Sensei of Shambala. Book III. Anastasia Novykh

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СКАЧАТЬ about something. Examining calluses on his fist that was about the size of Veliar’s head, he asked Ariman: “Um, is it ok, if I bump him off accidentally?”

      And with a crooked smile the guy motioned his head in Veliar’s direction. Indeed, against the background of Eugene’s stalwart-built, the Chinese looked like a Lilliputian.

      Ariman grinned and nodded approvingly: “Go ahead, there’re still lots of them in China.”

      Veliar jogged to and fro in anticipation of the first rival, jolting his hands a little, as if relaxing them. He seemed to have sensed something, while Eugene was inquiring Ariman about his persona, as when the satisfied guy resumed stretching, Veliar gave him an unkind mocking eye.

      After the warm up, the guys grouped around an improvised sand ring. Burning with desire, Eugene was the first one to come out. A mischievous twinkle could be seen in the eyes of Veliar as if the Chinese was glad to see exactly Eugene as his sparring partner. After making conventional ritual bows, on Ariman’s clap the combat began.

      Eugene appeared to be so sure of his victory that he decided to deal shortly with the Chinese. Facing him, like a bear against a nimble polecat, he tried to grab him with one hand, probably, in order to bump him off simply like a fly with another one. But the man knew better. As soon as the guy had a chance to catch his agile opponent on the kimono on his chest, Veliar adroitly pulled his hand to him and downwards, threw Eugene as if he was as light as feather and in such a way that he made a full somersault in the air. People let out a whoop of surprise almost all together. Eugene fell down, immediately made a quick roll thanks to worked out technique and sprang to his feet. But while his body acted automatically, he, judging by his bewildered look, could not believe that some little Chinese fellow was able to overturn his pretentious Greatness.

      This circumstance only stirred Eugene up still more. He spread his arms wide apart, as if holding a fishing net and, making zigzag rushes on half-bent legs, started to approach Veliar. The latter made several withdrawals, as though he was indeed afraid of Eugene’s trap. But then, making a swift bounce, the Chinese jumped, imitating while in flight a number of telling blows in the head, and immediately after landing he withdrew aside to a safe distance. His kicks were so close to mark that Eugene, who had not bargained for such impudence, was taken aback for a moment, losing precious instants of combat. Meanwhile, wasting no time, the Chinese leapt towards him again and performed a mighty roundhouse back heel, and so unnaturally powerful for his short stature, that Eugene instantly fell on his back, throwing his feet over head. Taking advantage of such a position of his obstinate opponent, Veliar playfully slapped Eugene’s seat of honor. To a chuckle of the crowd, Eugene sprang up as if scalded, rubbing the certain part of his body on the go. Obviously this disgraceful slap was worse than a slap in the face for him. Judging by his scowled look, he quit deceiving himself with foolish dreams of a walkover and got ready for a serious sparring.

      In the next blow Eugene tried to put all his might, but Veliar promptly changed his technique for aikido and using the opponent’s force sent him flying, in conclusion adding a kick in his rear end for edification purposes. That’s when people wouldn’t hold their laughter any longer. In the meantime, Eugene rushed for another attack, raising his leg for a powerful “Mawashi” in the head. But Veliar went to squat quickly and knocked him with another back heel. The guy tumbled on his back again. But in addition to all that Veliar imitated a kick in the groin. And so naturally at that, that a sympathetic moan “O-o-ouch!” could be heard among the man’s part of the audience.

      It was probably the last straw to break the camel's back for Eugene. Leaping to his feet, he carried out a whole series of blows. But no matter how hard he tried, pushing himself to the limit, his arms and legs only cut through air, as the Chinese, who knows how, evaded blows literally by a shave’s distance from Eugene’s crushing fists. Above all, despite lightning speed of his opponent’s performance, Veliar had time not only to avoid strokes, but to strike back efficiently. In a phrase, it became clear to everyone that had it been a real fight, Eugene wouldn’t have had a ghost of a chance. However, Eugene was bursting into action over and over again, disregarding his obvious loss. Ariman, probably, taking compassion on him, clapped his hands once, thus discontinuing the fight. Eugene was so upset about what had happened that, his head dropped with shame, he walked our way even ignoring ritual bows. Veliar, on the other hand, absolutely without any malice, followed him with a polite bow, and made a bow to Ariman as if he were the most magnanimous and all-forgiving being in the whole wide world.

      After such a combat our fighters became tense. The Chinese man was indeed a virtuoso in the use of his body as well of the holds. His technique was not similar to the one Sensei taught us.

      Stas and Victor volunteered to go second, two against one. But this circumstance only excited Veliar and added a zest to this battle still more. After making ritual bows, the guys positioned themselves against the Chinese at an angle of about 90 degrees. The latter stood sideways, keeping both opponents within eyeshot. The fight began on a clap. Victor was the first to attack Veliar, striking a straight “tsuki”. Making a fast approach, in cold blood, Veliar intercepted the attack right at the moment when Victor applied energy to a blow and already could not veer its course. In addition to that the Chinese man not only intercepted the attack, he redirected it at Stas, who had just run up. Our fighters suddenly came into collision and tumbled down together, inevitably obeying the laws of physics. Meanwhile, Veliar stepped back complacently, not even trying to strike subsequent blows at them. He just mockingly contemplated their attempts of speedy unlocking, like the rest of the laughing audience, though. The guys stood up and endeavored a simultaneous cross-attack on Veliar. The latter swiftly got into defense, jumping aside. And wasting no time, he immediately made a fierce counterattack, with some incomprehensible abrupt cries, which – either because of their loudness or word combination – created unpleasant sound and seemed to deafen even the spectators, evoking not only fright, but also some very disagreeable feelings around stomach. Obviously, our guys did not expect such audio support during the attack, though, as well as the audience, frightened with these shouts. This told upon Veliar’s attack the following instant, as our guys suddenly found themselves lying one on another again. This time the audience was in no mood for laughter, and nor were our fighters.

      While, his arms crossed behind him victoriously, Veliar was observing his opponents recovering their feet, Stas and Victor seemed to have exchanged a few words as when they took combat stance, their fighting tactics changed completely and became more serious and professional. Veliar went into defensive action at first. But after taking some severe blows in torso and head, he instantly revised his technique. The Chinese took some unordinary stance, crouching very low to the ground. And from this position he started counterattacking aggressively and swiftly. His body moved so elastically, smoothly, and at the same time at lightning speed, as if he was no human, but some dark whirlwind. It was as if he was doing everything without a pause to take a breath. In each of his rigorous counterattacks the Chinese imitated several blows in lethally critical areas, including eyes, larynx, groin, heart, and other ones. It could give the impression that he simply gambled with their lives.

      Despite not a bad training of the guys, no matter how much effort they put into it, they still considerably lost to Veliar both in technique and in tactics of performing the combat. The struggle was so tough and aggressive, so close to real combat conditions that even the air seemed to electrify because of such tension. As for me, I was on pins and needles all the time, feeling keenly about the guys. Veliar, as a rule, used illegal blows that, as if mocking his opponents, he simply did not bring to an end. It was very clear to everyone that his one careless movement would mean a guaranteed fatal outcome to his rivals. Evidentlyб our fighters knew it as well as in contrast to Veliar they had a hard time holding the fort.

      The spectators were electrified: some in feeling anxious about their friends, some in genuine admiration of such a fight.

      “Look, such a technique?!” Andrew gave Kostya a nudge at his side. Then, addressing to Sensei and keeping his eyes fixed on Veliar, he added: “Cool! Sensei, what СКАЧАТЬ