Both Nakahara and Hiroshi strike bold poses, fists clenched tight, raising them in defiance, like this was all part of the plan.
"Coach, it works…" Hiroshi beams.
Nakahara clears his throat, feigning composure. "Well, there's a bit of luck in it."
"No, what I mean…" Hiroshi chooses his words carefully. "Ryoma's step-in… that's the result of training. The opponent never expected it. This isn't luck."
Exactly. The blue corner is still blanketed by surprise. Maruyama and his team had studied Ryoma inside and out. Yet nowhere in their notes did they imagine Ryoma opening like this, stepping in fast, fighting like an aggressive in-fighter.
Finally, one commentator finds his voice. "Ah, what a surprise! Ryoma's totally unusual tonight."
"Yeah, that's…" his partner stumbles. "He usually takes the first round slowly, staying at range with slick footwork. But this time… he just charged in and unleashed a brutal close-range combo."