[Episode] Punch Drunk!

"Left... Right... Left... Right... Up... Left! The challenger does not stop! Hey guys! Wake the heck up!" Lenny was shaking Luis while shouting at Betty to wake up to witness the match and history unfolding before their very eyes.

Ryoichi was relentless with his attacks, there seemed to be no sign of the challenger's arms getting tired. The determination to finish this and come out on top kept him energized.

On the other hand, though, Cortez's arms were getting tired, so tired in fact that the guard forcefully dropped, leading him to be completely open to receive everything Ryoichi was throwing at him, and eventually drop as Ryoichi landed the last strong right forward into his chin, punching the mouthguard out.

While the combat was going on, the knocked-out referee got dragged out for a 'fresh' one, just in time to push Ryoichi back to his corner and begin the countdown.

"Wha... What's..?" Betty was regaining her consciousness as well as Luis.

"Good! We might witness the new king of the ring in the making! Luis! Wake up! The countdown is happening!"

By the count of five, both Luis and Betty had gained enough consciousness to keep commenting.

"What... What do you mean new king? That nobody?" Luis boldly stated, with Betty this time taking more of a neutral ground, and Lenny defending the challenger. "You can't call a man 'nobody' when he defeats a possible greatest boxer in our history, even if he is past his prime!"

And then, five more counts later, the referee waved both of his hands in the air... It's over.

"And it's over! What an upset! Take that Lenny!" Luis shouts into the microphone as he felt the joy of proving his fellow sports commentator to be in the wrong.

The crew gathered Cortez up and took him to his corner to wake the man up, for Ryoichi, however, there was no one that would come to help him out, and thus, he simply resulted to sitting in his corner, leaning back. It was now when the exhaustion kicked in, almost causing him to collapse on the stool and fall asleep...

But they did not let him. Those able gathered into the ring and picked Ryoichi up to carry him on their shoulders.

"Champ! Champ! Champ! Champ!" The shouts echoed through the hall white Ryoichi was carried to the middle of the ring. When the two parties, Ryoichi and Cortez had gathered in the middle of the ring, along with the referee, An unfamiliar announcer, spoke into the microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen! After seven rounds we come to the conclusion of this mighty main event! Winner by knockout and the recipient of the golden ticket! Rookie from North Blue! The boxing Bear! Ryoichi Ayugai!"

Ryoichi, the challenger's hand got raised by the referee, indicating that it was indeed Ryoichi who had won, if it had not already been evident.

While the crowd surrounded Ryoichi, the announcer motioned toward Kazuma's lackeys, and soon after, Ryoichi had medics and the rest of the team ready to help him out. In fact, even a member of the press along with photographers were there to get an exclusive from the ring.

"You fought bravely, Mr. Ayugai! Magnificent display! This win has made you eligible to challenge in any weight class for the XXX Paradise Championship. How does that make you feel?"

"I... Umm... I am on... A vacation. But... It's one of the best... Things to happen... In my life." Ryoichi responded to the interviewer's question with quite an exhausted tone.

Barging through the crowd then was none other than Cortez himself who stood before Ryoichi, staring down at him. One would expect another throwdown considering the way Cortez barged through the crowd... But thankfully for everyone, it was more... Peaceful.

"Mark my words, Cabron. You keep this going, you'll be punch drunk for the rest of your life."

The warning was given, and Cortez left the ring. Ryoichi accepted the word of warning but did not say anything back. He was handed the commemorative cup, which carried the ticket with it, and not too soon after, Ryoichi as well was helped off the ring and back to the locker room, where he was tended by the medics and staff entrusted to him by Kazuma, the host.

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Back in the 'challengers' changing room, or rather now, the 'champions' changing room, the staff that was assigned to Ryoichi, courtesy of Kazuma the host, was patiently waiting for the winner of this bout to leave the shower which took longer than it usually did.

With his fists against the shower wall, back hunched forward and head bowed down, Ryoichi had his eyes closed, exhaling heavily. Never in his life had he felt this tired from a fight, not even against his first Notice rookie champion bout, its first defense, or regaining it.

The physical fight was over, and the body was feeling the aftermath of it... That should also mean that the mental battle was also over... But for Ryoichi, it felt quite different.

The words of Cortez echoed through his head, it was not the first time since he heard the phrase 'punch drunk'.  It was a phrase that went through the chat with his own pop multiple times, especially when it came to protecting his own head. It is, after all, one of the main reasons why boxers retire.

Ryoichi leaned away from the shower, shut the water, grabbed the towel, and left the bathroom to return to the wardrobe where Kazuma's lackeys were awaiting him and tending to his every need right there right now, which Ryoichi, altho slightly reluctantly, let them do.

While Ryoichi was tended to, his ears twitched a tiny bit as he heard a duo talk in the very wardrobe silently. The news of Ryoichi's second causing ruckus has begun to spread.

"Not my place. Not right now" he mumbled to himself as he tried to remind himself in this conflicted state of his to gain some sense of peace from another matter. He was, after all, in the neutral waters that serve whoever has the money for it.

Hours went by, and so did the intrusive thoughts of possibly ending his career at one point. It was finally time to leave. All that was left now was to do the final check out at the receptionist deck.

"We welcome you to stay for one more night. Our master would love to offer you an all-inclusive evening on the house." the receptionist smiled as she laid out the offer.

Ryoichi however, refused.

"Thank you but I have to refuse. Duty calls. Please, give my thanks to Mister Kazuma. His help was much appreciated, and the opportunity he had offered."

Right as Ryoichi was ready to leave after signing the last checkout papers, it struck him. "I forgot. If you were to see Mr. Bastion, relay my thanks to him. I know he has probably left already, but who knows... Maybe he'll return."

The last ship was waiting for Ryoichi, and with an aching body of his, he took fast steps just to make it to it. Behind his hurry was a reason...

His second was no ordinary man. With no power on this island, he had to find a way to figure out and capture him somewhere else.

A man named Bastion... Able to use lightning?

The records certainly contain information to it...

And Ryoichi could not wait to find out, who is Bastion really?


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