Sera studies him; the exhaustion, the stubborn pride, the thin thread of something close to madness in Ryohei's eyes. Now he finally understands why the crowd always frays Ryohei's calm.
"I don't hate him," Ryohei says, voice low. "I love watching Ryoma's fights too. And he's done a lot for the gym. But I… I'm a man."
The words land like a stone. It's not bravado, but an admission.
Sera exhales, the edge in his voice softening. "I shouldn't have compared you to Ryoma. But trying that counter now…"
Hiroshi lifts a hand, hesitant. "Sorry to interrupt, but… Ryohei can do counter too. It's not that hard to pull… I guess."
Kenta cuts in before Sera can argue. "The counter here is not just a punch-back. He's betting on a single hit that breaks legs more than body, a punch timed when the opponent's committing his weight. If you hit it right, you paralyze him. If you miss, you throw yourself forward and get nailed."
Hiroshi blinks. "Like a dual exchange?"
