The gym felt louder than usual.
Not in volume—no shouting or chaos—but in presence. More people lingered near the walls. More eyes followed movement in the ring. Even the air felt heavier, as if it carried expectation along with sweat.
Jin noticed it the moment he stepped inside.
The supporters board had another pin.
Same paper. Same bold marker.
SUPPORTERS
Shimada stood in front of it, hands clasped like a proud curator. "POWER STONES CAME IN AGAIN!"
Aoki dropped his bag dramatically. "AGAIN?!"
"Yes," Mori said, adjusting his glasses. "Consistent support."
Shimada pointed at one of the names with exaggerated reverence. "SPECIAL THANKS TO THEBUNS."
Aoki bowed deeply to the corkboard. "I swear I'll fight harder."
"You're not fighting," Kimura said.
"I'll fight spiritually."
Jin glanced at the board.
The name stood out like before—but this time, it didn't surprise him.
He nodded once.
That was enough.
Coach Kagawa clapped his hands.
"Today," he said, "no backsteps."
The gym stilled.
"No retreats," the coach continued. "No drifting. No running."
Shimada swallowed. "Even for warm-ups?"
"Especially for warm-ups."
The ropes were tightened again, the ring reduced until it felt claustrophobic. Jin stepped inside and immediately sensed it—the lack of space, the certainty that pressure would arrive whether he wanted it to or not.
"Pressure isn't avoided," Kagawa said. "It's shaped."
The first drill was brutal.
Jin took gloves to the guard. Felt shoulders crowd his space. His instinct screamed to step back—and he couldn't.
Instead, he pivoted.
It wasn't clean.
He got clipped. Once. Twice.
But he didn't panic.
By the third round, something shifted.
When pressure came, Jin stepped into it.
A short step. A tight pivot. A shoulder bump to create space.
The ring didn't feel bigger.
Jin felt smaller inside it.
And that worked.
By the time training ended, everyone was exhausted.
Aoki collapsed onto a bench. "I have learned humility."
"No, you haven't," Kimura replied.
Ippo approached Jin with a towel. "You didn't back up once."
Jin accepted the towel. "I didn't need to."
Ippo smiled like he'd just witnessed a revelation.
The locker room descended into its usual chaos.
Shimada argued that Jin was ready for three opponents at once.
Aoki volunteered himself as tribute.
"No," Mori said immediately.
Mari knelt in front of Jin, wrapping fresh tape around his hands. Her movements were practiced, calm.
"You look steadier," she said.
"I feel clearer," Jin replied.
She tied the tape off and met his eyes. "That's better than confident."
That night, Jin stayed behind again.
The gym lights dimmed. The noise faded.
He stepped into the ring alone and imagined pressure coming forward—shoulders tight, feet advancing, space disappearing.
This time, he didn't retreat.
He moved with it.
If the ring shrank, he'd shrink with it.
And still stand.
END OF CHAPTER
Author's Note:
Huge thanks to TheBuns for the continued Power Stones support! 🙏
Your support genuinely helps keep this series consistent and moving forward. If you're enjoying the story, please comment, vote, and add it to your library — it really helps a lot.
Next chapter coming soon 🥊