The Match Had a Foregone Conclusion

Seeing the ball bounce and rebound quickly, Horio took a quick step to the left and drove it across the court with a one-handed flat shot, sending it to the other side of Akutsu.

Horio hadn't used all his strength—not even half of it—but the ball still traveled so fast that no one else could follow its path.

"Nice shot! Horio sent it to the dead corner on Akutsu's other side!"

Off the court, Katsuro and Katsuo saw how seriously Horio was taking things from the very start. They couldn't help feeling happy for their good friend.

Just as the two of them thought the point was surely won, a figure suddenly appeared behind the ball in a strange way.

Akutsu bent his body and sprang up from below.

He tilted his racket slightly and hit a slice.

"Coach Ryuzaki, Akutsu is a very unusual person. His innate athletic instincts let him return the ball in any way he likes."

"I don't know how strong your first-year player is, but Akutsu won't be easy to deal with."

Watching the match unfold, Banrou, seated in the coaches' area, spoke to Coach Ryuzaki.

"Hmph, Banrou, don't be so confident. I don't know how good the person you're talking about is, but Horio is the most gifted and promising player I've seen in all these years. Even Echizen Nanjirou at his age couldn't compare."

"Just wait and see. He'll surprise you, and before long, he'll surprise the world, too."

Hearing Banrou speak with such confidence, Coach Ryuzaki didn't say much in response.

As far as everyone at Seigaku was concerned, Horio was the very image of victory.

The slice Akutsu hit began to drop as soon as it cleared the net. Horio merely smiled.

Then Inch Step took him to the net in an instant, where he deliberately hit a Lob Shot.

Akutsu used his unusual movement again to appear above the ball. He fixed a vicious stare on Horio's body, tensed his muscles, and put all his strength into the shot.

Some of the people watching felt Akutsu's behavior was shameful; others thought he had gone too far.

"That bastard Akutsu isn't even trying to play tennis!"

"Exactly. He's just using the ball as a weapon to hurt people."

"How can the tennis club still put up with someone like him? They should've kicked him out ages ago!"

Hearing the other Seigaku players sticking up for Horio, Kawamura wore a helpless look on his honest face.

"Akutsu... I think he's been like that since he was little. He's like that no matter what he does."

"Come on, Aron, why are you sticking up for him? The person he's picking on now is our new kid!"

Seeing how slow Kawamura was to catch on, Kikumaru said reproachfully.

"Akutsu really is going too far, but... unfortunately for him, his opponent is someone who considers tennis his bottom line."

Inui seemed to have figured something out, then began to worry for Akutsu.

"Remember what happened with Arai? Just one look from Horio was enough to scare him like that. And nobody knows how strong Horio is now."

"Besides, he just told us to watch this match carefully. I think he never took Akutsu seriously from the start."

"Ah, you mean the kid is putting on an act with Akutsu?"

"Based on what we've seen so far, that's one way to put it."

Inui pushed up his glasses and looked toward the court again.

After hitting a vicious shot, Akutsu watched the ball hurtle straight toward Horio. A feral smile spread across his twisted face.

But before he could even see Horio get knocked flying, Akutsu's smile vanished.

The onlookers were still reeling from Akutsu's display when the next moment left them stunned all over again.

Even Banrou, who had been smiling the whole time from the Yamabuki coaches' area, could no longer keep his smile.

Just as Akutsu's shot was about to hit Horio, Horio, who hadn't moved at all, vanished.

Then the faint afterimage of a purple racket appeared behind the ball, and Akutsu suddenly felt a sharp pain across his face.

A powerful impact sent him flying backward. He landed only after traveling more than two meters.

"What happened? Did anyone see it clearly?"

"Why was Akutsu the one who went flying? What just happened?!"

"This isn't what I imagined... How did things change so much in an instant?"

Hearing the onlookers' bewildered remarks, Echizen Nanjirou watched from beneath the trees, looking intrigued.

"Can a middle schooler really do something like that...? And he's only in his first year... It looks like he's not just one of a kind mentally—his body has surpassed its limits, too."

"No wonder he said he'd play me in a year. His physical abilities must have already reached their current limits. He's incredible. Ryoma, you'd better work hard, or there'll be no place for you in this era."

Unlike Echizen Nanjirou, the Seigaku players were genuinely shocked.

"S-so strong! I thought he'd already shown pretty much all his skill when he played against Senpai."

"No. When he played against me, he wasn't trying at all. He may still not have shown his true strength."

"Maybe we really do need to work harder. If we can't keep up with him as much as possible, we'll only hold the team back on the road to the national championship."

"Maybe that's why Tezuka could leave without worrying and go get his arm treated."

Ryoma watched the composed figure on the court in silence, a strange glint flickering in his eyes from time to time.

I'll beat you one day.

On the court

"If this is all you can do, then there's no point in giving you any more chances."

Looking at Akutsu lying on the ground, Horio turned and headed back to the baseline. As he walked, he spoke again.

"Three balls. I'll give you three more, and then you'll face hell."

Akutsu struggled to his feet, his clenched jaw betraying his frustration.

Back at the baseline, Akutsu stared at Horio, who stood calmly across from him. The tennis ball in his hand was crushed out of shape.

Then, in a rage, Akutsu hit another ball, unleashing all his strength.

He knew that if he held anything back again, he wouldn't have the slightest chance.

Feeling the force in the ball press harder against his racket than before, Horio grew a little interested.

Finally taking yourself seriously...? Heh... Someone like you, who doesn't take tennis seriously, needs to give it everything you've got before I make you suffer.