So that was why Tezuka was so outstanding!
Just as Chiba Yun Chuan looked toward Tezuka, Tezuka looked back at him. Their eyes met!
"Oh, Tezuka from Seigaku. Finally, a worthy opponent!"
Atobe spoke in a flippant tone as he watched the two approach.
Invisible sparks flew through the air!
Just then, Chiba Yun Chuan's eyes changed color, and he looked at Tezuka.
Tezuka suddenly saw a flash of white in his mind. He had fallen into an illusion!
Inside the illusion
Tezuka stood on a tennis court with a racket in his hand. Facing him was the upperclassman who had injured his arm.
"Damn you! If you won't use your left hand, then you'll never use it again!"
A tennis racket was flying toward him. How familiar this scene was.
Tezuka trembled all over. It seemed he still couldn't escape the memory of that day, but he didn't try to dodge.
Just then, Oishi's voice reached Tezuka's ears.
"Tezuka! Tezuka! What's wrong?"
Only then did Tezuka break free of the illusion!
He saw Oishi holding his arm, worry in his eyes!
"I'm fine, Oishi." After saying that, Tezuka looked at Chiba Yun Chuan and Atobe.
Chiba Yun Chuan saw curiosity in Tezuka's gaze, along with a hint of regret.
"Tezuka Kunimitsu, Seigaku's current tennis club captain, a second-year. As for his ability..."
"In his first year, he was injured by an upperclassman in the tennis club, Takekawa. Since then..."
Just as Chiba Yun Chuan was about to continue, Tezuka cut him off.
"That's enough!"
As he looked at the person before him,
Tezuka's gaze wavered.
He didn't know what had just happened, but he was certain that this person was behind it!
Tezuka pushed up his glasses and prepared to leave.
The draw was about to begin!
"Tezuka, has your arm healed? Are you really willing to waste a whole year like this?
"In the world of tennis, the strong are always on top. Seigaku's system is outdated. The so-called upperclassmen at your school are nothing but bigger ants to me! And yet you put up with them. Are these starting-player spots you got by swallowing your pride really what you want?
"This isn't the Tezuka Kunimitsu I know!
"And Seigaku is far too weak right now. They're not even worth getting me interested!
"I'd hate to face a Tezuka who can't even hold a racket. If I'm not mistaken, you can barely hold anything with your left hand now, right?
"I wonder if you'll use your left hand or your right to draw your match?"
There was a hint of amusement in Chiba Yun Chuan's voice. Oishi was indignant, and at the same time, shocked!
"Tezuka, is your injury really that bad?" Oishi asked loudly, turning to him.
The people around them began to whisper as soon as they heard.
"Does Tezuka have an injury?"
"You didn't know? Supposedly, an upperclassman at his own school hit him with a racket!"
"That's right, and that upperclassman wasn't even punished. Seigaku really is a strange school!"
Hearing the whispers around him, Chiba Yun Chuan glanced over the crowd and said,
"Seigaku may be weak, but are you any stronger? To me, you're not even as good as Seigaku without Tezuka!
"The Metropolitan Tournament title is ours, Hyotei's!"
Nobody in the crowd dared to speak. They all looked at him fearfully.
"Tch. Boring," Atobe said with a quiet laugh.
After saying that, Chiba Yun Chuan turned back to Tezuka.
"I want to face the complete Tezuka Kunimitsu, not someone who's injured.
"This should help with your injury.
"I'm looking forward to facing Seigaku. More accurately, I'm looking forward to facing Seigaku next year!"
After saying that, Chiba Yun Chuan handed Tezuka a bottle of spray, then walked off with Atobe.
Chiba Yun Chuan hadn't just targeted Tezuka. His final words had included Seigaku too—and he hadn't exactly kept his voice down!
Ding! Show-off Value +30 Show-off Value +32 Show-off Value +23
Another huge haul of Show-off Value. Chiba Yun Chuan knew he'd gotten the effect he wanted!
He paid Tezuka no more mind and strolled over to a seat, where he sat down.
"Tezuka, that was Chiba Yun Chuan, Hyotei Academy's tennis club captain!
"Was what he said true? Is your left hand..."
Oishi's voice was steady. Chiba Yun Chuan's reputation hadn't intimidated him.
But before he could finish, Tezuka interrupted him.
"Oishi, Seigaku will make it to the National Tournament!"
After saying that, Tezuka glanced at the spray in his hand.
He put it in his pocket and said, "Oishi, let's go. The draw is about to start!" Then he headed for Seigaku's seats.
But his thoughts were in turmoil.
"How dare he look down on Seigaku, the champions of the regional qualifiers! Isn't he being a little too arrogant?"
"He has every reason to be arrogant. I hear that both he and Atobe are at the national level!"
"National level? No way!"
"But Chiba Yun Chuan is only a first-year!"
After taking their seats,
Oishi saw that Tezuka seemed preoccupied. Thinking Chiba Yun Chuan's words had gotten to him, he said,
"Tezuka, if your arm keeps you from playing tennis, then don't play!
"I believe we can overcome any opponent!"
"I know, Oishi." After replying, Tezuka looked toward Chiba Yun Chuan, wondering what he was thinking.
Tezuka's injury was serious. Unless something changed, he wouldn't be able to play in this tournament!
Although it made no difference to him whether Tezuka was injured or not, Chiba Yun Chuan still wanted to see Tezuka at full strength!
In the anime, Tezuka had basically never unleashed his full power. He was always in a weakened state—practically a copy of Gai Nie. They really were kindred spirits!
But Chiba Yun Chuan had spent every last point of Show-off Value he'd earned since arriving in this world to exchange for a spray that would heal Tezuka's arm in the system store!
All it would take was a quick spray, and Tezuka's arm would recover immediately!
It was a way to make up for one of his regrets.
But that bottle of spray had cost Chiba Yun Chuan a full 5,000 Show-off Value!
Looking at the few dozen points he had left in the system, Chiba Yun Chuan didn't regret it.
If anything, he was excited. This was what made things interesting! Seigaku!
"Quiet! The Metropolitan Tournament draw is about to begin. Hyotei Academy will be the first to draw. May Hyotei Academy's representative please come forward!"
After the staff member finished speaking, Atobe was about to go up, but Chiba Yun Chuan stopped him.
Then Chiba Yun Chuan went up to draw himself.
He reached into the box and pulled out a slip of paper. It had the number three on it!
"Hyotei's in the upper bracket. As long as we don't draw into the upper bracket, we'll be fine!"
"The upper bracket? The Metropolitan Tournament doesn't have brackets!"
"Hyotei drew number three. I hope we can avoid them and not get number four."
Before you continue