Ever since Nakahara moved Ryohei up to super lightweight to make room for Ryoma, he has convinced himself that he is the one forced to sacrifice his own future.
The decision may have made perfect sense from management's perspective. But deep down, Ryohei still believes that, had he remained at lightweight, he would have achieved even greater success than Ryoma instead of being pushed aside to make room for the gym's golden boy.
The feeling only grows stronger after Ryoma rejects the unification bout he desperately wants and orders him to settle his unfinished business with Umemoto instead.
And the memories of their countless sparring sessions refuse to fade. Ryoma spends years provoking him, mocking him, calling him a coward whenever he retreats behind cautious footwork, believing that relentless pressure is the only way to force Ryohei out of his shell.
