“Honda…
he actually lost…”
The Yamabuki players stared in astonishment.
None of them could believe the result.
Shibukawa, a beginner playing his first actual match, had defeated Honda.
And he’d done it 6–3, a score that clearly showed how thoroughly he’d dominated him.
“Hey, don’t tell me Shibukawa actually learned tennis before this?”
One of the third-year regulars spoke up.
“Impossible.”
Uesugi shook his head.
“That really was his first match.
It’s just that…
he’s quite talented.”
Quite talented?
That was putting it mildly!
Minami, Nitobe, and the others silently added the same thought.
At first, his movements had been awkward.
By the middle of the match, they had become smooth and fluid.
And toward the end, he’d completely taken control, keeping Honda on the defensive the entire time.
It was the first time any of them had ever seen someone improve so quickly that the difference was visible to the naked eye.
“All right, next match.”
Uesugi didn’t dwell on the matter.
He looked up at the other two players.
“Muromachi versus Suzuki.
Don’t hold anything back.
I want both of you going all out.”
“Yes!”
Muromachi, wearing his white-framed sunglasses, and the other black-haired third-year player nodded firmly.
Muromachi in particular was fired up.
Shibukawa’s outstanding performance had made him the center of everyone’s attention.
Seeing the shock and admiration in the expressions and gazes around him left Muromachi feeling deeply uncomfortable.
That kind of attention had always belonged to him.
‘Hmph.
Just wait.
I’ll use this match to show them who the real genius is.’
With that, Muromachi strode onto the court, brimming with fighting spirit.
Meanwhile, after winning his match, Shibukawa found an empty corner, sat down, and closed his eyes to rest.
Although he’d dominated his opponent, the match had still taken quite a toll on him.
As for the praise and attention from everyone else, he didn’t care.
There was nothing to be proud of in beating someone like Honda, a character who didn’t even qualify as a background extra.
Besides, Shibukawa wasn’t even a Yamabuki regular yet.
If he got full of himself over something like this, that would be the real joke.
But when Banda saw his reaction, he couldn’t help nodding in approval.
‘Not bad.
He hasn’t let a small victory go to his head.’
He was becoming more and more satisfied with the boy.
‘Still, the kid is only thirteen.
If he keeps training at this intensity, his body probably won’t be able to handle it.’
…
That evening.
Training ended.
As usual, Shibukawa was the last to leave.
“Training at the regulars’ level really is something else.
If I hadn’t built myself up over the past week, there’s no way I could’ve made it through.”
Standing by the sink, Shibukawa turned on the faucet and splashed some water over his face, easing some of his exhaustion.
Even so…
Despite being completely worn out, what he’d gained today was more than double what he usually did.
Not only had his ‘Swing’ improved, but his ‘Running’ skill had also gained quite a bit from the actual match.
Give him a little more time, and he was confident he could compete for a spot among Yamabuki’s regulars.
“Hm?”
However, when he returned to the locker room and opened his locker to change before leaving, his brow furrowed.
There were several things inside that hadn’t been there before.
“Who put these here?”
“Honda?
Or someone else?”
Shibukawa instinctively thought of the original series, where Echizen’s outstanding performance had led Arai and the other upperclassmen to bully him and pull petty tricks behind his back.
‘No, wait.
Is this…
energy gel?’
But when Shibukawa took the items out, surprise appeared on his face.
Energy gel.
A thick, semi-gel food used to replenish energy.
It was generally used in highly demanding endurance sports such as marathons and triathlons.
The one in Shibukawa’s hand was still unopened.
He also found a piece of paper.
Picking it up, he saw a message written on it:
[Remember to eat more nutritious food when you get home.
You can’t just train without eating properly.]
“This note…”
Shibukawa raised an eyebrow slightly.
Clearly, there was no way Honda or anyone else with ill intentions toward him had put these things in his locker.
“Was it Minami…
Captain Uesugi, or maybe…”
A round, wrinkled face suddenly appeared in Shibukawa’s mind.
If it was that person, then it made sense.
“As for this…”
He carefully checked the energy gel several times.
After confirming that it hadn’t been punctured or opened, Shibukawa tore it open and sucked it down in one go.
He was starving.
The physical exhaustion was secondary.
What really tormented him was the hunger spreading from deep within his body.
This energy gel had come at exactly the right time.
At the same time, the mysterious person’s reminder made Shibukawa realize that he really couldn’t keep training without eating enough.
He began considering carrying some energy gels in his bag.
He’d also clearly noticed that as the intensity of his training increased, his appetite had been growing larger and larger.
Once he’d made up his mind, he acted on it.
After returning home, he dug out the original Shibukawa’s piggy bank, smashed it open, and used the money inside to buy meat and vegetables before cooking himself a hearty dinner.
Then he headed out for some light training to help digest the meal.
…
Late that night.
When Yumi returned home and saw the dinner waiting on the table, warmth filled her heart.
But she soon noticed the broken pieces of the piggy bank in the trash, and her heart ached.
‘That’s right.
Shin is at the age where he’s growing fast.
I really haven’t been much of a mother…’
And so…
The next morning, when Shibukawa got up and prepared breakfast as usual, he found some money sitting on the table.
He froze for a moment, but once he realized what it was for, he didn’t hesitate and simply took it.
Then he left behind a note that read ‘Thank you’ before heading out.
…
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Shibukawa and the others had now been undergoing their intensive training for three days.
Everyone could clearly feel the changes in their bodies, which only made them even more motivated.
That afternoon.
After finishing the running warm-up, Shibukawa repeatedly practiced his Swing off to the side while the others played practice matches.
“Shibukawa really works hard.”
“Tch.
I think he’s just showing off.
He wants the advisor and captain to notice how hard he’s working.”
The nearby players whispered among themselves.
But Shibukawa paid them no attention whatsoever.
This was simply part of the daily training regimen he’d set for himself on top of the intensive training.
Besides…
His Swing was about to reach Lv6.
Shibukawa was looking forward to seeing whether this level-up would once again increase one of his five stats.
Whoosh!
Suddenly.
As Shibukawa executed an exceptionally precise and steady swing, the numbers on the Proficiency System panel before his eyes changed once again.
[Completed an Excellent Swing]
[Swing EXP +2]
[Current Swing Level: Lv6 (1/10000)]
[Through persistent training, your control over your arm has become more refined.
Technique +0.1]
‘Technique, huh?’
Feeling a warm current spread through his arm, Shibukawa nodded inwardly in satisfaction.
“Hm?”
But just as he thought that was the end and prepared to continue practicing his Swing, another line appeared on the Proficiency System panel that had been about to fade away.
[Your Swing has reached Lv6.
Your understanding of the Swing has deepened further, unlocking Advanced Options]
A moment later, the information updated.
[You may choose one Advanced Path]
[1.
Rapid Backswing — An advancement focused on pushing speed to the extreme]
[2.
Power Drive — An advancement focused on pushing power to the extreme]
‘This is…’
Shibukawa’s eyes lit up when he saw the new notification.