The toss arced high. Toru's eyes glinted sharp under the stadium lights. His serve cracked like thunder.
Ren's legs moved before his brain caught up. Wrist dip, right corner—!
His racket connected. The ball shot across, bouncing off the side wall, lower than before.
Minoru lunged, returned it clean. The rally was on.
Oh no oh no oh no—
Ren scrambled, sneakers screeching against glass floor. His arm burned already. He slapped the ball back, clumsy, but alive.
"Unbelievable! The Substitute is holding a rally!" Ayaka's voice pierced through the roar.
The crowd gasped. Some laughed. Some leaned forward.
The ball flew again—high lob this time. Ren sprinted back, almost tripping. His chest seared. He swung upward desperately. The ball kissed the frame, wobbled over the net.
Minoru smirked. He leapt, smashed down with power that rattled Ren's teeth.
I can't reach that—!
The ball pounded into the court behind him.
"Game, Minase twins. Two–Love."
The crowd exploded.
Ren bent over, hands on his knees, sweat dripping into the crystal surface. His lungs clawed for air. I almost had it. I almost...
The window flickered.
[EXP +10 — Extended Rally Bonus]
Weak Spot Vision Lv.1 → 64%.
Ren's eyes widened. Even that counts? Even a pathetic rally gives me EXP...?
The next games blurred.
Serves like lightning. Returns like knives. His body ached in places he didn't know existed. Every point felt like being dragged through gravel, then shoved back onto his feet.
He touched a few balls. Won one more point—by accident, when the twins misstepped. The crowd laughed even harder at that.
But the window kept flickering:
[EXP +2]
[EXP +4]
[Skill Progress → 92%]
By the end of twenty brutal minutes, Ren collapsed into his chair. His shirt clung to him, soaked. His hands shook so hard he almost dropped the racket.
The scoreboard screamed:
SET 1 — Minase Twins win, 6–0.
The referee priest intoned, voice cold: "The Substitute Messiah trails by one set."
The crowd's chant shifted again.
"Hopeless Messiah! Hopeless Messiah!"
Ren laughed, bitter and breathless. His chest felt hollow, but his grip tightened on the racket.
Yeah. I'm hopeless. But every swing, every mistake... the window keeps telling me I'm not stuck.
The racket glowed faintly. The status window pulsed bright:
[Weak Spot Vision Lv.1 → COMPLETE]
Skill Unlocked: Weak Spot Vision Lv.2 — See Next Move (0.5 sec preview).
Ren's eyes widened. He exhaled, shaky, almost a laugh. So that's it. Losing is my training ground.
He lifted the racket again, knuckles white.
"...Then watch me lose again. Better than before."
The twins prepared their next serve. Their smiles were gone now—replaced by a flicker of caution.
Ayaka's voice rose over the crowd:
"Ladies and gentlemen... can the Hopeless Messiah stand again?!"
The ball flew.
And this time—Ren's eyes saw half a second into the future.