I'm not someone who relies solely on my serve to make a living.

After switching sides, Naruki Matsubara stood with his feet slightly apart, rhythmically bouncing the tennis ball off the ground with his left hand. His face hung low, making it impossible to discern his expression. In a sudden moment, the young man's hand flipped, launching the serve.

Whoosh!

The tennis ball traced a swift yellow-green arc through the sky. Heijiro Otaki, brimming with confidence, prepared to receive it. Perhaps this kid was skilled at returning shots, but serving was a completely different matter. To hit a knuckleball and to serve a knuckleball were worlds apart!

Thunk!

Before Otaki's thoughts could settle, he abruptly turned his head to see the ball slam against the wall and then slowly roll back onto the court. His face shifted from regaining confidence to an expression of sheer disbelief and terror. At that moment, the referee's voice fell upon him like the final straw, making Otaki's teeth chatter.

"15-0!"

"This time it's a knuckleball serve!"

The first to cry out was Eiji Kikumaru, standing at the edge of the court, whose exceptional dynamic vision had caught Matsubara's serve.

"What did you say, Eiji—a knuckleball... serve?!"

Oishi, clearly incredulous, hurriedly asked.

"Yes, actually, when the little guy from Evergreen returned Otaki-senpai's serve for the second time, I noticed his shot had no spin. But since he managed to break Otaki-senpai's Volt Serve—a feat none of us could crack—I subconsciously overlooked it..."

Kikumaru nodded, explaining.

"Enough with the jokes! A first-year pulling off that kind of superhuman tennis, a knuckleball... Do you take us for fools, Kikumaru!"

Kawaiwa shouted angrily at Kikumaru, his outburst drawing curious glances from Evergreen Academy and many others. The Seigaku regulars, witnessing tension among the official players, covered their mouths and whispered anxiously.

"Otaki's serve being broken seems to put a lot of pressure on the regulars..."

"Indeed. Our regulars have lost two matches in a row. Thankfully, Kawamura turned the tide, winning one back. But if third-year Otaki loses to first-year Matsubara, wouldn't that be a huge embarrassment?"

"Embarrassment isn't even the main issue. It's about advancing. If we lose, Seigaku will have to stop at the semifinals of the regional qualifiers. That's unheard of—Seigaku, as a seeded team, has never failed to get past the regional qualifiers, right?"

"I'm sorry..."

Seeing his senpai yelled at, Kikumaru quickly stood up and bowed in apology, a look of grievance on his face that tugged at the heart.

"Kawaiwa-senpai, Eiji's dynamic vision was tested by the school. Do you really think he's making up the knuckleball to scare you?"

Oishi stood up to confront Kawaiwa, who merely sneered, then said coldly, "Oishi Shuichiro, is that how you talk to your seniors? Are you teaching me how to act?"

"Enough, stop arguing."

Yuda Yamato stepped forward to halt the quarrel, adjusting his sunglasses and speaking calmly. "Have you forgotten how Coach Ryuzaki and I have always taught you? At times like these, our job is to cheer for our teammates—not to fight to the death among ourselves. When you blow up here, you're not just losing face for yourselves, but for all of Seigaku."

"Sorry, Captain Yamato!"

Oishi, Kikumaru, and Kawaiwa each bowed in apology.

"But Captain, if what Kikumaru said is true—if Matsubara really can hit knuckleball serves, Otaki-senpai will be at a huge disadvantage."

Second-year Saito addressed Yamato.

"Captain..."

Seeing Yamato ignore him, instead taking off his tracksuit and grabbing his racket, Saito exclaimed in surprise.

"Captain Yamato... are you warming up?"

Kawaiwa stepped forward, asking.

"Looks like we're doomed..."

Kikumaru said gloomily.

"Eiji, if Captain Yamato is warming up, it means he’s preparing for the next match."

Oishi chuckled, reminding him.

"Oh—right, because if we lose, we're out, and Captain Yamato wouldn't need to warm up..."

Kikumaru suddenly realized.

"But... how does Captain Yamato know whether Otaki-senpai can win? The situation clearly favors that little guy from Evergreen."

Kikumaru said again.

"Perhaps... that's the vision of a leader. He firmly believes Otaki-senpai can win!"

Inspired, Oishi regained his confidence.

"Yes! That must be it!"

Kikumaru nodded firmly, then stood up and shouted, "Seigaku! Go!"

With Kikumaru leading the cheer, the rest of Seigaku's team was galvanized, joining in the shout. Kawaiwa and Saito followed suit.

...

In truth, Yamato was not warming up at all. He already knew Otaki's defeat was inevitable. The prospect of facing Tezuka had vanished, leaving him disappointed, so he simply wanted to take his racket and find a quiet spot to practice.

On the court, Matsubara tossed and swung, delivering a series of knuckleball serves that quickly brought the score to 40-0. Seeing Otaki’s forlorn state, Matsubara suddenly paused.

Smack.

"Service fault!"

At the referee’s announcement, Otaki, who had been hanging his head in despair, was suddenly revitalized. Could it be...

"Great chance, Otaki-senpai!"

"Counter with this one!"

"Seigaku! Go!"

As Matsubara was momentarily stunned by his service fault, Otaki’s eyes sparkled. He gripped his racket tightly, waiting quietly for the boy’s second serve.

Whoosh!

The boy’s second serve succeeded. Otaki immediately rushed to the net. Outside the court, Mamoru Inoue exclaimed, "Too reckless! Choosing to rush the net against such a fast serve!"

Otaki gritted his teeth, widening his eyes, desperate to see Matsubara's serve clearly. With all his strength, he swung and returned the boy’s serve!

"He actually returned it!"

Shiori Shiba followed with a shout.

"As expected of Otaki, amazing!"

Saito clenched his fists in excitement.

"Oh no... Matsubara..."

At the sidelines, Ryo Shishido realized something might be wrong with the boy, gripping his fist and speaking in a low voice.

Because Otaki’s shot was powerful, the ball soared into the sky after crossing the net. Yet Matsubara seemed to have anticipated this all along. As everyone noticed him, the boy was already airborne.

"For someone so small, he jumps so high!"

Kikumaru couldn't help but comment.

"Hah!"

Matsubara smashed the ball for a point. The referee raised his hand, "Game won by Matsubara, 2-0!"

"What are you trying to seize? I’m not someone who relies solely on my serve."

A sly smile curved on the boy's lips. He rested the racket on his shoulder and turned away.

"Matsubara... is provoking his opponent again..."

Sadaharu Inui furrowed his brows, adjusting his slipping glasses.

"He's a real shrimp-pig-hearted fellow."

Renji Yanagi shook his head, speaking in a strange tone.

"?"

Inui listened to Yanagi’s words, feeling a bit off, and looked at him in confusion. Those last few words... what did they mean?

Purple Pen Literature