5 - The start of the journey

"Muahaha you can't reach me idiots" Takamura was sprinting, but I saw he was trying to give us a chance, he jogged every one in a while, let us catch him and sprint once again, he... he was being an asshole, but well he is Takamura, I'll still try to... damn I can't think... this is hard...

I shouted "Ippo are you there?"

"yes" he said weakly

This was not the best idea... I ran and keep running...

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Takamura POV

'heh, both of them have some potential, But I'll still get a full two weeks of food, not that I need the money but muahaha idiots for trying to keep with me'

Still both of them are something, the taller guy has this feeling, he seems to be like me, but the short one, I don't see him as a boxer, he needs a lot of work if he really wants to practice I would help, but going pro is useless, the other one can be a good punching bag, I could teach him one or two things. 

I saw him fighting the three thugs, those weren't amateur movements, the kid knows his stuff, a little rough but he knows, I bet the old man will be happy to have him, the short one can get some confidence with all that.

Ops we're near the place, heh... damn the got me, but still I won't let them win it all.

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"Daaaaaah" Takamura increased his speed and sprinted he left us in the dust.

"I won't let him, COME ON IPPO" I gritted my teeth and increased my pace too, Ippo also increased his speed, and his last sprint was amazing, he overcame me for some seconds, but he lagged behind, we both turned the corner and Takamura was at the door of the Gym.

Kamogawa's I smiled when we reached the gym.

*Pant *Pant *Pant "I... we..." Damn this was hard I swallowed and tried again.

"We did it... we reached the finish line we won"

"You won my ass, I reached first"

Ippo reached at this time and he collapsed into his knees.

"The... the bet was to reach the finish line at le.... at least one of us had to reach and we just both did it"

"Damn... Still I won the race you will be paying for my meals for two weeks"

'Damn you Takamura...' I thought but then an idea formed

"Three days, we will pay for your meal for three days, but you have to recomend us to the coach"

"Heh! look at you trying to bargain with me, One Week"

"Four Days and I'll be your sparring parter for 1 week"

"Deal"

"WHAT'S THIS DEAL YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT" 

"Damn the old man run" Takamura was starting to run but was held by a Cane to his neck "Bleh"

I stood up straight and gave a 90° Salute "Tsuyoshi Sora humbly request to be part of this gym Kamogawa-senshu"

"ah... ah..." in the floor Ippo was panicking but he stood up too and copied me "Makunouchi Ippo here too, to be part of this gym Kamogawa-senshu"... 'huh?'

Ippo made a confused look at the end, hehe I guess I made him enter without his intend.

"New recruits... What's this about Takamura"

"Damn... I made a bet to test if both of them has the bulding to become a boxer, I saw him fight three thugs in the river bank, and the taller one defetaed them without even giving a hit to them, then I intervened because it looked fu... because I was concerned to their safety, but he recognize my greatness and he made the bet if they keep with my roadwork, let me tell you right now old man, I was not pulling my punches they completed the circuit with me doing my best" Takamura folded his hands and went inside the Gym.

"I will test both of you, I'm impressed that you didn't hit them, that speaks good in my book, come inside"

"Let's go Ippo" I smiled at him.

I know I was pushing the issue into Ippo, but If I don't intervene we won't have the Wind God anymore, also his punching power is a waste if he doesn't enter the gym.

"Ye-yeah" he looked at me and with a resigned face entered with me. "Tsuyoshi-kun I don't think I can do this, I'm not a fighter person"

"hahah I know, but a fighter is not born, a Fighter is made"

Kamogawa turned around and look at me "You can't disregard the talent, look at Takamura, he has the talent, the height, the drive, he's a monster and he can reach the national belt easily"

"I don't look down on talent coach, but Talent without work is useless, and Work without talent can still let you reach far, but... Talent and work is the formula for history greatness don't you think?"

"I like you kid, I hope you're not only talk" He smiled at me, "Now put this wraps, let me help you, HEY AOKI come here"

"Yo! Coach did you called me" A short haired guy came over, he was a little bit smaller than me, and had a great build on his body.

"Teach them to wrap their wrist and hands"

Aoki was very patient with Ippo, he made one hand and then Ippo with his indication made the second hand, I was watching them inmersed in the teaching when I felt a touch in the shoulder.

"Did someone teach you this?" I looked at my wraped hands.

"Uh yeah I saw some videos and"

"It's wrong"

"Yeah I can... huh?"

"I repeat it's wrong, look at how your thumb is not protected also, the pinky is wraped too tight you would damage your hand with this kind of thing, forget whatever you teached yourself and let me teach you properly"

I was stupefied, did my other coach was not teaching me properly?, Of course he was not teaching me properly, he only wanted a boxer he could destroy... Damn that man,... I tried to calm myself to not let Kamogawa see my change, but he was looking at my hands and he start to teach me the correct wrapping method.

"And there you go, how do you feel"

"I feel... I do feel diferent, my hands can move freely, and it doesn't hurt when I make a fist"

"I'll fix all your mistakes kid, now put your gloves and come to the punching bag"

I grabbed two gloves that were in the wall, and give two blue ones to Ippo.

"Let's go partner"

"Pa-partnet" Ippo blushed at the mention of this, his lack of friends can make him so emotional.

We reached the punching bags, the sound some of the people that were training was amazing, coach came and let the dude that was there finish his routine and ask him to move, some of the people inside the gym came to see what was happening.

"Great an audience" I smiled at them

'Great an audience...' Ippo mentally thought about not embarrass himself.

"First of all, the jab and the straight, Jab is a technique that lets you keep the opponent at bay, to see the distance, and reach, it disorient the opponent and lets you keep the pace of the fight, you have to put your guard up and open slighly your hand to reach faster, your shoulder shouldn't move so you must not turn your wrist because that is another punch, and you will be slower"

"Then the straight is a punch, that let you destroy a guard, to push your oponnet and put some damage into them, for that you have to turn your hips and with the shoulder make a movement like this, to reach the opponent"

"Coach, and what about a stepping straight"

"That's a slighly advance technique"

'I know but that was the punch that Takamura teach Ippo, I need the coach to see that kind of punch' I mentally hoped that the coach will demostrate.

"For that one, you must give your hips a longer twist, your hand needs to twist, grit your teeth and punch with the strength of your back, hips, legs and butt"

"Can you elaborate? pleaseeee"

"Heh! Ok Kid, look at this"

The coach put his guard up, and with a step in, he raised the hand faster than I imagined and the punching bag went almost to the ceiling, Damn Kamogawa's has a devastating punch.

Woaaaa* The coach is amazing* Is that our coach* Woah*

"Tsuyoshi-kun the coach is amazing right?"

"Heh!, Of course he is amazing, I firmly believe that if he could be a world Champion if not for the war"

Kamogawa lifted his hat that fell to the floor and gave me a smile, "flattery won't let you win over me"

"Ippo you go first"

"Wha??? no tsuyoshi-kun please", 'Does all of this is to make me feel bad, is he really trying to be my friend?'

"Ippo I trust in that massive body you have, come one, go for the stepping straight"

Ippo went in front of the bag and put himself into position.

"Kid, that technique is hard, don't let it get into you if you do-" BAAAAAAAAM

The bag went into the ceiling and came crashing down.

HOLY* DAMN* That kid has a punch* OMG* Is it stronger than the coach* Takamura two, we have a second takamura*

The eyes of the coach went full open, he looked at Ippo as if he was a Gem, and in his mind something was repeating. 'I want him on my Gym'

I smiled, of course Ippo has that much strength 'BING' "huh? what was that?"

"My Turn!" I said and everyone looked at me.

I went in front of the punching bag and started my footwork, they didn't called me "The sky above the sky" for nothing, I gave my finishing combo.

With my left leg in front I gave 10 fast jabs, I dodged an imaginary punch, and twist my body into a hook with the right, at the same time my left gave another hook and both of them impacted almost at the same time, I gave a step in to the left of the bag and throw a finisher smash with my right into the center of the bag, where it should be the mouth of my opponent, to not let it down, I gave three fast kidney punches and made a step out, I waited 2 seconds and went into the bag with a wide stance, to give straight punches to the bag one after the other, I stopped the count at 7 and continue for a bit more, when I felt my body cry for pain and air.

All of that happened in the span of 9 to 12 seconds.

"Heh, haha, HAHAHAHA, Takamura Where did you tell me you find this two Diamonds?"

"You like them Old man"

"Do I like them, they're going to be my next project, Both of you are officially into the gym, but this is not charity you know that right? I will be taking the monthly cost out of your prize money, I feel is wrong to ask, but do you guys want to go Pro?"

"I DO COACH, PLEASE LET ME YOUR GUIDANCE" I shouted with a smile in my face.

"I- I DO TOO I WANT TO SEE IT" Ippo shouted higher than me, almost everyone included me, put our hands into our ears.

The coach smacked Ippo in the head "You almost gave me a Heart Attack!, I like you kiddo, your strength is amazing, but to be a boxer you need more that brute strength, I want you both tomorrow at 4 with sports gear, don't worry about money right now"

"Yes" We both said.

"Hey Ippo lets go, I still want to see the fishing business"

We grabbed our bags and left the gym jogging because it was a little late.

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Kamogawa POV

"Coach you can't give free memberships" 

"Shut up Yagi, they're students, and both of them looked for me specifically, I know at least one of them won't let me down"

Yagi gave a long sighed but made a smile. "I didn't saw them, are they good?"

"Sora is the taller one, he gave a good combination, all of the hits were into vital places, that punch to the side was great, also he waited to see if his oponent came after him, and made a wide stance to keep it firm to smash him"

"Huh? did he fight someone here?"

"No... but I saw his opponent, his shadow work is amazing, still he needs guidance all of that combo has a strain on the back muscles, it is amazing, but training that constantly will make him in the worst case paralized and in the best case a back strain"

"That bad..."

"I don't know where he saw that but my guess is that he trained himself"

"And the other kid"

"You can see him tomorrow, but his eyes, and his punching power, the kid doesn't have any confidence in him, but I will crack his shell"

"I'm glad you're happy"

Kamogawa and Yagi keep on talking with a grin in their faces.

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I hope you guys like how I introduced Ippo into the Gym, and it doesn't differe a lot into the Canon, Also, Should I make Sora Into Junior Lightweight (58.97 kg) or Lightweight (61.23 kg).

Sora is right now 1.72 cm and will be 1.77 just like mashiba.