In one peaceful evening at Minato Bayside Gym…
The place is quieting down. Most fighters have gone home, leaving only Yuichi Sōda, Tsuchida Inejiro, and their veteran Sekino Yasunobu.
Sekino sits on a bench, taping his wrists slowly. At twenty-nine, his body bears the map of years in the ring; scars, swollen knuckles, the kind of wear that only comes with battles fought under bright lights.
Three years ago, he had tasted a title fight for the Super Featherweight belt. He lost, but the memory still burns, fueling every punch since.
These days, though, his ranking has slipped, eighth in the nation now after two straight defeats. His ambition to be champion still lingers, but tonight, that isn't why he's here.
Tonight is about pride, about Kanzaki, about the humiliation Ryoma delivered that left the gym's name stained.
Sekino offered himself as sparring partner for a rookie, not for money, not for glory, but for payback. And now he's waiting.
