IPPO : The Ultimate Counter

The arena was in turmoil, the spectators screaming, torn between excitement and amazement. Tetsuya's brutal KO left an indelible mark on their minds.

Spectator 1: "Unbelievable... that Ryuu is not human! He simply crushed Tetsuya in his own style."

Spectator 2: "I thought Tetsuya had a chance... but this guy, Ryuu, he's on a whole other level."

Spectator 3: "I've never seen that... Replicating your opponent's techniques and surpassing them in a single round? That's unheard of!"

Spectator 1: "He not only dominated, but he humiliated Tetsuya in his own style. That kid is a monster!"

Aoki and Kimura, overwhelmed, were wailing in the stands.

Aoki: "Seriously… Why did I bet against him? I lost all my money!"

Kimura: "Me too! It was supposed to be close, but he destroyed him in a round and a half…"

Takamura, bursting into laughter, smacked them both on the head.

Takamura: "You guys are really idiots. Betting against a prodigy like Ryuu? You deserved to lose."

Aoki: "But he got hit in the first round! We had a chance!"

Takamura: "A chance? What you saw was Ryuu toying with Tetsuya. He just let him think he had a chance, only to crush him later."

He patted them on the head with a smirk.

Takamura: "Come on, take out your wallets. I'm going to eat like a king! Ahahaha!"

----

In a corner of the arena, Kurogami was watching Ryuu with a piercing gaze, his arms crossed.

Kurogami (thoughtful): "That boy... He doesn't just win. He devours his opponents, their style, their will. Tetsuya, you did your best, but against that guy, the gap is abysmal."

A slight smirk appeared on his face.

For his part, Kamogawa had remained silent, staring at the ground. His crossed arms and serious expression betrayed his deep thought.

Kamogawa (thoughtful): "That kid... What he just did is beyond anything I've seen. Copying Tetsuya's techniques, perfecting them, and following up with such an impeccable liver blow... It took Ippo months to get to this point."

He raised his head, staring at Ryuu who was standing on the ring.

Kamogawa: "Ryuu… Your talent is beyond anything I could have imagined. You are a true monster, but also an enigma, How far can you go? Where are your limits?"

Sitting in a corner, Ippo clenched his fists, his gaze downcast. He remembered how long it had taken him to master the liver blow and the hard work required to use it effectively in combat.

Ippo (thoughtful): "Ryuu... In a single fight... That's what pure talent is... That must be what Miyata felt when he lost to him."

He looked up, staring at Ryuu.

Ippo (thoughtful): "So this is what it's like to face a monster. I have to become much stronger... Much stronger than I am today."

A new pressure settled in his mind, but also a renewed determination.

----

[Tetsuya's Locker Room After the Defeat]

Tetsuya sat on the bench, his head bowed, a towel wrapped around his shoulders. His face bore the marks of the fight: a swollen eye, a split lip, a sore rib, and a blank stare filled with pain. The heavy silence in the room was broken only by the beads of sweat falling to the floor and the murmurs of the assistants as they put away equipment. His trainer, a middle-aged man with features marked by years of hard work, slowly approached. He crouched down in front of Tetsuya, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

Trainer: "You gave it your all, Tetsuya. That's all a trainer can ask of his boxer."

Tetsuya looked up slightly, but the pain in his eyes spoke louder than words.

Tetsuya: "I lost… Despite all the work I did, despite all the sacrifices… I couldn't even hold my own against him in my own style. It's pathetic, isn't it?"

The trainer sighed, a mixture of empathy and thoughtfulness in his expression.

Trainer: "Listen to me, boy. Life is unfair. There are people like Ryuu who seem to have been blessed by the gods themselves. They are born with raw talent that most of us can't attain, no matter how hard we work. He copied your moves, Tetsuya… and made them better. He's the kind of genius you meet maybe once in a lifetime."

Tetsuya clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white under the pressure.

Tetsuya: "Then what's the point? What's the point of all this training if someone like him can surpass everything effortlessly?"

The trainer straightened slightly, crossing his arms, his tone becoming firmer.

Trainer: "Effortlessly? Don't get me wrong Tetsuya, reaching such levels is impossible without effort, he must have trained like crazy, talent alone is not enough. Focus on yourself, you have something he has yet to prove: resilience. You fell, Tetsuya. But you can get back up. And believe me, every time you get back up, you get stronger. That's what separates a true boxer from the others."

Tetsuya lowered his head again, but this time, he seemed to be thinking.

Trainer: "You lost a battle, not the war. Look at me, boy."

(Tetsuya slowly looked up.)

Trainer : "I know it's hard right now, but this fight doesn't define you. What defines you is what you do afterward. If you want to sit here and give up, that's your choice. But if you want to get back up and become even better... then I'll be here to train you."

A long silence followed. Finally, Tetsuya nodded, his eyes slightly more determined, though a flicker of doubt lingered.

Tetsuya: "I want to get back up... but it hurts. Not just physically... here too."

(He placed a hand over his heart.)

The trainer cracked a smile, a mixture of pride and compassion.

Trainer: "It still hurts. But pain is what reminds us that we're alive. Use it, turn it into strength. Ryuu surpassed you today, but that doesn't mean he will tomorrow."

Tetsuya wiped his sweat with the towel, straightening up slightly on the bench.

Tetsuya: "Coach…thanks. I'll work even harder. One day, I'll beat him."

The coach nodded, satisfied.

Trainer : "That's what I wanted to hear. Now rest, Tetsuya. There's still a long way to go, but I believe in you."

As the coach walked away to let Tetsuya think, a spark of determination lit up the young boxer's eyes. This defeat was not the end, but the beginning of a new chapter.

----

[Back in the ring]

Ryuu, wiping the sweat from his brow, grabbed the microphone held out by the organizer. He stepped into the center of the ring, to the cheers and boos of an excited crowd.

Ryuu: "Thank you all for coming tonight. Tetsuya was a tough opponent, and I respect him for that. But..."

He paused, a smirk on his face.

Ryuu: "There's one person here I want to thank in particular."

The spotlights followed Ryuu's gaze and turned to Kurogami, who remained impassive in the stands.

Ryuu: "Kurogami! I know you're watching me. This fight was a message to you. I'm here to prove that I'm the best, and to get your belt."

The room erupted in cheers and applause, some shocked by Ryuu's audacity. Kurogami, still calm, gave a wry smile before standing up and leaving the stands without a word.

Kurogami (thoughtful): "This kid... He's not just talented. He's a prodigy, a monster born for boxing. Ryuu... You're trying to send me a message, aren't you? Very well, I received it, enjoy your victory."

as he was returning to the locker room there was a young girl who stopped Ryuu and asked for an autograph

Little girl : " you are so cool and powerful later i want to be like you "

Ryuu looked at her with a thoughtful look

[Flashback ]

The dim light of the small neighborhood restaurant contrasted with the tumult of the still raw emotions of the evening. Ryuu, dressed in a simple tracksuit, was sitting at a wooden table next to his coach and a shy-looking young girl, bandages still visible on her arms. On the table, three steaming plates gave off a comforting smell. Silence settled for a moment. Ryuu stared at his hands, as if the weight of his first championship gloves was still present. He had just won his first amateur title, but his face remained strangely impassive, as if he had not yet fully realized.

Coach: "You should smile a little, Ryuu. It's not every day that you become a champion, you know." (He paused, taking a bite of noodles before putting his fork down.) "No, you just sit there brooding. What's on your mind?"

Ryuu's name now echoed throughout the arena and beyond. This fight had marked a turning point in his career.

Ryuu slowly looked up, meeting his coach's eyes. His voice, calm but with a certain weight, finally broke the silence.

Ryuu: "It wasn't a fight. It was... too easy. I won, but I didn't feel anything. No challenge, no adrenaline. Nothing."

The coach frowned, before sighing deeply.

Coach: "You know, kid, there are days when you'll come across opponents who will push you to your limits. But today, that wasn't the case. That's no reason to minimize what you've accomplished." (He pointed at Ryuu with his chopsticks.) "The real challenge isn't just winning. It's staying true to who you are, even when everything seems easy."

The girl, who had been silent until then, shyly put down her teacup. Her eyes shone with admiration, but also with deep gratitude.

Girl: "Maybe... this fight wasn't for you. Maybe you won it for someone else." (Her voice trembled slightly, but she continued.) "Like that night when you helped me. You had nothing to gain from it, but you did it anyway. To me... you're already a hero."

Ryuu looked away, embarrassed. He still remembered that night when he saved her from an attack in a dark alley. It wasn't a deliberate act, just an impulse, but her words reminded him that he could be more than just a fighter.

Ryuu: "I'm not a hero. I just did what I had to do."

The coach burst out laughing, breaking the tension.

Coach: "There you go! Mister Champion and Mister Modest at the same time. Listen, Ryuu, whether it's in the ring or on the streets, what matters is the impact you have on others. If you can be that kind of person, then you've already won something much greater than a title."

Ryuu nodded slightly, considering his coach's words.

[ Back to present ]

He turned to the girl, giving a small smile.

Ryuu: " with pleasure what is your name?"

Little girl : " MINJHUN "

Ryuu signed his notebook and left

Ryuu ( Pensées) : "I think I'm starting to understand old man"