Elliot steps in again behind the familiar pendulum rhythm, swaying lightly before suddenly settling at close range.
Then three compact punches fire straight through the middle in quick succession.
Shimamura absorbs the first two cleanly on his gloves…
Dug. Dug.
…before stepping backward to evade the third.
But this time, the movement no longer looks loose or drunken. His rear foot pivots sharply. Then he slides outside with smooth balanced footwork before stepping back in immediately behind a ducking head movement.
Then he fires a sharp one-two in the middle. Elliot reads both punches well enough to block them cleanly.
Dug. Dug.
But then the third strike comes, faster and sharper. Shimamura's torso bends fluidly instead of swaying awkwardly, and a compact lead hook snaps into Elliot's side.
Thud!
Elliot immediately chops a left hand downward in response. But Shimamura has already pulled himself back outside the impact line before the punch fully arrives.
Zrrf!
