"This…"
Watching the increasingly bizarre tennis match on the court, Oshitari Yuushi pushed up his glasses in disbelief.
Is this still the tennis I know?
"Magic?" Shishido Ryo swallowed hard, unable to stop himself from guessing.
Oshitari shook his head. "A magic trick that can make someone disappear would at least need props, right? Do you see any props on that guy that could hide him?"
"Then what's going on with him, Oshitari? You're not telling me he has special powers, are you?"
"…"
Faced with Shishido's confusion, Oshitari could only give him a blank look. You're asking me? How should I know?
"It's his sense of presence…"
But before Oshitari could continue, a new voice interrupted them.
Both Oshitari and Shishido turned their heads.
The newcomer's purple-gray bangs were parted in the middle, slightly curled at the ends. Deep blue eyes shone with confidence, and the teardrop mole beneath the right eye gave off an air of charm and authority.
"Atobe…"
"Captain, you're here too!"
Seeing the person approach, Oshitari and Shishido straightened slightly, greeting him with respect.
"Mm."
Atobe Keigo nodded, not paying much attention to his teammates as he strode forward, casually curling his bangs with one hand.
Both Oshitari and Shishido knew this habit well. Their captain—the emperor of Hyotei—had found something truly intriguing.
"Interesting… very interesting…"
"Huh… fuhahaha…"
"Misdirection!"
Atobe's eyes gleamed as he spoke. "I've read about a visual trick called Misdirection before. But to see it actually applied on a tennis court…"
Even though he had studied abroad in England and been playing tennis since childhood, Atobe had never seen such an uncanny style of play. His sharp insight had its limits, but this boy's ability to bend perception itself went far beyond ordinary technique.
Such unorthodox tennis—it stirred his competitive heart.
"Bang—"
"15–0."
"Bang—"
"3–0."
"Bang—"
"4–0."
The match pressed on. The score gap grew wider and wider.
On the court, Ryohei Rin was completely immersed in the game, enjoying tennis in its purest form for the first time.
The sweat, the thrill—this was the romance of competition!
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for receiving 1000 Support Points from Atobe Keigo!]
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for receiving 1000 Support Points from Oshitari Yuushi!]
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for receiving 1000 Support Points from Shishido Ryo!]
"…Ah?"
The sudden prompts from the Strongest Player System made Rin falter for a moment.
When did Atobe get here? And aren't Oshitari and Shishido Hyotei's regulars? Isn't Taki Haginosuke on their side? Why am I getting points from them?
"Could it be… deep down, they actually want me to win?" Rin wondered, suspicion flashing in his eyes.
But the next moment, he shook his head and tossed the distracting thought aside. He tossed the ball high, shouting to his opponent:
"Still going to struggle now?"
"Bang—!"
The serve fired out like a bullet.
Rin himself didn't understand. With the score already 5–0, why hadn't Taki Haginosuke given up? Did he really think there was still hope against someone who could vanish from sight?
"Struggle?"
Across the net, Taki Haginosuke gritted his teeth at Rin's taunt, his expression twisted.
You think I want this?
But if I lose, I'll have to be his ball boy. A third-year reduced to chasing balls for a freshman… I'll be laughed at for the rest of the year!
"Damn brat! I don't know what tricks you're pulling, but—!"
He clenched his fist. "Since I can't see you, I'll close my eyes and rely on hearing alone!"
Even at rock bottom, Taki still racked his brains for a way out.
"Oh?"
Rin's lips curved into a smirk as his figure blurred and vanished once more.
"Ugly. Clinging to false hope instead of accepting reality."
Playing by sound alone? That was something only a true genius could manage. And Taki Haginosuke… was far from that.
"Bang—"
"15–0."
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for receiving 1000 Support Points from Hiyoshi Wakashi!]
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for receiving 1000 Support Points from Ohtori Chotaroh!]
"Bang—"
"30–0."
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for receiving 1000 Support Points from Kabaji Munehiro!]
"Bang—"
"40–0."
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for receiving 1000 Support Points from Akutagawa Jiro!]
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for receiving 1000 Support Points from Mukahi Gakuto!]
"Bang—"
"Game set! Six–love!"
The final shot landed, ending it all.
Ryohei Rin had swept the match without losing a single point.
"Unbelievable… he's a first-year?"
Mukahi Gakuto's jaw dropped as he stared at the court. "With such an unusual style and a flawless win, his strength isn't far off from us regulars!"
"Very strong…" Oshitari admitted, narrowing his eyes. "With a player like him, Hyotei's lineup this year will be even scarier."
"Atobe."
"What do you think? Do we have a real chance this year?"
Atobe sneered at the question. "A chance? Oh, please. Even without him, the championship already belongs to Hyotei."
Still, his gaze softened slightly as it lingered on Rin. Appreciation glimmered in his eyes.
This boy… with his skills, he could become Hyotei's hidden trump card against Rikkai.
"The winner is Atobe! The winner is Hyotei!"
From behind Atobe, Kabaji suddenly shouted, his voice booming with loyalty.
Though dull in appearance, Kabaji had learned one truth:
Whenever Atobe spoke of victory and championships, repeating it loudly was always the right move.