Liam exhales once, slow and even. His tempo lifts by a fraction. The soles of his feet grow lighter as he begins to bounce, not recklessly, just enough to loosen the ground beneath him.
His shoulders twitch with small economical feints, testing reactions without offering commitment.
The studying is over. Now comes the answer.
Liam shifts his weight and finally commits. The bounce appears, not exaggerated, just enough to loosen his base.
And he steps in with intent. A jab snaps out first, straight and economical, testing the line he's been measuring.
Kenta reads it late but not wrong. He brings his guard together and absorbs it clean on the gloves.
Dug!
A left hook follows, fast and tight, whipped in with proper rotation. But Kenta's body is already moving. The pendulum carries him backward, head slipping just off the arc, and the hook cuts through empty space.
In the same breath, Kenta coils.
