The Prince of Tennis: From Data-Driven Tennis to the Pinnacle of His Career

An hour later, the repairman drove away in his van, leaving behind a brand-new door and a long bill.

Kagura Ichijin took the receipt and walked up to Akutsu, handing it to him with a serious expression.

"So expensive? Are you robbing me?"

Akutsu Jin glanced at the numbers on it, and his eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

"It wasn't expensive to begin with, but after your 'violent dismantling' just now, the door is completely ruined and needs to be replaced with a new one."

Kagura Ichijin took the receipt back from Akutsu Jin and carefully put it away.

This isn't a bill; it's clearly Akutsu Jin's "contract of servitude"!

"I have no money."

Akutsu Jin started acting like a rogue, as if he were a dead pig that didn't care about boiling water.

"No money? Then pay off your debt with your labor. You will volunteer at the tennis club for four months. After that, your debt will be wiped clean."

Kagura Ichijin was well-prepared.

"Do volunteer work? I'm not going!"

Akutsu Jin refused without even thinking.

Are you going to make this delinquent do odd jobs for these tennis softies? How will he ever face anyone if word gets out?

"Then let's go to your house. Now we have the receipt, it's in black and white, I don't believe your parents won't acknowledge it."

Kagura Ichijin turned and left without even consulting Akutsu Jin.

"Don't!"

Akutsu Jin hesitated again.

He thought of his mother, Akutsu Yuki, at home, that gentle but tearful woman. What if she knew he had caused trouble at school…

"I'll do it! Fine, I'll volunteer!"

He said through gritted teeth.

"Come with me."

Kagura Yiren smiled slightly, and without even turning his head, walked straight towards the main training area.

……

Upon arriving at the training ground, the six starters were still sweating profusely, showing no signs of slacking off.

Kagura Ichijin nodded in satisfaction. The Tokyo regional qualifiers were starting in just two weeks, and they didn't have much time left.

"Kagura-kun, who is he?"

Sengoku Kiyosumi had just finished 30 half-squat shoulder exercises and slumped on the ground, rubbing her trembling thighs, curiously watching the delinquent following behind Kagura.

"The newly recruited sparring partner will be in charge of all the odd jobs here from now on. Just call him if you need anything."

Kagura Ichijin squatted down and skillfully massaged Sengoku Kiyosumi to relax her muscles, his tone relaxed.

"A sparring partner? Training with us?"

Sengoku Kiyosumi's eyes widened.

Even the regulars are struggling to keep up with this training. Can this delinquent who only seems to know how to fight really handle it?

"That's right."

Kagura Ichijin nodded affirmatively.

"Can he do it?"

Sengoku Kiyosumi still had some doubts.

"It'll definitely work, right, Akutsu-kun?"

Kagura Ichijin turned to look at Akutsu Jin, who had a constipated expression on his face.

"……Um."

Akutsu Jin squeezed out a single word through gritted teeth.

Kagura Ichijin had already given him plenty of face by referring to the "volunteer" as a "sparring partner." If he were to contradict him now, Kagura Ichijin would definitely call his men and head straight to his house with the receipts.

"Kagura, should I also practice my techniques in real combat with him?"

Gu Jimuxin was a little worried, afraid that he might overwork the "volunteer".

"That's right, senior Taniji, don't worry, Akutsu-kun has a very strong will, she'll practice with you until midnight without any problem."

After seeing that Sengoku Kiyosumi's legs had stopped trembling, Kagura Ichijin stood up, picked up his racket, and began practicing his technique for returning spin balls.

"..."

Akutsu Jin looked at the blackboard filled with training programs and his face turned green.

Six people, one hour each, that's six hours, plus these training programs... They're treating him like an animal!

"What are you all standing there for? Get back to training! You can leave whenever you finish training today!"

Kagura Ichijin glared at Akutsu Jin.

"cut!"

Akutsu Jin spat in annoyance, but still reluctantly walked to the corner and began doing squats according to the instructions on the blackboard.

After doing dozens of squats, Akutsu Jin started to slack off, and his movements became distorted.

"Your posture is incorrect; training like this is just fooling yourself."

Kagura Ichijin appeared behind Akutsu Jin at some point and kicked Akutsu Jin in the heel.

"How do you know your form is wrong if you don't even train?"

Akutsu Jin retorted, panting heavily.

"Your eyesight isn't very good, Akutsu-kun. I completed my training before our match. Otherwise, do you think that kind of childish game could make me break a sweat?"

Kagura Ichijin stared at Akutsu Jin with a blank expression.

"What? When you competed against me... you didn't use your full strength? And even when you were extremely exhausted?"

Akutsu Jin suddenly looked up, his face full of disbelief.

"Yeah, I told you, I don't bully newbies."

Kagura Ichijin said calmly, his eyes as still as water.

"How can you... be so strong?"

Akutsu Jin was completely stunned.

Looking at the boy in front of him, who was about the same height as him, he felt a sense of "admiration" for the first time.

"Get more professional training, Akutsu-kun. This world is vast, and there are many true masters. You won't even be qualified to fight them until you reach a certain level."

Kagura Ijin patted Akutsu Jin on the shoulder, turned around and walked back to his training area, swinging his racket again.

"..."

Akutsu Jin looked at that tireless figure with a complex expression.

He clenched his fist, took a deep breath, and began to seriously work on the next training exercise.

……

As night deepened, moonlight streamed through the high windows of the training field, casting a cool glow on the dark green synthetic track.

"Huff... huff..."

Akutsu Jin lay on the ground in a "spread-eagle" position, his chest heaving violently, sweat sliding down his pale cheeks and pooling on the floor.

He felt his muscles were screaming in agony, as if every cell had been squeezed dry of its last bit of strength.

Finally... it's done.

He struggled to sit up and glanced at the clock on the wall; the hour hand was pointing to nine.

The surroundings were deathly silent; the regulars had long since finished their training and left.

Just as Akutsu Jin struggled to his feet, his legs aching, and swayed as he prepared to leave.

A familiar voice came from the entrance, sounding particularly clear in the empty venue.

"Finished practicing?"

Akutsu Jin suddenly looked up and saw Kagura Ichijin holding a brand-new tennis team uniform and a pair of sturdy-looking tennis shoes.

"Hmm, what do you mean by that?"

Akutsu Jin gave a muffled reply, but his gaze was involuntarily drawn to those things.

He understood the boy in front of him less and less.

Just a few hours ago, this guy was like a cold-blooded supervisor, forcing him to comply with the documents, his eyes full of disdain and coldness.

But now, the way he's handing things over actually seems to convey a hint of...concern?

"Benefits of joining the tennis club."

Kagura Ichijin stuffed the clothes and shoes into Akutsu Jin's arms, his tone indifferent.

"..."

Akutsu Jin was stunned.

He looked down at the clothes in his arms. The fabric was ordinary, but it had a fresh, new fragrance.

That was something he had never owned before, something that belonged to the "team".

Thank you.

After hesitating for a long time, he finally managed to squeeze out this awkward thank you.

No matter how awful Kagura Yiren's personality is, he certainly has the responsibility that a minister should have.

At least, Kagura Ichijin didn't treat him like an outsider, even though he was just a "volunteer" forced to do odd jobs.

"You're welcome, you deserve it."

Kagura Ichijin waved his hand, turned to leave, but then stopped.

He turned around and looked intently at Akutsu Jin, his eyes filled with an unprecedented seriousness.

"Train hard, Akutsu-kun. In the tennis club, you're the only one with the potential to beat me. I'm waiting for you to challenge me again."

Kagura Ichijin paused, a meaningful smile curving his lips.

This wasn't just empty politeness; Kagura Ichijin was well aware of the intensity of his training program.

As for Akutsu Jin, he gritted his teeth and completed all the projects on his own without anyone supervising him, and I greatly admire his tenacity.

"real?"

Akutsu Jin suddenly looked up, his gray pupils contracting sharply, his face filled with shock and disbelief.

It's worth noting that today's match was a one-sided massacre; he didn't score a single point against Kagura Yijin.

The enormous gap that was so visible to the naked eye even made him doubt himself.

But now, this Kagura Ichijin, who is as powerful as a monster in his eyes, is saying that he is the only one who has a chance?

"Of course, I have a good eye for people. As long as you can persevere, one day you will understand what I mean."

Kagura Ichijin nodded firmly, his gaze resolute.

After saying that, he didn't linger. He waved, turned around, and walked out of the training field, leaving only a dashing figure that disappeared into the night.

"Beat you? Hmph... Kagura Ichijin, you just wait!"

Jin Akutsu stood there, clutching his team uniform, lost in thought.

After a long while, his mouth suddenly split open, revealing a signature, wild, and ferocious grin.

Under the moonlight, a burning fighting spirit rekindled in the boy's eyes.