Chapter 2: The Weight of A Body Blow

The referee has already raised a hand to call the Seconds out. But seeing both corners fumbling with straps, he lowers it again and simply waits, granting them a silent extension on the break.

The headgear removal draws a ripple through the crowd. A low buzz begins, soft at first, then growing as more people notice.

"Is he crazy?" someone murmurs.

"Or just trying to prove a point," another replies under their breath.

Near ringside, Tanaka tilts his head toward Sato, his voice pitched low. "Two fighters in a spar taking off headgear? What the hell’s going on here?"

Sato’s eyes don’t leave the ring. "Feels like this stopped being a spar about thirty seconds ago."

The air in the gym shifts. The easy chatter dies down, replaced by a focused hush. The sound of leather gloves being adjusted, the creak of the ring ropes, all of it seems louder now.

Back in Renji’s corner, Kirizume notices the change and lets out a quiet chuckle. "Looks like your little stunt got under his skin."

Renji shakes his head. "No. That’s just someone accepting a challenge."

Then, the bell’s sharp clang slices through the tension, and the referee steps forward, waving the Seconds out of the ring.

Kirizume gives one last look toward the opposite corner, then steps through the ropes. His voice is low, but the weight behind it is unmistakable.

"This is the fight you wanted from the start. Have it your way."

The fighters step forward from their corners, boots whispering over the canvas. The crowd’s murmur dips even lower, as if the whole gym is holding its breath.

Ryoma’s eyes lock on Renji’s, reading him as carefully as he did in the first round. And Renji meets the gaze without blinking, his expression somewhere between a smirk and a sneer.

"Don’t think you’ve figured me out yet, kid," Renji says, voice flat but carrying just enough edge to test for a reaction.

Ryoma tilts his head slightly. "Don’t think I need to."

It’s not loud enough for the whole gym to hear, but close enough for Renji to catch every word. A flicker of something, amusement maybe, crosses Renji’s face.

"Cocky," he mutters.

Then, after a short pause, he extends his glove.

Ryoma studies it. The last time Renji offered this, it had been a setup. Now, there’s no twitch in his stance, no tension in his shoulders, only an open gesture.

After a beat, still in high alertness, Ryoma raises his own glove and taps it against Renji’s. And there are really no tricks this time. Renji simply pulls his left back, settling into his stance.

The crowd doesn’t cheer, but the shift in the air is noticeable. Respect has been exchanged, even if neither man would admit it out loud.

The referee’s voice cuts through:

"Round two... box!"

And with that, the fight resumes. Renji wastes no time, stepping in to seize the momentum before Ryoma can begin his rhythm.

Unlike the first round when Renji preferred fighting at mid-range, now he closes the gap with purpose. He drives forward, cutting the space with a burst of compact jabs, mixing in short heavy hooks to press the attack.

Ryoma responds by slipping away, circling right, his footwork light and sharp as he works to keep distance, using every inch of the ring to stay beyond Renji’s reach, or at least, away from Renji’s dominant hand.

But just when he thinks he’s broken free, he realizes that Renji’s aggression isn’t reckless. Every step has been herding him toward the corner.

Before it’s too late, his Vision Grid System flashes a warning across his sightline:

Spatial analysis: retreating lanes narrowing.

Trajectory: forced into corner.

Risk:HIGH — ENTRAPMENT IMMINENT.

Ryoma is quite aware of this kind of scenario, and reacts fast by stopping his dance, ducking under a hook, snapping a jab, and immediately sidestepping to a different direction.

"I won’t let you catch me..."

Before Renji can close the distance again, Ryoma peppers him with more punches, sharp and persistent, forcing the fight back toward the center.

Renji finds himself once more busy fending off the incoming shots, his arms and shoulders working harder than he’d like.

"Tch... these jabs. They’re nothing, too light to break through my guard."

"But he keeps throwing them, piling them up, eating away at the rhythm."

"Like he’s trying to tie me up with strings, make me dance to his pace."

His teeth grind together as another jab slips past his glove and thumps against his temple.

"Enough of this."

"If he wants to keep playing tag, let him."

"I’ll just cut through all of it, and brush off these feather jabs.

With that thought, Renji lowers his stance and lunges forward. Sharp jabs graze his skin, snapping against his cheeks, but he drives forward regardless, low, relentless, carrying both desperation and intent.

The moment he closes the gap, he forces Ryoma into a direct exchange.

"If I can’t slip past his jabs, then I’ll trade them for something real."

He swings hard, hungry for a slugfest, keeping the distance close and trying to drag Ryoma into trading shot for shot.

But instead of the brawl he craves, it only earns him punishment. Short precise punches clips his head as Ryoma slips around his every hook.

From ringside, a murmur rises. The veterans lean forward, eyes narrowing as the rhythm shifts. This isn’t just a spar anymore; the exchanges are too sharp, too dangerous.

"This rookie..."

"He is a real deal."

Even the younger onlookers now clench their fists with bated breath. Each slip, each counter lands with the kind of tension that makes hearts seize in their chests, as though the whole gym is holding its breath between punches.

And then, whether by bad luck or reckless intent, one of Renji’s swings drops too far and turns into a low shot.

Dsh!

This time, Ryoma cannot avoid it. Slipping a hook aimed to the head is one thing, but evading a body shot in such tight quarters is an entirely different battle.

It’s just one body shot, but the damage radiates through his legs. His stance buckles lower, both feet rooted heavy against the canvas.

Renji’s grin widens."How’s it feel? Hurts, doesn’t it?"

He swings a hook at Ryoma’s head, but the real plan lies beneath it. As Ryoma slips the high blow, Renji drives his right fist down toward the ribs.

Bam!

This time Ryoma drops his guard in time, forearms bracing against the impact. Even so, the sheer weight of the punch hammers through, the shock rattling deep into his gut.

He grits his teeth, answering with a sharp shot to Renji’s face before pulling himself out of range.

But as he retreats, the cost becomes clear. His legs feel sluggish, his once-fluid footwork now heavy and uneven.

Across the ring, unfazed by the blows to his face, Renji grins with a sinister light in his eyes.

"Let’s see if you can run away from me now?"