Ren stumbled out of light onto solid ground. No—not ground. A court. A real padel court, glass walls rising high, net stretched taut, surface gleaming as if waxed by a hundred suns.
But beyond the walls—
He froze.
A stadium stretched in every direction, tier upon tier of seats, packed with people. Thousands—no, tens of thousands. Every voice merged into one tide that broke against him. Flags waved with rackets stitched onto them, banners painted with slogans:
"Serve is Faith!"
"Padel is Truth!"
"Chosen or Nothing!"
Ren's breath caught. This... this is insane. It's like the World Cup, the Olympics, and some cult ritual all got stuck in one blender.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" A voice boomed over crystal-clear speakers. "The Sacred Court has spoken! The Substitute has arrived!"
A spotlight crashed onto him. The racket in his hand vibrated, cracks glowing faintly under the beam.
The crowd erupted—cheers, gasps, even jeers.
"He looks weak."
"Is that our Messiah?"
"Pathetic... but the Court chose him."
Ren's ears burned. Great. First time in another world and I'm already a public embarrassment.
A pair of figures in white robes approached from the net. Their tall hats carried the insignia of a racket crossed with a sun. Padel Priests.
"Welcome, Substitute," one intoned, voice like rehearsed scripture. "By the decree of the League, you shall compete to maintain the balance."
The other held up a book—no, a Rule Book, its pages edged with gold. "Here, law and life are one. Padel is the measure of all things. To refuse is heresy."
Ren swallowed hard. "Heresy...? For not playing padel?"
The priest's eyes hardened. "Exactly."
Ren almost laughed, but the racket hummed again, warning him this wasn't a joke.
The crowd parted near the baseline. Two young men in sleek uniforms stepped forward, rackets at their sides. Their steps were sharp, in perfect rhythm.
"Introducing the trial by fire!" the announcer thundered. "To prove his worth, the Substitute will face the Twin Serves—Toru and Minoru Minase, prodigies of the National League!"
The twins bowed once—sharp, almost mocking—and their eyes slid toward Ren.
"Ehh..." Ren's throat dried. "I-I'm supposed to play against... them?"
The crowd laughed as if his panic was broadcast.
"Of course," the announcer roared. "Every Chosen must show resolve by standing on the court immediately!"
The twins smirked. One twirled his racket, the other cracked his knuckles.
Ren's knees trembled. He looked at the massive scoreboard overhead:
MATCH START: SUBSTITUTE vs TWIN SERVES
I can't. I'll be crushed. I've never... I don't even know if I can return a serve here. Everyone's watching. If I lose—what happens? Do they exile me? Kill me?
The racket in his hand pulsed again, soft light tracing the cracks. The mark on his palm warmed, steady.
Lose for a reason, the whisper returned. Stand after losing.
Ren sucked in a breath. He lifted the racket. It shook in his grip, but it lifted.
"...Fine," he muttered, more to himself than to the world. "If I'm gonna lose anyway... at least let them see me stand."
The referee priest raised a hand. "Players ready."
The stadium hushed. The Twin Serves crouched, eyes locked, like wolves circling prey.
"Game start!"
The first serve cracked like lightning. The ball blurred past Ren's vision—faster than anything he had ever seen.
And the crowd's chant roared again, shaking the court itself:
"Padel is Everything! Padel is Life!"
Ren raised his racket—late.
[Padel Knowledge Break #1]
Hey readers!
Since this story is all about padel, here's a quick real-world fact:
Padel is a fast-growing racket sport that started in Mexico in 1969 and spread quickly through Spain. Today, it's one of the most popular sports in Europe and is expanding worldwide.
How's it played?
· Court size: 20m × 10m, enclosed with glass walls.
· Always played in doubles (2 vs 2).
· Scoring system: same as tennis (15, 30, 40, game).
· The twist: the ball can bounce off the walls—making it dynamic and strategic.
Think of it as tennis meets squash → easy to learn, but hard to master.
Fun fact: In Spain, there are more padel courts than tennis courts!