Chapter 330: The Charm of Sports, and Atobe's Rising Blood Pressure
Ichihara Yuuko had always thought she understood the game of tennis. But after watching for a while, she was beginning to suspect that true mastery required a touch of magic. Could a tennis ball really behave like that? And more, how could the players casually explain the physics-defying phenomena after they had already happened?
Yuuko felt a headache coming on. She hadn't read that many books, but she knew when she was being deceived. Dual-wielding rackets was one thing, but these shots that seemed designed to give physicists a collective aneurysm were another matter entirely. She could hear the principles they were citing—spin, torque, air resistance—but when cobbled together and applied to a simple fuzzy yellow ball, the results were utterly bizarre.
The moment that truly stunned her into silence was when she watched Ibu Shinji serve. The ball struck his opponent's racket, and the player's arm went limp, temporarily paralyzed and useless. Yuuko stared, her mind blank. So, tennis could have… debilitating side effects?
Sonoko sighed, a frown creasing her brow. "I don't know why, but I have a really bad feeling about this... If his arm keeps going numb, and with the court draining his stamina, that kid isn't going to last much longer."
Atobe Keigo gripped the chain-link fence, his knuckles white. "No," he said, his voice a low growl. "That brat is already on his last legs. Hey! Tezuka! You'd better be ready to step onto that court!"
Tezuka Kunimitsu opened his eyes, his gaze steady. "Echizen hasn't lost yet," he stated with quiet conviction. "I still believe in him. But the situation is, indeed, troublesome."
Before Tezuka could finish, the scene on the court shifted in an instant. A collective gasp rippled through the onlookers, including Yuuko and her friends.
Echizen Ryoma, refusing to concede the point, spun his body to force a return. But his numbed arm betrayed him. The racket flew from his grasp, hurtling through the air and slamming violently against the metal net post.
The sound was a sickening crack.
The racket frame shattered. The broken handle, now a jagged projectile, ricocheted directly back at Echizen Ryoma. For everyone watching, time seemed to slow as their pupils contracted in horror. Courage and Sonoko instinctively whipped their heads away, squeezing their eyes shut. Even Yuuko shielded her face with a hand. The impending impact looked agonizing.
Tezuka gave a curt nod to Lucifer and the others before striding towards the court. Cerberus's ears twitched, her expression uncharacteristically blank. "Ugh... that looked like it hurt. There's so much blood. Is he... going to be okay?"
Lucifer shook her head, her analytical gaze assessing the damage. "He'll live, but he can't continue the match. He needs to get to a hospital for proper treatment. Are tennis rackets normally that fragile?"
Hearing that he wasn't in mortal danger, Suzuki Sonoko opened her eyes and let out a shaky breath. "He was really pushing himself to the limit. But yeah, compared to a professional-grade racket, the one that kid was using did seem a bit flimsy."
Atobe Keigo glanced at their concerned expressions before turning his intense gaze back to the injured boy on the court. "That brat..." he began.
Sonoko cut in, her tone sharp and teasing. "What is it, damn Atobe? Your beloved Kunimitsu is about to play. Shouldn't you be thrilled?"
Atobe Keigo simply shook his head, a wry chuckle escaping his lips. "Just as I'd expect from the brat Tezuka holds in such high regard... He won't be leaving the court that easily."
Lucifer frowned. "If he doesn't leave the court in this condition, delaying treatment could have serious consequences. That injury is in a dangerous spot."
Suddenly, Cerberus shouted, pointing with wide eyes. "Lucifer, Lucifer, Lucifer! That Echizen kid is back on the court!"
"What?!" came four voices in unison.
A smirk played on Atobe Keigo's lips. "That's right. This is the brat Tezuka sees potential in... How interesting... Hey, Tezuka! How much time did you give him?"
"Fifteen minutes."
As Tezuka walked over, Lucifer's frown deepened. "Kunimitsu, you of all people should know... an eye injury requires immediate medical attention."
Tezuka Kunimitsu nodded, his expression unyielding. "Sister Lucifer, I am fully aware of that. But this is Echizen's will. It is the resolve a pillar of the team must possess."
Lucifer was taken aback. Before she could argue, she heard Atobe's voice, now laced with a grudging respect as he watched Echizen. "Only a match played without a single regret can truly be called a match. Isn't that right, Tezuka?"
Tezuka said nothing, merely standing stoically by the court, a timer in his hand. Yuuko and the others watched, a sense of awe dawning on them. So this was the spirit of sports. It was a terrifyingly powerful force of will.
Sometimes, the goal of competition is to win. But at its core, the true goal is to see it through to the end. To complete the match is to honor one's own will, to take responsibility for the passion burning in one's heart.
The sharp thwack of a tennis ball hitting the court signaled the end. It had been exactly fifteen minutes. In the final moments, Echizen Ryoma had decisively defeated Ibu Shinji, earning a nod of approval from Yuuko, Lucifer, and the others.
Ichihara Yuuko let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "I really didn't expect him to pull off a win in the end..."
Shusuke Fuji smiled gently. "Never give up until the very last moment. Keep pushing forward with stubborn resolve, and you might just find a way to turn the tables. I suppose that's the excitement, the true charm of competitive sports."
Tezuka's gaze shifted to his rival. "It seems this Metropolitan Tournament will be quite exciting, Atobe..."
Atobe's eyes flashed. "Tezuka, are you throwing down a challenge?"
"No," Tezuka replied, his expression unchanging. "I was going to say there's a leaf on your head."
Atobe Keigo's mouth twitched. Good heavens, couldn't the man just finish a sentence properly? And why did he always call out his name only to trail off, leaving him hanging in the most awkward way imaginable?
Sonoko burst into merciless laughter. "Hahahahaha! Oh, Atobe! Haha! He's right, there really is a leaf! Want big sister to get it for you?"
"Sonoko! You old hag, are you looking for a fight?!"
"We've argued enough for one day," she said with a dismissive wave. "I'm not interested right now. I'll just file this away and bring it up again when I feel like arguing with you later."
Atobe Keigo was dumbfounded. Was that something a human being was even capable of saying? Was she worried his blood pressure was too low? To think that he, the dashing and brilliant young master of the Atobe family, could be so thoroughly aggravated by this woman that his health was genuinely at risk. He felt his entire athletic career was in jeopardy.
After Lucifer and the others bid farewell to Tezuka Kunimitsu and the Seigaku team, they departed. Their plan for the afternoon was, in fact, their original intention all along, guided by that most primal of female instincts: shopping.
Although Lucifer and Cerberus had no specific items in mind, Courage had put it best. Sometimes, shopping wasn't about a need, but an idea. When the mood struck, you went, and you only decided what to buy when you saw it.
Of course, this trip had a primary objective: to buy some personal clothing and necessities for Ichihara Yuuko, things that weren't exactly convenient for Ren to purchase. And then there were the cosmetics that Sonoko and Courage had been eagerly anticipating.
"Let's go!"
"Yeah!" came the enthusiastic reply from four voices.
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