Rowan's expression remained calm the entire time.
He had already undergone similar tests many times in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s training facilities.
"All right. Give it a shot. Hit it with full force," Instructor Wu said, turning to Rowan.
"Okay."
Rowan nodded, clenched his right fist, and loosened his wrist.
He positioned himself in front of the punch-force tester, stepped into a forward stance, drew back his fist, then launched it forward with explosive power.
A rush of wind followed the punch.
Boom!
The machine trembled from the impact. A moment later, the screen displayed the result: 532kg.
Instructor Wu, who had been standing with arms crossed, widened his eyes and opened his mouth slightly in surprise.
532 kilograms!
That was nearly the threshold for an Advanced Trainee, which started at 600 kilograms.
At sixteen years old, he was already closing in on Advanced level?
Even better than Luo Feng when he first joined the dojo last year.
Rowan glanced over at Instructor Wu.
"Try one more punch," Wu said, unable to conceal his excitement.
Every year, countless students registered at the Limit Martial Arts Hall, but only a handful ever became true martial artists. They were as rare as phoenix feathers.
And now, it looked like he was witnessing one.
Wu himself was a martial artist, though only at the Intermediate Warrior level.
His own talent had always been average, and reaching the Advanced Warrior tier was likely the ceiling of his abilities.
Instructors like him loved nothing more than training gifted students. Not only could it become a point of pride, but it could also forge valuable future connections.
Seeing Rowan's talent, his expression and tone became noticeably warmer.
"All right."
Rowan nodded again, bent his knees, gathered his strength, and unleashed another punch.
This time, he felt his control over his power improve.
Boom!
541kg.
The screen flashed the number.
Instructor Wu's eyes lit up. This punch undeniably a display of true talent.
"Excellent. Your punching power clearly meets the standard for Intermediate Trainees and is edging close to the Advanced level. Come, let's test your speed next."
Though impressed by Rowan's natural ability, Wu maintained a level-headed demeanor. He was a martial artist, after all.
Under his guidance, Rowan proceeded to the speed test.
Unsurprisingly, the result came in at around 14 meters per second.
"Both speed and strength are up to par. From this moment forward, you're officially an Intermediate Trainee of the Limit Martial Arts Hall."
Instructor Wu personally handed Rowan his new Intermediate ID badge.
"Thank you, Instructor Wu," Rowan said politely, unsurprised by the result.
"You've got great potential. I wouldn't be surprised if you advanced to the next level before long," Wu praised, before shifting the tone. "However, your power delivery technique isn't quite optimal yet. There's still room for improvement."
Rowan's eyes lit up. "I'd appreciate your guidance, Instructor."
Joining the dojo wasn't just for status. It was to gain technical instruction from professional instructors.
Now that Wu was offering to help, Rowan was more than willing to learn.
"Come with me. I'll show you a few things."
Instructor Wu was just as eager. Everyone enjoys mentoring a genius. And if a bond could be formed, all the better.
"When you throw a punch, it's not just about arm strength. Your entire body contributes. From your base, to your core, to your back, and finally to your arm. The body works as a single coordinated system. Think of your muscles as a dragon interconnected and unified. And the core is the dragon's heart. If you generate power from the core correctly, you'll fully unleash your punching force."
"Watch closely."
Wu took off his jacket, revealing a chiseled upper body. He assumed a horse stance, drew in strength slowly, then launched a powerful punch.
Whomp!
A white ring exploded in the air around his fist a shockwave from the displaced air.
If there had been a sheet of paper five meters away, it would've been torn apart instantly.
Rowan's pupils contracted.
He stood still, deep in thought.
When Wu removed his jacket just now, Rowan had been able to clearly observe the movement of his core and muscle coordination. It was completely different from his own.
Rowan instinctively mimicked the stance, dropped into position, and tried a punch of his own.
Whoosh.
Only a faint ripple in the air.
"No. Your core isn't engaged properly."
Wu shook his head, slowly drawing back into position as he explained.
"Picture yourself as a bow, slowly being pulled taut. Then... release the string."
He threw another punch, sharp and focused.
Rowan watched his every movement intently, committing every detail to memory.
Then he closed his eyes.
In his mind, he rehearsed the movement over and over.
Finally, with his eyes still closed, he drew in his strength and threw a punch.
The wind howled slightly, brushing against Wu's pant leg and lifting the edge of the fabric.
Wu nodded with satisfaction.
That punch... was starting to look like something.
This kid had real talent on par with Luo Feng.
After that, Instructor Wu carefully broke down the mechanics of each body part: the legs, glutes, back, arms. Every region had its role in generating force.
Rowan absorbed everything eagerly.
This kind of high-quality instruction was almost impossible to find in the Marvel universe.
"All right, that's enough for today. Don't rush it. Trying to swallow too much at once only leads to indigestion. Take your time digesting what I've taught. That should be more than enough to get you into the Advanced Trainee zone," Wu said, smiling.
"Got it. Thank you so much, Instructor Wu!"
Rowan bowed his head in genuine gratitude.
With so many students around, Wu had taken the time to give him personal instruction. That meant something.
"Here. This USB drive contains the Ten Foundational Forms of our Limit Martial Arts Hall. Practice these moves regularly and your physical abilities will improve much faster."
Wu handed over a USB stick from his bag.
Rowan accepted it with care.
Wu gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder, then turned and walked away.
Rowan watched his instructor's back fade into the distance, feeling a quiet sense of appreciation.
He'd definitely repay this kindness in the future.
With Wu gone, Rowan looked down at the USB drive in his hand, feeling genuinely pleased.
This was exactly why he had rushed to join the dojo.
First, for guidance in power generation techniques. Second, for more efficient methods of physical training.
Now he had both.
It was more than enough to support him through to the quasi-warrior stage.
He had thought he'd need to attend group lectures for a while to slowly pick it all up, but to his surprise, he'd already achieved his goal on day one.
With that, Rowan went downstairs, retrieved his belongings, and left the martial arts hall.
Following Howard Zhou's directions, he found a real estate agency nearby.
With the agent's help, he rented a two-bedroom apartment close to the dojo and a 400-square-meter warehouse.
The apartment came with a living room and cost 4,000 credits a month quite reasonable, given it was located in the core district of Yi'an.
The warehouse, on the other hand, was pricier at 120,000 credits a month. Even though it was in a more remote area.
But that was to be expected. Land was the most scarce resource in all the major base cities.
Just Jiangnan Base City alone had nearly 200 million people. Of course things were crowded.
With the warehouse secured, Rowan snapped his fingers.
A dark blue vortex swirled open, and he stepped back into the Marvel world.
Back in his room, he now carried a silver briefcase in hand.