NOVEL NEXT Chapter 99: Fuel For the Semifinal
The lobby stalls, the air drawn taut as wire. Serrano's grin widens, almost theatrical, like he's posing for the cameras.
For a heartbeat, no one moves. It's the kind of frozen image that begs to be printed on tomorrow's front pages.
Sato from Tokyo Sports is already snapping shots, shutters rattling. Tanaka from Nippon Fight News steadies his phone, his voice hushed.
"Tomorrow, this image will be everywhere. Serrano clamping the prodigy's punch… it writes itself."
Then the whispers ignite.
"Rookie King turning into a headline circus."
"Damn… this is just a weigh-in, not a title fight showdown."
And commission officials scramble, raising their voices.
"Hey! Break it up!"
"This is a weigh-in, not a ring!"
But before they can shove their way in, a calm voice cuts through the air.
"Giichi…" Kirizume calls.
He's not raising his tone, not even shifting from where he stands. He doesn't need to. His assistant trainer, Giichi Shigemori, immediately steps forward, snapping at Serrano under his breath, tugging at his arm.
"Enough with the circus, Leo," Shigemori says, his voice calm but heavy. "Get your head straight, or I'll drag you out myself."
Serrano resists for a second, smirk still plastered across his face, before Giichi pulls him back with a firm authority.
On the other side, Nakahara finally moves. He steps to Ryoma's shoulder, voice low but heavy with restraint.
"Enough, kid." His hand presses lightly against Ryoma's back, coaxing him toward the scale. "Forget him. Just focus on your next opponent."
Ryoma's fist loosens, his arm falling to his side. His sharp gaze, however, doesn't waver. It's still locked on Serrano, still burning.
The tension lingers, but with both camps pulling their fighters apart, the worst is avoided. The officials finally find their voices, calling out warnings, their words scrambling to catch up with the heat that just flared.
"This is a weigh-in, not a ring!"
"One more stunt like that and we cancel the session!"
Meanwhile, cameras keep rolling, shutters keep clicking, preserving every second.
And in the back of the room, Noguchi watches it all. His lips curl into a grin, sharp and amused, but his eyes burn with something else, a flicker of irritation, almost anger.
Ryoma is supposed to be his prey tomorrow, his stage to claim. Seeing someone else turn it into a sideshow gnaws at him in silence.
***
July 9th, 2015. East Japan Rookie King Tournament Semifinal.
The Korakuen Hall buzzes with noise, seats already packed to the corners. For a rookie tournament, the turnout is unusual. The semifinals aren't usually enough to draw this kind of crowd.
But yesterday's skirmish at the weigh-in has done its work. Curiosity burns in the air, people jostling in their seats, waiting for sparks to fly.
Near the press row, Sato from Tokyo Sports leans toward his colleague, his voice pitched low beneath the crowd noise. "Amazing, isn't it? We only pushed the story as a quick post on website, and look at this response."
Tanaka from Nippon Fight News nods, keeping his gaze on the ring. "Heh! Ryoma and Serrano side by side? It's the kind of image that writes itself. Fans can smell blood."
A young voice cuts in. Aki leans to the side, her tone bubbling with excitement. "I read your piece, Tanaka-san. But… what exactly happened yesterday?"
Beside her, Reika tilts her head slightly, eyes wide with fascination, as if the answer might reveal something more about Ryoma himself.
Tanaka glances at her, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. "Unfortunate you weren't there."
But he doesn't elaborate, simply returns his focus to the crowd, leaving the tension of the weigh-in lingering unspoken, a secret better seen than told.
Meanwhile, murmurs ripple through the stands.
"When's that kid fighting the gaijin?"
"Yeah, I want to see that foreigner get humbled."
"Oi, you got it wrong," another voice cuts in. "Ryoma's not fighting him tonight. He's matched with Noguchi. That dirty fighter."
A confused silence follows, then another leans forward to explain, "If Ryoma beats Noguchi, and the gaijin beats Junpei, then maybe they'll clash in the final. But odds are slim."
Some nod, some shake their heads, disappointment threading into their anticipation. Still, Ryoma's name keeps passing from row to row, whispered like a storm on the verge.
Down in the ring, the last Featherweight bout is already underway. Two rookies trade leather with reckless hunger, blows flying without thought for pacing.
The crowd upfront roars at every exchange, heat swelling like the walls themselves are trembling.
***
Away from the spotlight, in the dim of the locker rooms, another kind of energy stirs. This is the blue corner room, the space usually set for challengers.
The air carries a strange tilt, as if luck itself leans their way. One Featherweight fighter has returned, looking victorious, sweat still fresh on his brow and a satisfied grin carved across his face.
Leonardo Serrano sprawls on a bench, stretching with lazy exaggeration, phone in hand, a smirk tugging wider as the energy around him swells.
Across from him, Shunpei Noguchi laces his gloves with measured focus, his jaw tight, his eyes locked not on the floor but on the thought of what comes next.
Then the second Featherweight bursts in, riding high on his own win, laughing as his cornermen clap him on the shoulders. The room vibrates with their celebration.
"You looked sharp out there!" his Second praises, gripping his shoulder firmly. "Perfect timing, clean finish. Beautiful work."
The fighter grins, still catching his breath. "Felt like everything just clicked tonight."
The cutman laughs with him, ruffling his hair. "Man, you've set the tone. What a day!"
Across the room, Serrano's grin sharpens into something wolfish. "Blue corner's on a roll. Guess that means tonight's easy money for me too."
Giichi Shigemori, arms folded in the corner, finally speaks up. "Enough talk, Leo! Get ready. You're on deck."
Then the door clicks open, stealing his attention from the tapes. But it's not Korakuen staff coming to them. It's Daigo Kirizume, dressed sharp in a tailored navy suit, silk tie knotted perfectly, the air of a businessman who deals in millions, not punches.
He locks eyes with Noguchi for a brief second. No words pass between them, only a flicker of recognition before both looking away, as if strangers sharing the same room. Whatever binds them, they keep buried beneath the surface.
Kirizume strides without pause, his polished shoes clicking against the floor, and stops in front of Giichi Shigemori and Serrano.
"Boss!" Serrano calls out with a wide grin. "You came to see me shine, huh?"
Kirizume's sharp features soften instantly. He smiles, the kind that looks warm enough to disarm anyone watching.
"Of course," he says kindly. "Tonight is your night, Leo. Just go out there and let your talent speak for itself. We'll be behind you, every step."
A knock at the door breaks the hum of chatter. A Korakuen staffer steps in, clipboard in hand.
"Leonardo Serrano, it's time."
Serrano rolls his shoulders, his grin stretching wide. He struts forward with a bounce in his step, swagger dripping from every move.
"It's showtime," he says, pumping his fist as if the fight is already won.
Kirizume trails behind him, his presence steady but commanding. But just before the doorway, he stops. Slowly, he glances back, his eyes lock on Noguchi, a gaze that cuts deeper than any words.
Noguchi meets it without flinching. His reply is nothing more than a small, deliberate nod, a silent agreement, sealed without voice.
Kirizume nods too. Finally he turns and steps out, trailing after Serrano. The door shuts behind them, leaving the air heavy with what's been exchanged but never spoken.