The roar of the crowd still echoed in Ren's ears long after the match ended. His body was numb, his legs lead, his racket heavy as stone. Yet the scoreboard above burned its verdict:
Tachibana Ren – Victory.
The stadium announcer's voice cracked with disbelief.
"Against all odds—Rank 99 has defeated Rank 25!"
Shizuka rushed to his side, grabbing his arm before he collapsed. "You idiot... you almost killed yourself out there."
Ren forced a crooked smile. "But... I'm still standing."
Maria appeared a moment later, tossing him a towel with an exasperated huff. "Barely. You think being stubborn makes you a hero?"
Ren met her glare, then glanced at the towel in his hands. "...Maybe not. But it made me a winner."
The fluorescent lights buzzed as Ren slumped onto the bench, his whole body trembling. He closed his eyes. The HUD flickered faintly across his vision:
Copy Technique Lv.2 – [Stored Skill Available].
Capacity: 1 charge.
He gritted his teeth. Storing Hoshino's technique still felt like carrying fire in his veins. One wrong move and it would scorch him from inside.
"Ren," Shizuka's voice cut through, sharper than usual. "Don't overdo this power. The way you moved today—it wasn't natural."
Ren looked up. For a moment, he thought of lying. But the concern in her eyes froze him.
"...If I told you I can copy other players' skills, would you think I'm insane?"
Shizuka blinked. Maria, leaning at the doorway, narrowed her eyes.
"Copy...? What the hell are you talking about?"
Ren clenched his fists. "Forget it. I'll explain when I can control it."
By evening, Aurelia's media had exploded.
"Rank 99 Shocks the Nation!"
"Messiah or Menace? Ren's Impossible Rally Raises Questions."
"Officials to Investigate 'Unnatural' Endurance."
On the big city screens, replay after replay of Ren's endless rally against Hoshino looped in slow motion. His desperate eyes, his cracked racket glowing faintly—it was becoming legend overnight.
Yet, in a private lounge above the arena, Kazama Ryuji watched silently. A glass of water rested untouched in his hand. His smirk was faint, almost bored.
"So... the Substitute can dance longer than I thought."
Ren lay in his dorm bed that night, body wrapped in ice packs. The HUD pulsed faintly on the ceiling, like a second heartbeat.
Warning: Stored Skill Unstable.
He whispered to himself before sleep claimed him:
"...If this power eats me alive... will I still be me?"
The screen faded to black.