Never Expected

But compared to Muneyoshi's gradual weakening, Tezuka's expression was equally grim.

This was the first time since his return from Germany.

The first time he had felt a threat from someone his own age.

It was the kind of threat where, if he let his guard down even slightly, he would be caught up to and then crushed.

Yet as the match continued, the threat emanating from Muneyoshi grew weaker and weaker.

Tezuka knew that the aftereffects of his earlier explosive burst of strength had begun to surface.

Still, Tezuka did not underestimate him in the slightest, because of the unwavering resolve radiating from Saeki Muneyoshi.

He could feel it!

"Is this your resolve... Saeki?"

With his eyelids lowered, Tezuka's hawk-like gaze trembled slightly. The hand gripping the tennis ball tightened.

Fifteen minutes later.

"Saeki, this ends here!"

The crisp voice rang beside his ear. Muneyoshi's legs had become so heavy that he could no longer move, and when he looked up, Tezuka's figure seemed to have merged with a swirling current.

A terrifying arrow of water burst forth from beneath Saeki Muneyoshi's feet, scattering droplets into the air.

"Is this how it ends..."

Letting the strands of hair before his forehead flutter in the wind, Muneyoshi stared fixedly at that arrow of water.

His mind raced, seemingly trying to exhaust every possibility in search of even the slightest chance to strike back.

However...

His feet seemed rooted to the ground. He could not take a single step, nor could he pursue the ball...

There was ultimately a limit to one's strength.

The faint yellow trajectory of the tennis ball faded from Muneyoshi's vision, and a sense of loss suddenly welled up within him.

"Game, Tezuka Kunimitsu, 6-4!"

"Saeki, that was an excellent match. I hope that next time, I can face you again on a real court."

With his tennis bag slung over his shoulder, Muneyoshi silently walked toward the station. Tezuka's words still seemed to echo in his ears.

That confidence, that strength!

"An official match..."

Muneyoshi silently looked at the comparison chart between himself and Tezuka that had formed in his mind. A trace of determination flashed in his eyes.

"I will. If things truly turn out as you said and you want to change, then I will not keep you waiting for long!"

Tezuka Kunimitsu.

Speed 4 (+0.5)

Strength 3.5 (+0.5)

Stamina 3.5

Technique 5 (+0.5)

Mental strength 4.5 (+0.5)

Total 20.5. After entering the State of Selflessness, speed increased by 0.5, strength by 0.5, technique by 0.5, and mental strength by 0.5.

Actual five-dimensional total: 22.5!

Saeki Muneyoshi.

Speed 3

Strength 4 (-0.5)

Stamina 4 (-0.5)

Technique 4 (-0.5)

Mental strength 5 (-0.5)

Total 20 (-2).

Looking at the vastly different five-dimensional charts between himself and Tezuka, Saeki Muneyoshi shook his head helplessly.

The current Tezuka was like a max-level character who had already reached the pinnacle of their generation of junior high students the moment he appeared.

What restrained him now was probably only his age and his still-growing body.

Once his physical development stabilized, all his attributes would become completely balanced.

As he grew older, the boosts he could currently gain only by entering the State of Selflessness would become part of his own base abilities.

After all, in another year or two, his stamina, strength, and speed would naturally improve.

And there was also the future development of techniques: Tezuka Phantom, Zero Style Serve, Zero Style Lob, Talent Limit, and more...

Once his normal state reached 22.5 without requiring any boosts—

Or even 23.5, the figure measured when he first entered the Japan U-17 Training Camp in the original story—how terrifying would he become when combined with the boosts from the State of Selflessness?

And by then, he would probably have unlocked Cloudbreak and entered the Different Dimension Realm.

That would grant him an even greater increase.

Later, he would even develop the Supreme Domain and fuse multiple Heavenly Clothes Lights...

This was Tezuka Kunimitsu, a powerful man!

His tennis system and path had already been clearly laid out: the path of Germany's elite tennis.

He was Japan's QP.

"The future! I really am looking forward to it!"

Muneyoshi smiled faintly. Tezuka's numbers had not frightened him, because those were the achievements Tezuka was meant to attain.

And even if Tezuka continued to improve, Muneyoshi would not stop moving forward.

Whether it was Tezuka Kunimitsu or Yukimura Seiichi, both were opponents Muneyoshi needed to defeat.

And they were not the only ones. Although Japan's junior high scene in this generation was not as powerful as Byōdōin's generation, there were still quite a few true experts.

As far as Muneyoshi knew, among the junior high students of their generation, there were geniuses who, without undergoing the U-17 Training Camp's training and relying solely on their own abilities, could truly set foot in the national realm while still in the junior high pond.

Including the future Aoi Kintaro and Echizen Ryoma, there were a full ten of them.

Tezuka Kunimitsu, Yukimura Seiichi, Sanada Genichirou, Atobe Keigo, Kite Eishiro, Akutsu Jin, Shiraishi Kuranosuke, Tachibana Kippei.

They were the geniuses among this generation of Japan's junior high students, true National Level experts.

Now, Saeki Muneyoshi could probably be added to that list!

With Tezuka's formidable strength and the unparalleled pressure he brought during their match—

Muneyoshi had used Scorching Sun Tinder and Treading Fire Chasing Sun, then leveraged the system's assistance to temporarily raise his technique and mental strength by 0.5.

He had finally broken through the bottleneck of a total five-dimensional score of twenty.

Though he was now incredibly weak, and the sacrificed attributes and temporary boosts had already disappeared, a breakthrough was still a breakthrough.

As long as he made it through this weakened period and trained back the attributes he had lost, he would become a genuine National Level expert.

And as his strength broke through, the bottleneck that had originally confined him would no longer exist.

For him, the path from National Level to beyond National Level would be incredibly smooth.

Unless he underwent a qualitative transformation and touched upon the illusory other dimension of Japan's system—the path of the Different Dimension Realm—he would encounter no bottlenecks before then.

He had a highly systematic method of maintaining his growth.

These methods had been summarized by Coach Mifune of his original world over decades. Though rough, they were still exceptionally effective training methods.

At that thought, Muneyoshi's heart burned with excitement. He wished he could begin training immediately.

Thinking of this, Muneyoshi's mood brightened, and he happily headed home.

He needed to carefully plan out the rest of his vacation.

There was less than a month left before school began.

"But it feels like I've forgotten something..."

"Forget it. It isn't important. I should get through the weakened period quickly and raise my strength."

Elsewhere, by the river not far from Yamabuki Middle School, Akutsu Jin stood at the end of a bridge, staring at the river's surface, dyed crimson by the setting sun.

His tightly clenched fists and the railing that kept creaking beneath his grip both spoke of the turmoil in his heart.

Thinking of Saeki Muneyoshi's arrogant attitude and mocking tone from earlier, Akutsu's anger surged.

"Damn bastard. Who does he think he is, trying to teach me how to play tennis?"

"I'll definitely beat you. I'll tear you apart..."

At that moment, Akutsu's expression shifted. Seeing the familiar figure in the distance walking toward the train station, he thought for a moment before heading over.

"Hey, poker face, which junior high are you planning to attend?"

Tezuka looked expressionlessly at the delinquent standing before him, his face filled with menace. "Seigaku."

"Seigaku?" Akutsu Jin mused. "Your name is Tezuka, right? Can you play a few matches with me?"

Having received a satisfactory answer, Akutsu Jin also headed home beneath the setting sun...

Elsewhere, after returning home, Saeki Muneyoshi was still imagining and planning his future training schedule when he suddenly shivered.

With one tiny flap of a butterfly's wings, it seemed he had created an incredible enemy for himself.

His original intention had been to win Akutsu Jin over, because countless predecessors had already personally "conducted imaginary experiments."

They all said that beating Akutsu Jin into submission was the simplest way to recruit him.

But why had everything changed when it came to him?

This was something he had never expected.