Atobe's Evolution

Though he shouted loudly to put pressure on Muneyoshi, Atobe kept his eyes fixed on the swift movements across the court.

Atobe's lips curled into a smirk, and he broke into a powerful sprint.

It seemed nothing had gone beyond his expectations. Excitement showed plainly on his face.

At that very moment,

he was savoring it—the feeling of his blood surging and boiling, a sensation he hadn't experienced in quite some time.

Muneyoshi's short volley had barely cleared the net when Atobe was already at its landing point, a proud look appearing on his face.

"Hmph... You're not getting past me!"

But just as Atobe was about to return the ball, a pair of brown eyes met his. Muneyoshi had also arrived at the net like a phantom.

The instant Atobe raised his arm, he swiftly changed his shot. The ball seemed headed for the diagonal corner of Muneyoshi's baseline.

At the sight of it, Muneyoshi planted his left foot and twisted his right, turning his body in an instant as he prepared to meet the shot.

"Heh!"

As if his ploy had worked, Atobe's lips curled smugly. His posture, which had seemed set in stone, suddenly shifted. Using his body's momentum, he brought his arm and racket down onto the ball.

Thwack!

Atobe had looked certain to send a cross-court shot to the corner, but instead he hit a powerful straight shot.

"Heh, Atobe, I'll say it back to you: you're not getting past me!"

The point he'd imagined winning never came. Instead, Muneyoshi's chuckle rang across the court.

Though his body was already moving through the air, he swiftly planted his right foot again, twisted on his left, and changed direction midair, rushing to the ball's landing point.

Screech!

Muneyoshi extended his arm, reached forward, and pulled across with a sharp snap of his forearm.

Thwack!

To Atobe's astonishment, the ball ricocheted in the opposite direction and landed near his left baseline.

"15–15."

"That just now was..."

"Single-footed basic split steps."

Oshitari and Atobe murmured to themselves at the same time.

It was one of the many little tennis tricks used by the Prince when he first appeared in the original story.

It wasn't as dazzling as the world-class techniques that came later, but when combined at the right moment, it could unleash tremendous power.

Seeing Atobe's slight frown, Muneyoshi felt his playful mood rise again.

"How was that, Atobe? Don't get too entranced by my dazzling skills."

With a smile on his lips, Muneyoshi imitated Atobe's over-the-top tone, capturing its essence perfectly.

"You..."

Atobe's brow furrowed slightly. His indigo eyes glared coldly at Saeki Muneyoshi, who was mimicking his grandstanding.

A few seconds later, Atobe said nothing. His face stern, he walked toward the service line.

Off the court,

"Hey, Yushi, now Atobe knows how we feel when he says that all the time!"

Hearing Muneyoshi imitate Atobe, Mukahi Gakuto and Anahira Ryo both widened their eyes.

This was the first time they'd seen someone get the better of Atobe, and they felt a strange sense of satisfaction.

But then they also felt a powerful pressure.

They knew how strong Atobe was, yet his opponent had defused a point so easily.

The others exchanged glances, thinking to themselves, This is going to be tough...

On the court,

As Muneyoshi returned to his receiving position, Atobe steeled himself.

I'll see through you!

Atobe squeezed the ball, tossed it into the air, rotated his elbow, and swung his arm down with tremendous force.

Thwack!

A faint icy-blue glimmer appeared on the ball. A chill, spiritual force spread toward Muneyoshi's side of the court.

Muneyoshi felt as though something had wrapped around his body. It was as if countless eyes were observing his every move from different angles, scrutinizing him with extraordinary precision.

Ordinary people wouldn't find the sensation uncomfortable at all. They could only let themselves be examined, their every tiny flaw exposed.

But Muneyoshi's immense spiritual power and keen senses allowed him to see through it all in an instant.

Still, it made him feel a little uncomfortable.

After all, even an ordinary person would feel pressured if they were being watched by so many eyes.

So this is Atobe's Insight?

As he carefully sensed the invisible pressure, delight flickered in Muneyoshi's eyes.

No wonder Atobe's Insight was so astonishing. With such a powerful spiritual perspective, every subtle movement could be seen through.

Under this constant, all-encompassing observation, any weakness could be exposed.

But this is actually a good thing for me...

Once he understood all this, Muneyoshi suppressed his plan to gradually reveal his full strength.

He was stronger than Atobe right now. If he used all his strength, Atobe's Insight wouldn't have any effect.

But if he held back and kept himself at Atobe's level...

Could he help me discover weaknesses and blind spots I haven't noticed myself?

Muneyoshi kept calculating in his mind.

If his theory proved right, Atobe's ability would be a tremendous help in uncovering his own weaknesses and blind spots and improving his strength.

No sooner said than done!

With Muneyoshi deliberately holding back, their match became a stalemate, and they settled into a heated rally.

Thwack!

"30–15."

Thwack!

"30–30." "40–30." "40–40"...

Thwack!

"Game, Atobe Keigo. The score is 1–1."

They changed sides.

After that, they fell into another long, grueling rally.

Thwack! Thwack! Thump! Thwack!

"Game, Atobe Keigo. The score is 2–1."

"Game, Saeki Muneyoshi. The score is 2–2."

"Oshitari, I didn't expect Atobe to get dragged into such a long match with him!"

Anahira Ryo watched the two players rallying back and forth, their fighting spirit rising as they smiled with pleasure. He was amazed by their skill.

"Well, well, Anahira, a long match is Atobe's specialty. It means this match has fallen into his rhythm. That guy has only one fate awaiting him: defeat!"

Mukahi Gakuto didn't care in the least. They'd known Atobe for several months, so of course they knew what he was good at.

Aside from his awful personality, the most notable thing about him was his freakish stamina.

"Is that so..."

Oshitari wasn't as confident as Gakuto. Instead, he felt a trace of unease.

He'd played against Saeki Muneyoshi himself. There was no way that was all the strength his opponent had.

Then why is he deliberately letting Atobe drag him into the kind of long match he excels at?

Oshitari worried to himself. Not being able to guess what his opponent was thinking made him very uneasy.

"Game, Atobe Keigo. The score is 4–4."

Thwack.

The ball hit the ground.

"15–15!"

After scoring again, Atobe stood proudly and said, "Saeki, I told you my eyes would see through you!"

Atobe covered his left eye with his hand, looking especially smug. Under his powerful Insight, there was nothing hidden in Saeki Muneyoshi's every move.

"Ha, your weakness has appeared before my eyes. I've already won this match!"

Atobe grew more and more excited. He didn't just feel victory within reach; he also felt the bottleneck holding him back had vanished. His eyesight had advanced to an even higher level.

"Oh, is that so, Atobe?"

"Saeki, if you don't believe me, then I'll show you my dazzling skills!"

With a loud shout, Atobe slammed down the ball just as it was about to fall.

P.S. "Here's the second chapter. Thanks to A Primary Schooler Who Hasn't Started Middle School and reader 1644569443162730496 for the tips. I've been busy with work and haven't had time to thank you, so I'll do it now while I'm off. I usually post bonus chapters on weekends since I only get one day off a week. Work is so busy—it's rough being a working adult."