(Author's Note: In the original series, Spain is arguably the final boss, right? Even Borg couldn't match Medanore during the French World Cup. Germany's dominance started with Borg's generation, but Spain rose right after. Borg eventually becomes the top pro, but the Medanore twins' plotline hints that the weaker twin was the one playing professionally post-injury—while the stronger one remained unseen. At the French World Cup, Medanore was outright stated to rival Borg. Plus, Spain's roster is stacked (especially after Australia recruits Ryoma's brother, Ryoga). I didn't pick Spain mostly because they're the true endgame antagonists across both World Cups.)
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Boom—!
"Yoru scores. Game 4-0!"
...
Boom—!
"Yoru scores. Game 5-0!"
...
Boom—!
"Yoru scores. Game 6-0!"
Just as Yoru predicted—every single shot, whether serve or return, was laced with reverse spin, and each point ended in one stroke.
Tezuka tried everything.
He even attempted to dampen the spin by striking the ball with his racket's handle—but nothing worked. The games slipped away like sand through his fingers.
---
"What did you learn?"
Yoru stood at the net, looking down at Tezuka, who sat slumped on the court. Like Fuji earlier, the pressure had crushed him despite the match's brevity. His breath came in ragged gasps.
Tezuka pushed himself up with his racket. "No counterplay."
"Good. Now ask why there's no counterplay." Yoru nodded and walked off, QP following silently from the referee's chair.
---
As the crowd dispersed, Oishi and the others rushed onto the court. Both Tezuka and Fuji were pale, drenched in sweat, their expressions hollow.
"The captain went too hard on them…" Kikumaru muttered, fists clenched.
"No." Fuji's voice was quiet but firm. "He held back. This was a lesson."
A lesson? The group exchanged confused glances.
Tezuka, leaning on Oishi, added: "The captain never acts without purpose. With Reverse Zone, he's always emphasized one thing…"
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"No counterplay?" QP frowned as they left the tennis club. "Reverse Zone's spin exceeds Standard Zone by 60%. But that margin is arbitrary—it doesn't dictate inevitability."
Yoru smirked. "The key isn't the spin. It's enforcement."
QP's brow furrowed deeper. "Enforcement?"
Yoru didn't elaborate.
How could he explain that he'd seen Tezuka's future matches—where Reverse Zone (Tezuka Phantom) was used as a gamble, not a guarantee? In the original timeline, Tezuka had to hope his opponent would engage head-on, ultimately backfiring.
But true mastery—like Germany's post-World Cup training revealed—lay in forcing the opponent's compliance.
That was the core of Supreme Zone.
Now, with Tezuka injury-free, Yoru aimed to fast-track his growth. And if possible…
Bind him.
Tezuka's innate talent alone was worth it:
[Absolute Ball Sense]: Dramatically enhances control and ball sensitivity. Techniques exceed their base level by a variable % (scales with mental state).
The stronger the user, the more broken this became.
Five-Sense Manipulation was powerful too, but Yoru avoided relying on it after the Johanna incident. He reserved it for emergencies—like against Phoenix, where activating it mid-point forced an error.
He hated losing games.
If conventional methods failed, cheating was fair play.
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Later: Temple Grounds
Yoru was midway through his evening conditioning (a performative routine for Nanjiroh's benefit) when his phone rang.
"Since when do you call, Jūjirō?" he answered, leaning against a wall.
A heavy silence. Then:
"Will you join Japan's U17?"
"No." The reply was instant.
Another pause.
Yoru pieced it together. "You turned them down before, but now a coach showed up. The kids encouraged you, didn't they?"
Only one thing could sway the stubborn Oni—his orphanage kids' voices.
"…Tch. You see through everything."
Earlier that day, Mikoto-san's words had struck a chord: "We want to see Oni-san become Japan's #1!"
U17 was a pipeline to the pros—and the World Cup, second only to the Grand Slams in prestige.
Mikoto had also nudged him to recruit Yoru.
But Yoru's refusal was absolute: "I'll join any team except Japan. Sorry."
A quiet growl. "Then we'll be enemies. I don't want to face a friend on court."
Yoru rolled his eyes.
Why is everyone here so damn dramatic?
"Jūjirō, listen. Matches are matches. Since when does rivalry erase friendship?"
"…Hah?"
"Would you go easy on me if we were teammates?"
"Of course not!"
"Then what changes? Respect stays the same."
A stunned silence.
"…You muscle-brained oaf," Yoru sighed. "That coach played you."
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