The serve cracked. Prediction flashed. Ren dove. His racket scraped glass, sending sparks of pain up his arm. The ball clipped his strings, wobbled over the net—alive for half a heartbeat—before Minoru's smash buried it.
"Game, Minase twins. Five–Love."
The scoreboard blazed. The stadium roared.
Ren sprawled, chest burning, lungs begging for air. Sweat pooled under his cheek. His body wanted to stay down. I can't... it hurts... I'm nothing but a loser here too.
Then the status window pulsed:
[Hidden Condition Reached]
Lose 50 Points → Trait Unlocked!
New Passive: Survivor's Instinct (Body adapts slightly each rally).
Ren's eyes widened. His lips curved, cracked and trembling—but into a grin.
Even my losing... is training fuel. Then I'll lose until I become unstoppable.
He pushed up, stumbling to his feet. The crowd, expecting collapse, gasped.
Ayaka's voice soared:
"He's still standing! Ladies and gentlemen, the Substitute Messiah refuses to fall!"
The chants shifted again, unstable but loud:
"Messiah! Messiah! Messiah!"
Ren raised his racket. His arm shook, but he raised it anyway. His smile was raw, ugly, almost manic. "Come on then. I'll take every loss you've got."
The final game was brutal. The twins no longer toyed with him—they crushed him clean. Serve, smash, volley—clinical execution. Ren's body screamed, his shots staggered, his points bled away.
"Set and Match, Minase twins. Six–Love, Six–Love."
The referee priest's voice rang like a verdict.
But the stadium didn't jeer this time. It rumbled. Confused. Excited.
The "Hopeless Messiah" had lost perfectly, completely. But he was still standing, grinning through blood and sweat.
At the baseline, Toru and Minoru approached. They looked down at Ren—not mocking, but wary.
"You're weak," Toru said flatly.
Minoru nodded. "But... you're not ordinary."
They turned, leaving him swaying at the net.
The referee priest declared: "Trial complete. The Substitute Messiah remains alive."
Alive. Not victorious. But alive.
Ren almost laughed. Guess that's a first for me.
The crowd erupted—not boos, not just cheers, but a storm of voices.
Ayaka's commentary rang over them:
"He lost every set. Every game. But... did you see? He learned. He adapted. He refused to fall. This is no ordinary substitute. This... may be the start of something!"
Ren staggered toward the tunnel, racket limp in his hand. His vision blurred. But inside his mind, the status window glowed steady:
[Level Up: 1 → 2]
Survivor's Instinct Activated.
And beneath it, new text flickered faintly:
[Quest Initiated: Find a Partner.]
Ren blinked, half-delirious, half-smiling. A partner...?
His knees buckled. Darkness swallowed him.
As Ren collapsed unconscious, a sharp female voice echoed from the tunnel entrance:
"Tch. Pathetic. If that's the so-called Messiah, this world is doomed."
A girl with dark hair and a racket slung over her shoulder stepped into view—eyes sharp, presence overwhelming.
Shizuka Amane.
The prodigy. The tsundere. The first heroine.
[Padel Knowledge Break #2]
You're probably wondering... why are so many people obsessed with padel in real life?
Here's why:
1. Easy to pick up – Even beginners can rally after 10 minutes.
2. Social sport – Always 2 vs 2, so you meet and bond with people fast.
3. Small court – Less running than tennis, but still intense.
4. Strategic walls – The glass walls make every rally unpredictable and exciting.
5. Community vibe – Padel clubs are booming worldwide, mixing sport with lifestyle.
Fun fact: Big names like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are padel fans. Even corporate CEOs in Europe use padel matches as business networking!
So next time you see a padel court near you—grab a racket and give it a try. Who knows, maybe you'll become the next "Chosen Player"