Chapter 3: Rigged Path

She says it with pure excitement, but Ryoma feels something wrong in the pit of his stomach. That sense only deepens as Aki adds something else.

"This might sound absurd if I call it a fateful match..." she hands over the brochure. "But look here! It lists him under Kirizume Boxing Gym."

Okabe snatches the paper first, squints, stumbling over the print. "Hey, there’s another one under Kirizume. Reonarudo Sishi? Something about a lion?"

"That’s Leonardo "Shishi" Serrano," Ryoma corrects him. "He’s a hafu. A popular YouTuber who just started boxing."

"Oh, a total rookie then..."

Ryoma says nothing more. He simply takes the brochure from Okabe’s hand and studies it closely, his mind racing.

He knows Aramaki well but from his previous life, where Aramaki belonged to Murakami Boxing Gym, not Kirizume.

Tournament Draft

Round 1 – Left Side

Match 1: T. Kanzaki (Minato Bayside Gym) vs. Masato Kurobane (Tachibana Gym)

Match 2: Ryoma Takeda (Nakahara Boxing Gym) vs. Tatsuki Aramaki (Kirizume Boxing Gym)

Match 3: Rikuya Senda (Asahigawa Boxing Club) vs. Kohei Maruyama (Seiryu Gym)

Bye Slot: Shunpei Noguchi (Asakusa Boxing Gym) advances automatically

Round 1 – Right Side:

Match 4: Junpei Teshima (Shinryu Boxing Circle) vs. Takumi Hoshino (Phoenix Rise Gym)

Match 5: Keisuke Sawatari (Ougon Eagle Gym) vs. Sho Arakida (Sakura East Gym)

Match 6: Haruto Takahasi (Seiryu Boxing Gym) vs Koji Tanabe (Thunder Fist Boxing Club)

Bye Slot: Leonardo "Shishi" Serrano (Kirizume Boxing Gym) advances automatically

Worse still, the bracket is arranged in a way that funnels him toward all three men he met yesterday; Aramaki, Shunpei, and Leo, each placed as his potential opponents if he keeps advancing.

"This..." Ryoma’s eyes narrow. "This is rigged."

Though he never intended to reveal his dealings with Kirizume, the words just slip out. And now every eye is on him.

Aki blinks. "Why do you think it’s rigged?"

Ryoma’s mind kicks into overdrive, scrambling to weave a safer explanation, something that won’t touch the truth.

"L-look at the bracket," he says. "Why do these two advance without fighting?"

Aki narrows her eyes. Her instincts as a journalist tell her he is deflecting.

"That’s just natural," she says. "Sixteen slots, but only fourteen boxers. Someone has to move forward on a bye. Are you sure this is really your problem?"

Ryoma blinks, feigning ignorance.

Aki leans closer, her gaze sharp. "Ryoma-kun... I know you’re not that naïve. Are you hiding something from us?"

Before Ryoma can answer, Hiroshi snatches the brochure and scans it. His attention is soon drawn to three photos; Shunpei, Leo, and Aramaki.

"Wait. These two... I saw them with Kirizume yesterday. And this one too, the one you’re supposed to fight."

Slowly, Hiroshi lifts his eyes to Ryoma.

"Is that what you meant by rigged?"

Ryoma swallows hard.

Aki seizes the brochure next, studies it, then fixes Ryoma with an even sharper stare.

"So that’s it, isn’t it? If Hiroshi-san’s right, and all three are connected to Kirizume, then you already knew. That’s why you said it was rigged... and then you tried to cover it up? Ryoma! Do you have a problem with Daigo...""

Before she can finish, Ryoma clamps a hand over her mouth and coldly ushers her outside.

"Wait... Ryoma! I just..."

Ryoma softens only at the door, lowering his voice.

"Aki, please... I know you’re a journalist. But this isn’t something you can bring to the public. Ever."

Her eyes widen. "So it’s true..."

Ryoma just shuts the door and locks it. When he turns back, the rest of the gym is watching, waiting, especially Coach Nakahara.

"Kid," Nakahara says, his voice heavy. "Is there something I need to know?"

Ryoma exhales slowly, weighing whether to speak. Then, after a few moments of silence, he decides to speak up.

"The day after my spar with Renji Kuroiwa, Daigo Kirizume invited me to Quintessence restaurant. He told me to leave this gym and join him."

Hiroshi’s face tightens. The memory of the three boxers he saw yesterday rushes back. Now Aramaki’s no longer with his old gym, Leo under Kirizume’s banner, and Shunpei likely next.

"So... Ryoma. You’re telling me... you too joining Kirizume?"

His expression darkens, anger swelling. But Ryoma’s Vision Grid has already anticipated this misunderstanding, and he cuts in before it spirals.

"No. I refused him."

"Hey, kid! Don’t toy with us," Okabe snaps. "You’re saying you turned down an offer from Kirizume Boxing Gym? You, the one who claimed you’d get a title shot within a year?"

Coach Nakahara raises a hand, trying to ease the tension. "Take it easy, all of you. I know this gym has no real reputation yet. And I’ll admit it, my skill as a trainer can’t compare to Daigo Kirizume. So if Ryoma wants to leave, all we can do is pray for his future."

Both Okabe and Ryohei snap their heads toward him, their disappointment plain.

"What the hell, old man?" Okabe protests. "Pray for his success? That’s too much!"

"Just because we’re a small gym doesn’t mean you can brush off betrayal like it’s nothing," Ryohei adds.

Kenta, at least, stays composed. "Ryoma, I don’t mind if you want to join Kirizume. But you should’ve discussed it with Coach first. I know Coach Nakahara wouldn’t try to chain you down against your will."

"No. I can’t accept this!" Hiroshi cuts in, his face burning red.

Out of everyone here, Hiroshi feels the closest to Ryoma. He had placed his hopes in him, dreamed big alongside him.

And Ryoma just sighs tiredly, wearing an expression that borders on indifference, feeling how silly this misunderstanding is. Sadly, Hiroshi takes it as mockery, like Ryoma is treating them all lightly.

"I took you to Korakuen Hall!" Hiroshi’s voice cracks, his eyes wet. "We laughed, we joked. And didn’t you say you’d take me to an international title bout? Not just me... Coach Nakahara too?"

Nakahara’s gaze shifts to Hiroshi, his brow lifting in surprise. For someone like him, a no-name trainer with a modest gym, the idea of aiming for the world stage feels almost reckless. It’s crazy enough to make his head spin.

"Did you take me for a joke?" Hiroshi chokes out. "You filled my head with big talk while you were planning to move to Kirizume?"

"Calm down, would you?" Ryoma finally answers, his tone sharper now, the indifference gone. "I already said it. I declined Kirizume’s offer."

"Bullshit!" Okabe snaps.

"Shut the fuck up, Okabe!" Ryoma roars back.

The older boy freezes, instantly cowed.

"I turned him down," Ryoma repeats, voice firm and cutting through the tension. "But maybe the way I did it... after he insulted Coach and this gym, I didn’t exactly hold back. He must’ve taken it as an insult. That’s why I think he’s scheming against me. He couldn’t recruit me then, so now he’s trying to crush me instead."

Nakahara freezes, his face blank. He doesn’t know which is crazier: hearing Ryoma defending him against Kirizume’s insult? Or hearing him talk about a world title. Just thinking about it all makes his head feel like it’s about to burst.

Beside him, Hiroshi blinks as his anger faltering. The raw tears and emotion he’d just spilled feel suddenly childish, like he’s made himself the fool.

"So those three... Aramaki, Shunpei, and that gaijin..."

"Exactly." Ryoma nods, voice low. "Kirizume wants my career crushed before it even starts by setting me up with Aramaki. And if I do win, I’ll be thrown at Shunpei on the third round, the guy famous for fighting dirty. And after him, the gaijin, who loves humiliating people and posting it on his channel."

Hiroshi stares back down at the bracket. The placements are too clean, too convenient to be random. Just as Ryoma said, the path is a trap.

"He went as far as bribing the association..." Hiroshi mutters. "Just to ruin you?"