Silence.

Every high schooler on the central court froze, their movements halting mid-action as they stared at the sudden appearance of the golden-haired young man. Their expressions were a mix of awe and deep-seated fear.

The middle schoolers took notice.

"Hey!"

Akutsu Jin, impatient as ever, barked at Kishimoto, "Get on the court. Our match isn't over yet!"

"You?"

Kishimoto turned his head slowly, his gaze icy. "If you're in such a hurry to lose, I'll show you the difference between middle schoolers and high schoolers."

He was, after all, a former top-ten player of the U-17 elite squad.

His loss to Hara Genya—which he still chalked up to a "moment of carelessness"—had cost him his spot. But since becoming the 5th Court's supervisor, he'd trained relentlessly, determined to reclaim his position.

Now, with his duties lifted, he could finally cut loose.

But not in front of Byoudouin.

Swallowing his pride, Kishimoto turned to the golden-haired figure. "Uh… Can I play a match against him?"

"Huh?"

The middle schoolers blinked in disbelief.

The man who had been snarling just seconds ago now stood there like a kid asking permission to go outside.

"Go ahead."

Byoudouin gave a slight nod.

He knew Kishimoto's skills well—the guy should have no trouble handling a middle schooler. But these kids had been brought in by Ishikawa Kazunari, possibly even his own teammates.

Byoudouin was curious.

Just how strong were these middle schoolers?

---

The Match Begins

Thanks to Byoudouin's presence, every high schooler in the vicinity flocked to watch. The middle schoolers, too, were eager—they had full confidence in Akutsu's abilities.

Bam!

Kishimoto served.

As a former top-ten player, his serve was nothing to scoff at. The ball landed with a sharp crack, kicking up a gust of wind as it rocketed forward.

Wham!

But before the high schoolers could even react—

A silver-gray racket flashed.

Akutsu had already intercepted the ball the moment it bounced, smashing it back with brutal force.

"That speed?!"

Most high schoolers paled.

Akutsu's reflexes were beyond their expectations.

Kishimoto, however, was no slouch either. He dashed forward, swinging his racket with precision—

Crack!

He returned it.

But his grip tightened the instant the ball made contact.

"This power?!"

His eyes widened.

This lanky middle schooler shouldn't have such monstrous strength!

Gritting his teeth, Kishimoto fired back, but now, he was on guard.

This match was being watched by everyone. If he lost because of carelessness…

He'd never live it down.

---

The Tide Turns

Bam! Bam! Bam!

The rallies grew fiercer.

Kishimoto pushed the pace, trying to overwhelm Akutsu with sheer speed.

But after over a dozen exchanges—

He still hadn't scored a single point.

Worse, he was the one feeling the strain.

"Tch."

Akutsu smirked, noticing Kishimoto's labored breathing. "Hey, high schooler. Don't tell me this is all you've got?"

"You little—!"

Humiliated in front of the entire camp, Kishimoto's face twisted in rage.

"I was only using 60% of my strength to test you!" he snarled. "Since you're asking for it, I won't hold back anymore!"

Whoosh!

Dark energy surged around him as he unleashed his full power—a technique he'd once used to effortlessly counter Hara Genya's smashes.

In this state, his focus, reflexes, and speed skyrocketed.

Maybe I can't reclaim my spot yet…

But crushing a middle schooler?

Easy.

---

The Beast Awakens

Thud!

Yet—

Akutsu still reached the ball.

His body crouched low, limbs extended unnaturally, like a predator stalking its prey.

"What the—?!"

Kishimoto's confidence wavered.

Before he could react—

Boom!

A gray-white aura erupted around Akutsu as he slammed the ball past Kishimoto's defenses.

Clang!

The ball cratered the chain-link fence behind the court, leaving a visible dent.

"0-15!"

"H-he's strong!"

The high schoolers gasped.

This was supposed to be a one-sided match—yet the middle schooler was dominating Kishimoto!

---

The Fall of a Former Elite

"Damn it!"

Kishimoto's face darkened. He served again, charging the net immediately.

"Serve-and-volley?!"

The middle schoolers stiffened.

"That speed…" Oshitari muttered. "It's faster than Shishido's full sprint!"

"Naturally." Atobe smirked. "He is a high schooler. Physically, he's on another level."

His gaze flicked to Akutsu.

"But then again… Akutsu isn't your average middle schooler."

Akutsu had already activated Beast Mode, his gray-white aura swirling ominously.

Like a true predator, he lunged, returning the ball with a half-volley before sprinting to the net himself.

"What?!"

The high schoolers were stunned.

Not only was his reaction time insane—

He wasn't even afraid of Kishimoto's net dominance!

"Arrogant brat!"

Kishimoto swung, aiming for Akutsu's feet to disrupt his rhythm.

But Akutsu didn't even glance down.

With a casual flick of his wrist—

Bam!

He blasted the ball past Kishimoto.

"0-30!"

The court fell dead silent.

Kishimoto's hands trembled.

This guy… is a monster.

---

The Aftermath

"Kishimoto's done for."

Outside the court, Mitsuya of Court 3 shook his head. "He's lost his nerve. No way he comes back from this."

"True."

Udon (Court 2's supervisor) sighed. "Tennis is a mental game. If you lose confidence, you can't even use 80% of your strength."

"Still…" A new voice cut in—smooth, amused. "If he hadn't underestimated Akutsu, the score wouldn't be this bad."

The two turned to see Shirashi Zuji, the No. 2 ranked player in Japan, leaning against the fence with a lazy grin.

"This year's middle schoolers are something else," he mused, shielding his eyes from the sun. "The others aren't pushovers either."

Mitsuya and Udon tensed.

With Kishimoto defeated, they were next in line.

But then their eyes flicked to Byoudouin, standing with his arms crossed nearby.

As long as he's here…

These middle schoolers won't get too cocky.

---

The Final Blow

"Gah… Gah…"

Kishimoto knelt on the court, drenched in sweat. The weight of countless judging stares made his face burn with shame.

"I-it's not over!" he spat. "U-17 rules are best of three! Another match!"

"Oh?"

Akutsu's smirk widened. "You've got guts. But if we go again… I won't go easy on you, high schooler."

He emphasized the last word, his gaze deliberately sweeping over the crowd—lingering on Byoudouin.

Kishimoto flinched.

If they played again…

Akutsu would destroy him.

"Enough."

Byoudouin's voice cut through the tension like a blade.

"You've embarrassed yourself enough. Get lost."

"Y-yes, sir!"

Without hesitation, Kishimoto scrambled off the court—literally crawling in his haste to escape.

Akutsu scoffed.

Pathetic.

---

The Challenge

"Today's over."

Byoudouin's tone brooked no argument. "Under my watch, you follow orders. No exceptions."

His gaze locked onto Akutsu.

"Got a problem with that?"

"Tch."

Akutsu glared back. "Don't tell me what to do, or—"

"Or what?"

Byoudouin's eyes turned glacial.

Akutsu's instincts screamed danger.

"Bastard!"

Snarling, Akutsu hurled a serve straight at Byoudouin's head—faster and fiercer than anything he'd used against Kishimoto.

"Akutsu, NO!"

The middle schoolers panicked.

They weren't afraid of angering Byoudouin—they'd already lost respect for most high schoolers.

But this could get Akutsu expelled.

Yet—

Smack.

Byoudouin caught the ball with one hand.

Then—

Crunch.

He crushed it in his fist like a paper ball.

"…"

The entire court stopped breathing.

Akutsu's eyes widened.

What… the hell is this guy?!

---