The semi-finals of the Kanto Competition are over...
The final battle between Teikou and Qingxue will also begin in four days.
"ha!"
"drink!"
In Seigaku's tennis court, Tezuka was having daily sparring with Fuji.
But Nanjiro, who was lying on the bench as usual, opened one eye slightly and stared.
"That brat is completely overstretched."
Seeing that Tezuka was still so "stiff" when playing, Nanjiro couldn't help but sigh.
"Is there something Tezuka lacks?"
Standing next to Nanjiro, Yamato heard his emotion and asked.
"He could obviously get in faster, but now he completely ignores his feelings."
"If you focus on getting stronger and winning, if you are trying to achieve perfection, this is putting the cart before the horse."
Without hiding anything from Yamato, Nanjiro pressed his ears and said calmly.
There is nothing wrong with the idea of becoming stronger and winning, but the problem lies in one's own character.
Enjoying tennis, becoming stronger, and wanting to win are not conflicts in themselves.
It's a pity that Tezuka is only thinking about the latter two now, but has no intention to experience the process.
This may be related to the power of Emperor Guang, which prevents him from relaxing.
This means that he is always far away from being perfect. When he figures it out, he goes in.
Unlike Ryoma's situation in the main drama, Tezuka now has the capital to get a foothold, but he cannot enter due to limitations of his own thinking.
If someone tells him straightforwardly, he will be too concerned and unable to get in.
This is why Nanjiro always arranges confrontations between Fuji and Tezuka.
Because only Fuji in Seigaku can find some "fun" for Tezuka.
However, it seems that the effect is not very good now.
"Enjoying tennis?"
As the older generation, Yamato noticed Nanjiro's metaphorical thoughts and at the same time looked at Tezuka who was playing ball.
Finally, he thought for a long time and slowly spoke in silence...
"Coach...can you lend me the mound for a while?"
............evening............
"Minister Yamato, what are you doing here at this time?"
As soon as the club training ended, Tezuka arrived at the place where Yamato informed him that he was coming.
It was a park with tennis courts.
"Hey!"
"ha!"
Looking at the people playing inside, Tezuka also knew that this was a place where other schools would come.
"Nothing, I just want to show you the place first. You have never been here before, right?"
Yamato was wearing casual clothes, with a smile on his face, tilted his head and asked Tezuka.
"Yes."
After all, Tezuka usually goes home after practicing at school and doesn't stay outside.
This was his first time visiting the street tennis court in this park.
"I'll take you to see it for now. Starting tomorrow, you will come here to play tennis."
Yamato pointed at the hot stadium and said in a natural tone.
"Come here to play tennis?"
Frowning, Tezuka didn't understand Yamato's intention for a moment.
It was clear that there were four days until the match against Diguang. He couldn't find a way to activate the perfect match and couldn't fight against Bai Jinzhixing. How could he waste time here?
"I also made an agreement with the coach and he has agreed."
"Just put aside your usual training for a while and come here to have some fun."
Knowing Tezuka's nervous state of mind, Yamato smiled and said.
"..."
After hearing that Nanjiro agreed, Tezuka had no intention of refuting.
"It just so happens that these three days are rest days. Let me see. You can come at four o'clock tomorrow afternoon."
He raised his wrist, looked at the clock, estimated the time, and then spoke.
"I see."
Nodding, Tezuka did not ask any more questions, but agreed.
"Then we'll meet tomorrow, Tezuka."
Without Tezuka understanding, Yamato left like this.
After separating from Tezuka, Yamato took out the map in his pocket and looked at the location and buildings.
"She probably hasn't left yet...go find him first..."
After thinking about it, Yamato was not very sure, but in order for Tezuka to find what he had lost, as a minister, he had no choice but to abandon his old face and ask for help.
.....................
The next day, when Tezuka came to the street tennis court in the park as scheduled, he found that there was no other idle person here.
He stood alone on the court with a racket and a tennis ball waiting to warm up.
"Sorry, I'm late."
But after a while, Yamato ran up from the bottom of the stairs, sweating profusely and panting, apologizing.
"Um?"
Looking at Yamato's tired posture, Tezuka felt strange and didn't know what he had done.
"It looks like you've finished warming up?"
Yamato calmed down and looked at Tezuka and said happily.
"Then let's start playing tennis..."
"However, my opponent is not me..."
Wagging his fingers, Yamato noticed Tezuka's surprised expression, and then spoke again.
"?"
Hearing Yamato's words, Tezuka was stunned for a while and did not react.
Isn’t the opponent Yamato? Who is that?
"Aha, I didn't expect to meet again so soon, Tezuka."
A familiar sound came out, and from a high platform not far away, a figure appeared sitting astride it.
"Who are you..."
Looking at the arrogant figure sitting there, Tezuka suspected that he had actually been squatting there for a long time and finally found a suitable opportunity to appear.
Hyotei's... Keigo Atobe!
"I happen to be very bored during this period of time!"
"It would be nice to have you as my opponent."
"Right, Birch!"
A small man appeared behind him. He snapped his fingers, took the racket from the opponent and said.
"yes!"
The little guy named Hua Ji followed him silently and answered.
"..."
Watching Atobe walking onto the court, Tezuka clenched his racket inexplicably.
Although Atobe lost to him before, this does not mean that Atobe is weak.
On the contrary, Atobe's strength was affirmed by him.
If possible, Tezuka actually wants to fight him again.
"Let's have a good fight today, Tezuka."
"Winning or losing has nothing to do with the school, the team, or the individual."
Tezuka, who was still eager to try, suddenly stopped when he heard Yamato's words.
(Isn’t it about victory or defeat?)
He was silent for a while. It seemed that he had not put the outcome aside for a long time.
Every game is played with everyone's hope and awareness of winning.
...
"Fuer, what do you think the coach and the minister want to do?"
Five people, Kikumaru, Oishi, Inui Sadaharu, Fuji, and Kawamura Takashi, hid in the grass not far away and watched everything happening here.
"Don't move around, Eiji, be careful of being discovered."
"Deliberately skipping training is not something Tezuka would do."
"I want to know too."
The five people communicated individually, and did not worry at all that they did not participate in the agreed club activities.
In their opinion, Tezuka's affairs were more important.
In the field, Tezuka and Atobe have already started the game.
(Excuse me, is Atobe Keigo-san here?)
(Are you from Qingxue...?)
(Does the director of Qingxue have anything to do with me?)
(I hope you can compete with Tezuka again.)
(What? Why would I go out of my way to do something like that?)
(Please! This is my personal request. Only you can help him find what he lost.)
(...)
During the confrontation, Atobe thought of the Yamato who gave up his dignity as a senior to bow and plead for him in front of everyone last night.
Seniors bowing and pleading to juniors, this is a unique phenomenon in neon.
He saw the strange persistence in the other party's serious attitude.
What Tezuka lost...
(Tezuka Kunimitsu, he was missing that step after all.)
Recalling Coach Sakaki's evaluation of Tezuka, Atobe was a little concerned.
"So, what is it that you are missing?"
"Tezuka!"
"That's probably the reason why you didn't become a minister!"
After using the Ice Image and smashing the score, Atobe shouted.
"What I lost...?"
Hearing this, Tezuka was stunned for a moment. Atobe's words made him fall into deep thought.
At first, Yamato planned to hand over the post of minister to him, but later he postponed it for unknown reasons.
(I can’t give it to you yet...at least not yet...)
(When you find what you are missing and reach that state, I can trust you.)
Recalling Yamato's words at that time, Tezuka pondered the meaning.
............................
"Ahem?"
"You actually got distracted when you dared to confront me."
"Do you really look down on me?"
He said with a provocative tone as Aobe scored consecutive points again.
"Feel sorry."
"I will do my best next time."
"Come on, Atobe!"
Sensing the faintly resurrected emotion, Tezuka's body was filled with hazy and colorful brilliance.
Refreshing talents and hard work!
"That's right, that's what it's like!"
Atobe was not frightened, but laughed happily.
"ha!"
"drink!"
"ah!"
"oh!"
In repeated confrontations with Atobe, Tezuka discovered something.
In this kind of confrontation where it doesn’t matter whether the team wins or loses, it’s not for training or for any team…
He seemed to feel more relaxed...
(What do you play tennis for?)
Nanjiro's words came to his ears again, and Tezuka seemed to understand something.
He seems to care too much about winning or losing...
It was obvious that he actually enjoyed the confrontation with strong opponents, but at some point he gradually lost himself under the high pressure of Emperor Guang.
I only think about how to become stronger and how to fight against those powerful players, and I have no intention of enjoying the fun brought by tennis.
"Isn't this a lot smoother?"
At the end of the game, Atobe lost again, but instead he laughed.
Today Tezuka is more flexible than before.
If it was like a pool of stagnant water before, now it is gradually becoming clearer.
"Thank you, Atobe."
After gaining some understanding, Tezuka thanked him.
"What a blessing."
"Isn't this just right?"
"Right."
But the sound that suddenly sounded again diverted their attention.
I saw three teenagers wearing short sleeves appearing from the steps.
"You are......"
Looking at the three people who appeared, Tezuka was very surprised.
Qianshi Qingchun......
Aku Tsujin......
Haizaki Shogo......
"Why do I have to come too?"
"Because Akutsu is coming..."
"Tsk, don't use me as a spear user. I just want to see how powerful this guy named Tezuka is."
The three people's communication with each other expresses their "harmonious" relationship.
Like Atobe, the three of them all had tennis rackets in their hands, as if they were prepared.
"If what you say is false, I will definitely beat you."
Akutsu stared at Yamato with fierce eyes, without any respect or concern.
"After you fight him, if you're still not satisfied, you can beat me however you want."
Yamato was not intimidated by his words, but spoke easily.
Atobe was the first one he found last night...
Yamabuki was the second batch he found...
After all, just one Atobe may not allow Tezuka to completely find what is missing.
So he tried his best to find some suitable players.
In the field, Akutsu walked over first and started fighting with Tezuka.
Akutsu's first move shocked them.
壱......
吐......
"What's that move?"
"Teiko Shirazu's Nine-Headed Dragon Flash?"
In the grass, Kikumaru looked at the familiar skills and said in surprise.
"That's not right, it's not so much the Nine-Headed Dragon Flash..."
"It's better to say it's a two-headed dragon flash..."
"And the speed and power are much different."
Inui Sadaharu corrected Kikumaru's statement. Even he could barely see Akutsu's "two-headed dragon flash" clearly, which was too different from Teiko Shirazu Tomosei's nine-headed dragon flash.
(Akutsu has been practicing that move.)
Qianshi thought with a smile as he held the racket at his waist.
Shirasatsu Tomosei's Nine-Headed Dragon Flash was inexplicably attractive to Akutsu, so he went to learn it fiercely.
As a result, now I have only mastered the two-headed dragon flash which is less than half-experienced.
However, it's okay to use it against others.
Although the two-headed dragon flash is not as good as the genuine nine-headed dragon flash, it is the first time for Tezuka to deal with this kind of one-goal-two-goal attack.
He held the racket, his mood changed, and he started to confront Akutsu.
Everyone was watching the duel between the two with great interest.
In the end, Tezuka fought back with hard-earned strength and won.
"cut!"
Naturally, he felt unhappy after losing, but Akutsu had somehow found a way to go further.
"Click..."
But at this moment, two more sets of footsteps were heard, and everyone was shocked when they saw clearly the two people walking up from the stairs.
"It seems we came just in time..."
"Li Hai is big..."
"Genichiro Sanada...and..."
"Buchou... Yukimura Seiichi...?!!"
Kikumaru opened his mouth wide and looked at the people gathered here in disbelief.
Hyotei's Akutsu, Yamabuki's Akutsu, Sengoku, Haizaki, Tatekai's Yukimura and Sanada...
Except for Teiko who didn't arrive and Nioh who was still lying in the hospital, all the top masters in Kanto gathered together! !
"It's bad. I want to go out and fight them."
Not to mention other people, Fu'er's mood changed a bit while he was hiding in the grass.
With so many strong men gathering here, who wouldn’t want to have a fight?
Even Fuji, who had always been calm, was eager to try.
"Come on! Go all out!"
Tezuka went from being confused at the beginning, to understanding halfway through, and now to enlightenment.
His expression that was difficult to change finally loosened.
He also understood what Minister Yamato meant and what Nanjiro had been hinting at.
He was so stubborn before...he only thought about how to become stronger and win.
But now it's different...
How could he, Tezuka Kunimitsu, remain indifferent despite being able to fight against so many masters?
His arms were shaking, not out of fear, but out of excitement and happiness at the thought of the upcoming confrontation.
Yamato stood aside, watching the current situation, feeling happy.
(Tezuka, this is the last thing I can do for you.)
(Come on!)
(Spread your wings and fly high from here! Go to the world!!)
