6-0, Crushing Victory

Atobe served again, and Horio returned the ball to Atobe's left baseline.

Atobe quickly moved to cover and hit it back, and Horio sent the ball to the right baseline again.

"That's right, tennis should be like this, more running is what sports are about."

"Damn it, first-year, are you deliberately toying with me? It's that spot!"

Atobe realized he was being moved around left and right by Horio, which annoyed him greatly. He then stared at a spot behind Horio's right and hit the ball forcefully.

Bang...

"Hyotei scores, 15:15."

"First-year, don't underestimate people. I've seen through your blind spot."

After scoring, Atobe felt confident again as he saw he had found his opponent's weak spot.

Hearing Atobe's words, Horio said nothing and turned back to the baseline.

"Good eyesight. You can find the blind spot as soon as it appears, but if that's all you have, it's not enough."

Watching Atobe prepare to serve again, Horio hadn't stopped testing him, feeling that Atobe wasn't using his full strength yet.

Atobe stared at Horio across the net and hit a ball with a tricky angle.

Horio calmly responded, while Atobe was forced to run left and right, being moved by Horio.

Whenever Horio felt Atobe was almost there, he would reveal an opening, allowing Atobe to score.

Then Horio would win back the point on the next ball, only going for the win directly at match point.

The match continued in this manner, with points being exchanged back and forth, and then Horio winning the match in a boring fashion.

Bang...

"Seigaku scores, the score is 2:0."

"Atobe... is actually being dominated by that kid."

"Although I don't know if it's a coincidence, it's certainly suspicious."

"The point that was just caught up is immediately reversed on the next ball. That first-year is truly terrifying."

The Hyotei members watched their captain being toyed with by a first-year on the court. They were not only surprised that their captain was being suppressed, but even more so because it was a first-year doing the suppressing.

"Come on, come on, it's your serve again. This game, I'll make you hit that smash of yours."

Horio looked at the sweating Atobe, a meaningful smile on his face.

"Damn it, what's going on? Was that guy deliberately showing me an opening?"

Looking at the smiling Horio, Atobe gritted his teeth and hit the ball.

The ball, which was originally heading for Horio's forehand, was not returned with a forehand.

Horio swung his backhand and hit the fast-approaching ball into the sky.

"A lob shot! A great opportunity! Atobe's chance has come."

"Let him see your signature move, Atobe."

Atobe quickly ran forward, jumped, and hit a smash.

However, his target was not the court, but the racket in Horio's hand.

"Hmph, don't be silly. How could I let you do that?"

Seeing Atobe smash, Horio adjusted his position the moment the smash flew out and hit another super high lob.

Thud...

"Seigaku scores, 15:0."

"Your intention was too obvious. I won't let you succeed."

Seeing his initial smash fail to achieve its goal, Atobe was completely out of ideas.

Looking at the somewhat helpless Atobe, Horio no longer had the desire to continue testing him.

"That's enough. It's time to end the match. I'll make you lose to yourself."

Hearing Horio's words, Atobe looked sharply at Horio. It was then that Atobe realized.

The person in front of him had actually never played seriously against him.

"To underestimate me from the very beginning! I will not lose."

Stubborn Atobe didn't believe Horio's words and insisted he could win, then swung his racket to send another ball.

Seeing that Atobe still hadn't given up, Horio returned the ball.

Looking at the ball flying back, Atobe's left hand once again went to his brow, and then Atobe showed a look of fear.

Atobe, who had intended to discern his opponent's weakness again, did indeed find a weakness this time, but it was entirely his own weakness.

He could only hastily return the ball, and Horio immediately hit it back to score.

"Seigaku scores, 30:0"

"Let's continue, the match isn't over yet."

Bang...

"Seigaku scores, 40:0"

Bang...

"Seigaku scores, score 3:0"

"It's uncomfortable now, isn't it? The real discomfort is just beginning."

In the fourth game, Horio, who held the serve, used Complete Imprisonment.

Atobe also felt that sensation of the tennis ball being right in front of him, yet impossibly far away.

"What's going on? That serve is pretty simple, why is Atobe just standing there motionless?"

"Could it be that Atobe is already too tired to even return the ball?"

The confused Hyotei crowd, having never experienced the suffering of Complete Imprisonment, naturally couldn't understand Atobe's discomfort.

"Seigaku scores, score 4:0"

"Next... it's your serve again."

The fifth game began, and it was Atobe's turn to serve again. By this point, Atobe's spirit had been thoroughly tormented by Horio.

Relying on the remaining physical strength in his body, Atobe, with a somewhat dazed mind, tried his best to serve.

Horio showed no mercy, directly hitting a Shatter.

Atobe, forcing himself to stay conscious, rushed to the ball's landing spot and swung his racket. The mental sluggishness didn't prevent the sensation of pain from transmitting.

Feeling a tearing pain transmitted from the tennis ball through his racket, Atobe's racket was sent flying, just as expected.

"What's wrong with Atobe? The force of that ball shouldn't be so great that he can't return it."

"That first-year is so strange, where did he learn so many peculiar techniques?"

"Atobe looks like he's in a lot of pain. He should still be able to hold on, right?"

By this time, the Hyotei cheerleaders who had been cheering from the sidelines had long since fallen silent. Seeing the highest leader of their tennis club being so thoroughly crushed, they had lost the confidence to cheer anymore.

"What is this tearing sensation... It didn't look like anything special..."

Feeling the lingering pain in his arm, Atobe felt that sense of powerlessness surge back again.

"Hurry up and serve. Three more balls."

Horio's voice came again. Atobe now only found Horio's voice to be terrifying.

However, as the leader of Hyotei, he suppressed his emotions and returned to the baseline to serve again.

Bang...

"Seigaku scores, 30:0"

Bang...

"Seigaku scores, 40:0"

Bang...

"Seigaku scores, 5:0"

Unsurprisingly, the fifth game was quickly taken by Horio's overwhelming dominance.

The sixth game saw Horio's serve again, as if victory had already been foretold.

Atobe on the other side also anticipated that Horio would use Complete Imprisonment against him again. Although he still assumed a ready stance to return the ball, his consciousness already knew the outcome.

As expected, Horio smoothly executed Complete Imprisonment.

Atobe, on Hyotei's side of the court, was pinned to the spot like a nail, watching the ball land at his feet.

"Seigaku scores, score 6:0, Seigaku wins."

As the referee announced Seigaku's victory, the crowd who had been ready to cheer finally began to celebrate.