Yamato Yudai, however, disagreed. "Coach, Kannagi Shinichi, Hyotei's captain, is known as the strongest player in the country. With him on the team, we absolutely can't underestimate Hyotei this year. Google Search Read"
"Hyotei may have Kannagi Shinichi, but he's only one person. Yamato, the national tennis tournament is a team competition. The fact that Hyotei's first-years have become regulars is the best opportunity for us to win the Tokyo Metropolitan Tournament this time."
Ryuzaki Sumire wasn't impressed by Hyotei's first-years. In her eyes, even someone as powerful as Kannagi Shinichi should be focusing on building a solid foundation in his first year. Sending those first-years to compete at the national level had made her look down on Hyotei.
Although Tennis Weekly had made Hyotei's first-years sound almost godlike, she believed the Hyotei upperclassmen, who had played tennis for several more years, deserved more of her attention.
In her eyes, Hyotei's actions now looked more like they were crippling themselves.
The match on the court was over. Tezuka Kunimitsu hadn't given Takei Kenshi a single chance.
In a mere ten minutes, Tezuka Kunimitsu had swept Takei Kenshi 6–0.
Takei Kenshi didn't look disappointed at being swept. His face was full of jealousy and anger.
He had watched Tezuka Kunimitsu play before and knew he was left-handed.
But during their match just now, Tezuka had used his right hand. Takei Kenshi felt that Tezuka Kunimitsu had looked down on him, and this left the usually arrogant boy seething with rage.
Holding his racket, Takei Kenshi came up to Tezuka. His angry voice rang out again. "You're just a first-year. Don't look down on me! You're left-handed, but you insisted on using your right hand against me. Do you think you're so amazing?"
Tezuka Kunimitsu gave Takei Kenshi a calm glance, then turned to leave.
He had already decided to leave Seigaku. He had no affection for the upperclassmen here, so he ignored Takei Kenshi's anger completely.
Seeing Tezuka Kunimitsu act this way, the malice in Takei Kenshi began to swell.
He was jealous of Tezuka's talent, and his anger at being swept by him only made things worse. His expression grew more and more twisted.
"Bastard, what's with that attitude? Since you like using your right hand so much, I'll cripple your left!"
As he finished speaking, Takei Kenshi raised his arm, his face twisted with fury. He gripped his racket and swung it hard at Tezuka Kunimitsu's left arm as Tezuka stood with his back to him.
"Tezuka... Watch out!"
"No..."
Seeing this, Fuji Syusuke, Oishi Syuichiro, and the others shouted from outside the court.
Hearing the racket whistle through the air, Tezuka Kunimitsu turned around, only to see Takei Kenshi's racket already swinging toward his arm.
Tezuka Kunimitsu wanted to dodge, but they were too close. He couldn't get away.
"Ah..."
Tezuka didn't scream. He simply endured the pain and let out a soft groan, fixing Takei Kenshi with a cold stare.
Takei Kenshi felt intimidated by Tezuka Kunimitsu's gaze and retreated a few steps.
But the moment he realized what he had just done, he flew into a rage again and shouted at Tezuka, "You little brat, what's with that look?"
"So what if you're stronger than me?"
"Do you think the coach will let you try out for the regulars?"
"Dream on! You're just a first-year. No matter how strong you are, all you're good for is picking up balls..."
Takei Kenshi shouted at Tezuka Kunimitsu. There wasn't the slightest trace of remorse in his tone or expression—only contempt and mockery.
By now, Fuji Syusuke, Inui Sadaharu, and the others had gathered around Tezuka Kunimitsu. Their eyes were filled with concern.
"Tezuka..."
Fuji murmured his name. His gaze fell on Tezuka's drooping arm, his eyes cold.
"I... I'm... fine..."
Tezuka Kunimitsu's voice trembled as he covered his left arm with his right hand. The cold sweat on his forehead made it clear that he was nowhere near as fine as he claimed.
Tezuka Kunimitsu's heart had turned cold. He had been injured by a regular from the tennis club, yet the coach and captain still hadn't shown up.
He had truly lost all faith in Seigaku.
Then Tezuka remembered the boy named Kannagi Shinichi, who had warned him during the elementary school tournament to be careful of the upperclassmen in Seigaku's tennis club.
He suddenly regretted it. If he had gone to Hyotei back then, perhaps he would have become a regular by now instead of having his arm struck by someone's racket.
"Tezuka... Get to the hospital... Your arm's broken..."
Inui Sadaharu had already thrown his notebook of Tezuka's stats far away. Right now, he was more concerned about Tezuka's injury.
Just then, Ryuzaki Sumire and Yamato Yudai arrived on the court. Seeing Tezuka's left arm hanging limply, Ryuzaki Sumire hurriedly called to the first-years, "A few of you, take him to the medical room!"
"No need. I can go by myself." Tezuka stared coldly at Ryuzaki Sumire, then looked toward Yamato Yudai. "I'm leaving the Seigaku tennis club."
The only person on the court Tezuka still cared about was Yamato Yudai. Before this happened, Yamato Yudai had approached Tezuka and told him he would do his best to let the first-years participate in this year's tryouts for the regulars.
But now, it was too late.
Yamato Yudai wanted to persuade him to stay, but after what had happened, he couldn't bring himself to say the words. He only looked at Tezuka with a guilty expression. "I'll take you to the medical room first."
"No need!" Tezuka Kunimitsu had some goodwill toward Yamato Yudai, but it wasn't enough to change his mind about leaving Seigaku.
At that moment, Fuji Syusuke fixed Takei Kenshi with a frigid stare and asked Ryuzaki Sumire in a cold voice, "Coach, could you tell me how you're going to deal with him?"
Fuji Syusuke pointed at Takei Kenshi. Seeing this, Takei Kenshi's anger flared again. "You little brat, are you looking to get yourself killed..."
"That's enough!"
Ryuzaki Sumire shouted, cutting Takei Kenshi off. Then she looked at him with a complicated expression. "Takei, I'm stripping you of your position as a regular. You'll be an ordinary club member for now..."
"Coach..."
Takei Kenshi tried to argue, but Fuji Syusuke pointed at him, his gaze icy. "Coach, is that really all you're going to do to him?"
"What more do you want?"
Hearing Fuji Syusuke question her, Ryuzaki Sumire grew impatient. Although, after seeing Tezuka's skill, she had considered kicking Takei Kenshi out of the tennis club to appease him, when Tezuka said he was leaving Seigaku, she saw the determination in his eyes and knew there was no keeping him.
Takei Kenshi was nowhere near as skilled as Tezuka Kunimitsu, but if she kicked him out now, Seigaku would be in a difficult position in the upcoming Tokyo Metropolitan Tournament.
Hearing Ryuzaki Sumire's tone, Fuji Syusuke knew there was no changing Takei Kenshi's punishment. His voice carried a trace of mockery. "Today, I, Fuji Syusuke, am also leaving the Seigaku tennis club..."
"And me. I, Inui Sadaharu, am leaving Seigaku today too..."
"I, Kawamura Takashi..."
"I, Kikumaru Eiji..."
After the voices died down, six first-years from Seigaku announced that they were leaving: Tezuka Kunimitsu, Fuji Syusuke, Inui Sadaharu, Oishi Syuichiro, Kikumaru Eiji, and Kawamura Takashi.
"You... everyone..."
Tezuka Kunimitsu looked at them. They were leaving Seigaku for his sake. He was moved, but also felt guilty, since they were leaving because of him.
"This isn't just for Tezuka. It's for ourselves too. We don't need to stay in a tennis club that lets upperclassmen bully the newcomers!"
Fuji Syusuke seemed to understand what Tezuka was thinking. He supported Tezuka, the coldness in his face having faded. A small smile appeared in his otherwise worried expression.
Hearing Fuji Syusuke's words, the others nodded as well.
They surrounded Tezuka Kunimitsu and slowly left the court without looking back.
Ryuzaki Sumire watched the first-years walk away and could only sigh. Yamato Yudai gazed at their departing figures, bitterness welling in his heart. "Seigaku has no future anymore..."
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