Twenty minutes later.
"Eh... why do we have to change into sports clothes too?"
The June sunlight was exceptionally scorching, making even Yui Yuigahama feel overwhelmed.
Yukino Yukinoshita, who had also changed into sports clothes, spoke with a neutral expression.
"Totsuka's request is for our entire club, so all of us need to take it seriously."
"I see..."
Noticing Yui Yuigahama's hesitant expression and somewhat dimmed spirits, Yukino Yukinoshita didn't mince words, getting straight to the point.
"Yuigahama, you should have more confidence in your own abilities."
"Constantly accommodating others isn't the way to solve problems."
Hearing this, Yui Yuigahama froze for a moment, forced a smile and shook her head.
"I... don't accommodate others."
Yukino Yukinoshita nodded noncommittally.
"If you say so, then that's that."
Yukino Yukinoshita never disguises her true self.
In complete contrast, Yui Yuigahama always conceals her true feelings.
With Yukino's perceptiveness, she could naturally detect this.
However...
Just as she had told Shizuka Hiratsuka when she first wanted to establish the club.
Yukino would only extend a helping hand to those who sought assistance and wished to escape their predicament.
She didn't know what exactly Yui Yuigahama was struggling with or confused about, but since the other party hadn't brought it up voluntarily, she decided to let it be.
At that moment, Saika Totsuka and Ye Xing finally arrived at the tennis court.
To Yukino and the others' surprise, Ye Xing was still wearing his usual school uniform instead of sportswear.
"Ye Xing-san."
Having just stated that she would take requests seriously, Yukino couldn't help but frown slightly at Ye Xing's casual attire and the way he waved his tennis racket as if fooling around.
"Could you please be more serious? It might seem boring to you, but this is very important to the client."
Ye Xing casually swung his tennis racket, creating a sharp whistling sound through the air, and replied with a laugh.
"I'm already being very serious."
"Hmph."
Yukino let out a light snort but didn't pursue the matter further. Instead, she turned to Saika Totsuka, took out her phone, and handed it over.
"Totsuka-san, this is the specialised training plan I've prepared for you to improve your physical fitness."
Saika Totsuka took the phone and glanced at it before looking up at Yukino Yukinoshita with slight surprise.
"Yu... Yukinoshita-san, such a professional and thorough training plan... did you come up with this just now?"
"Yes."
Yukino's expression remained completely flat, as if this were no big deal at all.
"I practised Aikido before and have some understanding of sports theory and competitions."
After saying this, Yukino couldn't help but glance at Ye Xing. Though she wanted to keep her tone as calm as possible, when she spoke, it inevitably carried a hint of provocation.
"So, Ye Xing-san, what kind of assistance do you plan to provide for Totsuka-san?"
In a way, Yukino was actually quite similar to her elder sister Haruno.
It might not be apparent normally—one might even think their personalities were so different they hardly seemed like sisters.
But when it came to competitiveness, Yukino and Haruno were surprisingly alike.
She might not appear particularly competitive, but it depended on the person.
Clearly.
Ye Xing had become a target Yukino Yukinoshita wanted to surpass, even outweighing her sister Haruno in importance.
"My assistance?"
Ye Xing rested the tennis racket on his shoulder with one hand and chuckled lightly.
"What I'm going to provide Totsuka-san is unique—something only I can offer. It's a tremendous test of a tennis player's mind and spirit, a truly cruel trial for the soul!"
"What nonsense..."
Before Yukino Yukinoshita could finish her retort, she noticed Saika Totsuka's eyes shining with excitement as he nodded repeatedly.
"Ye Xing-san, does such a trial really exist? Please teach me!"
Yukino Yukinoshita: "..."
So the rigorous training plan she had painstakingly devised was, in Saika Totsuka's eyes, inferior to Ye Xing's chuunibyou declaration just now?
Even the usually composed Yukino Yukinoshita couldn't help but feel a sense of defeat at this moment.
"Yukinoshita-san, this is where you don't understand."
Ye Xing wore a deeply thoughtful expression as he slowly began to speak.
"Even professional athletes can only perform at about forty percent of their usual training level during competitions."
"And for high school club members like Totsuka-kun who haven't received professional training, the ability they can display in matches doesn't even reach twenty percent of their usual performance."
"Do you know why?"
Yukino's claim that she had previously studied professional sports competitions was clearly not an empty boast.
Hearing Ye Xing's question, she immediately responded.
"It's psychological factors that interfere and affect the athlete's performance, right?"
"Exactly, that's correct."
Ye Xing nodded, then continued speaking.
"However, psychological tension isn't always negative. Sometimes it can even help athletes perform at a higher level during competitions. We generally refer to this state as the zone."
Hearing this term, Yukino Yukinoshita slightly furrowed her brows and asked doubtfully.
"Zone...? How come I've never heard of it?"
Ye Xing revealed a faint smile.
"That's precisely why you haven't heard of it - because I just made it up."
Yukino Yukinoshita looked utterly speechless.
"Can you please be serious for once?"
"I am being serious."
As he spoke, Ye Xing walked to the other side of the tennis court.
"Come on, Totsuka-kun, prepare to face the most severe soul trial of your life!"
Saika Totsuka showed a nervous expression, tightened his grip on the tennis racket, nodded, and said with complete seriousness.
"Alright, Ye Xing-kun! I'll give it my all!"
Yukino Yukinoshita sighed helplessly.
How did the atmosphere suddenly become so intense for no reason?
However...
Yukino looked at Ye Xing standing at the other end of the tennis court, thinking that, given the physical fitness he had demonstrated during the sports festival - enough to break three Sobu High School records - even if he wasn't proficient in tennis techniques, defeating the slender and delicate Saika Totsuka shouldn't be a problem.
After all, Saika Totsuka was just a high school tennis club member, not some professional athlete.
The disparity in skill between the two was likely insufficient to bridge the enormous physical disadvantage.
Moreover...
Based on their interactions during this period, Yukino strongly suspected that the meaning of "slightly understand" in Ye Xing's vocabulary might differ entirely from her own interpretation.
"Are you ready, Totsuka-kun?"
Ye Xing retrieved a tennis ball from the basket beside the court, bouncing it twice on the ground with his left hand in a remarkably practised motion.
"I'm ready, Ye Xing-k—"
Before Saika Totsuka could finish his sentence, the frivolous smile vanished abruptly from Ye Xing's face.
An utterly pitiless, cold gaze replaced it.
"Totsuka-kun, when I asked if you were prepared, I meant: have you resolved to stake your life on this match?"
Yukino Yukinoshita, Yui Yuigahama, and Hina Amano, witnessing Ye Xing utter these words with such deadly seriousness, were utterly stunned.
Seriously...
Was this really necessary for a tennis match!?
What did he mean by stake your life!?
Were they playing with tennis balls or artillery shells!?
Yukino Yukinoshita initially thought Ye Xing was being absurd.
But Hina Amano and Yui Yuigahama, having witnessed his battles against evil spirits, knew better.
If Ye Xing were to truly exert his full strength, the velocity of his shots...
Wouldn't they be comparable to cannon fire!?
Just then, several other students in uniform entered the court.
"Hey, mind if we join in?"
Hearing this familiar line, Ye Xing stopped bouncing the ball, clutching it in his left hand instead.
Yukino and the others turned to see the group led by a sunny, handsome boy and a girl with voluminous, pale-golden, wavy hair, who carried an air of haughtiness.
Saika Totsuka pressed his lips together timidly and murmured with caution, "Um... actually... I booked this court..."
"Huh?"
The girl with pale golden wavy hair stepped forward, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Well, since the door's open, we can play too, right? Or are you saying only you're allowed to have fun here?"
"Yumiko, that's enough."
The handsome boy stepped forward with a polite smile.
"We'll all have more fun playing together, won't we?"
Just as Saika Totsuka was about to respond, Ye Xing's languid voice cut through.
"You lot..."
He vaulted over the centre net and strolled up to the boy, smiling as he spoke.
"Where did you little nobodies crawl out from? Piss off."
Yui Yuigahama, Hina Amano, and Saika Totsuka stared in speechless shock.
Did he always have to be this aggressive?
Yukino Yukinoshita, however, wasn't surprised in the slightest.
She had anticipated this kind of reaction from Ye Xing.
After all, this was someone who could even out-argue her.
"Er..."
Faced with such hostility, the boy's expression visibly stiffened as he awkwardly replied, "I'm Hayato Hayama. You might not know me, Ye Xing-kun, but I'm—"
"You're what?"
Ye Xing interrupted with a smile before Hayato could finish.
"Are you the top of the year? Oh wait, no—that's me."
"You're the record holder for three events in the school sports festival? Oh wait, that's me too."
"You're the one who applied to use this venue with the school today? Oh, wait, that was Totsuka-kun."
These three self-answered questions completely stumped Hayato Hayama.
Watching the other party's frozen expression, Ye Xing casually waved his hand as if shooing away a rat.
"Piss off, just piss off already."
Seeing Hayato Hayama rendered speechless by the retort, Yumiko Miura stepped forward.
She first glanced at Ye Xing with a somewhat complicated expression before letting out a light hum.
"Does Ye Xing-kun mean that just because you're good at everything, you're entitled to openly enjoy special privileges?"
Facing Yumiko Miura's veiled sarcasm, Ye Xing's response was straightforward.
"Obviously?"
"Huh?"
Looking at Yumiko Miura and Hayato Hayama's astonished expressions, along with their accompanying friends, Ye Xing revealed a gaze as if looking at fools, even carrying a hint of pity.
"People who are more outstanding than ordinary individuals naturally deserve superior treatment."
"Do you actually believe that regardless of talent and individual differences, every person can receive completely equal fair treatment?"
"Wake up, do you think this is some childish game?"
In that moment, Hayato Hayama and Yumiko Miura finally understood.
What it meant to be dimensionally crushed.
This was dimensional crushing.
One was the ace of the football club, handsome and popular.
The other was the core leader among girls in their class, a strikingly beautiful girl.
These two could undoubtedly be considered Sobu High School's quintessential popular students.
But...
The top student in their year, a sports prodigy who broke three school records in his first sports festival.
Director of the Supernatural Society - Sobu High's most notorious organisation - openly occupying the best-located and largest activity room.
The Ye Xing, who would slap people in the hallway at the slightest provocation, was rumoured to frequently harass their homeroom teacher in the office, showing complete disregard for moral boundaries and exhibiting unpredictable behaviour.
Before him, their popular student status was effortlessly shattered.
Yumiko Miura's eyes were filled with inexplicable hostility towards Ye Xing, which somewhat puzzled him.
They weren't even in the same class.
Besides, Yumiko Miura wasn't a boy, so there couldn't be any clichéd drama about a girl she liked preferring him instead.
This hatred was completely baffling.
Noticing Yumiko Miura's gaze, Yui Yuigahama leaned close to Ye Xing and whispered.
"Um... Miura-san wrote you a letter once, saying she wanted to get to know you..."
"Oh, so that's what happened."
Ye Xing first nodded noncommittally, then looked at Yui Yuigahama with a teasing smile.
"How do you know what her letter said?"
"Ah... I..."
Yui Yuigahama froze, stammering and unable to form words.
Actually, every time she received letters from those girls to pass to Ye Xing, she would secretly peek at the contents before handing them over.
"I... I... I was checking for Futaba and Miko!"
Watching the flustered Yui Yuigahama, whose face had turned bright red, Ye Xing nodded and offered his fair assessment.
"You're quite good at passing the buck."
Seeing Ye Xing conversing with Yui Yuigahama on his own accord without the slightest intention of acknowledging her, Yumiko Miura's last shred of self-respect was utterly crushed.
She picked up a tennis racket from the side and said angrily, "Then let's have a match! Whoever wins gets the right to use this court!"
"Are you out of your mind?"
Ye Xing glanced at Yumiko Miura and shook his head. "Haven't I explained it clearly enough? From every angle, the right to use this court should be ours. What are you betting with? Trying to get something for nothing? Having a laugh? Go check yourself into a mental hospital."
Yumiko Miura was left speechless by his retort.
At that moment, Ye Xing looked over at Saika Totsuka, who was standing awkwardly to the side, then turned his gaze to Hayato Hayama and Yumiko Miura with a meaningful smile. "However, I'll make an exception today and be merciful—granting you the privilege of challenging me."
After saying this, Ye Xing walked to the other end of the tennis court. "Let's begin, Totsuka. You be the referee, and you can learn a thing or two while you're at it."
"Uh, yes, Ye Xing."
Seeing Ye Xing suddenly agree to the match, Yumiko Miura didn't understand why, but she couldn't help showing a slight smile. Back in middle school, she had been selected to compete in prefectural tournaments. When it came to tennis, Yumiko Miura didn't believe she could lose to anyone.
"Hey, you there."
Ye Xing stood at the far end of the court and pointed his tennis racket at Hayato Hayama. "You join in too."
"Huh?"
Hayato Hayama frowned slightly. "Ye Xing, do you mean to play against both of us alone? That's a bit too..."
"Who said I'm alone?"
Ye Xing looked towards Yukino Yukinoshita, Yui Yuigahama, and Hina Amano at the sidelines, finally resting his gaze on Yui Yuigahama. "Yui, come on."
Yui Yuigahama looked surprised and hesitated. "Huh? Me?"
"Of course."
Ye Xing looked at Yui Yuigahama and smiled. "I need you."
Those four simple words left Yui Yuigahama's mind completely blank, as if she'd been hit by a genjutsu. By the time she came to her senses, she was already standing beside Ye Xing, tennis racket in hand.
"OK, let's get started."
Yumiko Miura assessed Yui Yuigahama's grip on the racket and her stance, feeling a wave of contempt. It was obvious the other girl was a complete amateur.
'Ye Xing's grip... It's quite handsome, but not professional.'
'This match, our side is definitely going to win.'
'After we win, I'll take the initiative to suggest playing tennis together, giving Ye Xing a way to save face.'
'This way... wouldn't it be settled?'
"I'm serving now."
Yumiko Miura tossed the tennis ball into the air and served with an extremely professional posture.
Before Yui Yuigahama could even clearly see the ball flying through the air, an explosive sound suddenly rang in her ears.
Bang!
Followed immediately by the dull thud of the tennis court fence being hit.
Yumiko Miura and Hayato Hayama couldn't see at all how the ball had been returned.
They could only feel a light breeze, like when a train passes by, brushing past them.
"1... 15-love!"
Saika Totsuka raised his left hand, indicating that Yumiko Miura and Hayato Hayama's side had scored first.
Then, looking towards Ye Xing at the other end of the court, he reminded:
"Um... Ye Xing, when the opponent serves, you can only return the ball after it bounces on the ground."
Facing Saika Totsuka's reminder, Ye Xing said calmly:
"I know."
"Eh, then why..."
"I never intended to win by points."
At this moment, Hayato Hayama and Yumiko Miura heard exclamations from their friends behind them.
When the two turned around and saw the scene before them, they were completely stunned.
The tennis ball that Ye Xing had just hit...
Was actually firmly wedged in the gaps of the wire mesh fence!
For it to get stuck like that...
How much terrifying force must have been on that ball?
As they stood shocked, Ye Xing's calm voice came:
"Are you ready?"
"This is just the beginning."
"Every ball from now on, I'll aim at your bodies."
"Face this match against me and Yui with the determination to die if necessary."