Evening.
After the Tokyo Metropolitan Tournament concluded.
Players from various schools and spectators began to disperse.
"This year's Hyotei is just too strong," remarked one of the players.
A group of boys in white jackets, led by an elderly man with a hunched back and deeply wrinkled face, also prepared to leave. They were the members of Yamabuki.
The one who spoke was Muromachi Toji, who hadn't gotten the chance to play against Hyotei.
"Yeah," agreed Kita Ichima, whose hairstyle somewhat resembled Atobe's, with spiral patterns on his cheeks. "It's hard to believe their new doubles pair was so strong right from their debut."
"Honestly, we were lucky to even get one win," added Higashikata Masami from the first doubles team. "If it had been Oshitari and Mukahi playing together, with Oshitari's special ability, the outcome of the match might've been completely different."
"True," nodded the others, including their captain, Minami Kentaro.
It wasn't about downplaying their own abilities. Facing a powerhouse like Hyotei, recognizing their own limitations was crucial for the team's growth.
"Strange," muttered Tan Taichi, the team's manager, who stood at around five feet tall and wore a green headband. He looked around curiously. "Where did Akutsu-senpai and Sengoku-senpai go?"
"Them?" Muromachi thought for a moment, then sighed. "Sengoku probably went off to flirt with girls again. As for Akutsu..."
At the mention of Akutsu, he trailed off. The others' expressions also shifted slightly. Akutsu was undeniably talented and strong, but after his loss and the way he stormed off, it seemed unlikely he'd stay with the team much longer.
"That guy," sighed Coach Banji, shaking his head. He knew the promise he'd made with Akutsu was now void after his defeat at the hands of Hyotei's first-year, Ishikawa.
"Ice cream! Ice cream! Sweet and tangy ice cream!"
Near the entrance of the tennis courts, a man in a strange black monk's robe and sunglasses was loudly hawking his wares.
At the same time, he kept glancing toward a young man in a white jacket, hands in his pockets, lost in thought.
"Hey, kid," Nanjiro called out with a grin as he approached. "How about buying some ice cream? Buy two, get one free!"
"You?" The young man turned, his pale, almost sickly face flashing with irritation. "You creepy old man, get lost before I make you regret it!"
He remembered this guy clearly. Earlier that morning, this same man had been hitting on his mother. If it hadn't been for Ishikawa showing up, he would've taught this pervert a lesson himself.
"Huh?" Nanjiro feigned shock, his expression shifting dramatically.
"Kid," he said, closing the lid of his ice cream box and adjusting his sunglasses, "no need to be so hostile. If you don't want ice cream, how about we make a different deal?"
"Tch." Akutsu's frown deepened.
Already in a foul mood, he was itching to vent his frustration. If this guy didn't back off soon, he'd have no choice but to let loose.
"Eager to fight, huh?" Nanjiro chuckled, as if reading his mind. "Why not hear me out first?"
As he spoke, he slid his sunglasses down slightly, revealing piercing eyes that seemed to see right through Akutsu. The intensity of his gaze sent a shiver down Akutsu's spine, as if all his thoughts had been laid bare.
"My offer is simple, and it's entirely in your favor," Nanjiro continued, smiling. "Come with me and play tennis..."
"No way!" Akutsu cut him off without hesitation.
Tennis was the last thing he wanted to hear about right now. It was a source of humiliation, something he never wanted to touch again.
"My condition is this," Nanjiro went on, ignoring the rejection. "I'll help you get stronger—strong enough to beat that first-year from Hyotei."
In an instant, Akutsu's expression changed.
If tennis was one taboo for him, the other was the Hyotei first-year who had defeated and humiliated him.
"I refuse!"
But after a moment of hesitation, Akutsu still rejected the offer.
"Kid, don't be so quick to say no," Nanjiro said, unfazed. He pushed his sunglasses back up and smiled. "I'm sure you'll change your mind someday."
With that, he walked off, shouting his ice cream pitch once more.
"That old man..." Akutsu watched him go, his expression conflicted. For a moment, he'd almost been swayed.
But then again, a weird, borderline creepy guy like that, trying to recruit people to play tennis in public? Anyone would think he was out of his mind.
"Akutsu-senpai!"
A voice called out from a distance, snapping Akutsu out of his thoughts. A short boy came running toward him, looking excited.
"Huh?" Akutsu's expression shifted slightly.
If there was anyone at Yamabuki he still cared about, it was this kid. But right now, he was also the last person Akutsu wanted to face.
"Senpai," Tan Taichi said, catching his breath. "Where did you go? And was that guy selling ice cream? He seemed... kind of strange."
"Kid," Akutsu said coldly, his eyes narrowing. "I told you before—don't stick your nose in my business. What I do is none of your concern."
"Uh..." Taichi was taken aback.
For a moment, the senpai he admired felt like a completely different person.
"Taichi," Coach Banji approached, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Why don't you go ahead with the others? I need to talk to Akutsu."
"Okay..." Taichi nodded, glancing at Akutsu one last time before walking away.
"Old man," Akutsu said, his tone sharp as he turned to face Banji.
---
After Tachi left, Akutsu's expression turned icy, and his demeanor became even more menacing than before. "If you're here to convince me to stay in the tennis club, don't waste your breath!"
However, to Akutsu's surprise, Banda glanced at the distant figure fading into the distance and smiled. "Do you know who that was just now?"
"Huh?" Akutsu frowned. He hated beating around the bush and snapped, "Spit it out. Don't drag it out like that annoying old woman!"
"That was the legendary tennis player, Samurai Echizen Nanjiro," Banda said with a sigh. "I don't know what he said to you, but if he offered to coach you, you should take it. There's no better tennis player in the world than him."
A legendary tennis player? Samurai Echizen Nanjiro? Hearing this, Akutsu swallowed the retort he was about to unleash. Even someone as arrogant as him couldn't help but feel a jolt at the mention of that name.
"That's all I'll say," Banda continued with a smile. "Whether you quit the club or join Hyotei, it's not my place to decide. With your talent, if you ever truly fall in love with tennis, your future achievements will be limitless."
With that, the old man turned and left, leaving Akutsu standing alone, unmoving for a long time.
"My... future?" Images flashed through his mind—his mother's nagging yet hardworking figure at the coffee shop, the mixed attitudes of the Yamabuki tennis club members toward him, and finally, the image of a handsome, black-haired figure.
Crack. Akutsu's fists clenched so tightly they nearly burst, but his eyes grew more determined. It seemed he had made a decision. Without hesitation, he turned and walked away.
---
That night, at the Hyotei tennis club's dining hall.
To celebrate their victory in the metropolitan tournament, Atobe had treated all 200-plus members to dinner. Given Atobe's standards, the food was anything but ordinary. The players, in high spirits from their win and the lavish meal, cheered, "Long live Atobe!"
"Everyone," Coach Mukahi spoke up from the head table. "I have an important announcement to make."
The room fell silent. They all knew that when Mukahi spoke in such a formal setting, it was no trivial matter.
"After discussing with Captain Atobe," Mukahi continued, his gaze shifting to Ishikawa beside him, "we've decided that, effective today, first-year regular Ishikawa Shin will be appointed as the vice-captain of the tennis club."
"V-Vice-captain?!" The announcement stunned not only the regular members but even seasoned players like Shishido and Mukahi, who had been with Atobe since their first year. Many instinctively glanced at Oshitari, who, in their minds, was better suited for the role due to his calm demeanor.
However, Atobe's overwhelming presence made even Oshitari reluctant to take on the position. But now that it had been given to someone else, it was hard to imagine Oshitari wouldn't feel some resentment.
Yet, to everyone's surprise, Oshitari remained calm. Other regulars like Otori and Hiyoshi also nodded in agreement. The only one who seemed conflicted was Hiyoshi, the second-team representative and once the most likely candidate for a regular spot.
After a brief moment of resistance, Hiyoshi accepted the decision. He knew Ishikawa had the skills and qualifications to be vice-captain. If he truly disagreed, he could always challenge Ishikawa for the position once he improved. But deep down, Hiyoshi knew that day might never come.
---
After dinner, the members gradually dispersed. Only Ishikawa remained, as usual, heading to the training grounds.
Under the streetlights, his shadow stretched long. This time, however, he wasn't practicing tennis, running, or drilling his martial arts routines. Instead, he was lost in thought.
"Because of my presence, Hyotei won the metropolitan tournament. Oshitari has unlocked new abilities, and players like Jiro and Fuji are likely to evolve in completely different ways," he reflected on the changes he had brought since arriving in this world.
Then, he recalled the black-robed figure he had encountered in the park that morning. Ishikawa could clearly feel that his presence—a butterfly effect in the original story—had already altered many people's futures. These changes felt deliberate, interconnected, and almost inevitable.
This realization deepened his understanding of the principles of Go, which he had been studying.
Suddenly, as if a light had switched on in his mind, a black-and-white aura enveloped him. His presence became even more profound and enigmatic, his eyes sharp and piercing, as if they could see through everything.
**[Ding!]**
**[Player has fused the principles of Go with tennis, creating a special ability: Truth of Go Lv1.]**
**[Truth of Go Lv1: A unique ability born from the fusion of Go and tennis. Grants adaptability, strategic planning, and insight. When activated, it makes the user's actions unpredictable, enhances data collection and utilization, and quantifies all techniques, abilities, and performance effects.]**
(End of Chapter)