Strong Ishijima slammed his emptied beer mug onto the table. Was it helping? He couldn't tell. Most of his feeling had numbed, but there was still this gnawing dissatisfaction...
Sakaki Yuya. He'd lost to the son of a coward. Out of nowhere that boy pulled a combo that should've been impossible. He crippled Ishijima's ace, shut down all possible counters, then defeated him in one blow. Ishijima supposed he should be grateful to have lost to such a great finishing move...but it stung all the same.
The fallout from the match was going to hurt. He couldn't very well be called "champion" anymore. There'd need to be a playoff tournament. He'd definitely lose some sponsors...maybe even have to step down as LDS' spokesperson.
It didn't matter! He was still the best around, and he'd prove it! He'd climb to the top all over again if he had to. He'd rematch Yuya too, and win. He was Strong Ishijima. And if his best wasn't good enough, he'd just become stronger.