I Don't Play Ball with Injured People

"Not bad, huh? What do you think, Echizen? You've definitely decided to join, right? The two of us will probably be teammates from now on."

The two of them arrived at the tennis club and watched the second- and third-years practicing on the court. Horio immediately started addressing Echizen as a teammate.

Suddenly, two other first-year freshmen nearby contradicted him.

"No way. Today is the day of the qualifiers for the second- and third-year regulars. New members can only join starting tomorrow."

"Most of the freshmen have already left. We two were just practicing a little outside."

"Tch, what's the big deal? Acting like this place is so impressive."

Hearing that he could only submit his club application tomorrow, Horio couldn't help but grumble.

Just then, two upperclassmen in blue practice uniforms walked over and spoke to Horio and the others with a proud tone.

"Hey, you guys want to join the tennis club too?"

"Uh, yes. I'm Mizuno Katsuo, a first-year."

"I'm Kato Katsuro, a first-year."

Horio and Echizen beside them said nothing. Another upperclassman bluntly asked the two of them for their names.

Echizen stared at them with his usual sharp gaze, while Horio, as a transmigrator with a system, naturally wouldn't give face to some nameless NPC. He kept his expression calm as he looked at them.

Sensing that he was being slighted, the upperclassman's tone immediately turned hostile.

Just as he was about to lose his temper, the upperclassman wearing a green headband behind him placed a hand on his shoulder and asked with a smile if they wanted to play a game.

The two exchanged glances, understanding each other's intent, and then both kindly invited Horio and the others to join.

Inside the court, the upperclassman in the green headband placed a drink can on the baseline. "If you can hit this can within ten shots, you'll get a reward of ten thousand yen. The challenge fee is two hundred yen per person. Want to play?"

Not knowing the full situation, Katsuo and Katsuro got excited upon hearing the reward was two hundred yen and eagerly said they had to play.

Horio noticed something off about the drink can but said nothing.

Echizen beside him hadn't spotted the trick with the can, but he caught the malicious smiles on the upperclassmen's faces.

Seeing that, Echizen naturally didn't join in either.

Thwack! With the sound of a racket striking, another ball joined the many scattered balls on the other side of the court, but not a single one hit the can.

"Alright, you two are done. Neither of you hit the can. What a shame."

"We failed, Senpai. Here's our challenge fee of two hundred yen."

"Did you get it wrong? Look carefully. The serve-and-hit-the-can game costs five hundred yen per ball, and the challenge fee is two hundred yen extra."

The upperclassman spun the can on the ground, showing the two first-years the note taped to the back of it.

Seeing what was written on the note, the two exclaimed that there was no way they had that much money. Unrelenting, the two upperclassmen turned to Horio and Ryoma and shouted.

"Hey, you two, don't just stand there watching. Come and play too. Don't think you can get out of this."

Annoyed, Ryoma was provoked and said it didn't matter as he casually pulled a racket from his bag and stepped onto the court.

"Hey, Echizen, you've got to hit it hard, like you're training."

"You don't have to tell me. I've already figured it out. You two... put rocks inside, didn't you?"

After agreeing with Horio, Ryoma turned to look at the two upperclassmen.

Just now, Katsuro had managed to hit the can by pure luck, but it only wobbled without falling. That was enough for Echizen to guess their trick.

Ignoring the two men's uneasy expressions, he tossed the tennis ball high into the air.

Then, with a powerful swing, the ball arced through the air toward the top of the can.

The ball landed on the can's lid, tapped it lightly, and the can toppled over with a clatter.

The stones inside the can spilled out, making Katsuro and Katsuo exclaim in admiration.

Realizing they'd been tricked, the two protested that the Senpai had cheated. Exposed, the upperclassmen grew angry. Seeing this, Horio stepped forward.

"As upperclassmen, pulling this kind of trick on first-years—aren't you ashamed?

You want to play? I'll allow you to set up two cans. As for the stones, put in as many as you like."

"Damn you! Looking down on us, are you? If you miss, the challenge fee and the cost per ball will be multiplied by ten!"

"Fine. Whatever makes you happy. But if you lose, you'll pay ten times the price too. And if you go back on your word, I don't care who you are."

To be safe, the two upperclassmen set up the cans again, filling them to the brim with stones.

They also placed the two cans far apart, convinced there was no way a first-year could knock down both with a single shot.

Seeing their antics, Horio smirked disdainfully and pulled a purple racket from his bag.

Standing at the baseline, he gently released the ball from his hand. As it dropped, he swung his racket upward, sending it flying.

A strange arc traced through the air as the ball shot toward one of the cans.

When the ball struck the can, the can received a sudden, intensified spin from the tennis ball, and the can filled with stones was immediately knocked flying.

After landing, the ball knocked over one can and then bounced toward another, landing precisely on its lid. With a light tap like a dragonfly skimming the water, the second can toppled as well.

Once it hit the ground, the ball did not bounce again but spun in place until it stopped.

Seeing this, Echizen's calm gaze turned serious for the first time, fixing on the person who had been walking alongside him all along.

"Pay up, Senpai. Of course, if you don't want to, I can let it go. After all, ten times the price—I doubt you have it anyway."

Hearing such blatant sarcasm, the upperclassmen, unable to save face, wanted to teach Horio a lesson. Just as they stepped forward, a ball suddenly flew out and struck the fallen can.

Everyone turned their eyes to see a sturdy figure approaching.

"Hey, Arai, don't pick on the first-years just because the third-year seniors aren't around, got it?"

The newcomer was none other than Momoshiro Takeshi, whom Horio and the others had run into earlier. At Momoshiro's words, the two upperclassmen made up an excuse and left.

Seeing the instigators gone, Horio prepared to leave as well, and Echizen had no intention of staying either.

"Hey, hey, who said you could leave too?"

Just as the three were at a standoff, a sweet voice broke the tension.

"Ryoma, it really is you!"

It was Ryuzaki Sakuno, Ryoma's official love interest.

Beside her, the girl clinging to Sakuno with a lovesick expression was Osakada Tomoka. Behind them followed two adults—Shiba Saori and Inoue.

"Sakuno! Who is he?"

"Oh, he's Echizen Ryoma."

At the name "Echizen Ryoma," Inoue behind them showed surprise, and Momoshiro on the other side was equally startled.

Echizen Ryoma couldn't help but frown—clearly, he wasn't used to this kind of scene.

Horio, who had wanted to leave long ago, paid no attention to their situation. He put his racket into his bag, slung it over his shoulder, and prepared to go.

"I don't want to stick around for this boring scene. If you want someone to play tennis with, go find him. I can tell you're interested in him. I'm not going to play with someone who has a foot injury."

With that, Horio left the court, leaving Momoshiro stunned.

"He said someone has a foot injury. Is it you?"

"Less talk. Yes or no—one word."

Echizen turned and walked straight to the baseline. His sharp gaze had already given Momoshiro Takeshi the best answer.

"Alright. Let me have a good taste of your Outer Spin Serve."