At the end of his first blue belt BJJ class, as Ben was about to go to the locker room, he froze when he received a series of unique system notifications.
[Congratulations, you've been granted access to a higher level of training at the Dojo: Barbosa MMA Gym]
[Your development speed will accelerate while training in more advanced classes]
[Your status in the Dojo has increased]
[Earn further rewards by improving your status through obtaining stripes and higher belt colors]
[Distributing partial reward for status upgrade: PUA Points + 2000]
'Partial reward…' As he glanced down at his waist, Ben didn't need to think much to figure out why the system said that. The circumstances were obvious. Although he got access to the blue belt class, he was still a zero-stripe white belt, which meant his status wasn't yet that of a proper blue belt. Having asked Fariq about it earlier though, he understood why.
An MMA gym and in particular a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu school, that had roots in traditional martial arts, placed great emphasis on tradition. So even if Ben was a god-like talent, they wouldn't grant him a higher belt without him spending more time there, and once he learned what the more advanced belts meant, he realized it made sense.
Higher belts didn't only signify the instructors recognizing his skills but also that he represented the school. As such, they implied a two-way street of trust. The reality was, if Ben used his skills in the outside world for improper purposes, that would reflect poorly on the school and such a loss would be too great. After all, the martial arts community was a place where reputation was paramount. So in both an honorable and lucrative sense, the gym's image was everything. It was that simple.
In addition, this principle became even important as the student's status elevated. In theory, at the black or even brown belt level, Ben could go out and open his own school under their brand, meaning these belts also carried authority. So even if it was only a blue belt, how could they give that signboard to a kid who only trained there for one week?
With as little as a blue belt, he could then go to tournaments or fights, competing under their name with his actions affecting them. Giving such a right to an unknown young man would be reckless. That's why in order to promote Ben, besides demanding talent, they needed to vouch for his character. However, they didn't know anything about him, let alone enough to declare such a relationship. Thus, he could only wait.
After receiving the notifications though, he expected that he'd earn the full rewards once he did receive higher belts. For now, he'd just have to do his best job as a protagonist by jumping levels...
In any case, this was a good development. Points were points, and now, Ben's understanding increased in regards to how to gain them at the dojo. So, as he walked back to the locker room, he looked forward to training more in this new class and believed he'd found a foothold in it, having responded well to everybody's warm welcome today. Yet, not everyone else agreed.
Like the last time in this locker room after Ben dominated a class, certain sore losers got a similar idea to those who stood in their positions before. On this occasion though, there was a hidden hero to save the day.
As one of the blue belts who lost to Ben prepared to drop trow in a phallus face-off…another student place a hand on his shoulder, showing a stern expression as he shook his head in slow motion. This well-informed student had heard certain rumors…tales of a particular up-and-comer…whose talent in BJJ was matched only by his prowess in the pants…
In this manner, a soul was saved today...
***
As the week passed, Ben continued alternating his time between school, work, BJJ, and the newly-joined Photography Club. It had been a few days since he last encountered Charlotte, and since then, he'd been reading online about photography and testing out his camera alone. Today though, they'd arranged to meet in the club which had scheduled an outdoor excursion.
It was a beautiful cloudless day when Ben walked into Washington Square Park on the NYU campus. Around him, the sounds of students chatting and relaxing filled the fresh air, a treat provided by the nearby trees; something rare in such a metropolis. Near the large water fountain at the center of the park, he saw the people from the Photography Club, including one shy girl at the outskirts, sitting on a bench. It was Charlotte, and she was in the middle of a living juxtaposition.
As someone from the club was holding a camera and demonstrating something to the members, Charlotte stared at them with eager eyes, as if she wanted to get closer so she could hear. Leaning off the edge of the bench on her tippy toes, it appeared as if she was about to spring off. Yet, at the same time, her fingers gripped tight to the handrest, keeping her in place. She even glanced to the side at her hand, spreading a cute frown.
Ben chuckled at this sight as he approached her. "What's the matter? Devil's got your hand?"
At this joke, Charlotte's face turned red, as she backed into the bench, bringing her hand to her chest. "No…"
He smiled. "Don't you want to listen to what they're saying? Come on." Ben motioned for her to follow him, and somehow, with him there, she didn't feel as stifled anymore, standing right up to join him. Then, as they approached the club members, the two overheard what their discussion was about. Today, everyone would be partnering up and practicing the portrait techniques they discussed in the last class.
Ben smiled at this, thinking it was a good chance to practice the stuff he'd been reading about. In reality, he knew quite a bit about portrait photos by now.
Portrait photography was a style that aimed at capturing the personality of people by using lighting, backgrounds, and poses. Such a photograph could be artistic or simple. Yet, regardless of how one approached it, it was one of the most popular styles of photography. As such, Ben had a lot of expectations for this, because portrait was a must-know style for photographers in the media and entertainment fields, not to mention porn...
Soon, the leader of the excursion explained what they'd be doing next, which was picking a partner. Working as a duo, they'd take turns as models and photographers, helping each other hone their craft. Ben nodded in appreciation. This was the kind of practice he needed. Charlotte, however, squeezed her hands together. 'S-someone's going to take photos of me?'
When the time came to partner up, Ben made the natural choice, turning to her with a warm smile. "Let's do it together"
At this invitation, Charlotte looked down, her face flushing as she thought about him taking pictures of her. Meanwhile, Ben adjusted his posture, because he thought about the last time he took photos of a girl, and it woke his little brother up...
Ben glanced down and cursed in his mind. 'Go back to sleep! It's not your time. It's my turn to reign! Do you want to start a war? Haven't you seen Underworld?!?'
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