Strength and the Five Dimensions

Inside the indoor tennis court, two figures were locked in an ongoing battle.

Bang!

"Muneyoshi! Watch my baseline attack!"

Thump!

"All your movements are clear to my eyes—just stay stuck at the baseline for good!"

With a swirl of air, Saeki Kojiro swung his racket with all his might, and a trajectory far beyond what a boy his age should be able to produce flashed past in an instant.

The tennis ball shot straight toward the corner of Saeki Muneyoshi's baseline.

Watching Kojiro's hawk-like eyes across the court, Muneyoshi broke into a smile. "Kojiro, not bad. But if that's all you've got, it might not be enough!"

Even as he spoke, it didn't slow Saeki Muneyoshi's speed. His figure swiftly appeared near the ball's landing point.

"Kojiro, now take this from me—Scorching Sun Burn!"

With a crisp shout from Saeki Muneyoshi's lips, the high-speed tennis ball that was about to fly out of bounds was caught by him and sent back at an even faster pace.

Whoosh!

Saeki Kojiro's eyes flew wide with shock. His prized dynamic vision and insight couldn't even react—it was as if his movements had been frozen in an instant.

Only when the tennis ball rolled back to his feet did Kojiro snap out of it. Smiling wryly, he said, "Muneyoshi, you've gotten stronger again."

Saeki Muneyoshi smiled faintly, feeling quite pleased inside.

After all, the strength he now possessed was the result of years of solitary effort—using his own memories and advanced training methods to grope toward the right direction.

Thinking about it, Saeki Muneyoshi couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed.

Back when he was a corporate drone, reading all kinds of time-travel stories, the seniors in those tales were always born into great noble families, spoke well, and had incredibly powerful cheat abilities.

But when it came to him, he couldn't compare on any front.

His family circumstances weren't bad, of course, and they were getting better and better—he didn't mind that. The only thing he found truly disappointing was this cheat ability.

An extremely simple data template.

Its only function was to constantly display the five-dimensional physical attributes of himself and his opponent during a match, turning all his basic stats into numbers.

Of course, he was well aware that having everything about himself quantified was already a great ability.

But it had no way to enhance anything, nor any path for optimization.

It forced Muneyoshi to rely solely on the most systematic and monotonous methods to train, day after day, year after year, never daring to stop.

After all, this was the Prince of Tennis world.

He knew very well how terrifying the talent freaks in this tennis world could be.

Still, he had his advantages. He knew what direction future growth would take, and he knew how to improve systematically.

Especially in the U-17 arc, those coaches had explained the correct training methods in great detail.

The only issue was that Muneyoshi's body was only twelve years old now, still growing, so he didn't dare overdraw his potential. That meant his training volume couldn't match that of the U-17 members.

But with his adjusted training regimen, cross-referenced against the improvement curve of his five-dimensional data chart, he could still find a training volume that suited him well.

That was also why his strength had been growing so fast.

By relying on the data comparison from his cheat ability and his own training growth curve, he gradually added and removed reasonable amounts of training, causing his improvement to surge wildly after graduating elementary school.

Over the years, while honing his physical fitness, he had also been steadily refining his skills.

First and foremost was the training aimed at eventually being able to use the Shining Shot.

This was a technique that would shine brilliantly in the future, and also the foundational skill that marked a player's full entry into the world-class level of U-17.

Knowing what the future held, Muneyoshi was also well aware that in Japan, the State of Selflessness and the Asura Path were far more talked about.

But compared to the clearly explained, traceable path of the Shining Shot, the Asura Path and the State of Selflessness were too vague and abstract—he couldn't grasp any direction for training at all.

To be able to use the Shining Shot, the most important things were the use of the racket's sweet spot—the optimal hitting point—and the combination of mental energy and power.

This was the only world-class technique he clearly understood, and it pointed him toward a very definite direction.

Not just him, but Kojiro, who had grown up with him, had also become far stronger than his peers thanks to his help.

And because of the reasonable training methods and direction, even though Saeki Muneyoshi was only twelve years old and had just graduated elementary school, his overall five-dimensional stats were already terrifying.

Speed: 3 Power: 4 Stamina: 4 Technique: 3.5 Mental: 4.5 Total: 19

This was an extremely exaggerated set of stats. To put it in perspective, even the top ace players who made a name for themselves in the National Tournament during middle school only had a total five-dimensional sum barely breaking twenty.

In the U-17 scientific five-dimensional measurement, twenty was the most critical dimension separating a person's strength from their talent. Cross that threshold, and you were a true national-level expert. Fail to cross it, and you were merely at the level of a regional tournament.

In the world of Prince of Tennis, the sum of the five dimensions could roughly determine a player's strength level.

Regional preliminaries level: 10-14.

Kanto Tournament level: 15-19.

National top-tier level: 20-21.

U-17 world level: 22-29.

Professional player level: 30-?

But data was merely a rigid and mechanical quantification; actual strength would always see some degree of increase or decrease in real combat.

For example, various special states—the Three Gates of the State of Selflessness. Among them, the one that provided the greatest boost was Cloudbreak, and of course, there was also the Asura Path...

Once one reached such a state, the fluctuation in strength was enormous and could not be entirely dictated by the five dimensions.

Moreover, there were those geniuses with explosive natural talent, possessing one or more abilities far beyond ordinary people.

For instance, Tanegashima Shūji's supple wrists, Irie Kanata and Atobe Keigo's extraordinary insight and perception, Tezuka Kunimitsu and Fuji Shusuke's innate innovation and development of techniques, Yukimura Seiichi's mental strength...

As long as one aspect broke through the limits of the five dimensions, the resulting change would be immeasurable.

This was also the three internationally recognized paths to breaking through the world.

Power Force, Technique Form, Speed Extreme.

Saeki Muneyoshi trained comprehensively in all three directions.

Perhaps because of his reincarnation, his mental strength talent was naturally strong—this was one of his few advantages.

In comparison, honing his speed and technique was incredibly difficult.

Even with the correct training methods, Saeki Muneyoshi had only just found hope for a breakthrough in technique, but when it would actually happen was anyone's guess.

However, Muneyoshi, who was very clear about the future of this world, always compared himself to those true geniuses.

At this period, Tezuka Kunimitsu and Yukimura Seiichi, just by looking at their five-dimensional data, were not weaker than him—perhaps even stronger.

From what he knew, Tezuka Kunimitsu had already comprehended the State of Selflessness at this time.

With the support of Tempered a Hundred Times, one of the Three Gates of the State of Selflessness, and the Tezuka Zone, his strength had certainly already broken through the national level.

But he wasn't anxious. Looking at his own panel, Muneyoshi was very satisfied with the strength he had obtained through hard work.

Although he couldn't yet compare to those freaks who had already stepped into the national realm, he wasn't far off.

"Boom!"

Another beautiful smash.

The tennis ball carried a wisp of airflow, leaving only a yellow trail and a faint scorching heat.

It slammed fiercely behind Kojiro, who had tried to rush the net.

Game, score 6-3.

After Muneyoshi, now serious, defeated Kojiro in an almost overwhelming manner, they ended today's training.

Muneyoshi's father had been promoted and needed to move to the Tokyo Metropolitan Area to take up a post at the company's headquarters.

Long-term separation was not an option, so Saeki Muneyoshi and his mother had to go along as well.

This was also why Muneyoshi couldn't directly advance to Rokkaku Middle School. Although Rokkaku Middle School was broadly within the Tokyo Metropolitan Area, the distance wasn't particularly close.

This time, Muneyoshi's father had returned to move the household.

But Muneyoshi wasn't surprised by such matters. After all, in the world of Prince of Tennis, there were several people who moved frequently—it was just that this time it was his turn.

"Let's go, Kojiro. We'll wash up and then head out."

Putting away his racket, Muneyoshi smiled at Saeki Kojiro, who was lying flat on the ground across from him, then walked toward the bathhouse.

Sparring before departure felt pretty good.

There was no sadness of parting between them, as the distance wasn't far. Kojiro had already decided to take advantage of the holidays to go to the Tokyo Metropolitan Area and hang out for a while, so he would be heading out with them.

"Splash!"

The warm water from the showerhead drenched his entire body. Muneyoshi felt completely refreshed—the excitement of breaking through in strength, the thrill of moving, the brilliance of the future ahead—all of it filled him with joy.

After all, the place he was going to was the Tokyo Metropolitan Area, the region with the strongest players in the nation.

Letting the hot water wash over him, Muneyoshi pondered the direction of the next three years.

First and foremost, improving his strength was urgent. Second, he wanted to experience the feeling of standing at the pinnacle of the nation—the National Tournament championship.

Thinking of this, Muneyoshi frowned slightly:

"But why Fudomine? The current Fudomine doesn't have Tachibana Kippei—it's nothing but a complete mud pit..."