Chapter 997 - 997: The Pressure Game

Umemoto may not be badly hurt yet, but Ishimaru knows those jabs are only one of the many tricks Ryoma has yet to reveal. The thought fills him with a sense of dread he has never experienced in his decades as a trainer.

Moments later, Ishimaru turns back toward Umemoto and gives him the most pragmatic instruction he can think of. If they cannot solve Ryoma's jab, then they have to deny him the space to use it.

"Umemoto, I know you weren't prepared for this," Ishimaru begins. "Now focus on what you can do. Walk him down with your guard high. Narrow his space and keep cutting off his movement. Never drop your guard. Don't throw anything unless you're close enough to pound his body. You hear me?"

Umemoto looks irritated by how cowardly the strategy sounds, but he knows the situation he is in and gives Ishimaru a reluctant nod.

Across the ring, the red corner is remarkably calm, with Nakahara placing more importance on keeping Ryoma's mind focused than on discussing complicated tactics.

During the previous breaks, Ryoma had been unusually open with Nakahara about his mental state, admitting that he now has to make an extra effort simply to keep his thoughts from drifting.

Nakahara says nothing, quietly holding back his admiration at how far Ryoma's boxing has surpassed even his own expectations. He will only respond when Ryoma speaks to him first.

"What's next, Coach?" Ryoma asks.

"Next?" Nakahara repeats. "Well, you've completely dominated the fight so far. But I want you to keep with it for a bit longer. No unnecessary risks. Take another round to weaken him. Once he's hurt enough, I'll allow you to take a little more risk and think about ending it."

When he finishes, Nakahara waits with an uncertain smile, half expecting the usually ambitious Ryoma to reject such a cautious approach.

Instead, Ryoma simply nods, obediently accepting the instruction almost like a debutant listening to his coach for the first time.

"Alright," Nakahara says with a smile. "Now go back to calming your mind."

Ryoma closes his eyes again, trying to quiet his thoughts once more. As peaceful as he appears on the outside, his mind has always had a tendency to wander far beyond where he intends to take it.

A few moments later, the official's voice cuts through the corner.

"Seconds out!"

Ryoma finally opens his eyes and rises from his stool.

But the moment he leaves his corner, the sight of Umemoto holding his guard high immediately provokes Ryoma's mind into action.

Ryoma begins moving slowly around the perimeter, occasionally stopping for a moment before changing direction, circling clockwise and then counterclockwise without throwing a single punch.

Umemoto follows him without ever lowering his guard. Even when the two fighters come within striking range, he makes no attempt to attack, simply maintaining his high guard and continuing to close the space.

"The challenger has made a very clear adjustment coming into this fourth round," one commentator says. "He's no longer trying to force exchanges. He's keeping that guard high and patiently following Ryoma around the ring."

"It's a completely different approach from the first three rounds," the other replies. "I honestly can't remember the last time we saw Umemoto fight like this. He's never been this patient throughout his entire career."

For a moment, Ryoma's mind begins running through several possible maneuvers, but he quickly shuts the thoughts down and flicks out a jab.

Dug.

He moves for a moment, changes direction, and sends another jab.

Dug.

Then another.

Dug.

The perfect jab that had been giving Umemoto so much trouble simply does not work anymore.

There is nothing for Umemoto to react to because his guard remains high, covering his face completely.

When Ryoma tries going downstairs with another straight punch, Umemoto sees it without difficulty. He lowers his guard while taking a single step backward.

Ryoma quickly resets and flicks another jab upstairs, but there is no Phantom Jab effect behind it this time.

Umemoto reacts cleanly, knocking the glove aside before suddenly exploding forward with a sharp entry, followed by a left uppercut-overhand combination.

"OH! UMEMOTO GETS INSIDE!"

"HE FINALLY FOUND HIS WAY THROUGH!"

The Osaka crowd erupts as Umemoto drives forward.

But Ryoma immediately denies the excitement, brushing aside the first punch while angling out of the line.

"Unbelievable!"

"He just made Umemoto's entry look completely useless!"

Umemoto's overhead looks dangerous enough to scare the crowd, but apparently not dangerous enough to hurt a single molecule of gas in the air.

At least Umemoto realizes that Ishimaru's strategy is working.

"Yeah… this is more like it."

"Now I can fucking fight him."

He immediately picks up the pace, pivots, and cuts across the ring as quickly as he can before Ryoma gets away.

Ryoma keeps moving, sticking to straight punches one at a time. His footwork remains economical, but Umemoto's high guard makes the phantom jab lose its magic.

Umemoto keeps coming.

Ryoma circles left. Umemoto cuts him off.

Ryoma changes direction. Umemoto pivots and closes the gap again.

Another straight punch meets the guard.

Dug!

Ryoma moves away, but Umemoto is already there.

The pressure becomes relentless. Every time Ryoma tries to escape, Umemoto is already cutting the space in front of him.

"Oh! Look at them! Both fighters are moving incredibly fast around the ring!"

"Umemoto keeps cutting him off! Ryoma circles left, changes direction, and Umemoto is right there again!"

"Another straight punch from Ryoma!"

"Blocked! Umemoto's guard is still holding!"

"Ryoma is trying to keep that space, but Umemoto just won't let him breathe!"

"He's closing in again! Look at that footwork from Umemoto!"

"Ryoma fires another straight!"

"Blocked again! Umemoto is absorbing everything on that high guard and just keeps coming!"

For nearly two minutes, not a single punch lands cleanly. But for the first time, the crowd gets the sensation of a truly intense fight between two top-level fighters.

Ryoma continues following Nakahara's strategy, refusing to take unnecessary risks and throwing only occasional straight punches.

Yet his quick movement under Umemoto's relentless pressure keeps the entire arena on edge.

And that situation seems to raise Umemoto's level of fighting as well. His instincts sharpen, and even though he still cannot force Ryoma into a confined space, his body begins finding its own solution.

The next time Ryoma's jab lands on his high guard…

Dug.

Umemoto steps in immediately, following the retreating arm.

His timing and movement are so quick that even Ryoma is caught slightly off guard.

"He's fast…"

The moment Ryoma's left hand returns to guard position, Umemoto is already inside, driving a left hook into the body.

DUGH!

The punch slams into Ryoma's guard, shaking his legs for a moment.

"Heavy…"

Before Ryoma can fully recover, Umemoto's cross is already coming toward his face.

Ryoma pulls back just enough to create enough space to tightens his guard.

DUGH!

For the first time, he feels the full weight behind Umemoto's punches.

The impact knocks him backward until his back touches the ropes, leaving both arms numb.

Umemoto explodes forward, both hands firing in rapid succession as he hammers Ryoma's guard with a vicious barrage.

DUGH! DUGH! DUGH! DUGH!

Left hook. Right uppercut. Left hook. Right cross.

Ryoma barely has time to adjust his guard before the next combination crashes into it.

DUGH! DUGH! DUGH!

"OH! UMEMOTO IS POURING IT ON!"

"LOOK AT THIS! HE'S NOT GIVING RYOMA ANY ROOM TO BREATHE!"