A week had passed since their last gathering at the Makunouchi household. Now, Alex, Ippo, Takamura, Aoki, and Kimura were packed inside a Nissan SUV, driving through the winding roads of Niigata's mountainous region. The air was crisp, and the roads were lined with thick forests, a stark contrast to the familiar urban setting of Tokyo.
Aoki groaned, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. "How far are we going?" he complained, resting his head against the window.
Kimura smirked. "More importantly, is there a hot spring where we're headed?"
Before anyone could respond, Coach Kamogawafirmly announced, "We're here."
The car slowed to a stop, and they all looked out the window. A wooden sign stood in front of a rustic, traditional-looking inn, with the words "Pension Yoshio" painted in bold letters.
The group stepped out of the vehicle, taking in the fresh mountain air. Aoki took a deep breath but quickly frowned. "I feel like I can't breathe properly..."
Alex, standing beside him, crossed his arms and said, "That's because of the high altitude."
Kimura raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that bad for our training?"
Alex shook his head. "No—high-altitude training stimulates the production of red blood cells, leading to improved oxygen-carrying capacity. This enhanced oxygen delivery to muscles is vital for sustained performance during intense boxing bouts."
Takamura blinked at him. "We can't understand a damn thing you just said, Einstein."
Aoki and Kimura burst into laughter, while Ippo simply looked around, taking in the mountain scenery.
Coach Kamogawa grunted, "Enough with that. Alex is right—this will help you all improve."
As they approached the wooden house, an elderly man stepped out. He was short, with little hair on his head, his face filled with deep wrinkles, but his eyes held a sharpness that hinted at his past.
The moment Kamogawa laid eyes on him, his expression softened. "It's been a long time," he said, stepping forward.
The old man smirked. "Gen-chan, you're finally here," he replied, spreading his arms.
Without hesitation, the two men embraced—only for their friendly hug to turn into a sudden exchange of punches! Their fists smacked into each other's stomachs and shoulders, neither holding back.
Alex, Ippo, Takamura, Kimura, and Aoki stood frozen, their expressions filled with confusion.
Yagi, who had accompanied them on the trip, chuckled at their reaction. "That's Nekota Genpachi-san. He was Coach Kamogawa's rival back in his boxing days. The name of this pension was taken from Japan's first world champion, Shirai Yoshio."
Nekota finally turned his attention to the younger boxers, scanning them one by one. "So these are the ones you're training now, huh?" he said to Kamogawa before pointing at Alex. "And that one must be Alex—touted as the best in Japan."
Alex smirked, placing his hands on his hips. "My name's reached far—even in the mountains!" he laughed.
Aoki and Takamura rolled their eyes. "Show-off," they muttered in unison.
Nekota chuckled. "I may be far from the city, but I still get sports papers and videos. You've just won the WBO world title, didn't you?"
Alex's smirk widened slightly. "That's right."
Kamogawa clapped his hands together, regaining everyone's attention. "Alright! Enough standing around. All of you, go in and change—we have work to do."
"Yes, sir!" the five boxers responded in unison before heading inside.
Once they had changed into training gear, Kamogawa gathered them again outside.
"Before we start, I want you to explore the mountain first. Get used to the air and terrain. Then we'll begin training."
Nekota, standing beside him, added casually, "Be careful about the bear."
Aoki stiffened. "The bear?!"
Alex pointed back at the entrance. "There was a warning sign earlier about that."
Aoki paled slightly, while Takamura grinned. "Relax, if we see a bear, I'll knock it out!" he boasted.
With that, Alex, Ippo, Takamura, Kimura, and Aoki set off toward the mountain path
minutes later
After spending some time exploring the mountainous terrain, Alex, Ippo, Takamura, Aoki, and Kimura made their way back to the wooden house. The crisp mountain air filled their lungs as they stepped onto the open training grounds, where Coach Kamogawa, Coach Shinoda, Yagi, and Nekota were already waiting.
Kamogawa crossed his arms and looked at the group with a stern expression. "We've made training plans for each of you to help you improve," he announced.
His sharp eyes focused on Alex, Ippo, and Takamura. "You three—I'll be the one training you."
Coach Shinoda adjusted his cap and turned toward Aoki and Kimura. "As for you two, you're with me."
Before any of them could respond, Yagi entered through the wooden door and addressed Kamogawa. "All of the equipment has been set up outside."
With that, the group stepped onto the outdoor training area. Various pieces of equipment had been laid out—barbells, resistance bands, weighted vests, and large tires. The sight alone made it clear that this wasn't going to be an easy session.
Kamogawa wasted no time and pointed at Ippo. "Let's begin with you."
Alex and Takamura were about to ask what they needed to do, but Kamogawa cut them off. "You two, warm up first."
They nodded and began stretching, while Coach Shinoda pulled Aoki and Kimura aside.
Shinoda placed a hand on Aoki's shoulder. "In every one of your fights, you've had a major weakness."
Kimura smirked. "His glass chin."
Shinoda nodded. "That's right. We can't train your chin, but we can improve your power and reflexes."
Aoki clenched his fists and nodded. "I'll do whatever it takes to win the JBC title."
Kimura grinned. "Me too."
Meanwhile, Kamogawa led Ippo toward a rope tied horizontally between two trees.
"See this rope?" Kamogawa asked.
Ippo nodded.
"Move forward and weave side to side under it."
"Fast or slow?" Ippo asked.
"Slow for now." Kamogawa's voice was firm. "Once you master it, then do it faster. This is to improve your head movement—you've been getting hit too much in your fights."
Ippo took a deep breath and began weaving left and right while walking forward.
"Rhythm, Ippo! Rhythm!" Kamogawa barked. "Don't rush!"
Ippo adjusted his movements, focusing on finding a steady rhythm.
Kamogawa then turned to Alex and Takamura, who had just finished stretching.
"Both of you, stop."
They immediately straightened up.
Kamogawa pointed toward a pile of large, heavy tires. "Alex—go over there and start rolling those tires up and down. It'll train your lower back, force you to drive your hips forward, and improve your explosiveness. You're already fast, but you need to be even faster and more powerful at the same time."
Alex nodded. "Yes, Coach!" He made his way to the tires and began rolling one up, feeling the weight strain his muscles.
Kamogawa then turned to Takamura. "You—do the same. It'll help increase your speed."
Takamura smirked. "Fine by me." He grabbed a tire and started rolling it effortlessly.
On the other side of the training area, Coach Shinoda was instructing Aoki and Kimura.
"Kimura, you need to strengthen your legs—so you'll be doing weighted squats."
Kimura nodded and positioned himself under a barbell with weights, lowering himself into a squat.
Shinoda then looked at Aoki. "Aoki, stop what you're doing and switch to jumping weighted squats."
"Jumping squats?" Aoki groaned.
"Yes, with a weighted vest."
Both Aoki and Kimura were handed heavy vests to wear. They strapped them on and began their respective exercises, sweat already forming on their brows.