New Tennis Skill

"Seigaku scores. The score is 6–0. Seigaku wins."

"Yeah! Seigaku! Seigaku! Seigaku!"

"Beautifully done, kid."

With the referee's announcement, Seigaku had won the Tokyo Metropolitan Tournament without a hint of surprise. They would compete in the Kanto Tournament as a seeded team.

"Tezuka, we're one step closer to the national championship. You can focus on your treatment now."

Hearing that Seigaku had won, Oishi, the acting captain, couldn't help thinking of Tezuka, who was undergoing treatment for his arm.

Just as Horio came off the court, he saw everyone waiting for him outside. They were all wearing excited expressions.

"Horio, you were amazing! Akutsu couldn't fight back at all!"

"I didn't know you were this good, kid. Looks like we'll have to work even harder, too."

"Yeah. I'll revise the training plan when we get back today. The improved version of my Inui Juice is almost ready, too. Everyone will definitely make even more progress then."

After watching Horio's one-sided match, Inui Sadaharu, Seigaku's assistant coach, had gained a new understanding of youth tennis.

He was convinced that Seigaku's regulars had plenty of room to improve. To win the national championship, he needed to make sure everyone was even stronger.

"Congratulations, Coach Ryuzaki. That was a wonderful match."

"It wasn't my doing. Those kids played well."

"That's true. Those young players really are impressive. Seigaku has a wonderful new player this year."

"You flatter me. Even I can't see what the future holds for that boy. I believe it won't be long before he takes off for an even greater stage."

"I'll remember this match. One day, I'll get my revenge."

"I never thought I'd see such an incredible younger player after twenty years. A new era is about to begin."

Echizen Nanjirou strolled along in his usual carefree manner, muttering to himself, though his face showed how happy he was.

After celebrating their victory for a while, the Seigaku team prepared to leave. Just then, Tachibana Kippei arrived with his younger sister, Tachibana An.

"Congratulations to all of you—and to you, Horio. The Tokyo Metropolitan Tournament is over. Now it's our turn."

After congratulating the Seigaku team, Tachibana Kippei immediately turned his attention to Horio. Seeing the fierce fighting spirit on Tachibana Kippei's face, Horio felt intrigued, too.

"That suits me just fine. I hope you've been practicing hard. Otherwise, I won't enjoy myself."

"Don't worry. I've been training especially hard for our match."

"I'm so thirsty... Senpai, you guys go ahead. I'm going to buy a drink."

"All right, Horio. Remember to show up on time for practice tomorrow."

"Okay."

With Oishi's permission, Horio left on his own.

"Whew... That hit the spot. Nothing beats a drink after playing tennis."

Horio drained a large gulp and sighed with genuine satisfaction. Then he was about to take another big drink.

"I'll beat you..."

An angry voice came from behind him. Horio turned around.

A boy stood there, a little shorter than him and wearing a headband.

"You're... talking to me?"

"You. You beat Senpai Akutsu. One day, I'll beat you on Senpai Akutsu's behalf."

"What are you talking about... Oh, you're Dan Taichi, the manager of Yamabuki's tennis club, right?"

"That's right. Remember my name. I'll definitely beat you someday."

"Hey, tell me—what do you think of Akutsu?"

"Huh... Senpai Akutsu? Senpai Akutsu is amazing. He's really good at tennis."

"Heh. So you're defending him just because you think he's good at tennis. But do you even know that he isn't all that interested in tennis?"

"That's impossible. Senpai Akutsu is so good at tennis. How could he not like it?"

"I don't have to explain myself to you. I don't owe anyone an explanation for what I do. If you think being beaten is some great achievement, suit yourself."

Then he ignored Dan Taichi, who still looked indignant, turned around, and drank his beverage as he headed for the training hall.

"Your technique is already perfect, isn't it? Why do you keep practicing it?"

Inside the training hall, the owner watched Horio practicing the same move over and over by himself and couldn't help asking.

"No tennis skill is perfect. All I can do is make each of my skills as close to perfect as possible."

"Is that so? As close to perfect as possible... Yeah... That's just like you."

As he turned to leave, Horio suddenly called the owner to a stop.

"I've been working on a new move lately. Want to see it?"

"A new technique? I'd be honored."

"Can you return my serve? Want me to go easy on you?"

"Of course. You can't bully a tennis enthusiast like me, can you?"

Horio shook his head with a smile and casually served the ball.

"When you return it, use all your strength. Otherwise, I won't be able to judge the power properly."

"Hey, hey, you really don't hold back."

The owner grumbled at Horio's warning, but still returned the ball with all his strength.

Feeling the force behind the owner's return, Horio knew what he needed to do.

"Get ready. Tense up your muscles."

With that, Horio assumed his stance. When he saw where the ball was headed, he gripped his racket tightly. A faint purple aura appeared.

He swung a flat shot, striking the ball with the tip of his racket.

As the racket touched the tennis ball, the purple aura flowed into it, and he sent it back.

The owner, standing on the opposite side of the court, stared at the ball flying toward him until his vision started to blur.

It looked as if several balls were flying at him. The image doubled, but he could still barely make out the ball's trajectory.

Once he had roughly figured out its path, the owner felt a pressure unlike anything he had experienced before. He tensed his arm muscles and swung his racket at the ball.

"I got it!"

The owner was pleased to see that he had returned the ball, but then a wave of pain shot through the arm he'd used to hit it.

It felt as if a machine were twisting his arm by force. He instinctively let go of the racket, and only then did the tearing pain in his arm slowly fade.

"How was that? I deliberately controlled the power so you could return it."

Horio smiled as he asked the owner, whose racket had been knocked away and whose expression was complicated.

"Th-that was... How did you do that? The ball wasn't even fast, so why did it hurt so much when it hit my hand?"

The owner asked curiously, not yet fully recovered. Horio looked pleased by his question.

"This is the new tennis skill I've been working on. If I'd hit it with all my strength, your arm would be ruined. And if I'd gone all out, you wouldn't even have been able to see the ball's trajectory."

Seeing that the owner still hadn't recovered, Horio no longer felt like practicing.

"Think it over on your own. I'm heading home."