Finally, Hiroshi breaks the heavy silence with a tired sigh. "The first contender always gets priority," he says. "That's normal. But the way they ignored us entirely… that's no accident. They're avoiding us. And honestly? That's all the proof we need."
Sera's jaw tightens. "Then there's only one thing left… force them to answer us."
Hiroshi lifts a brow. "How, exactly?"
Sera turns his gaze toward Ryoma, eyes sharp with a challenge.
"By beating everyone above him in the rankings."
But Ryoma looks away, expression flat, unamused. Nakahara catches it immediately.
"Kid," he says carefully, "don't get impatient yet. It's only been a year since you turned pro. You've only had six fights. You don't need to rush…"
"Honestly…" Ryoma cuts in with a slow exhale. "I don't care about the Japanese title. I just don't want to waste my time here."
The words hang in the air, bold and blunt, dripping with the frustration of someone who feels the ceiling closing in.
