fei Long followed up with another sidekick, in the same movement, this time aimed at Ryu’s head for a knockout.
But again once Ryu saw through Fei Long’s intentions, dropping under the kick and leg-swept Fei Long onto the ground.

Ryu stepped back and Fei Long rolled backwards onto his feet before the announcer could even begin the knock down count.
Fei Long could feel anger rising up in his stomach. “He said to use emotional content in your techniques. And I will,” Fei Long thought to himself, remembering the Jeet Kune Do’s master’s words. He drew up his chi and prepared for his final attack.

Ryu this time took the offensive and launched himself in the air towards Fei Long. Taking the opportunity, Fei Long kicked out with a massive amount of chi, setting his leg in a torrent of fire. Jumping to meet Ryu, two powerful roundhouse kicks of fire hit Ryu knocking him backwards flying towards the corner of the ring.

“So he can channel his chi also. Then I will too.” Ryu decided.

With an amazing amount of agility, something Ken and Ryu both possessed, Ryu twisted his fall from Fei Long’s kick so his feet landed on the corner post.
Pushing off from that he rocketed his self almost the whole length of the ring towards the unprepared Fei Long, with a sudden burst pf chi through his legs.
This is it, Ken thought to himself, very impressed with his friend. The finisher.

“Shinkuu
….Tatsumaki
…. Senpuu
….. Kyaku!” Ryu cried as he whirl winded towards Fei Long.
Fei Long had no chance as he was sucked into a devastating tornado whirlwind kick. The crowds watched in awe as their ultimate superstar was kicked in a force that defied gravity, seeming as if Ryu’s foot was the only source.
Only until Fei Long had been hit nine times, was he flung into the corner of which Ryu had kick off from, clearly wasted, but still conscious.
Ryu softly landed, turned and faced his opponent.
Fei Long stepped out from the ropes, and then fell to the floor on his knees, barley conscious. Ryu bent down and grasped his hand, pulling him up to a firm handshake.
“You are very good, my friend,” he said in a gracious voice. “I am honored.”

With that, he jumped over the ropes to join a grinning Ken.
“From ninety dollars to seven hundred. It was defiantly worth coming, huh?” He said clapping Ryu on the shoulder. “But he was good wasn’t he?”
“Yeah, he was. But I don’t think he really has ever had someone hit back, at least not for a while.” Ryu replied as he watched Fei Long being helped down from the ring.
“I hope he’s learned that there’s more to a fight than strength, speed and muscle. The man he studied could have told him that though…”
“And next time, no jumping the line for you, eh? I wanted a spar with that guy. He had style.” Ken said. “But enough of that. Lets hit the clubs. I saw a very interesting one called Chicky Éclair.”
 

Two days later, Fei Long had quit stardom, leaving the director he was working for in a shock.
“Train. I will train. I will become stronger.” He thought to himself as he kicked out again and again at the various bags hanging in his exercise room. Focusing his chi, his fist sunk deep into his heaviest bag, blasting a hole through its back.
“When we meet next, Ryu I will be more of a challenge, I promise you.”