Chapter 1043 - 1043: The High Without Ecstasy

Meanwhile, Logan Rhodes is visiting an elite training facility on the outskirts of Tokyo, where Shimamura Suzuki is preparing for his upcoming fight against Elliot Graves.

The moment Logan enters the gym, the trainers and several athletes under Franc Donovan's management greet him respectfully.

"Good day, Mr. Rhodes."

"Ah, Big Boss. Fancy seeing you here."

"Mr. Rhodes? I thought you were heading back to New York."

Logan responds with a calm-down gesture, raising one hand as he continues toward the ring, where Shimamura is undergoing a technical drill with Franc Donovan.

The drill resembles the one Ryoma put Kenta through, with Donovan relentlessly attacking while Shimamura focuses entirely on defense, never attempting to counter.

Age seems to be nothing more than a number for the middle-aged trainer. He unleashes a rapid succession of sharp jabs, relentlessly targeting Shimamura's head.

Maintaining a low posture, Shimamura relies solely on head movement, slipping each punch cleanly without raising his guard.

For a while, Donovan's gloves and arms pass over either shoulder, left and right. Then, Donovan reads the rhythm of his head movement and times a right straight to catch him.

But Shimamura anticipates the punch before it is even launched. He pulls his torso backward, catching Donovan's glove with his right palm as he settles into a more bladed stance.

Tap.

Donovan steps in with a lead hook followed by a right straight.

Shimamura adjusts his right guard to protect his chest and chin, catching the hook on his forearm. Then, just as the right straight is about to reach him, he smoothly rotates his lead shoulder inward.

Dp. Dugh.

His timing is so precise that he does more than simply absorb the punch on his shoulder; he deflects it away while angling out to his left.

"Woo, that was sick!" someone shouts from ringside.

The momentum briefly carries Donovan's right arm forward, throwing his balance off.

He quickly resets and adjusts his angle, but Shimamura has already reclaimed the center of the ring.

He hasn't moved far. He remains within punching range, still leaving his guard down.

"Let's continue," Donovan says.

"Anytime," Shimamura replies.

Donovan resumes the pressure. This time, Shimamura begins incorporating Cuban footwork even before the first punch comes his way.

Widening his stance, he sways his upper body from side to side, shifting between low and high positions while constantly slipping off Donovan's line of attack. Without relying on elaborate footwork, he evades another relentless barrage.

His old drunken dance is still recognizable. But now, it has a clear system behind it: the science of combining the Cuban System's fluid movement with the defensive principles of the American Philly Shell.

He no longer needs to be intoxicated by ecstasy or enter his old, altered state to achieve this level of defensive ability.

After nearly two years, Donovan has finally helped him bring out his full potential without relying excessively on that drug-induced state.

The Philly Shell gives his defense structure and logic, while the Cuban System provides flow and flair. Together, they allow Shimamura to enter a controlled, almost ecstatic rhythm without relying on drugs or the adrenaline rush he once sought by deliberately allowing opponents to hit him.

By the time the session ends, Donovan still hasn't landed a single clean punch.

"That was great," Donovan says, swinging his right glove toward Shimamura.

Clearly enjoying the session, Shimamura slaps the glove with his own, wearing a satisfied grin.

"Not bad for a warm-up, huh?"

He then turns toward the right side of the ring, grinning at Abdul Kareem Nasser, an Egyptian-American boxer currently ranked ninth in the WBC super lightweight division.

"So, Abdul. We sparring now, or are we calling it a day? I could take you to the best damn nightclub in Tokyo."

The two are quite close, and Abdul has been one of the few people helping Shimamura deal with his alcohol addiction.

"Like I'd ever take you up on that offer," Abdul declines with a grimace on his face. "And you really wanna talk about nightclubs with Mr. Rhodes standing right there?"

He gestures subtly toward Logan, who stands on the opposite side of the ring. Shimamura turns around and finds Donovan already heading toward Logan.

Like a survivor spotting his rescuer, Shimamura's face lights up immediately, and he hurries toward him.

"Man, you have no idea how much this means to me. You actually came all the way out here to check on my training!"

"Well, I'm glad to see you're sober for a change," Logan replies calmly.

"Hey, I'll have you know I've been sober for a hundred and seventeen days straight!" Shimamura declares proudly. "You have any idea how hard that is for a guy like me? I'm telling you, Boss, at this rate, I might actually make it to half a year!"

"That's good to hear," Logan gives him a small approving nod. "I know it hasn't been easy, but all that effort will pay off eventually. Just keep at it."

Donovan smiles as he watches their exchange, as though none of them is under any pressure despite the important fight Shimamura has coming up in four weeks.

"Anyway," Donovan interjects, "I have to admit, I'm a little surprised to find you here."

"That's right," Shimamura adds. "Weren't you supposed to be heading back to New York? Boss, don't tell me you came all the way back here just to make sure I'm not slacking off."

"No. I canceled my flight," Logan replies.

"Is something going on?" Donovan asks.

Logan nods. "That Ryoma. He just submitted a proposal for a third mega-event at the Tokyo Dome, featuring three world title fights."

At the mention of Ryoma's name, Shimamura's grin gradually fades, his expression turning solemn.

Donovan's face tightens slightly. "So it's not just a rumor, huh?"

Logan raises an eyebrow. "You've heard about it?"

"I heard the story, and I'm still trying to wrap my head around the kind of madness that kid's planning." Donovan shakes his head. "Is that why you're here?"

"Yeah. He asked me to discuss it with you."

Donovan glances at Shimamura before turning back to Logan with a slight scoff. "I'd be happy to entertain a challenge for Marcus. But this whole three-world-title-fight setup, I find it a little… insulting. It's as if the outcome of Elliot and Shimamura's fight has already been decided."

"What's there to be insulted about?" Logan replies casually. "He never said Elliot would be the one fighting in the unification bout. If Shimamura wins, we simply put him in there instead. Besides, I get the feeling Ryoma is far more interested in Shimamura than he is in Elliot Graves."

Logan turns toward Shimamura and finds his expression has changed. A restrained grin tugs at his lips, and there's a feral gleam in his eyes.

"Looks like Shimamura himself wants it just as badly," he adds.

"Damn right I do!" Shimamura grins. "That little punk has been running around doing whatever the hell he wants for years. It's about time I gave my favorite kouhai a little something to remember me by!"