Ippo : The Fists of Renewal

[ Kamogawa Boxing Gym - Tokyo ]

Arrival at Kamogawa Hall The next morning, Ryoji finally arrived in front of Kamogawa Hall. The building seemed old, modest, but a raw energy emanated from it. He observed the entrance for a moment before taking a deep breath and pushing the door open.

Inside, a strong smell of sweat and leather greeted him. The sound of punching bags, the smacking of jump ropes, and the grunts of boxers in training filled the air. Takamura was already there, a smirk on his face.

"You're on time, kid. That's a good sign."

Ryoji looked around the room. Two other young men turned to him upon hearing Takamura's voice. The first was Kimura, with slightly messy brown hair, who stretched while watching Ryoji with a curious look. The second, Aoki, was flashing his usual carefree smile while hitting a punching bag with questionable technique:

"Oh, a new one?" Aoki said with a smile. "Looks like we have another lost kid here."

Kimura looked him up and down.

"He has a nasty brawler's face, that one... the kind to hit before thinking, right?"

Ryoji didn't answer, his cold gaze sweeping over the two men. But before he could reply, another person entered behind him. A young man with black hair, carrying a bag on his shoulder, stopped next to him.

Takamura raised an eyebrow at him.

"Hey, Miyata? Are you here too?"

Ryoji turned his head towards him. Miyata Ichirō, the son of the famous Miyata Eiji, a former professional boxer. He had recognized him, because he had spent the day before leafing through boxing magazines, looking for information. He had come across an article that talked about the former glories of Japanese boxing, and Miyata Eiji was one of them. Miyata Ichirō, the son of this legend.

Ryoji had a quick thought and said to himself: "So, it's him... Miyata Eiji's son."

Miyata shrugged, uncaring of the attention he was attracting.

"I want to train here."

Ryoji looked at Miyata more closely, noting his athletic build and the determination in his eyes.

Kamogawa approached the group.

"It's a surprise to see you here, Miyata. Why didn't you join your father's gym?"

Miyata clenched his fists: "My father doesn't believe in my boxing style. He always told me that I should fight like him, using only dodging and counterattacking. But I want to prove that I can follow my own path."

Takamura burst out laughing.

"So you want to show your old man that you're more than just a clone? That makes sense."

Kamogawa looked at the two young men for a long time before speaking.

"And who is he?" he asked, pointing at Ryoji with his chin. Takamura smiled.

"An interesting kid. I've seen his fighting instinct with my own eyes. He's got a hell of a mind and impressive endurance."

Kamogawa turned his attention to Ryoji. He was intrigued:

"Really? Very well. But this isn't a club where you join on a whim. Do you want to train? Then prove that you're up to it."

Yagi, Kamogawa's assistant, approached with his notebook. "Shall we give them a test, coach?" he asked. Kamogawa nodded.

"Exactly. Takamura, do you want to show them what they have to do?"

Takamura smiled, his expression darkening slightly. "I'll show them."

He turned to the young boxers and pointed to a punching bag.

"I want to see your punches. Hit that bag, show me what you've got."

The two put on their gloves and after a few stretches, Ryoji stepped forward and, in one fluid motion, he lunged at the bag. He struck with astonishing power, his punches echoing through the room. Kamogawa and Takamura exchanged a look.

Ryoji seemed to have a raw power they hadn't seen in a long time. He then remembered the scene the day before where Takamura was hitting with such violence and precision, sending quick punches with perfect fluidity.

Ryoji tried to adopt that same stance, to copy that movement, and he lunged again, hitting the bag with all the force he could muster. Kamogawa and Takamura watched, intrigued.

Wait a minute… That stance..." Kamogawa said, his eyes narrowing. "Is he trying to copy Takamura?"

Takamura raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. "He seems to be taking inspiration from my movements. Not bad for a beginner."

Miyata, for his part, watched Ryoji with some astonishment. The kid had a raw talent for fighting. His technique wasn't perfect yet, but there was something impressive about his approach. His speed and power were already off the charts. Miyata stepped forward, punched the bag with almost surgical precision, and impressed everyone around him with his control and pure technique.

Kamogawa turned to him with an approving smile: "Not bad. But it looks like the kid has potential too."

Ryoji, as he continued to punch the bag, felt his arms begin to tire. But something in the atmosphere changed. He realized that he was surpassing himself, that he was getting closer to what he truly wanted to become. Finally, he stepped back from the bag, panting but determined. Kamogawa approached.

"Very well. You've all shown something. But, if you really want to become better, you'll have to work even harder. You have talent, but that talent will have to be polished."

Takamura, behind him, crossed his arms and observed Ryoji and Miyata.

"Welcome to the club."

And for Ryoji, this day marked a new beginning.