Tezuka retreated to the baseline, his sharp gaze locked onto Fuji.
Just as he predicted—
Instead of seizing the chance for a net interception, Fuji opted to lob the ball high into the air.
"You really are disappointing the captain."
Tezuka's voice was cold. "He warned you before—never give your opponent an opening for a smash. Yet you still didn't listen."
A flicker of disappointment crossed his face.
"..."
Fuji remained silent.
His eyes, however, were fixed intently on Tezuka's movements.
For any normal player, such a perfect smash opportunity would be irresistible—after all, the success rate was over 90%.
But as Fuji watched Tezuka's icy expression, the latter spoke again:
"There's no need to give you chances anymore, Fuji."
The moment the words left his lips—
A blue-white whirlwind erupted on the court.
The high-arcing ball was violently sucked straight toward Tezuka's racket.
"Tezuka... Zone."
Fuji's pupils constricted.
Of course.
After all this time, and with Tezuka's deep understanding of his playstyle, the Zone should have appeared much sooner.
Simultaneously, Tezuka deactivated The Pinnacle of Brilliance, switching to a combination of Zone + Perfect Harmony of Power and Skill.
BANG—!
A heavy impact echoed as the ball, amplified by double return power, shot like a cannonball toward the far corner of Fuji's court.
The angle was deliberate—
Tezuka wasn't aiming for an outright winner. He was giving Fuji a chance to return it.
Fuji sprinted, his entire demeanor transformed.
"If I lose like this... I won't accept it!!"
His condition was already deteriorating—sweat soaked his shirt, and the mounting pressure drained his stamina at an alarming rate.
"If you refuse to accept defeat, then fight back with everything you have!"
Tezuka's voice was like ice.
BANG—!
A monstrous force slammed into Fuji's racket. Gritting his teeth, he barely managed to return it—
But the ball flew out of bounds.
Tezuka scores! 30-0.
"This is what a true tennis player should look like."
Tezuka adjusted his glasses. "The captain said your talent is extraordinary. But what you lack... is the heart of a champion."
"I want to see it too."
In an instant—
Brilliance + Perfect Harmony + Zone.
Tezuka's ultimate form was now fully unleashed.
Fuji gripped his racket tightly, his mind reeling. He never imagined Tezuka could reach such heights.
"From now on... I won't hold back at all."
Tezuka exhaled slowly.
Behind his glasses, his eyes were devoid of emotion.
He bounced the ball once, twice—deliberately delaying his serve.
"You need to become stronger."
BANG—!
The serve tore through the air, reigniting the brutal match.
Against this version of Tezuka, Fuji stood no chance.
He could only watch helplessly as point after point slipped away.
Tezuka scores! 4-0.
...
Tezuka scores! 5-0.
...
Twenty minutes later, the match reached its final game.
Fuji had been completely overwhelmed—every return sucked into the Zone and blasted back with double the force.
"Hah... hah..."
Gasping for breath, Fuji looked nothing like his usual composed self. His appearance was downright pathetic.
"The gap between us... is too vast."
In the final game, Tezuka deactivated all his special states.
Fuji frowned but still served.
Though he didn't understand Tezuka's reasoning, it was at least a small mercy—without Perfect Harmony or Brilliance, the returns weren't as devastating.
BANG! BANG!
They exchanged several rallies.
But Fuji's confusion only grew—
Because Tezuka hadn't just dropped Perfect Harmony and Brilliance... he'd turned off the Zone too.
"Is it because of the strain on his arm?" Fuji wondered mid-swing.
But the next moment—
Hell unfolded before his eyes.
The Zone reappeared—
Except this time... the whirlwind was pitch black and crimson.
---
### Meanwhile – At the Echizen Residence
QP, about to head for a shower, suddenly paused.
"You once said it's difficult for you to 'open that door.' So why do you keep replicating so many techniques and experimenting with different playstyles?"
"Isn't that counterproductive?"
Yoru shrugged. "Opening that door isn't the hard part for me. What I need isn't the door—it's foundation."
With Ryoma as the protagonist, opening that door was inevitable. Otherwise, what was the point of the system?
Hell, he didn't even need Ryoma.
Among the three people he was tied to (QP, Oni, Ryoma), if even one reached a certain level, it might force the door open for him automatically.
So really, the "door" wasn't a big deal.
And even if QP and Oni's feedback wasn't enough... there was always Ryoma, the ultimate cheat code.
"..."
QP studied Yoru's confident expression but said nothing more.
After all, Yoru's growth had always defied logic.
Maybe the door really didn't matter.
Once QP left for his shower, Yoru changed clothes and headed to the backyard—where Nanjiroh, banished by Ryuzaki and Nanako, was hiding with his magazines.
Sensing Yoru's approach, Nanjiroh instinctively covered his tent.
Seeing no opportunity for mischief, Yoru cut straight to the point:
"Old man, I need the jet next month. Taking the team to the States."
"The States?" Nanjiroh raised an eyebrow.
Yoru explained the court renovations and his plans to check on Ryoma and Ryoga—especially Ryoga. He was worried his little brother might stray down a dark path.
This trip would also be a chance to slip Ryoga some money, so he wouldn't end up fixing matches for cash later.
(Thinking back to the Boat Arc movie's insanity—fire tornadoes, ocean shields, mid-air returns—the whole thing was just ridiculous.)
"Take it if you need it. Not like I'm using it."
Nanjiroh scratched his head, then suddenly perked up. "Wait, you'll need money from Ryuzaki, right? Let me handle that!"
"I've got plenty of cash."
"No, you need me to do it!"
"If you're short, I can just give you some."
"You don't get it—the thrill is in being the middleman!"
Yoru rolled his eyes.
Nanjiroh was a glutton for punishment—he didn't want free money. No, he craved the adrenaline of embezzling funds under Ryuzaki's nose.
But the matter was settled.
After the tournament, they were heading to the States!
---