Jade reads the change quickly. The flickers are sharp, fast, meant to keep him honest. When he steps in to test the range, he blocks the first jab cleanly.
Dug.
And the second comes a beat later, veering wide, almost a slap, cutting across where his guard just was.
Jade sees it, dips and steps back, reclaiming space. No rush, no irritation. He's seen the two-beat flicker before, studied it. It isn't a surprise, just another line in the book.
And for now, he doesn't feel the need to challenge it. This round is already his. He has asked the questions, set the terms, and learned what he needed to learn.
There's no reason to gamble.
So he keeps it safe, small steps, high guard, just enough presence to keep Ryoma reacting as the seconds drain away.
Until then…
Ding!
The bell cuts through the hall.
"One round in the books," a commentator says. "And it's the champion's round. He dictated the pace, dictated the space."
