Kamogawa Boxing Gym
H-Hey, that's...
That's Volg Zangief!
He's back in Japan?
I know, I couldn't believe it.
Even after all that time out of the ring, he's as sharp as ever.
Hello, gentlemen.
Nice to meet you all.
Likewise.
You're free to train here as much as you like.
I'll introduce you to a good friend of mine in America,
once I get a hold of him.
Until then, you're welcome to work up all the sweat you like here.
Thank you very much.
A Savage Scenario
We'll definitely ask Volg tomorrow.
He couldn't dream of a
better sparring partner to help him prep for Sawamura!
He's got the skills and the drive; he'll be perfect!
I don't like it.
Nothing against him, but Volg-san's an outsider!
I think Senpai should only be
getting help from the people in our gym.
That's understandable...
Don't be so sentimental.
Do you want Ippo to win or not?!
Those two really have some power, huh?
He's still not stopping?
Guess that's the difference between staying active and
coming out of retirement...
Just deal with it, Itagaki.
Remember, this is for Ippo.
H-Hello.
What're you doing, Volg?!
Cleaning!
He said to polish it until it sparkled.
Polish it?
Who told him that?
Team Aoki!
They took off.
You guys!
How could you make a guest do that?
W-We thought he was a newbie—
You morons, he's gone toe-to-toe with Makunouchi-senpai!
The man deserves respect, not—
Easy, easy.
They didn't mean anything by it.
That's not the problem!
Deserves respect, huh?
H-Here.
My Dempsey Roll counter-strategy.
Please... help Senpai however you can!
We're asking, too.
Mind sparring with him?
It was obvious to me earlier...
I've lost the stamina I had when I was active.
I'm not even sure I could last a full round now.
Then just help for one round!
You think that would help Makunouchi?
You're the only one who can!
Think it over, okay?
Makunouchi is strong.
In my current state, I'll be useless, but...
But his friends are so concerned.
Plus, Makunouchi's getting nervous.
Makunochi Fishing Boat
Why are they all so...
Sawamura... Is he truly a threat to Makunouchi?
Makunouchi Fishing Boat
Hello! We're home!
Welcome back!
Huh?
Sawamura...
Forget being a threat to Makunouchi...
He's the worst possible match for him!
I just need to get back enough stamina to last three rounds,
so I can do what's in these notes.
This is the savage scenario Sawamura's after!
The Dempsey Roll will be powerless against him.
He'll bury the technique, and Makunouchi along with it!
So I...
I will... bury him first!
What? Volg's leaving already?
Yup.
He's got a place to stay in America now.
It's with a friend of the coach, Hama Dankichi-san.
He's a world-class trainer. I'm sure Volg-san can't wait to go.
This whole week, he's been exercising 24/7.
He's training like a boxer right before a match.
Volg-san!
Mother Makunouchi.
I came to let you know dinner's ready.
Thank you.
Ippo tells me you're leaving for America?
I really appreciate your letting me stay so long.
Not at all.
Will you be okay in America by yourself?
Can you handle English?
I'll be fine.
More than anything, I'm grateful to Makunouchi and Coach Kamogawa.
They got me set up in America so quickly!
Well, best of luck, Volg-san.
Now let's go home and have some dinner!
Right!
Come, Wanpo.
We'll miss him. Won't we, Wanpo?
Yes... I need to leave soon.
This country is too warm, too comfortable.
Oh, there you are!
You came to get him for dinner, too?
Umezawa-kun said he's about to starve to death.
We can't have that!
Let's sprint back!
I'll show you!
I've been training all week, but I'm still out of shape.
Still, time's up. It's now or never.
I'll repay your kindness by showing you Sawamura's scenario!
Makunouchi Fishing Boat
I win!
Do me a favor... Makunouchi...
A favor? Me?
Volg-san?
I wondered why they called us all here at the crack of dawn!
So Volg agreed to spar with him, after all.
The anti-Dempsey...
He leaves for America today.
This is his farewell gift, huh?
If that were it, he wouldn't look so bloodthirsty.
Looks like it's coming back to him...
The old boxer instinct that makes him hunger for a strong opponent.
Let's get started.
He's fast!
The White Fang?!
Wait, this is like an actual fight!
The Gazelle Punch!
Ippo's not holding back, either.
The third round... I thought so.
The longer this goes on, the more my lack of stamina hurts...
I can't stand up to Makunouchi's power any longer.
Volg-san...
He swings from blind spot to blind spot,
using the momentum to throw a storm of heavy blows.
Th-This is the Dempsey Roll?!
The anti-Dempsey—
There's no way in hell!
The man's out of energy. He's hanging by a thread!
His guard!
Holy crap! He's gonna get wasted!
Stop it, Ippo!
He's back in my blind spot.
Right there!
There you are!
That right hook's in plain sight, Makunouchi!
He's caught up in the momentum. The kid can't stop!
This is the scenario Sawamura wants!
Ippo!
Oh man, he's foaming at the mouth!
Senpai!
Don't move him! Bring us a wet towel!
We couldn't ask for a better parting gift.
Thank you.
I believe Makunouchi will overcome this.
Clawing your way to the top in America is gonna be tough.
Better be ready.
On behalf of Ippo, we all thank you.
Thanks a million!
Good luck!
See you later.
Makunouchi Fishing Boat
Mother Makunouchi, I can't thank you enough.
Take these with you.
Good luck charms for safety, health, and success.
There.
I have one last favor to ask.
Oh? Sure, anything.
Удачи тебе Сынок.
Can you say that for me?
Wh-What was that?
I don't quite understand, but...
Udahchi tibe sinok...
Was that okay?
Volg-san?
Спасибо, мать.
So what was that last thing you said?
It was Russian, right?
Um... In Japan, it's what you'd call a charm to wish someone well.
"I pray for your success, my son."
"Thank you, Mother."
Too bad Ippo couldn't come to see you off.
It's all right. We said our goodbyes earlier.
Frankly, though...
There's no need for farewells this time.
I know I'll see him again, no matter how far I travel.
As long as we keep boxing, someday!
I'll tell Ippo you said that!
Must've been quite a shock.
It was even worse than I expected.
I was taken aback, too.
That's it for the Dempsey Roll, I guess...
Yeah, but there's one more fact...
that might shock you.
One more?
A counter could hit back with twice the force of the Dempsey Roll.
Volg understood the meaning behind that theory,
and being the softie he is,
chose to stop at matching the timing and the punch.
Stop at matching...?
He pulled that punch.
You got knocked unconscious by a fist thrown out of sympathy!
Sawamura has no sympathy for you.
He'll follow through without a moment's hesitation.
What do you think will happen then?
It doesn't matter if your technique is killed.
If you're knocked unconscious, we can start over after you wake up.
But if, by some freak tragedy,
you don't wake up this time...
Is Senpai still up on the roof?
He's gotta be shocked.
The guy just learned exactly how he's gonna lose his title.
Maybe it would've been better if he hadn't.
How's he supposed to get motivated to fight
when he knows he's marching to his death?
Too late to back out now.
Senpai won't back out!
He won't let it end here!
Volg-san came to help because he knew Senpai felt that way!
Well...
I guess...
But can he live up to those expectations?
That'll be tough for Ippo.
It's a parting gift that may be too heavy for him to carry.
Kid?
I'll just do everything I can!
Even if I'm nervous,
I'll do whatever training I can to get over it.
If nothing else, there won't be anything I neglected!
Eventually I'll find a new source of hope!
Hope, in this situation?
Yes!
Now that I know what can beat me,
forming a counter-strategy should be easy!
Otherwise, all of Volg's desperate effort will have gone to waste.
Exactly!
He's bluffing. It's all he can do to keep that façade from cracking.
But he has to, or the fear will consume him in a heartbeat.
There is a way...
But I can't tell him.
Even your massive lower body would end up screaming from the pain.
My way demands that the joints work beyond man's range of motion.
A punch that chips away at the length of your boxing career...
With so much of your potential untapped,
I'm not sure if I should tell you.
This is no time to hesitate,
but I can't make this decision lightly.
It's kinda lonely now that Volg's gone, huh?
Yeah.
He looked ready to get going, though.
Like, really confident.
Plus, he said he was sure you guys would meet again.
I bet he meant as fellow world champions!
Fellow world champions?
I'm sure he can make it, but that's way out of my league.
If you keep winning, it'll happen eventually!
And on that note, you'd better kick butt at this title defense.
I want to win.
I really do. But...
Right now, there's no chance.
It might be impossible.
The feeling won't go away, no matter how much I run.
All I can think about is losing.
I've been dragging these tires around forever.
I know building up my legs and hips is crucial, but...
How is it going to help?!
Don't doubt him!
Every exercise the coach has ever given me has always had a point!
Still...
I got knocked unconscious with one punch.
Every counter-puncher out there can do that?
All they have to do is figure out the rhythm?
The rhythm's easy to read.
Then I...
I just need to change the rhythm!
The momentum is so strong, reversing it suddenly
puts a huge strain on my legs and back.
But this is it!
This must be what the coach wanted me to realize!
If I can train my lower body to handle that strain...
Clumsy techniques tend to fall apart in the ugliest ways.
You can decide if it's clumsy or not on fight night.
But in exchange...
You're not going to get quite the same Dempsey Roll you're expecting!
I finally see how to evolve the Dempsey Roll!
The Face of Determination