After Akutsu arrived at the court, he saw Mitsuya also standing on the sideline and was slightly surprised—this didn't match what Akashi had said yesterday. Still, he didn't care. In fact, it made him even more fired up. He'd heard from Akashi that Mitsuya was really strong.
Over on the bench, Akashi looked at Akutsu and showed a strange smile. He knew very well—there was no way Akutsu could beat Mitsuya with his current strength. But this match would definitely push Akutsu to a new level.
Just as Akashi was wondering how much Akutsu would improve, a long-lost sound echoed in his mind.
"Congratulations to the host for completing a hidden mission—Premature Change. Because the host helped a team member awaken Ability Synchronization ahead of schedule, the reward is the training method for the Divine Path of the Asura!"
Oh damn. Seriously? Akashi hadn't expected the system to pull something like this. Another hidden mission complete. Even though it didn't boost his fusion rate, the Asura training method was even more valuable.
He'd originally been wondering how to get the Shura Path training method from Mifune Nyudō—he'd even considered visiting Rokkaku's old man, who probably knew it too. But now the system just handed it over directly.
This system really was something. After the district tournament, it had given him a dimensional shard, then updated a side mission—win the national tournament to earn another shard—and then went quiet. He didn't expect a surprise drop like this now.
Still, Akashi had no intention of training in the Shura Path himself. He also wouldn't walk the Muga road. With the system's help, he would carve his own path in tennis. But for his teammates, it was worth considering.
Tezuka and Chitose were clearly sticking to the Muga path. As for Kite, even though he had awakened Muga, Akashi would wait and see. Tachibana and Krauser might be candidates too, but nothing was certain yet.
Akutsu, though, was a perfect fit. In the original story, he didn't awaken the Eighth Consciousness until he entered the Shura Path. Akashi planned to teach him the method once his strength hit the national peak and he fully mastered Light Strike. With Akutsu's talent, it shouldn't take long.
While Akashi was lost in thought about the system's sudden reward, the Singles Three match officially started. Akutsu lucked out and got to serve first.
Standing at the baseline, Akutsu pulled a ball from his pocket. He glanced at Mitsuya on the other side, whose calm face annoyed him. Clicking his tongue, he tossed the ball high and smashed it with explosive force. The ball shot across the court at high speed.
Mitsuya watched it and nodded silently. That was a solid serve—its power and speed far beyond other players his age. But still not enough. He moved to the bounce point and casually returned the shot.
Akutsu darted toward the net like a leopard, staying low and springing forward. He twisted into a weird stance and slammed the ball hard at Mitsuya's feet.
Mitsuya didn't flinch at the awkward motion—he'd clearly studied scouting reports before the match. He swung again and returned it, this time with noticeably more power than the first shot.
Just like that, the two began a fierce rally at the net. Unlike Akutsu's all-out aggression, Mitsuya mostly played defensively, clearly building a data model of Akutsu's game.
From the sideline, Banda was visibly surprised by Akutsu's performance. He could tell just how much potential was hiding inside that body.
For the first time, Banda left the special chair the team had bought for him and slowly walked over to Akashi's side. Akashi shifted slightly, making room for him to sit. As proud as he was, he still showed proper respect to veterans like Banda—though not for Ryūzaki Sumire, of course.
"Hohoho~ Akashi-kun, your Fudomine really gave this old man a big surprise~" Banda said cheerfully as he sat down.
"I heard from Mitsuya-senpai that everyone calls you Banda-san. Mind if I call you that too?" Akashi asked with a polite smile.
"No problem at all, Akashi-kun. Call me whatever you want. Even 'grumpy old man' is fine~" Banda said with a joking tone.
Akashi thought about Banda's mischievous nature and felt a little amused. The old man really was playful—but maybe that attitude was what helped him notice the hidden talents in players.
"Banda-san, you didn't come over just to praise us, did you?" Akashi asked, curious about his real motive.
"Fudomine deserves praise. With nothing but first-years, you've still got so many top players. Akashi-kun, you really have a gift for coaching~" Banda said kindly.
Akashi didn't reply. He just kept watching Banda, waiting for him to get to the point. Seeing that, Banda was slightly surprised but continued:
"The one playing now is Akutsu, right?"
Akashi nodded. He'd already guessed why Banda had come over. In the original story, Banda deeply admired Akutsu's talent and tried everything to guide him onto the tennis path. Even though it only half-worked, he still laid a solid foundation for Akutsu's future.
"You're right, Banda-san. His name is Akutsu Jin. May I ask why you brought him up?" Akashi asked calmly, though he'd already guessed Banda's reason.
"Akutsu-kun's natural talent is off the charts. Honestly, I've rarely seen anything like it in my whole life. He's a once-in-a-decade kind of athletic genius. I wonder—what kind of future path do you have planned for him, Akashi-kun?" Banda had clearly come with Akutsu in mind.
"I'm fully aware of Akutsu's talent. His growth has already outpaced all of us. I know what you want to say, Banda-san. But rest assured—I won't waste his talent. I've got a perfect training plan for him. In fact, I purposely matched him against Mitsuya-senpai in today's lineup."
Banda froze for a second, then smiled knowingly. So even Mitsuya had been used by this little guy. Still, with things laid out like that, he couldn't exactly go suggesting that Akutsu join Yamabuki.
Yes, Banda had originally planned to bring Akutsu to his school and personally train him. But Akashi's message was clear: Akutsu already had a flawless training path and didn't need anyone interfering.
"In that case, I'm relieved. I'm glad we had this talk, Akashi-kun. Oh, by the way, I've got a small favor to ask of you…" Banda suddenly added, like he'd just remembered something.
While the two talked on the sidelines, the score on court had already reached 40-0, and Akutsu was clearly on the defensive. He was about to lose his service game.
Mitsuya kept dragging out the rallies, and Akutsu knew exactly why—he was being studied. But with his current strength, he couldn't shake off that pressure.
When Akutsu showed another opening, Mitsuya didn't hesitate. He smashed the ball toward the back left corner. Akutsu reacted, but still arrived a moment too late.
"Game! Yamabuki Middle School! 1-0!"
Akutsu's face twisted in frustration. He hadn't even scored a single point before dropping his serve. By now, Mitsuya had almost finished constructing his data model.
Even Mitsuya had to admit—Akutsu's physical gifts were absolutely insane. Thankfully, his skills hadn't fully matured yet. Otherwise, this would've been a much tougher match.
Mitsuya's serve game started next. Right after serving, he moved into position and activated full-on Data Tennis.
"Probability of reaching the ball: 97%. Chance of forehand power shot: 84%. But…"
Meanwhile, Akutsu chased down the shot and took a forehand stance. But just as he swung, he twisted midair and hit a sharp crosscourt instead. Mitsuya's voice echoed again:
"With Akutsu-kun's flexibility, chance of mid-swing adjustment: 87%. Crosscourt choice: 96%!"
Just as Mitsuya predicted, Akutsu sent a crosscourt shot. But Mitsuya was already there at the bounce point. He returned it to the exact spot Akutsu hated the most.
"Body tilt: 27 degrees. Racket tip contact probability: 79%. Topspin probability: 91%. Estimated ball speed: 164 kilometers per hour." While speaking, Mitsuya approached the net and dropped a short ball.
"Top sprinting speed: 9.2 meters per second. Probability of returning the shot: 3%." The thud of the ball hitting the court came at the same time as his words.
"15-0!"
Akutsu froze in a twisted receiving pose, face full of fury. This feeling—being controlled like a puppet—made him livid. Just like that damn red-haired bastard.
But he also knew this Yamabuki player was stronger than him. Even with perfect predictions, it wasn't easy to completely dominate him. Still, it felt like every one of Akutsu's attacks was getting predicted and shut down.
Mitsuya kept using his data to create unbearable shot patterns. Meanwhile, Akutsu's assaults might as well not exist—they were all read in advance.
"30-0!"
"40-0!"
"Game! Yamabuki Middle School! 2-0!"
"Game! Yamabuki Middle School! 3-0! Switch sides!"
"Game! Yamabuki Middle School! 4-0!"
In a flash, Mitsuya had taken four straight games. Even Tezuka on the sideline looked shocked. He knew Akashi had set up this match to push Akutsu, but he hadn't expected Mitsuya to be this strong. Honestly, Tezuka wasn't sure he could win if he went up against him now.
And the rest of the Fudomine regulars were just as serious. None of them expected the gap between Akutsu and Mitsuya to be this wide. They didn't seem like they were on the same level at all.
Sure, Mitsuya was a national-level player—already near the national peak. Akutsu was still only half a step into national level. The gap shouldn't have been that huge. But Mitsuya's Data Tennis countered Akutsu's straightforward style perfectly. Accurate predictions were deadly against someone like him.
Akutsu still looked steady on the outside, but inside, rage was about to tear his chest open. The pressure was closing in from all sides.
Just when the Fudomine team started getting worried, Akutsu's aura suddenly shifted. A red-black energy burst from his body, wrapping tightly around him.
"Is that the aura of a wild beast?" Tachibana Kippei muttered in surprise.
"No. That's the aura of a beast… or maybe we should call it wild instinct," Akashi said flatly.