Bam!
The sound of the serve echoed across the court, marking the start of another fierce rally.
Having identified Tezuka's weaknesses, Atobe launched relentless attacks, exploiting every opening he could find.
Each return from Tezuka became increasingly strained, the quality of his shots visibly deteriorating.
For a moment—
Tezuka was the one being suppressed.
Yet, no matter where Atobe aimed, Tezuka stubbornly returned every ball, no matter how difficult.
"Strange..."
At the sidelines, Coach Mizuki frowned, sensing something off about the match's flow.
By the score alone, Tezuka was still ahead—so why exhaust himself chasing down near-impossible returns?
What was he planning?
Bam—!
On the court, Atobe executed another sharp return.
This time, however, Tezuka didn't move to intercept.
He simply let the ball fly past him toward the baseline.
"Giving up?"
Atobe smirked confidently—
Then his expression froze.
The moment the ball crossed the net, a swirling blue-white vortex materialized on the court, yanking the ball back from the brink of going out.
Tezuka Zone!
"Impossible!"
Atobe's eyes widened in disbelief, his body going cold as if plunged into ice.
Having trained in England, he recognized this technique instantly.
A British rival had once warned him—his playstyle was vulnerable to those who mastered the Zone.
But he never expected to face it this soon.
Staring at Tezuka, standing calmly at the vortex's center, Atobe stood paralyzed.
"I may not adapt to your targeted weaknesses immediately... but I can make those weaknesses untouchable."
Inside the whirlwind, Tezuka's uniform fluttered, his gaze razor-sharp.
"Damn it!"
Atobe's face paled visibly.
As the ball approached, Tezuka raised his racket—a milky-white aura enveloping him entirely.
Perfect Imitation of the Pinnacle of Hard Work!
"The Zone... and the Pinnacle?!"
Coach Mizuki's composure shattered, his pupils trembling.
For a fleeting moment, he saw Yoru in Tezuka's stance—their auras nearly identical.
Hyōtei's bench fell deathly silent, every member stunned by Tezuka's display.
Bam—!
A heavy impact resounded as the doubled return effect activated.
The ball transformed into a golden streak, rocketing toward the far corner.
"RAAAAH!"
Atobe roared in defiance, sprinting to intercept.
His eyes locked onto a perceived weakness—he refused to believe the Zone was unbreakable.
Thud!
The moment his racket connected, Atobe's expression twisted in shock.
An overwhelming force wreathed his arm—the ball's insane spin compounding the impact.
His fingers, unable to withstand the pain, involuntarily loosened.
Clatter!
The racket flew out of bounds, the ball following suit.
Tezuka Kunimitsu scores! 15-15!
The game was tied again.
The stadium fell into stunned silence.
Then, after half a minute—
The crowd erupted.
"The Pinnacle and the Zone?! That's Yoru's signature combo! This kid's the real deal!"
"Haven't seen this in ages!"
"Tezuka's on another level compared to other first-years."
"Since when are kids this strong?!"
"No wonder he's Yoru's student!"
"This finals match is insane!"
Amid the uproar, Atobe's face darkened.
These techniques... all learned from Yoru?
He felt like he'd lost to Yoru all over again—this time, humiliatingly so.
Back in their match, Yoru had crushed him with just six moves, never even needing this level of skill.
The realization that Yoru had been holding back even then made Atobe's chest burn.
"Atobe... let's see if you can break these chains."
After that point, the match grew even fiercer—but Atobe's resistance crumbled.
Even when he intercepted the ball, returning it became near-impossible.
Tezuka dominated the court completely.
Bam—!
Tezuka Kunimitsu scores! 2-0!
...
Bam—!
4-0!
...
Bam—!
5-0!
...
Forty minutes later, Tezuka held an overwhelming lead.
Despite the one-sided scoreline—
No one underestimated Atobe.
Across these five games, he'd displayed relentless tenacity, fighting for every return no matter how brutal.
Even more terrifying—his counters grew sharper, adapting to the Pinnacle's pressure far better than when it first appeared.
"Atobe's stamina is unreal," Yamato remarked in awe.
Under the Zone's effect, Tezuka had forced Atobe to sprint corner-to-corner, draining his energy rapidly.
Yet somehow—
Even after five grueling games, Atobe's returns hadn't weakened.
"It's the IAP breathing method," QP stated calmly.
IAP breathing?
The Seigaku members exchanged confused glances.
Yoru explained, "A fatigue-recovery technique. Usually learned, but Atobe's seems innate."
In the original timeline, Atobe's stamina wasn't exceptional—but this breathing method let him recover mid-match, making him seem tireless.
"Wait," Kawamura scratched his head. "Why doesn't Tezuka use the Insight of the Limit with the Pinnacle? Wouldn't that end things faster?"
The entire team turned to stare at him like he'd grown a second head.
Yoru patted his shoulder, sighing. "You just reminded me of an old friend we affectionately called Big Brain."
Inui adjusted his glasses. "The national tournament has many matches ahead. Some techniques are best saved."
"O-Oh..." Kawamura flushed red, realizing his blunder.
Back on the court—
Despite Atobe's resilience, the outcome was inevitable.
Bam—!
Tezuka returned Atobe's serve, the Pinnacle's doubled power in full effect.
Even as Atobe scrambled to counter, it was a losing battle—the Zone's control absolute.
15-0!
30-0!
40-0!
One final point stood between Tezuka and victory.
"Tch...!"
Atobe panted heavily, his body screaming in protest.
"This match is mine." Tezuka's voice was calm, final. "Come back when you're stronger."
With a sharp slice—
A Zero-Slice Drop Shot sealed the game.
6-0!
Final Score: 3-2—Seigaku Wins!
"I... lost?"
Atobe leaned on his racket, glaring at the scoreboard in sheer disbelief.
Hyōtei's team stood in stunned silence. None had expected their captain to fall this hard.
But what truly enraged Atobe wasn't the loss itself—
It was the indifference in Tezuka's eyes.
The same look Yoru had given him months ago.
As if defeating him meant nothing.
"SEIGAKU...! TEZUKA...! YORU...!"
His roar of fury echoed across the stadium.