"You owe your life to luck, Fuji. If that shot had landed on your racket instead of missing, your thin arms might've been completely wrecked.
No—maybe that was exactly what Seiya intended. Unlike me, who only knows how to play brute-force tennis, that guy is truly unfathomable."
"This match is won by Wenren Seiya of Fudomine! The score: two to zero!"
As the referee's whistle blew, everyone present finally snapped out of their shock.
Aside from the Tachibana siblings, who had already witnessed that technique before, everyone from both Seigaku and Fudomine was utterly stunned.
They had all seen it clearly—Seiya's smash wasn't just fast and powerful; the ball changed its trajectory mid-air just before it hit the racket!
"To hit the tennis ball with the edge of the racket, giving it immense destructive power while forcing the energy inside to clash violently… which in turn disturbs the surrounding airflow, huh."
Seiya's technique, "Breaker of Armies," was somewhat similar to Tachibana Kippei's signature move, "Exploding Ball Dance."
The difference was that Seiya's move was a smash, executed with both hands—making it far faster and far more destructive.
While Kippei's Exploding Ball Dance produced multiple illusionary balls, Seiya's technique stirred the airflow itself, altering the ball's trajectory.
"Even if I asked you to forfeit, you wouldn't, right? This match is far too important to Seigaku.
But the same goes for us at Fudomine—we have no intention of losing either. I don't want to crush Seigaku's tennis prodigy.
How about this—let's make a deal. I won't use Breaker of Armies again, and in return, you won't use Brown Bear Caught in the Net."
Seiya's words made Fuji and the others from Seigaku freeze for a moment.
Seiya knew very well that for someone as proud as Fuji, this offer was already the furthest concession he could make.
Besides, he was genuinely curious about Fuji's other techniques. Ending the match right there would've been a waste.
"What the hell is Seiya doing? Why would he make a deal like that?
That smash of his is obviously stronger than Ishida's Wave Ball! Even if Fuji manages to receive it, what good would that do?"
"Exactly! This match means everything to us, and Seiya knows that!
We're talking about Seigaku's genius, Fuji Shusuke! What if he loses because of this stupid deal!?"
Compared to the confused Seigaku team, the members of Fudomine were openly frustrated at Seiya's arbitrary decision.
It was obvious to anyone that such a deal put Fudomine at a disadvantage.
"Enough! All of you, shut up! Seiya has his own plans. What we should do now is trust him!
And don't forget—techniques with that much power always come with drawbacks. Do you really think there's no backlash for him? Don't forget Ishida's Wave Ball!"
Kippei's authority in Fudomine remained absolute. At his sharp reprimand, the entire team immediately fell silent.
In the next game, Seiya easily took his service game with his technique "Storm Fang."
When the fourth game came and Fuji was serving again, Seiya was surprised—Fuji had suddenly broken through his limit and used the "Disappearing Serve" that was supposed to appear only at the Kanto Tournament.
Using that serve, Fuji managed to hold his service game. Then, with his three counter techniques and the final move "White Whale," he took another game, closing the gap to 3–2.
However, just when Fuji dazzled the crowd with his stylish plays and Seigaku's spirits soared, thinking they might actually overtake the lead—Seiya started getting serious.
A Disappearing Serve? For someone like Seiya, who had trained in kendo for over ten years and whose senses far exceeded that of a normal person, it only took one game to read the ball's trajectory perfectly.
And the so-called White Whale had a fatal flaw—it would bounce back. Flashy, yes, but functionally useless.
Because as long as Seiya's racket touched it the instant it bounced, it would count as a valid return by the rules.
Fuji was strong—but at his current level, he still wasn't a match for Seiya.
Even after unleashing all his techniques—the three counters and the Disappearing Serve—he ultimately lost 6–2.
Seigaku fell short of the championship in the regional tournament.
"It was a great match. I hope we can play again sometime."
After the match, Seiya walked up and offered his hand. Fuji hesitated briefly, then smiled and shook it.
"Next time, I won't lose to you."
Though Fuji lost, he felt that he had grown a lot from the match. He also realized that his three counter techniques still had room for evolution.
Even though Seigaku lost the regional final, both the champion and runner-up teams would advance to the National Tournament—meaning he'd get another chance to face Seiya.
And Fuji believed that next time, when he faced Seiya again with his evolved counters, he wouldn't lose.
"That's not guaranteed," Seiya replied lightly. "After all, you're not the only one who keeps getting stronger.
The next time we meet, I won't lose either."
When it came to defeating Fuji again, Seiya had absolute confidence.
Sure, Fuji was one of the main "protagonists," whose power grew rapidly—but Seiya was a "cheat character."
Once a real powerhouse appeared in "Between Dreams and Reality," it wouldn't just be Seigaku he'd crush—he'd even take on the King of Rikkai by himself if he had to.
After all, both Sword Art World and Prince of Tennis were considered "hot-blooded" stories, but still grounded in low-level martial realism—not supernatural.
If a true "boss" ever joined Between Dreams and Reality, Seiya's matches would evolve from murder tennis to supernatural tennis.
One serve could blow up the entire court—how's that for power?
"Hey, that guy—Wenren or whatever—how about a match with me?"
Although the match between Fudomine and Seigaku had ended, Ryoma Echizen's fighting spirit was burning after watching Seiya's game.
"Seigaku players, the match is over. If you still want to play, wait until the Nationals.
Besides, Seiya just finished a full match. Do you really think it's fair to challenge him now?"
Before Seiya could even respond, Kippei stepped forward, blocking Ryoma's challenge.
On the other side, Tezuka and the others quickly stepped in to apologize.
Under the stern gazes of his seniors, Ryoma had no choice but to back down—reluctantly.
And with both schools full of fighting spirit, they parted ways—each looking forward to settling the score at the Nationals!
(End of Chapter)
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