King of Tennis (POT)

Thud! 

Tezuka served again. 

The tennis ball, spinning fiercely, soared across the court and landed precisely on the service line. 

Sizzle... 

Then, the ball's spin released, hugging the ground as it began to roll back. 

"What an incredible serve!" 

In the stands, Saito's eyes were filled with awe and admiration. 

A serve of this caliber was something he hadn't even seen from high school players, let alone middle schoolers. 

"Tezuka Kunimitsu..." 

He silently noted the name. When the time came for U-17 to scout middle schoolers, this was someone they absolutely couldn't miss. 

Swish! 

In the next moment, Atobe moved. 

The moment Tezuka served, Atobe's sharp eyes had already deciphered the trajectory and position of the shot. 

Just as the ball began to spin and roll back, Atobe's racket met it. 

Snap! 

The ball was sent flying, but due to an imperfect contact point, it barely cleared the net before dropping into it. 

"Net ball." 

"30-0!" 

The umpire announced. 

The Seigaku team breathed a sigh of relief. 

"Good, Atobe isn't Ryouma after all," Oishi said, patting his chest in relief. "As long as we hold our serve and widen the lead, Tezuka will definitely win this match!" 

The others nodded in agreement. 

To them, Tezuka was incredibly strong. The crushing defeat in the Kanto Tournament was only because he had faced Ryouma, a player who was practically a bug among middle schoolers. Even someone like Seiichi, known as the "Child of God," had lost to him. So, Tezuka's loss to Ryouma was understandable. 

Thud! Thud! Thud! 

At the baseline, Tezuka bent down, tapping the ball with his racket. 

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, he tossed the ball high and swung his racket in a powerful motion. 

Thud! 

The ball shot forward. 

Just like before, it landed precisely on the service line. 

Whoosh! 

However, unlike what everyone expected, the ball didn't roll back this time. Instead, it bounced normally. 

"Huh?" 

The spectators were puzzled. 

"Did he make a mistake?" Yamabuki's Munehiro blurted out. 

"No," Senju shook his head. "That's a normal serve, not the Zero-Shiki." 

"A smart choice," the hunched-over Coach Banri chimed in with a smile. "Since his opponent can return the Zero-Shiki serve, continuing with it would only lead to it being broken eventually. It's better to switch to a straightforward approach." 

As he spoke, his eyes gleamed with admiration as he looked at Tezuka. 

Calm, meticulous, decisive—Tezuka possessed all the qualities a captain needed. 

At that thought, Banri couldn't help but glance enviously at the figure in the pink tracksuit on the court. 

First, it was Echizen Nanjiro, and now, Tezuka Kunimitsu. From his hands, two exceptional tennis players had emerged. And if you added the genius Fuji and the rookie Echizen Ryouma to the mix... 

Banri couldn't help but feel a pang of bitterness. 

Thud! 

Atobe swung his racket, sending the ball flying toward Tezuka's backhand side. 

"What a fast return!" 

The Seigaku team's expressions shifted. 

"The Emperor's Aura!" Inui said gravely. "In this state, Atobe's abilities are further enhanced. That golden aura suppresses his opponent's abilities." 

Whether it was Shirasaki from Rikkai or Yagyuu from Hyoutei, both top-tier players had been unable to perform at even 80% of their usual level under the pressure of the Emperor's Aura. 

"So," Momoshiro seemed to have figured something out, "that's why Tezuka-buchou didn't use the Zero-Shiki serve? Because he knew about this?" 

"No," Fuji, who had been silent until now, opened his eyes and shook his head. "Tezuka wants to crush Atobe head-on." 

Hum! 

Sure enough, as soon as Fuji finished speaking, a white aura began to swirl around Tezuka's body. 

"The State of Self-Actualization?!" 

This time, it was the Hyoutei team's turn to be shocked. 

"No, that's not it!" Hiyoshi frowned. "The Perfection of the Hundred Styles concentrates the aura in the arm. The rest of the body's functions should weaken... So why...?" 

"Hmm," Momoshiro muttered, staring at Tezuka's figure as he dashed toward the ball. "Because he's already mastered... the aura's flow!" 

Swish! 

At those words, everyone focused their attention. 

Indeed, the aura representing the State of Self-Actualization had shifted to Tezuka's feet. Not only had he overcome the drawback of the Perfection of the Hundred Styles, but he had also boosted his speed and minimized the side effects of the State of Self-Actualization. 

"This..." 

The Hyoutei team fell silent. 

Hum! 

Then, as Tezuka caught up to the ball, the aura around his feet shifted upward, enveloping his racket arm. 

Thud! 

With a loud crack, Tezuka returned Atobe's shot with double the spin and power. 

The ball was too fast for Atobe to react, and he could only watch as it landed, scoring another point for Tezuka. 

"40-30!" 

"Atobe... is being completely suppressed?" 

Mukahi's face was filled with shock. 

Beside him, Oshitari and Shishido's expressions turned grim. 

"But..." Ootori opened his mouth, confused. "Atobe-buchou's Emperor's Aura is supposed to suppress his opponent's abilities, right? Why does it seem like Tezuka-senpai isn't affected at all?" 

"Hmm," Coach Sakaki, sitting on the bench, spoke up. "With Tezuka's indomitable will, Atobe's ability might not have any effect on him." 

At those words, everyone was reminded of the Kanto semifinals, where Tezuka, pushed to the brink by Ryouma, had refused to give up even as his arm turned red and swollen. His willpower was terrifying. 

Mukahi's face darkened. "So... does that mean Atobe has no chance of turning this around?" 

The group fell silent again. 

Initially, they had thought that with Hyoutei's previous victories over Seigaku, this national finals match would be a breeze. 

But reality had poured cold water on their expectations. 

Even with Atobe playing in the singles 3 match, Hyoutei might still lose to Seigaku. 

Thud! Thud! Thud! 

On the court, the two players engaged in a fierce exchange. 

With the Emperor's Aura activated, Atobe's attacks lost their previous sharpness. Instead, he became more defensive, as Tezuka, now able to freely control his aura and execute a near-perfect Perfection of the Hundred Styles, dominated the match. 

Atobe avoided hitting shots with too much spin or power, hoping to seal off the Perfection of the Hundred Styles. 

But this turned the match into a battle of endurance. 

And Tezuka's willpower and stamina were something Atobe had already experienced in the Kanto semifinals. 

Facing such an opponent, Atobe had little confidence in winning a prolonged battle. 

Thud! 

Suddenly, Tezuka made his move. 

Using a backhand crosscourt shot to push Atobe to the left, he followed up with a Zero-Shiki drop shot as Atobe rushed to the net. 

Rustle... 

Watching the ball roll back on the ground, Atobe's expression darkened. 

"Game!" 

"Seigaku Tezuka leads, 3-1!" 

With his serve held, Tezuka extended his lead. Many began to think that Seigaku would take the first match. 

"That Atobe... is being suppressed to this extent?!" 

From Rikkai's side, Kirihara's face was filled with disbelief. 

Just three days ago, during the semifinals, Atobe had practically dominated Yagyuu. And now, he was in such a sorry state? 

"This is a case of abilities being countered," Yanagi said, shaking his head. "Atobe's greatest strength lies in the Emperor's Aura's suppressing effect. Without that advantage, he might not be much stronger than Yagyuu's illusion of Ryouma." 

Of course, that was a bit of an exaggeration. 

If Atobe were to face Yagyuu, the latter would still likely lose. 

"Also," Sanada added, "I heard that Seigaku and Shitenhouji had a training camp together these past three days. With Inui's data sensitivity, he must have gathered a lot of information on Atobe from Shitenhouji." 

"Exactly," Yukimura agreed. "Plus, Tezuka's talent is extraordinary. It's only natural that Atobe is being suppressed." 

As he spoke, Sanada nodded emphatically. 

Among those present, perhaps no one understood Tezuka's strength better than the two of them. 

Three years ago, it was their loss to Tezuka that had driven them to develop "Rai" and "In." 

Even Yukimura had been suppressed by Tezuka back then. 

Atobe's talent was impressive, but compared to Tezuka, he was clearly a step behind. 

"Hmm..." 

Marui and Jackal narrowed their eyes. 

The Rikkai trio all agreed that Atobe was completely outmatched by Tezuka. 

"It seems Hyoutei is in trouble this finals!" 

Thud! Thud! Thud! 

On the court, Atobe did his best to suppress the power of his returns. At the same time, he had to constantly analyze whether Tezuka's shots were using the Tezuka Zone or the Phantom. 

On the surface, it seemed like he was holding his own against Tezuka. 

But in reality, Atobe was struggling on two fronts, trying to prevent Tezuka from taking control of the match. 

The Tezuka Zone, the Phantom, the Zero-Shiki, the Perfection of the Hundred Styles... 

Tezuka didn't have many techniques, but each one was top-tier. What was even more terrifying was how these techniques could be combined to form an impenetrable defense. 

Of course, this wasn't to say that Atobe wasn't strong. 

In fact, it was precisely because he was Atobe that he hadn't already lost. But even so, he was finding the match incredibly challenging. 

Thud! 

As he returned another shot, Atobe's heart sank. "Damn it... this guy's tennis is too much!" 

This was supposed to be his service game, yet he was the one being pressured. And he had to constantly worry about what kind of spin Tezuka would use next. 

Atobe knew that if things continued like this, it was only a matter of time before he lost. 

His Ice World was countered by the Tezuka Zone, and his Emperor's Aura was countered by Tezuka's State of Self-Actualization and indomitable will. 

In every aspect, he was being completely shut down. 

"So... what can I do?" 

Atobe's eyes locked onto his opponent. 

His pride wouldn't allow him to lose. Especially not in the national finals, after leading Hyoutei this far. He absolutely refused to accept defeat in the first match! 

"Atobe Keigo!" 

At that thought, Atobe roared inwardly, "So, pull yourself together!!!" 

Swish! 

As his emotions surged, Atobe's fighting spirit, Emperor's Aura, and visual acuity all reached their peak. 

Crack. 

Crack. 

Suddenly, Tezuka's movements seemed to slow down, as if in a slideshow. At the same time, as Atobe's vision sharpened, Tezuka's figure began to flicker between black and white. 

Swish! 

In the next moment, as Atobe's vision reached its limit, Tezuka's image transformed. What had been a normal visual image now appeared as if under an X-ray—Tezuka's muscles, blood flow, and even his skeletal structure were laid bare before Atobe's eyes. 

"I see it!" 

With a flash of insight, Atobe swung his racket the moment Tezuka returned the ball. 

Thud! 

The ball landed at Tezuka's feet. 

To the shock of the Seigaku team and the other players, Tezuka stood frozen, unable to move. 

"15-0!" 

As the ball bounced away, the umpire announced the score. 

"W-what just happened?" 

Momoshiro and Kikumaru were stunned. 

"Tezuka (buchou)..." 

The first-year trio was equally baffled. "He looked like he was frozen... Is it the Ice World?" 

"No," Inui said gravely. "Atobe's vision shouldn't be able to see Tezuka's blind spot." 

"Right," Fuji and Ryouma nodded in agreement. 

If that were the case, Atobe wouldn't have let Tezuka win two games and take the lead. 

After all, this was the finals. 

In front of tens of thousands of spectators, every match, every game, every point was crucial. 

Thud! 

But as Atobe served again, the ball landed precisely on the service line and bounced away, scoring another point. 

Everyone's eyes widened in shock. 

"H-how is this possible?!" 

The Seigaku team was dumbfounded. 

Tezuka's expression darkened. 

"Why?" Oshitari asked, confused. "Tezuka can even return the Tannhäuser serve. How could he miss that one...?" 

The sheer incredibility of the situation left everyone in a state of disbelief. 

"The True Blind Spot," Ryouma, who had been silent until now, spoke calmly. "Atobe-buchou's vision has clearly reached a new level. In this state, he can see every movement Tezuka-senpai makes." 

Thud! 

As soon as Ryouma finished speaking, Atobe's serve landed again. 

At the baseline, Tezuka, who had been ready to receive, stood frozen, unable to move. 

"I... can't move?!" 

At that moment, Tezuka felt a strange sensation. 

It was as if the court wasn't a court anymore, but Atobe's personal domain. Every thought, every movement of his was being monitored by Atobe from every angle, with no blind spots. 

Swish! 

At that thought, Tezuka instinctively looked up at his opponent. 

For a moment, he felt a sense of absurdity. 

Standing across from him, Atobe, dressed in a luxurious fur coat and wearing a crown studded with glittering jewels, exuded an air of royalty. He sat on a throne, one hand holding a scepter, the other resting on his chin, looking at Tezuka with interest. 

"Tezuka," Atobe said, meeting Tezuka's gaze with a smile. "Welcome to... my kingdom." 

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