VISION GRID SYSTEM: THE COMEBACK OF RYOMA TAKEDA - Chapter 544: The Barometer, Measured Against the World

Chapter 544: The Barometer, Measured Against the World

The irony is that even without Aki telling him anything, Ryoma’s focus has already begun to drift from his next title fight.

The training camp sits on the quieter edge of Shonan, past the crowded surf spots and souvenir-lined streets. The lodge they rent is plain; two floors of faded wood facing the sea, salt stains marking the railings.

Before sunrise, Hiroshi’s knock travels down the narrow hallway with efficient authority.

“Up.”

“Hiroshi…” Ryohei whines with a groan, still thick with sleep, “even champions require human rights.”

“Champions require conditioning,” Hiroshi replies evenly.

Another door slides open. “If he’s a champion, I’m a movie star,” Okabe mutters as he steps into the hallway. “And movie stars don’t run before sunrise either.”

Aramaki walks past them, pulling his hoodie over his head. Kenta emerges last, already stretching his shoulders as if the conversation is background noise.

Satoru appears behind him, posture straight, eyes alert despite the hour.

“Still smiling from the semifinal?” Okabe asks.

“I won,” Satoru answers.

“Don’t let that small win get over your head,” Okabe reminds.

Ryoma steps out quietly. He does not look at anyone while the others exchange words.

Ryohei glances down at him. “You’re too serious this morning.”

“I’m awake,” Ryoma replies.

“That wasn’t my question,” Ryohei says.

Sera waits at the bottom of the stairs with his arms folded, gaze sweeping across them as if measuring posture rather than attendance.

“Beach,” he says. “Barefoot.”

Okabe stops mid-step and looks down at his own sneakers. “Barefoot? On sand?”

“Yes,” Sera answers flatly.

“We’re professional fighters, Coach. Not monks on pilgrimage.”

“You can complain while running.”

A collective groan rises from the group, but no one argues beyond ritual protest. Hiroshi signals the start, and the seven of them surge forward along the waterline.

The sand shifts beneath their weight, and each stride forces small corrections through ankles, calves, and hips.

Ryoma keeps his eyes forward, and his pace remains steady as the wind pushes against his chest. He measures his breathing against the rhythm of the waves.

Then Ryohei nudges at him again. “I’m just wondering… did Renji’s loss get into your head already?”

“My next opponent is Thanid Kouthai,” Ryoma says flatly.

Behind them, Okabe suddenly surges forward, kicking sand toward Aramaki as if last week’s argument had already been forgotten.

“Race you to that breakwater!” Okabe shouts.

“This isn’t recess,” Aramaki says from a few steps behind. “Coach said ten kilometers, not ten seconds.”

“Are you scared?” Okabe throws over his shoulder.

Aramaki’s competitive streak flashes. “You’re the one who’ll gas out.”

“Both of you save it,” Satoru calls. “We’ve got sprints later.”

Kenta runs past them on the outside without changing expression or tempo. “Hey… if you have energy to talk, you’re not running hard enough.”

***

During the final stretch, Hiroshi increases the pace. And the group responds with uneven bursts of competitiveness.

After a break, they transition into shadowboxing on deeper sand, and the instability forces every pivot to demand intention.

Aramaki adjusts quickly to the uneven footing, while Okabe throws ambitious combinations that draw a sharp correction from Sera.

“Are you fighting the air or the ocean?” he asks.

“I’m warming up the crowd,” Okabe answers.

“Do that without turning yourself into a clown.”

Ryohei laughs mid-combination and nearly stumbles, and Kenta continues his compact movements as if conserving energy for a future round no one else can see.

For a moment, whatever tension had lingered between them in recent weeks dissolves into the rhythm of shared exhaustion.

Ryoma moves with clean efficiency. His balance never wavers despite the shifting ground. Satoru mirrors his stance for several seconds before Ryoma notices and speaks without turning.

“Find your own center,” Ryoma says.

Satoru nods quickly, and he adjusts his posture with visible effort.

***

When Hiroshi calls for a short break, the fighters gather near the lodge steps where Surge Blue bottles wait in a plastic crate.

Ryoma drinks, wipes his face with the back of his hand, and reaches for the phone into his pocket. He tells himself he is only checking messages, yet Renji’s loss lingers in his mind.

He doesn’t view Renji as his goal. But every lightweight Japanese boxer sets Renji Kuroiwa as the barometer before daring to chase the world.

Sera notices the timing more than the content, and he studies him with quiet assessment. “Ryoma,” he calls flatly. “Your conditioning hasn’t dropped, but your attention has been shifted lately.”

Ryoma locks the screen and places the phone back into his pocket.

“Sorry.”

Moments later, Hiroshi claps once, and the sound cuts cleanly through the wind.

“Bagwork.”

They move into the converted training hall beside the lodge, a fully equipped gym space they have rented for the duration of camp.

Ryoma steps to his bag and begins with straight punches that travel in disciplined lines. His form remains sharp, and his output never dips.

Yet Miguel Cabello’s pivot keeps intruding between combinations, and Ryoma cannot shake the image of that clean, clinical hooks dismantling Renji’s guard.

Ryoma’s jaw tightens as he slams the bag heavier than necessary. But in his mind, he is no longer facing Thanid Kouthai. He is standing in front of Cabello, waiting for the counter.

***

By dusk, the fighters sit along the wooden deck with plastic trays balanced on their knees. Steam rises from rice and grilled fish while the ocean wind cools the sweat still clinging to their skin.

Ryohei points his chopsticks at the group. “Five pros on one card at Yoyogi. We’re basically a boy band with gloves.”

Okabe snorts. “Then I’m the center.”

“You’re backup dancer at best,” Aramaki says without looking up.

Kenta shakes his head faintly. And Satoru listens as if these jokes are lessons in how professionals carry themselves before a big stage.

Ryoma sits slightly apart from the others, close enough to catch their conversation yet distant enough to avoid joining it. His thumb hovers over his phone screen as he scrolls through the circulating news, eyes fixed but detached.

When stretching begins inside, the others drift toward the hall, still arguing about walkout music. But Ryoma remains on the lower step as one headline steals his attention.

RENJI KUROIWA: 1 DRAW, 1 LOSS IN WORLD-RANKED BOUTS

Another line reads:

DOMESTIC DOMINANCE FAILS TO TRANSLATE ON GLOBAL STAGE.

Ryoma’s jaw tightens as clicks on the article. He scrolls down, and plays the highlight, studying Cabello’s feet before the punch lands. The pivot is minimal, the angle exact, and the knockdown in the sixth round almost mathematical.

Down below, the comments section cut deeper than the article itself.

“You can influence a close fight. But not this.”

“World level exposes everything.”

“Scorecards weren’t even close.”

“You can argue a round or two. Not this gap.”

“People said the Elliot draw was generous. Maybe that one could be influenced. But after this beating? No amount of money can fix that.”

For that last comment, replies stack below it:

“Back-to-back knockdowns don’t lie.”

“You can’t rig dominance.”

Suddenly, Hiroshi’s voice cuts in from inside the lodge.

“Ryoma! Stretching!”

Ryoma turns slightly and nods over his shoulder in acknowledgment, but he does not stand immediately.

He plays the video again, letting the footage roll to the ninth round and watches the second knockdown once more.

He memorizes the timing and the movement, while his Vision Grid System dissects the angles and weight shifts in precise detail.

<< That’s world level for you. >>

<< They made even Renji Kuroiwa look helpless. >>

<< I’m telling you, if you keep that softness, don’t even think about chasing a world title. >>

<< Against this Cabello, you’d end up the same way. >>

***

Meanwhile, dusk settles over Tokyo with a different texture than Shonan’s fading horizon. Inside Kirizume Boxing Office, the fluorescent lights remain on long after neighboring businesses have gone dark.

Daisuke Kirizume stands by the window of his second-floor office, jacket draped over the back of his chair, tie loosened but not removed.

Behind him, his manager and a young assistant sit at a long table covered in documents from the recent Korakuen Hall event.

Ticket reports, sponsor summaries, broadcast contracts, and expense sheets are stacked in neat piles that suggest control.

“The turnover was strong,” the manager says carefully, tapping a column of figures. “Capacity was limited, but we maximized pricing tiers. Sponsors renewed at higher brackets, and the broadcast package sold better than projected.”

The assistant nods quickly. “Two additional regional networks picked up the rights at the last minute. Advertising slots sold out before the main event.”

Kirizume’s jaw tightens, though his back remains straight.

“Corporate hospitality was full,” the manager continues, voice steady but cautious. “Even with Korakuen’s size, the revenue margin was excellent.”

Finally, Kirizume speaks over his shoulder. “What does any of that matter,” he asks, his tone controlled but razor-edged, “when the main event ends in failure? That’s his second fight on the world stage, and he hasn’t won a single one.”

Silence fills the room for a moment, before the young assistant shifts in his seat.

“Renji… fought hard. The draw with Elliot was controversial. Many believed…”

“Controversial?” Kirizume interrupts softly. “He was supposed to make a statement. That draw only came because we paid those judges a fortune.”

The manager interjects, “The Elliot bout still preserved his standing. The loss to Cabello was against elite opposition. World level is…”

“And Kazuya?” Kirizume asks, cutting him off. “Fourth round. Knocked out before the crowd settled.”

“Fortunately, the sponsors did not complain,” the assistant offers weakly. “The ratings held.”

Kirizume exhales through his nose, and each justification lands like sandpaper against his restraint.

“Sponsors and ratings,” he says, voice tightening. “We built this reputation on dominance, not accounting.”

Suddenly, a young trainer stands at the doorway, hesitant. “Sir… journalists are downstairs. They’re from Sports Nippon and Tokyo Fight Press, asking for a brief comment about Renji’s next direction.”

Kirizume slowly turns his head. He has always enjoyed speaking to the media. He has always shaped narratives before they could shape him.

But tonight, irritation sharpens his expression. “Send them away,” he says flatly.

The young trainer hesitates. “Sir?”

“All of them,” Kirizume repeats, his voice no longer controlled. “I’m not giving speeches about failure.”