The crowd holds its breath. The noise that filled Korakuen Hall moments ago collapses into a heavy silence, as if the entire building senses something dreadful about to happen.
Kobo cocks his right hand, twisting his shoulder, his gloves trembling slightly under the lights. He wants to prove he's still in this fight, that exchange before wasn't the end of his pride.
Across from him, Ryohei mirrors the motion. He sees a punch coming but he doesn't raise his guard. He doesn't even flinch.
His own right hand coils back like a loaded spring, veins bulging beneath the light, teeth clenched through the blood still running from the corner of his lip.
The commentators catch it at the same moment, voices cracking with disbelief.
"Oh no… they're doing it again!"
"They're both swinging for it!"
People in the front rows gasp, hands flying to their mouths.
The hall becomes a vacuum, a single shared pulse stretched tight between two men about to collide.
