VISION GRID SYSTEM: THE COMEBACK OF RYOMA TAKEDA - Chapter 549: Variables in Tokyo

Chapter 549: Variables in Tokyo

When the final bell rings, Satoru lowers his gloves, breathing heavily but still upright. Sweat runs down his temples, yet his eyes remain bright, stubbornly alive despite the rounds he has endured.

Around the ring, the teasing dissolves into scattered applause, the tension easing into quiet acknowledgment of the work done.

Dr. Mizuno steps onto the apron without delay.

“Come, Hiroshi. We collect the data now.”

Hiroshi nods and moves in. He removes Ryoma’s gloves efficiently, while Mizuno carefully peels the adhesive patch from Ryoma’s forearm. The sample is sealed inside a labeled container with precise, almost ceremonial care.

“Time stamp it,” Mizuno says quietly.

Hiroshi checks the stopwatch and notes it down at once.

With practiced efficiency, Mizuno prepares a small lancet device. He cleans the edge of Ryoma’s ear, then draws a minimal blood sample from the earlobe to measure lactate concentration.

Ryoma does not flinch. He keeps his breathing steady, shoulders rising and falling in heavy but rhythmic cycles.

Mizuno inserts the strip into the portable analyzer and watches the display as the numbers stabilize.

“Post-exertion lactate shows us peak accumulation of fatigue,” he explains. “But peak alone is incomplete.”

The device emits a soft confirmation sound. Mizuno reads the value and nods slightly.

“Your lactate is above 12 mmol/L,” he says. “If we forced another round at that level, your muscle output would decline. There is risk of temporary locking.”

Nakahara steps closer, frowning. “You’re saying he can’t even handle eleven rounds?”

“I can still go,” Ryoma says from the stool, breathing heavy but steady. “I’m fine.”

Mizuno glances at him and gives a small nod. “I know.”

“We repeat at five minutes, then again at ten,” he adds. “Recovery velocity matters more than the absolute number.”

Hiroshi records everything carefully, his handwriting tighter than usual.

Five minutes later, Mizuno steps forward again.

“Second sample.”

Another small draw from the ear, another reading. Mizuno studies the number as it settles.

“Good,” he murmurs. “Clearance is efficient.”

He turns slightly toward Nakahara. “Do not misinterpret the first value. Ryoma has trained since morning. Today is cumulative load. The fact that he completes ten rounds and clears this quickly is more than sufficient.”

At the ten-minute mark, they repeat the process once more. Mizuno draws another small sample from Ryoma’s ear, inserts the strip, and watches the analyzer in silence.

The reading stabilizes lower than before; lactate levels dropping further, confirming continued clearance.

Mizuno gives a faint measured nod. “This confirms the load is appropriate. The training intensity is high, but still within an efficient recovery range. For now, we keep the structure as it is.”

He places the analyzer back into its padded case and seals it with a soft click. His gaze shifts briefly toward Aramaki and Okabe, who are still lingering near the ropes, half talking, half replaying moments from the sparring. Then he turns back to Nakahara.

“What is the plan for the others’ sparring?” he asks evenly. “Today seems devoted entirely to Ryoma.”

“Yes,” Nakahara replies without hesitation. “We focus on one fighter per sparring day. The others support as controlled partners. Yesterday was centered on Aramaki. Today is Ryoma. Tomorrow we rotate to Ryohei, then Kenta, and then back to Okabe. After that, the cycle repeats.”

“It maintains intensity without overloading everyone at once,” Hiroshi adds.

Mizuno considers that, but his expression tightens slightly. “What about outside partners?” he asks. “For specificity, you should bring in fighters who resemble the upcoming opponent. Internal rotation builds conditioning. But stylistic simulation requires variation, right?”

Hiroshi exhales before answering. “That’s been difficult.”

Nakahara folds his arms. “No other gym in this country is willing to send their fighters to spar with us.”

Mizuno studies his face, trying to measure whether that is exaggeration. But it doesn’t seem so.

“I was told your events sell well,” Mizuno says slowly. “Your tickets move quickly. Why would other camps refuse cooperation?”

“We may have loyal boxing fans,” Nakahara replies. “But promoters and gyms see us differently.”

Hiroshi gives a faint, humorless smile. “They don’t like how we operate. Or who we’ve beaten. Our rise hasn’t exactly pleased the old guard. It seems we’ve disturbed a regime that was far too comfortable.”

Mizuno’s eyes narrow slightly. He understands competition and politics. But outright isolation is another matter.

“So you’ve become inconvenient to them,” he says.

“That’s one way to put it,” Nakahara answers calmly. “When our fighters win, it disrupts certain arrangements.”

The gym continues around them as if none of this carries weight. Gloves are stored. Headgear is wiped down. Satoru laughs at something Aramaki says.

But beneath the ordinary noise lies a quiet reality. Nakahara’s camp may be selling tickets, but in the wider domestic scene, they stand alone.

***

Meanwhile, back in Tokyo, the atmosphere inside Narisawa Boxing Gym feels markedly different.

The space is larger, brighter, lined with sponsor banners stretching from pillar to pillar. Logos of equipment manufacturers, nutrition brands, and corporate backers occupy the upper walls in orderly symmetry.

Beneath them, three rings remain active at once.

Under the central lights, the former Super Lightweight Champion Shoji Hamakawa moves with measured economy. His posture stays upright, chin tucked, elbows close, every step placed with quiet authority.

A sparring partner circles cautiously in front of him, an agile outboxer brought in specifically to mimic Ryohei’s lateral movement.

“Don’t chase,” a second coach instructs calmly. “Cut the exit. Corner him.”

Hamakawa steps across the line, pivots, and intercepts with a short, precise right hand. And the impact echoes cleanly.

Before the round slows, another sparring partner is already climbing through the ropes, fresh and ready.

“Rotate.”

There’s no hesitation here, no delay, only fresh bodies on demand.

Across the gym, Wakabayashi drills combinations on the mitts, warming up before his sparring session. His balance never breaks; even his exhalations sound controlled.

Two visiting featherweights from neighboring gyms wait outside the ropes, gloves laced, eager for their turn to test him. Both are rugged pressure fighters, ideal simulations of Okabe’s relentless, uneven rhythm.

“Keep it clean,” Hamano Nikki, Wakabayashi’s trainer, calls out. “Let him rush. You respond.”

Wakabayashi nods once, expression serene.

Near the far ring, Sugano Junichiro works body shots on a heavy bag, the rhythm sharp and punishing. Ranked at the top of the lightweight division, he pauses briefly to watch Hamakawa’s sparring before resuming his own work. His gaze lingers a fraction longer than necessary.

Several journalists stand along the perimeter, notebooks open, phones recording short clips. They are given access without fuss; Narisawa’s media coordination runs smoothly.

One of them clears his throat. “Chairman Narisawa, reports say the Yoyogi event next August has already surpassed 8,500 tickets sold. International broadcasters from Southeast Asia, US, and UK have confirmed coverage. It seems the world’s eyes will be on Tokyo.”

The faintest smile touches Takanobu Narisawa’s lips. “That is good for boxing,” he replies evenly. “Attention benefits everyone.”

Hamakawa steps down from the ring, taking a sip of water before speaking. “A large audience only amplifies results,” he says. “If they plan a celebration, we will provide the conclusion.”

“So you really see this as Nakahara Gym versus Narisawa Gym?” another journalist presses.

Junichiro lets out a quiet scoff before Narisawa responds. “Versus?” he repeats lightly. “We’ve been here for decades.”

His eyes shift briefly toward the reporter. “Selling an arena is impressive. But arenas remember what happens inside them.”

One journalist seizes the line immediately, typing. “Are you suggesting Ryoma’s role as co-promoter is premature?” someone asks.

Junichiro wipes his gloves against his shorts. “Promoting is business,” he says. “Fighting is legacy. Some people rush to expand before securing their ground.”

Hamakawa adjusts the tape around his wrist. “And titles return where they belong,” he adds, almost casually.

Across the ring, Wakabayashi finishes a smooth three-punch sequence and steps back, unruffled.

“Next,” his coach instructs.

A fresh sparring partner climbs in without being summoned. And the rhythm never breaks.

Ice baths stand prepared along one wall. A nutritionist consults a tablet near the conditioning area. Strength coaches observe foot placement and correct angles in real time. Every element moves with coordinated efficiency.

Another journalist speaks up. “Some see Nakahara’s rise as disruptive. Does that motivate you?”

Narisawa folds his hands behind his back. “Competition sharpens the sport,” he says calmly. “But Tokyo has always had structure. They may fill Yoyogi. But we are the one who’ll make sure it’s memorable.”

The implication settles in the air. But Shoji Hamakawa simply leaves the conversation, stepping back into the ring for another round, this time facing a stockier pressure fighter.

Gloves meet with controlled violence. Even under strain, Hamakawa’s technique does not fray.

Meanwhile, cameras continue recording, and headlines begin forming in real time.

“Territorial Clash in Tokyo.”

“Old Guard vs Rising Camp.”

“Will Yoyogi Become a Coronation — or a Collapse?”

Under the bright banners and rotating sparring partners, Narisawa Gym does not look like an institution under threat. It looks prepared, unified, and fully supported.

Fresh bodies for sparring partners wait. Media hover willingly. And in the center of it all, three genuine fighters train beneath one roof; Hamakawa reclaiming, Wakabayashi refining, Junichiro watching.

If Yoyogi is meant to announce a new era, Narisawa’s camp seems intent on proving that the old one has not ended yet.