The dust settled.
But it was completely different from before.
"Vice-Captain!!"
"So strong, Vice-Captain!!"
"Phew, it's finally over. That felt like being tortured."
"I'm starting to wonder if my tennis is even mine anymore."
"…"
The moment Keigo Atobe made the announcement, everyone let out a collective sigh of relief.
They no longer had to face that overwhelming pressure.
And in that moment, their view of Rin Matsuoka shifted entirely.
If before it was because of Keigo Atobe's influence, now it was genuine acknowledgment of Rin as the vice-captain.
"Tch, that's nothing,"
Keigo Atobe scoffed, glancing at the relieved crowd."Rin hasn't even gotten serious yet. From start to finish, aside from returning serves… Rin didn't move more than a meter from his spot."
"What!?"
At Atobe's words, everyone instinctively turned to look at the spot where Rin Matsuoka had been standing.
Sure enough, his footprints didn't extend beyond a meter.
"Hiss!"
Everyone sucked in a sharp breath.
This time, it wasn't just shock—it was pride and anticipation.
Ryo Shishido, wide-eyed with astonishment, turned to Atobe with curiosity.
"Captain, do you know what'perceive the ball' is? What did he mean by'perceive the ball like breathing'? If we master perceive the ball, can we control the ball like that? Can we be like the Vice-Captain?"
As Shishido asked, the others leaned in, eager for answers.
Atobe's mouth twitched.
"Did Rin say that?" he asked, glancing toward Rin Matsuoka with a flicker of irritation in his eyes.
"Don't listen to that monster."
He turned back to the expectant group."Rin's a freak. A monster. He's been playing tennis for less time than any of us—probably just a year. And all that talk about perceiving the ball, controlling the ball? That's something only a monster like him can do."
Atobe's lips curled in a wry smirk."Rin's talent for tennis… it's beyond reason."
"What!?"
The group gasped, stunned.
The vice-captain, who had just crushed them, had only been playing tennis for a year!?
"Hiss…"
"So strong… Could the Vice-Captain even compare to the Child of God?"
"Is the Vice-Captain stronger than the Captain?"
"Wait, does this mean we actually have a shot at the national championship!?"
"Even if we don't win this year, next year we've got a real chance… The Vice-Captain's talent is just insane!"
The crowd buzzed with excitement, their voices overlapping.
The so-called Child of God was Seiichi Yukimura, the captain of Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku Chuu in Kanagawa Prefecture—the undisputed strongest middle schooler.
He'd surpassed even high schoolers, claiming the title of the best.
This year's Kanto championship had gone to Rikkai, not Hyotei.
Hyotei had taken second place, defeated by Rikkai.
In the match against Seiichi Yukimura, Keigo Atobe had scored a mere 1-6.
A complete loss.
"Tch! Next time, I won't lose to him!"
Atobe muttered, clearly displeased by the chatter.
But he made no attempt to excuse his defeat.
He'd lost fair and square, and he wouldn't tarnish his pride by making excuses.
"Seiichi Yukimura, huh?"
Rin Matsuoka's eyes flickered with interest.
To be honest, he was curious about this Child of God.
A year ago, Rin had realized he was in the world of Prince of Tennis and started playing. His memories of the series weren't crystal clear due to the passage of time, but he knew Seiichi Yukimura—the captain who led Rikkai to two consecutive national championships in the original story.
Of course, two years before the main timeline, those events hadn't happened yet.
"I wonder… if I faced him now, who'd come out on top?"
Rin mused, a spark of anticipation in his thoughts.
He'd caught up in just a year, but he believed others might have reached the same level.
As Rin pondered, the others watched him with growing awe.
But he paid it no mind.
…
In the tennis world, news spreads fast.
Especially when it involves someone like Rin Matsuoka.
Even if he'd joined Seigaku, people still paid attention to him.
Partly because he was the only first-year regular at Seigaku.
Partly because… well, Rin Matsuoka's looks were just too striking.
Whether at other schools, Hyotei, or even back at Seigaku, too many people followed him.
So even if Rin didn't spread the news himself, it spread like wildfire across Tokyo.
…
At Seigaku.
Thwack!
Thwack!
Thwack!
Second- and third-year seniors swung their rackets, hitting balls while barking orders with impatience and irritation.
"Hey, first-years over there, pick up the balls faster! At this rate, you'll never play!"
"First-years, use your eyes! Can't you see the ball went into the bushes? Do I have to spell it out for you to move?"
"Tch, you lot think you can become regulars?"
The commands kept coming.
Oishi Shuichiro, Eiji Kikumaru, and the others exchanged glances, their faces showing discomfort and confusion.
They weren't used to this.
Just yesterday, when Rin Matsuoka was still around, first-years like them had rare chances to train with rackets in hand.
Now, they were stuck picking up balls.
Everything had changed.
They struggled to adjust.
But that was only the beginning.
Soon, a piece of news silenced the entire Seigaku tennis club.
"Rin Matsuoka joined Hyotei!!"
The voice—whose, no one knew—rang out.
The Seigaku tennis club fell dead silent.
Even the smug second- and third-years froze.
Shusuke Fuji and Kunimitsu Tezuka, mid-ball pickup, stopped in their tracks, stunned.
It hit them then, with stark clarity—
Rin Matsuoka was truly gone from Seigaku.
And this was just the beginning.
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