Meanwhile, the red corner carries a different air, not frantic, but tight with unease. Sekino himself sits composed, posture relaxed as if the last round barely touched him.
But beside him, Yuichi Sōda looks anything but calm. "That exchange…" he grumbles. "You ate just one punch to the face… and then you just let him bully you? Did that counter shake you that bad? Did it cost you your head?"
Sekino exhales, his glove brushing the line of sweat along his jaw. "It stung," he admits. "But that wasn't why. He's… good. Too good. Even in tight space he reads the punches well. He anticipated the timing and met me in the middle. I missed the rhythm, not my nerve."
A beat of silence, then Shiki leans forward. "Still… you landed body shots of your own. Don't forget that. He took some heavy blows down there. Four body shots so far. That matters."
