Prince of Tennis: The Emperor's Eye

Chapter 9: Chapter 9: The Champion’s Crown

The moment Akashi served, the crowd erupted. Faces were filled with disbelief. Some spectators rubbed their eyes, doubting what they just saw.

”Th-this... did you guys see that? That kid’s serve—was there something wrong with the ball?”

”Unbelievable! Absolutely insane! The ball didn’t even bounce. It just slid straight past the baseline!”

”The umpire didn’t stop the match, so it probably isn’t the ball. But still, that was way too weird.”

”Newton’s turning in his grave again! Wait, why did I say again?”

”This already breaks the laws of physics! I feel like I’m watching a fake tennis match!”

Even Yukimura and Sanada were stunned. Sanada furrowed his brow tightly, feeling like he was falling farther behind the two players on court. Yukimura didn’t feel any better.

”What a joke, huh? Turns out Akashi-kun wasn’t even serious when he played against me. Isn’t that hilarious, Sanada~?”

”Yukimura, don’t overthink it. What we need now is to keep training hard. I truly believe we’ll beat them one day!”

”You’re really that confident, huh, Sanada? Still... maybe you’re right. It’s time I threw away that silly pride of mine. Once we’re back in Kanagawa, we start special training!”

Meanwhile, Tezuka’s eyes were sharp. He stared at Akashi across the net, who stood calmly in his jacket. Tezuka’s fighting spirit was surging. He tossed the ball high, leaped, and swung his racket. With a crisp strike, the ball crossed the net fast, loaded with fierce topspin.

Akashi saw it and instantly recognized that Tezuka was building a field. But he wasn’t fazed. Whether it was the original Tezuka Zone or the later Tezuka Phantom, neither could threaten him. Akashi had the skills to break both with ease.

Still, Akashi didn’t rush to counter. He simply moved to the landing point and returned the serve normally. After a few back-and-forth exchanges, Tezuka’s Tezuka Zone took full form. White vortex-like currents swirled around him, mesmerizing the crowd. Every one of Akashi’s shots was pulled toward Tezuka at the center baseline.

”Looks like Tezuka-kun’s finally made his move. Let’s see how you deal with this, Akashi Seijūrō~” Yukimura smiled as he watched from the stands. Sanada, beside him, stayed silent with a deep frown.

Akashi looked at the Tezuka Zone without any expression. But during his return, he quietly increased his power. When Tezuka felt the force in Akashi’s shot, his brows twitched. He hadn’t expected Akashi’s strength to be this intense. Still, he didn’t back down. He kept his field intact and returned the ball with effort.

”Oh? You’re still barely maintaining the rotation of your field with that kind of force? Then try this—Sweetspot Technique!”

Right after speaking, Akashi swung hard. At the moment of impact, the ball was infused with immense power. Its speed exploded, rocketing into Tezuka’s half in the blink of an eye. When it bounced, dust flew up—a sign of its crushing force. Even so, the ball was still drawn toward Tezuka.

Tezuka had braced himself. But as the racket made contact, an overwhelming weight surged through his arm. A stinging pain hit. Without hesitation, he let go of the racket. The ball knocked it out of his hand and flew out of bounds.

”0-15”

Tezuka rubbed his numb arm. Surprise flickered in his eyes. He had known Akashi’s strength was impressive, but he didn’t expect it to be this overpowering. Looking at Akashi’s slender frame, he couldn’t imagine where that strength came from.

He shook out his arm. The numbness faded slightly. Picking up his racket again, Tezuka tossed the ball and served. The serve was once again infused with the Zone’s rotation. Just like last time, Akashi used the Sweetspot Technique and knocked Tezuka’s racket away again.

”0-30”

”0-40”

”Game! Akashi Seijūrō! 3-0!”

”Tezuka, give up the Zone. Right now, you have no way of standing against this power. Like I said before, your defeat is inevitable.”

Akashi spoke calmly as they switched courts. Tezuka didn’t reply. But his face and eyes made it clear—he hadn’t given up. He wouldn’t surrender.

In the stands, Yukimura and Sanada watched with tense expressions. Compared to other spectators, they understood the players on the court more deeply.

”Unbelievable... Akashi can actually return the ball with more force than my Fierce as Fire. Under that slim appearance, he’s hiding such terrifying strength,” Sanada muttered in disbelief.

”No, Sanada, that’s not just pure power tennis. There’s something else. Some technique we haven’t figured out yet. Seems Akashi-kun’s still hiding a lot~” Yukimura’s tone stayed calm, but his serious face betrayed his unease.

After switching sides, Akashi prepared to serve again. It was once more the Tannhauser Serve. But this time, Tezuka didn’t just stand there. He quickly moved to the drop point, crouched low, and swung his racket right at the instant the ball lightly bounced. But his timing was still just off, and the ball skimmed under his racket and flew out.

”Ace! 15-0”

”Tezuka, the Tannhauser Serve isn’t that easy to break,” Akashi said as he watched Tezuka return to the baseline, readying himself.

Another sharp serve echoed through the court. Again, the Tannhauser Serve. Tezuka tried again, moved to the bounce point, aimed carefully, swung. Just a hair too slow—the ball slipped under again.

”Ace! 30-0”

”Ace! 40-0”

Two consecutive failed returns. Now it was down to the last serve of the game. Tezuka focused all his attention. When the ball came, he adjusted based on what he’d learned. He swung at the perfect moment. But just as the racket’s edge met the ball, it suddenly deflected mid-spin and shot out of bounds.

”Game! Akashi Seijūrō! 4-0”

”I told you, Tezuka. The Tannhauser Serve isn’t something you break easily.”

Game five began. Tezuka to serve. Before serving, a seven-colored light shimmered along his left arm. At the same time as entering Hyaku Ren Jitoku no Kiwami, he layered in the Zone’s rotational field on the ball.

”So you’re finally using that technique? Fine. This match has gone on long enough. Time to finish this. Tezuka Kunimitsu—Zone!”

At that moment, faint red arcs flickered in Akashi’s eyes. It was as if something in his body had been unleashed. As the serve came flying, he countered with the Sweetspot Technique. With a loud crack, the ball ripped over the net, and guided by the Zone’s spin, rushed straight back at Tezuka.

Tezuka, in his Hyaku Ren state, focused all his power into his left hand. He swung hard. The ball clashed violently against the racket, spinning fiercely. After a few seconds of stalemate, Tezuka finally doubled it back.

But against Akashi, now in the Zone, even a doubled return was nothing. With a single step, he reached the ball and struck again. Tezuka, determined, raised his racket to meet it.

But the force on this shot was beyond what Tezuka could bear. Hyaku Ren Jitoku no Kiwami wasn’t all-powerful. His racket was instantly knocked from his hand and flung high. The ball shot past the baseline and smashed into the back wall, leaving a small crack.

”0-15”

Even so, Tezuka didn’t give in. He picked up his racket and served again. But at this point, with the difference in their five stats—especially with Akashi in the Zone—Tezuka couldn’t keep up.

”0-30”

”0-40”

”Game! Akashi Seijūrō! 5-0”

In the final game, Akashi still used the Tannhauser Serve. Tezuka, after having his racket knocked away repeatedly in the last game, had pain in his arm. He could no longer respond to the Tannhauser Serve.

”Game! 6-0! Match over! Winner: Akashi Seijūrō!”

”This concludes all matches of the Tokyo Youth Tennis Open. The champion is Akashi Seijūrō! The award ceremony will begin shortly!”