Chapter 849: The New Battlefield
Roy studies Liam in silence for a few moments. The exhausted smile, the vacant eyes, and the lingering confusion behind them leave little room for doubt. There is no exaggeration in what Liam has just admitted.
But before Roy can say anything in reply, the sound of the door opening draws his attention. He turns and finds Patrick Doyle walking into the room alongside Adrian Cross, accompanied by a plainclothes officer from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police.
"Oh," Doyle says with a smile. "Looks like we’ve got an important visitor. How are you, Roy? Been here long?"
"Not really," Roy replies. "I came to watch your fight. My family’s here with me too, so we’re making a little vacation out of it."
"You brought the family too, huh?"
Doyle chuckles before walking over to Liam’s bedside.
"How are you feeling?"
"Better," Liam answers.
"The doctors still want to keep him here for at least another four days," the assistant coach adds.
Adrian Cross suddenly speaks up. "By the way. Someone from Ronin Fight Management called us earlier. Said they’ve already transferred your purse."
Liam’s expression changes immediately before he turns to the assistant coach.
"Where’s my phone?"
The assistant coach quickly retrieves Liam’s bag and hands it over. Liam wastes no time pulling out his smartphone.
A notification is already waiting on the screen; incoming Transfer — USD 1,000,000.00
For a brief moment, he simply stares at the screen before a quiet smile slowly spreads across his battered face.
"Well..." he says with a soft chuckle. "I may have lost the fight... but I guess I just earned my first one-million-dollar purse."
Roy’s eyebrows rise. "One million dollars?"
"Fixed purse," Liam replies.
Roy looks genuinely surprised. "A fixed purse of one million?"
"That’s how they do business," Adrian Cross explains. "Fixed purse for fighters, no complicated uncertain numbers. The contracts were straightforward, the facilities were first-class, and now they’ve wired the money less than twenty-four hours after the fight."
He shakes his head with an appreciative smile. "I’ve worked with a lot of promoters. Honestly... I don’t think I’ve ever seen a promotion settle a seven-figure purse this quickly."
Roy listens in quiet amazement, still digesting what he has just heard, until Doyle clears his throat and gently breaks the silence.
"Liam," he begins, "there’s something I need you to understand. Adrian and I have to leave Japan as soon as possible. You’ll probably have to stay here with the rest of the staff for a few more days."
Liam raises an eyebrow. "So that’s it? The money hits my account, and now you’re just leaving me here?"
"Can’t be helped," Cross replies with a shrug. "There’s already an uproar."
"Something happen back home?" the assistant coach asks.
"Not in Canada," Cross answers.
Doyle takes over. "It’s Hugo Ramirez. The FBI arrested him, and the Japanese authorities are already working to have him extradited to stand trial here."
Neither Liam nor the assistant coach shows much reaction. If anything, they simply exchange a brief glance, as though the news confirms something they had already expected.
Roy, however, visibly stiffens. His mind immediately connects the conspiracy theories and criminal allegations that had surrounded Liam’s camp ever since Ryoma’s near-fatal accident.
"Wait..." he says. "Does this have anything to do with the recent incident that nearly killed Ryoma Takeda?"
Doyle gives a solemn nod. "We believe he’s also the mastermind behind what happened in Manila. But the latest attack took place in Tokyo, the two men involved were arrested here, and they’ve already confessed. That gives the Japanese authorities a much stronger case to request Ramirez’s extradition."
"And Ramirez won’t just accept that quietly," Cross adds. "He’s going to fight every step of the process. There’ll be a hearing in the United States before any extradition happens, and both of us have been asked to testify."
Doyle turns back toward Liam. "That’s why we have to return to Canada first. After that, we’ll head straight to the U.S."
"Hold on," Roy says, unable to hide his confusion. "I know people have been pointing fingers at your camp all this time, but do you really have to involve yourselves this deeply? We’re talking about Hugo Ramirez."
A bitter smile slowly appears on Doyle’s face. "The day I accepted Ryoma’s offer, I already knew this was where it would lead."
He pauses for a moment before meeting Roy’s eyes. "I made my decision back then. We’re at war with Hugo Ramirez... and everyone standing behind him."
***
Meanwhile, the same morning...
Logan Rhodes sits alone at the breakfast table, leisurely enjoying his morning coffee while scrolling through the latest headlines on his smartphone. Every major American outlet seems to be covering the same story.
HUGO RAMIREZ ARRESTED BY FBI IN PUERTO RICO
Logan quietly reads through the article, his expression barely changing. His attention is only interrupted when the sound of a car pulling into the front yard.
A moment later, one of the household staff appears from the hallway.
"Sir, Mr. Jackson is here."
Logan simply gives a nod.
Not long afterward, Jackson Rhodes walks into the dining room, dressed in a neatly tailored navy business suit, looking every bit the accomplished executive.
"Well, this is unusual," he says casually. "You’re still at home at this hour. Or have you completely stopped caring about NSN Tokyo?"
Logan calmly takes another sip before setting his cup back onto its saucer.
"I’ve entrusted it to Reika."
Jackson raises an eyebrow. "You mean Maria, right?"
Without waiting for an invitation, he pulls out a chair across the table and sits down as though he owns the place.
Before either of them can continue, Logan’s wife emerges from the kitchen. She pauses for a moment, pleasantly surprised.
"Oh, Jackson." She smiles warmly. "Since when were you in Japan? Have you had breakfast yet?"
Instead of answering in English, Jackson replies in fluent Japanese. "Good morning, Yuri-san. You’re looking wonderful today."
Yuri blinks in surprise before breaking into a delighted smile. "My, your Japanese has improved so much."
She tilts her head playfully. "So, are you finally thinking about finding yourself a Japanese wife, just like your father?"
Jackson chuckles. "Japanese women have always interested me. But finding someone as kind and loyal as you, Yuri-san... that would be nearly impossible."
Yuri laughs softly behind her hand as she continues toward the living room. "You’re such a charmer. I’m sure there are already plenty of women hopelessly in love with you."
Jackson gives a small shake of his head before looking back at his father, who remains quietly scrolling through the news on his phone.
"Is it really that difficult for you to call her Mom?" Logan asks without taking his eyes off the screen.
Jackson lets out an amused laugh. "Come on. Just because I complimented her doesn’t mean I’m looking at her as a woman."
He leans back comfortably in his chair. "I still have some morals, you know. Besides, I only have one mother. That doesn’t mean I dislike your wife."
Logan doesn’t bother responding. Instead, he simply changes the subject entirely.
"When are you flying back to the States?"
"Tomorrow, probably." Jackson shrugs. "Why?"
Logan finally looks up at his son, putting his phone on the table.
"I’m sure you’ve already heard about Ramirez."
"I have."
"Then you also know Cabello can’t avoid Ryoma anymore. With Ramirez out of the picture, a purse bid is almost inevitable."
Jackson nods. "I got a call earlier. They want a meeting."
"Of course they do." Logan’s expression remains unreadable. "They’re going to ask you to join them in the purse bid. They want every major promoter pulling in the same direction to make sure the fight ends up in Las Vegas."
"And?"
"I want you to turn them down."
Jackson studies his father for a moment before asking, "Why? Planning to bid yourself?"
"I have no objection if you enter the purse bid," Logan replies calmly. "Just don’t enter it with them. Ramirez is already in custody. The authorities won’t stop there. They’ll start following the money, the communications, the favors... and eventually the people around him."
His eyes remain fixed on Jackson. "The last thing you need right now is to be seen standing on the same side as men who may become the next targets of the investigation."
