"Fuji!"
One person collapsing was bad enough—now there were two.
Yoru stared in disbelief at the scene before him.
Syusuke Fuji was the only one in Seigaku who could withstand Inui Juice—hell, he even recommended the stuff to others, claiming it tasted good.
The only times Fuji had ever been taken out by it were during the "Prince of Bowling" and "Barbecue Prince" arcs.
Had Inui Juice already reached that level of lethality?!
Swallowing hard, Yoru felt genuine fear for the first time.
In the original timeline, even Kunimitsu Tezuka couldn't handle Inui Juice. There was one episode where Tezuka accidentally drank it—while he kept a straight face, his hand trembled violently. And during the barbecue camp? Straight-up KO'd.
If I take a sip, will I die too?!
Yoru immediately barked out an order: "From now on, bringing that hazardous substance to matches is forbidden!"
---
Spectator Stands
"Why did two Seigaku players collapse?!"
"They drank something…"
"Did Hyotei poison them?! That's terrifying!"
"Rich people can do anything, huh?"
"Doubt it. Hyotei's reputation is solid. Looks more like someone on Seigaku's side brought the wrong drink."
"What a shame… They were about to win too."
The crowd buzzed with theories, but the damage was done.
Seigaku forfeited Doubles 1.
And if Fuji didn't wake up in time, they'd have to forfeit Singles 2 as well.
All because of one damn drink.
What was supposed to be an easy victory had turned into a desperate struggle.
Yoru shot Inui Sadaharu a withering glare.
"If you don't win Singles 3, you're jumping off a cliff."
"Understood."
Inui flushed with embarrassment. Even "Team Mom" Oishi didn't defend him this time.
One drink took out two players. Only Inui could pull off something so catastrophic.
---
Singles 3: Inui Sadaharu vs. Matsudaira Chikao
Matsudaira's stats were 5-star level—technically, his raw potential was 7-star, but years of slacking had dropped his fundamentals to 5-star. No special techniques, no drive.
Inui, on the other hand?
A data-driven machine.
With Yoru's guidance, Inui had honed his ultra-fast serve, leveraging his height (one of the tallest on the team) and natural power.
Add his data buff, Yamato's leadership boost, and Matsudaira stood zero chance.
Ten minutes later—
6-0.
Total domination.
Matsudaira fought desperately but couldn't land a single game.
Seigaku 2 – Hyotei 1.
But Fuji still hadn't woken up.
After a 10-minute wait, the referee announced:
"Singles 2—default win for Hyotei."
Seigaku 2 – Hyotei 2.
The team turned to glare at Inui.
He sighed.
Oishi, baffled, asked: "You said that drink was for you—so why don't you collapse after drinking it?"
"I've built up a tolerance."
To prove his point, Inui grabbed his bottle and chugged it.
One second later—
Thud.
Another body hit the bench, face serene.
"Did he accidentally brew the lethal version from the original series?!" Yoru's eye twitched.
If even Inui couldn't handle it, this was definitely endgame-tier Inui Juice.
"I'll go warm up."
Tezuka stood, grabbing his racket and water bottle—double-checking the label to avoid another disaster.
---
Hyotei's Bench
"The final match rests on you, Atobe."
Coach Sakaki's voice was calm.
"Leave it to this king!"
Atobe Keigo's eyes locked onto Tezuka, burning with competitive fire.
Yoru's words echoed in his mind:
"If you want another shot at me, you'll have to defeat Tezuka first."
The data showed Tezuka was strong—Yoru's disciple, no less.
Losing to the master was bad enough. Losing to the student? Unthinkable.
"This match will be mine! The world shall bask in this king's brilliance—HAHAHAHA!"
His maniacal laughter echoed across the stadium, drawing every spectator's gaze.
Atobe reveled in the attention—until the referee cut in over the mic:
"Silence, please. Singles 1 players, finalize your warm-ups."
"Tch. How dare you interrupt me?"
Atobe shot the ref a dismissive glance before strutting onto the court, racket in hand.
Ten minutes later—
The referee's whistle pierced the air.
"Kanto Regional Finals—Seigaku vs. Hyotei! Singles 1 match begins! Players, take your positions!"
The two stopped warming up and met at the net.
"Tezuka Kunimitsu. I've waited long enough for this."
Atobe smirked, resting his racket on his shoulder.
"Today, you will fall. And after I crush you—I'm coming for Yoru next."
He studied Tezuka's face, expecting a reaction.
But Tezuka remained impassive.
"Understood."
That was all he said.
---