Seigaku Tennis Club.
Thanks to yesterday's victory, the entire Tennis Club was in high spirits today.
But because of Fudomine's little tricks, a match that should have ended in three sets had been forcibly dragged into a deciding set.
Naturally, that result had also dissatisfied Ryūzaki Sumire.
Aware of this, the Regulars had become even more enthusiastic in training today to avoid getting scolded.
At the side of the court, another group of first-year students was silently picking up balls.
From the second- and third-year upperclassmen training on the courts came occasional snickers as they watched them.
Tezuka Kunimitsu had witnessed this scene many times already, and his expression remained utterly calm.
Ever since joining Seigaku's Tennis Club, he had seen this almost every day.
Picking up balls, being sneered at and bullied by older Tennis Club members—this was the middle school tennis life of Tezuka Kunimitsu and the first-years.
"Tezuka, did you watch yesterday's match from start to finish?"
A boy with slightly narrowed eyes moved closer to Tezuka. It was Fuji Shusuke.
Just like in the original story, Fuji's personality meshed well with Tezuka's, and the two had quickly become friends.
Tezuka did not speak. He merely nodded calmly.
"I heard the upperclassmen had a tough time winning yesterday."
Fuji sounded somewhat wistful, but he was not disappointed. After all, he still did not fully understand the true strength of Seigaku's Regulars.
Unlike the confusion that had lasted until his third year in the original story, Muneyoshi's influence had prompted him to begin searching for his true self.
Searching for his love of tennis.
"Meow... Being a Regular is still better. They get to play matches. I wonder how long we'll have to keep picking up balls here."
Hearing the two talk, Kikumaru Eiji and several other first-year club members also came over to Tezuka and Fuji.
"There's nothing we can do. The upperclassmen are still quite a bit stronger than us, and there are rules saying first-years can only pick up balls. We can't enter the courts or take part in Regular selection."
Oishi Shuichiro took over from Eiji, speaking helplessly.
"Heh heh, Oishi, that isn't right. How do you know the upperclassmen are stronger than us if we haven't played them?"
"Even if the upperclassmen really are stronger, what about Tezuka? And that Akutsu guy... They're definitely stronger than those Regular upperclassmen..."
Listening to all the rules Oishi mentioned, Kikumaru's normally cheerful face darkened slightly, though his tone was filled with defiance.
"Tezuka's win rate against the upperclassmen is one hundred percent, and he has not lost a single point."
Inui Sadaharu, who had been quietly picking up balls off to the side without saying a word, spoke up at that moment.
Listening to Kikumaru Eiji and Inui Sadaharu's discussion, Tezuka's iceberg-like poker face remained calm.
After more than a month at Seigaku, he had already seen through everything.
He had originally entered Seigaku because of his idol, the "Samurai" Nanjirou.
After all, Seigaku's current coach bore the title of Nanjirou's enlightenment mentor.
But after arriving at Seigaku, he discovered that tennis here did not rely on strength, but seniority.
However, since he had already resolved to change all this, none of it mattered anymore.
"Hey, first-years, what are you all gathered together for?"
A sudden voice from the court reached Tezuka and the others.
"Oh no... It's Takei-senpai..."
At the sound of that voice, fear appeared on many first-years' faces.
The owner of that voice was none other than Takei Kenshi, Seigaku's most severe and most hot-tempered Regular toward first-years.
He usually relied on his status as an upperclassman and a Regular to bully Tennis Club newcomers. Among the first-years, he was simply despised by everyone.
As for Seigaku's coach, Ryūzaki Sumire, she merely turned a blind eye to his behavior.
Deep down, Ryūzaki Sumire looked down on first-years.
She stubbornly believed that first-years were physically underdeveloped and simply could not play tennis well.
But this year was somewhat different. Compared to last year, Takei Kenshi had restrained himself a great deal.
The reason definitely was not that he had suddenly grown a conscience, but rather Akutsu Jin's previous actions.
Akutsu's appearance had not only beaten his friend into quitting the Tennis Club, but had even cornered him in the equipment room and extorted him.
That had made him somewhat fearful of first-year students.
But as the anger in his heart continued to build, his bullying nature turned that fear into an unbearable humiliation, and he constantly thought of getting revenge.
Even if there was nothing he could do about Akutsu, he had not given up on that idea.
If he could not deal with Akutsu Jin, could he not deal with the other first-years?
Especially after yesterday's victory, the emotions Takei had suppressed for so long finally erupted.
Tezuka and the others, who were on fairly good terms with Akutsu Jin, became the first targets of his revenge.
And to deal with this group of first-years, he first had to deal with Tezuka Kunimitsu.
This boy, who always looked so cool, possessed considerable personal charisma and had gathered a group of stubborn followers around him.
Tezuka had naturally not expected that Akutsu's influence and his own leadership qualities would bring him trouble once again.
Takei Kenshi walked up to Tezuka and the others with restrained anger in his expression and barked, "First-years, are you deaf? I asked what you're doing!"
Facing the furious Takei Kenshi, Tezuka merely furrowed his brows slightly and ignored him.
That attitude further intensified Takei's anger, especially as several of his companions nearby fanned the flames.
"This Tezuka Kunimitsu really doesn't take Takei seriously. Takei is a Regular, and his upperclassman..."
"I've hated the sight of him for ages. Look at that smug face of his, like he's so damn great. Yet he still has to obediently pick up balls. A first-year wants to touch a racket? Pah..."
"Takei should teach him a proper lesson and let him know what it means to respect upperclassmen..."
Hearing their instigation, along with Tezuka's longtime contempt for him and Akutsu Jin's previous arrogance, Takei's mind was already clouded by rage.
"Asshole!"
Suddenly, Takei cursed and kicked over the ball basket in front of Tezuka. The tennis balls they had painstakingly gathered scattered all over the ground.
At that sight, Fuji's narrowed eyes opened slightly, and a trace of danger appeared in those azure eyes.
Oishi stepped forward and bowed to Takei. "Takei-senpai, Tezuka and the rest of us were only picking up balls just now. We weren't discussing anything."
"Get lost!"
Takei was in no mood to listen. He kicked Oishi aside and walked up to Tezuka.
"Have you always thought you were so good at tennis, and that we're all trash?"
"Fine, then we'll have a match today. I'll let you know that your childish tennis is nothing but crap!"
Takei then took his racket onto the tennis court and shouted at Tezuka Kunimitsu, "Don't tell me you're scared!"
Tezuka silently rose, took a tennis racket from someone nearby, and stepped onto the court.
He had originally planned to launch his revolution after the district tournament ended, but the other party's actions had already crossed his bottom line.
He did not want to wait any longer.
Nor could he let Fuji, Akutsu, Oishi, and the others keep waiting any longer!
He wanted Saeki Muneyoshi to know that what Atobe of Hyotei Academy, Yukimura and Sanada of Rikkai University, and Muneyoshi of Fudomine were going to do—
Tezuka Kunimitsu could do it too!
He was no weaker than them.
"Tezuka..."
Fuji wanted to stop Tezuka, but Tezuka refused. At that moment, a grayish-white-haired figure also entered the court.
However, with everyone's attention focused on the figures in the court, he went unnoticed.
Tezuka had spoken with Akutsu that morning before class, which was why he had become somewhat interested in coming over to watch.
Otherwise, this garbage Tennis Club was not nearly as satisfying as extorting those delinquent upperclassmen outside.
"Tch, Tezuka actually put up with it for this long..."
Akutsu Jin did not particularly like Tezuka's personality.
But he still acknowledged Tezuka's strength.
Before you continue