Sekino regains his composure. Instead of charging, he stalks forward in measured steps, right glove tucked under his chin, left hand hanging low.
Ryoma stays on his toes, sidestepping left and right, then begins circling to his own right, using the whole ring with ease.
Some of Sekino's fans start jeering, calling Ryoma scared, a runner, a coward avoiding a real exchange.
But Ryoma isn't circling out of fear. He's observing.
And that observation is done now.
"Let's test him out…"
He dips left with a sharp body feint.
Sekino reacts instantly, firing a flicker, and Ryoma ducks and slides right, smooth as water. Then he steps in from a fresh angle with a blazing 1-1-2; jab, jab, and a cross.
Sekino pulls his left arm in time, catching the first jab on the forearm, rolling the next two off his lead shoulder.
Dug!
Dug, dug!
He cocks his right, but Ryoma is already gone. Sekino reins himself in; no point throwing at shadows.
