MITSUNARI TOKUGAWA
RESILIENCE
This is the critical juncture.
Will you undergo treatment
or will you allow the illness to progress without resistance?
This will be the final chance to make that choice.
You must make a choice, Mr. Tokugawa.
It goes without saying,
there is no choice.
I walk the path of no regrets.
There is no other path on which to walk.
It is the same with you.
Isn't it, Doctor?
Chiharu Shiba?
Baki Hanma, don't say a thing and just fight me.
What?
Sorry this is so sudden, Baki.
But why?
Does there need to be a reason?
Well, I mean...
This is unbelievably abrupt, Shiba.
We've got no reason to fight.
Fight Baki.
You want me to?
Why would he fight someone like me?
Chiharu Shiba, do you need a reason?
Well, well, well...
You're an extraordinary fighter,
the world's strongest young man.
Yet you're quite a softie.
Chiharu, that was the last time
that when you strike I'll counterattack without hurting you.
There won't be a next time.
Who the fuck asked you
to hold back?!
Man...
He's freakin' strong. He truly is the real deal.
I really have no idea just how huge the difference is between us.
Chiharu Shiba... Why?
How come you're fighting me now?
Fight Baki.
Because you're perfectly suited for this.
His nickname's "Smoking."
He follows you like smoke.
He coils around you like smoke.
He has never once retreated in past matches.
He's the man closest to obtaining the title.
Joe Cruiser, age 36.
He's your next opponent.
He's an oldster. He won't be any trouble at all.
After winning the Golden Gloves as an amateur, he turned pro.
He won some and lost some
as he built his career and climbed into the top ranks.
When he heard about the fight money, he jumped at the chance.
He's an attractive opponent since he lacks talent.
Feel free to announce that you'll KO him.
So, that's what Kaiser said?
That he's an attractive opponent since he's got no talent.
Golden Gloves winner and top-ranked pro Joe Cruiser has no talent, huh?
And you believed that?
That's right. He has no talent.
Hey!
He has a good look.
You don't mean that he's handsome, right?
It's not a face that can be created in a day.
Meager skills.
Short stature.
Even so, he staunchly refuses to give in to despair
and has overcome deadly hurdles.
His appearance alone conveys that.
His career has not been ordinary.
Actually, I'm a fan of his as well.
When I was visiting China, I heard rumors about you.
You're famous.
But I'm quite certain
I'm not one-thousandth as famous as you are.
I've come here to stop you.
You mean my fight with Joe Cruiser?
It's not that I wouldn't like to see kung fu given a real scare by boxing
but I am friendly with the Hanma family.
Are you saying I wouldn't win?
What is his nickname?
Smoking.
Boxers have all kinds of nicknames.
However, one thing is very clear.
Boxers are always less than their description.
It was the same with me.
"Phantom."
Though my punch was said to be phantom-like,
it could be seen clearly in slow motion.
But he's different.
Smoking... Have you ever fought smoke?
I have neglected to.
Imagine this.
Smoke that attacks.
The 4,000 years of Chinese skill striking at it.
Before long, you'll be surrounded by the smoke.
Then you'll be punched for sure.
And most likely, by the world's strongest left hook.
"I don't mind!"
That's a favorite saying of yours, isn't it?
That may be so.
Then?
I don't mind in the least!
Why?
Why do I feel intimidated by this small heavyweight?
He's 180 cm, 92 kilos.
That size isn't anything special even for Asians.
Even so, there's something else.
An overwhelming presence.
His physical... No.
The depth of his very character is on a completely different level.
Retsu, how about it? How does he look to you?
Did he look big to you, or...
He's 180 cm, 92 kilos. Just like the data says.
No larger, no smaller.
An attractive opponent, huh?
He couldn't be more so.
Though a part of me would like to see your brains get knocked out,
I'd also like to thank you for giving me the honor of being in the corner
facing off against Smoking Joe.
Make sure you come back alive!
What is this?
What is with these punches?
I can see them.
I can see all his attacks.
I'm defending against all his attacks.
But still,
deep in my body, deep in my organs,
there's lingering damage!
Inside those round,
soft gloves that appear almost gentle...
Inside those thick, limber muscles,
It's as if there are sharp blades hidden within them.
I blundered...
I'm certain it hit.
A right punch. I felt the contact.
He hit me at the same time.
Probably with a left hook.
Gloves...
When I was in training
I used them many times.
But this weight and sharpness is a first.
Though they lack the hardness and the sharpness of bare fists,
because of the extra weight of the gloves,
the damage to the brain is clearly far greater than with bare fists.
It's as if my head is being shaken by the hand of a giant.
Even the damage from Baki's fists didn't feel like this.
Even Pickle's fists didn't feel like this.
The gloves... Those things called gloves.
Those tools called gloves...
Tools...
This... originality!
Retsu.
Okay?
I see. That's what it is.
These guys...
The strength of the top-class boxers is...
Fight!
The fact that they're proficient in the use of their tool, their gloves!
Muscle tension is released to underline the weight of the gloves.
Then the liver shot.
With the flicker jab as well,
the glove is turned into a weapon.
How incredible.
I've just realized it!
Boxing started with bare-knuckle fighting,
but to transform it into a safe and wholesome sport,
in 1865, Queensberry's idea for glove rules was incorporated.
It's now been 150 years since then.
After years of trial and error, at last,
gloves were successfully turned into weapons!
I failed to see it.
Due to their gentle, soft appearance,
their tender feel,
I had overlooked the vicious will behind them.
But what do I do about it?
I've realized a lot of things, but
the reality is that I'm taking damage!
Baki.
Don't say a thing, and please fight me.
Okay, I will.
The hell I'm gonna do that, Chiharu.
What the heck's gotten into you?
Earlier, I just went with the flow and fought, but it won't happen again.
Does Baki Hanma need--
Yeah, that's right. I need a reason.
Come on, man, why do you want to fight me so badly?
Practice for brawls?
Yeah, I guess you could call it practice.
But it's practice for you.
For me?
That's right, for you.
So, shall we begin?
Whoa, hold on. Hold on there!
That's not like you.
Well, you ain't acting like anyone I know!
Starting a fight as soon as we meet.
From this point on...
He's gonna fight? Seriously?!
...we'll talk with our fists!
Yeah, this guy really is gonna fight.
Chiharu, I appreciate that you volunteered to be my practice partner.
But you're so damn weak, man.
I won't fight you again.
Get outta here when you wake up.
Holy shit. He hasn't given up at all.
He's already getting ready.
He's hopeless.
With guys like that, you've gotta really teach 'em a lesson.
Oh, he's moving.
He's moving toward the front door.
I should hear him putting on his shoes soon.
He's here!
What was that sound just now?
That jerk didn't even bother to put on his shoes properly!
Doesn't he know the disadvantage of wearing shoes with the backs crushed?`
You've got only one-tenth of the power!
You're such an idiot.
That was awesome.
That wasn't the punch of a novice.
Hey there.
Apologies for wearing my shoes inside, but we're in a fight.
He's also really strong.
I'll fix your front door later.
What the hell is this anyway?!
He's a novice with no technique
but he's got a lot...
He's got a lot of fighting power, enough to match his fighting spirit!
This is...
Put differently, this is
his fighting spirit's own fighting power!
Thank you. I understand the theme now.
I have stopped.
The scenery is melting.
Everything except me is melting. Even my opponent.
He's coming at me even though he's melted.
However,
this melted scenery...
Okay?
It's not my first time.
BAILIN TEMPLE
Retsu, you cannot avoid this. Don't move.
Can you hear me?
Effective, isn't it?
You can't even see me properly.
Stand up.
This is tofu.
Soaking in water, it closely resembles the relationship
between the human brain and skull.
With the application of external impact, it is quite easily destroyed.
This is what the inside of your skull was like earlier.
You have mastered defenses.
However, your defense could fail and you'll be struck.
As a consequence of lax training,
one day you may be struck with a full-force punch.
In that case, what will you do?
Do like this.
The damage I've taken... I can't take anymore!
The tofu is jiggling in the bowl.
Until this jiggling stops,
I cannot allow him to hit me with his next punch.
He's changed his form.
Retsu! Don't stand there! Circle around!
It doesn't matter.
No matter how he changes,
Smoking will just keep on following.
Circle around!
Smoking will just coil around you!
He... spun around.
Good. This is working. I'm recovering.
Well, he's really spinning around
very nicely.
I knew that.
I already knew that you're a very talented fighter.
But it doesn't change anything.
I cannot change.
This is all I know!
Advance, chase, and coil around you.
This is all I know!