vstars Chapter 112 Yukimura Seiichi Arrives
Chapter 112 Yukimura Seiichi Arrives
Upon hearing that familiar voice, Kirihara on the court stiffened abruptly. The ball he had just tossed slipped from his hand and rolled to the edge of the net.
He had completely lost interest in retrieving the ball.
He turned his head and looked in the direction from which the sound came, just like everyone else.
In the light and shadow of the setting sun.
Yukimura Seiichi walked slowly from the entrance of the stadium.
He was slender and upright.
He was wearing a light blue casual jacket over a white crew neck shirt and khaki trousers.
He exudes a quiet yet authoritative aura of refined elegance.
His purplish-blue hair swayed slightly in the wind, and his fair skin glowed with a healthy hue in the orange-red light. He stood there, his expression carrying a hint of seriousness.
The butler followed quietly behind him, his posture respectful, always maintaining a subordinate demeanor.
When the Rikkai University tennis club saw Yukimura, they instantly erupted in excitement and all rushed over to him.
"minister!"
"Minister Yukimura!"
"Why is the minister here?!"
"Have you fully recovered and been discharged from the hospital?!"
……
Marui quickly squeezed to the front, his purple eyes scanning him up and down. His tone was urgent. "Seiichi! Weren't you supposed to be resting? Why did you suddenly come?"
Ren-ou, swinging his little braid on his shoulder, quickly stepped forward, his eyebrows curving into a smile. His tone was the same, but his voice was a little softer than usual, carrying a genuine joy.
"Puri~ Is this a surprise for us?"
Yagyu adjusted his glasses, walked forward slowly, and spoke in a steady but faster voice than usual, "How's your recovery going? Is your rehabilitation training going smoothly?"
Kuwabara stood on the outside, not trying to squeeze in, but his eyes were fixed on Yukimura, a smile playing on his lips. The other Rikkai members also gathered around, offering their concern and questions.
It was incredibly lively.
Sanada raised his hand to adjust his baseball cap, walked forward with steady steps, the solemnity between his brows softened a bit, and his tone was serious.
"Won't leaving the hospital abruptly affect your subsequent recovery? Even if you were to be discharged, you should have let us pick you up in advance."
Liu stood beside him, her half-closed eyes opening, but her tone revealed concern, "Jing Shi, you look great. Your recovery data should be up to standard, right?"
Wang Yueling leaned against the edge of the court's netting, not joining the crowd.
Her blonde hair was gently stirred by the evening breeze of the setting sun.
Her azure eyes sparkled with genuine surprise, her gaze fixed on Yukimura, her expression softening unconsciously, revealing the gentleness in her very being.
Yukimura's gaze slowly swept over the group of team members who had gathered around him, taking in the expression on each of their faces.
A gentle smile slowly curved her lips.
His gaze swept past the noisy crowd and landed precisely on Wang Yueling not far away, his smile softening even more.
He was about to answer their questions.
Kirihara's shouts came from the other side of the stadium.
"minister!!!"
Kirihara lay sprawled on the netting, his white hair slowly turning back to black, and the redness on his skin fading considerably. The bloodthirsty aura had completely dissipated, and he had returned to his usual innocent and carefree self.
But his eyes were still red.
It wasn't the demonic red, but a red that looked like it was about to cry, with tears welling up in its eyes.
"Minister! Why didn't you tell us you were being discharged from the hospital? We could have come pick you up!..."
His voice was loud, clear, and rapid, with a nasal tone. He lay prone on the netting, his fingers gripping the mesh, like a small animal trapped in a cage.
His excited chatter, instead of keeping quiet, instantly ignited Yukimura's anger.
Just now, as I walked with the butler, I saw the two men on the field in a fierce battle from afar, with Kirihara completely engulfed in a berserk, demonic state.
The gentle smile on Yukimura's face slowly faded, and a faint chill flashed in his eyes.
Just last night.
Kirihara even sent him a message to boast that he hadn't turned into a demon for three weeks and that his blood pressure was under very stable control.
They even pleaded and begged to apply for the lifting of the ban on snacks.
He softened and agreed, even promising to return the snacks he had confiscated to Sanada when he returned from the training camp.
Only one night has passed.
Yukimura looked at Kirihara's face; his nose was red, his eyes were red, and there were several scratches on his forehead. His khaki team uniform was covered in grass stains and mud.
He glanced again at the birch field across the stadium.
Kabaji stood at the baseline, with several abrasions on his face and arms, but he just stood there, without complaining or showing any expression, quietly watching this side.
Yukimura withdrew his gaze and looked back at Kirihara.
He stepped out of the crowd and walked to the edge of the fence.
I smiled.
That smile was very gentle.
Behind her, a field of pure white lilies quietly bloomed, looking gentle and harmless, yet exuding a chilling aura that made people dare not act recklessly.
The surrounding air became quieter.
The Rikkai members who were watching were the first to notice that familiar smile. They subconsciously took two steps back, their expressions becoming serious, and they dared not joke around anymore.
Niou retreated the fastest, hiding directly behind Yagyu, his braid swinging onto Yagyu's shoulder. Marui tugged at Kuwabara's sleeve, taking half a step back, not daring to chew the candy in his mouth.
Yagyu's fingers pushed the glasses frame up and down. Sanada's hat brim was pulled down even lower, making him look like a tree bent by the wind.
Liu immediately closed her eyes.
Seeing their reaction, the people from Hyotei, though unsure why, acted faster than they thought and took a few steps back.
Shinobu pushed up his glasses and muttered, "This aura is comparable to Ling's."
Xiang Ri nodded, shrugging his neck. "I feel a chill down my spine."
Atobe raised an eyebrow, glanced at Yukimura, then at Mochizuki Ryo, and pointed to the beauty mark at the corner of his eye without saying a word.
Niou leaned lazily on Yagyu's shoulder, a sly smile curving his fox-like eyes, and lowered his voice with a hint of watching the show.
"Puri~ This naughty little dirty monkey is going to be in trouble now."
Marui bit into the hard candy in his mouth, suppressing a laugh as he quietly agreed, "No one can save Akaya now. Making the captain angry won't end well."
Kuwahara stood to the side, touching his bald head, without saying a word.
Seeing this, Mochizuki Ryo slowly walked over from the edge of the fence and went straight to Yukimura's side. In front of everyone, she solemnly began to tattle.
"Seiichi, let me tell you, Akaya has gone too far."
He frowned slightly, his eyes showing a hint of innocent grievance, and his tone was both righteous and playful, "I immediately reminded him when he first showed signs of losing control."
"I told him to control his emotions, not to resort to demonization, and to cherish this period of blood pressure management. But he wouldn't listen to a word I said and completely ignored me."
He pursed his lips slightly, his tone innocent and playful, completely shifting the blame onto Kirihara, "I've been diligently supervising him this week, but it's just that he... sigh~"
He sighed, shook his head, and had an expression that said, "I've tried my best to dissuade him, but this kid is just too much of a worry."
The regulars from Hyotei and Rikkai, who were standing around, were all speechless.
Atobe crossed his arms, raised an eyebrow, and looked at Mochizuki Ryo's innocent and silly act, too lazy to expose him or comment on it.
Sanada's expression remained calm under the brim of his hat. He deliberately looked away, pretending not to see anything, but the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
Liu quietly hid behind Sanada, opened her notebook, and silently recorded this interesting scene into the character profile.
Niou and Shinobu exchanged a glance, a knowing smile playing on their lips, understanding each other without a word.
Hiding behind, Mukahi whispered to Ootori and Kuwabara beside him, "Tsk tsk, as expected, Ling's demeanor changes immediately when he encounters Yukimura. He usually protects Akaya so much, but now he turns around and tattles on him."
Feng Wen nodded gently, a hint of a smile in his eyes, and whispered, "Senior Mochizuki really cares about Captain Yukimura."
Kuwabara smiled and listened quietly to the chatter of the people next to him.
Jiro scratched his reddish-brown curly hair and joined the discussion with a serious expression.
"You don't understand, Ling's idol is Yukimura-sama, and she likes Yukimura-sama the most."
"If you're queuing in Kirihara, you'll have to go after me."
He said this with his chin slightly raised, his expression proud and smug, "I was Ling's deskmate at Hyotei, and also the first friend he made. I'm definitely ranked ahead of Kirihara in his heart."
Xiang Ri immediately retorted, "Tch! Ling also likes to play with me. She always takes me with her when we go to the dessert shop. Why should Kirihara be ranked after you? He should be ranked after me."
"No, you're behind me in line."
"They're behind me in line."
……
The two little animals began to seriously rank Mochizuki Ryo's "Top Ten Best Friends of Hyotei," a list that had absolutely no merit.
Jiro counted on his fingers: "First place is definitely Captain Yukimura, second place is me, and third place is..."
He thought for a moment, then looked at Xiang Ri, and said, "Third place is fine with you."
Xiang Ri frowned, brushing her fiery red short hair aside. "Why am I third place?"
"Because you don't know Lingzao like I do."
"Where does Marui rank?"
"Bunta is from Rikkai University, so he's not included in Hyotei's rankings."
Kuwahara and Feng exchanged a helpless smile, letting the two little ones bicker and fight.
Kirihara, clinging to the fence, widened his eyes in astonishment upon hearing Mochizuki Ryou's words.
He didn't expect it.
The senior I admired most actually betrayed me completely in front of the minister.
"S-senpai?!"
Kirihara's voice changed, "You...I...that's because..."
"What about me?" Wang Yueling turned to look at him, her azure eyes saying, "I just told on you, so what can you do about it?"
His expression was completely self-assured, without the slightest hint of guilt.
Kirihara choked, opened his mouth to explain, but didn't know where to begin.
I mean, people's emotions aren't so easy to control.
After losing repeatedly, how could a normal person not have emotions? Kabaji had copied all the moves he could use before, but the Demonization move was no longer effective, so he could only try to use it to break the deadlock.
But these words stuck in my throat, and I couldn't utter a single one.
Then I thought about how I had been avoiding certain foods and getting acupuncture regularly during this period, and how I had finally managed to stabilize my blood pressure.
Now we have to start all over again.
Kirihara's mouth twitched, his head drooped, looking helpless and pitiful as he gazed at Yukimura and Mochizuki Ryo, listless and lacking confidence.
He lowered his head, his eyes reddening again, and whispered, "I just wanted to win..."
The sound was so faint it was like a mosquito's buzz.
Yukimura glanced sideways at Mochizuki Ryo, deliberately teasing Kirihara.
Wang Yueling immediately looked away and stood obediently beside him, her chin slightly lowered, looking just like a golden retriever that had done something wrong but refused to admit it.
A hint of a smile flashed across Yukimura's eyes, but he didn't expose his little trick. He then turned to look at Kirihara, who was standing helplessly inside the net.
Kirihara felt a chill run down his spine under those purplish-blue eyes. He shrank back and took a half-step back, but dared not run away.
"Akaiya."
Yukimura's voice was soft and his tone was flat.
"Do you remember what you said to me last night?"
Kirihara's lips moved, but he didn't utter a single word. The tips of his ears turned red again, this time not because of high blood pressure, but because of guilt.
Yukimura raised his hand and gently tapped Kirihara's forehead through the fence. The tap was light, but carried a clear sense of punishment; his tone was gentle yet stern.
"The demonization isn't a reason for you not to use it. But you should be controlling your emotions during blood pressure management."
He paused, then continued.
You didn't keep your promise. Last night's promise is null and void. I'll settle this score with you later.
Kirihara rubbed his forehead where he had been hit, nodded obediently, and listened to the reprimand in a sullen voice without daring to utter a single word of rebuttal.
Wang Yueling checked the time with referee Pu Shan, composed herself, and then turned to wave to the on-site medical team, her tone becoming calm.
"Chonghong, Chiye, since the match is paused, you two will take a break. Perfect timing, I'll have the medical team give you a basic check-up."
Kabaji nodded blankly, holding his racket, and walked towards the bench on the court. Feng and the others had already prepared water and towels, and gave them to Kabaji as soon as he arrived.
Wang Yueling glanced at the scratches on their bodies, paused, and her eyes showed a hint of seriousness.
He gave instructions to the doctor who was holding an emergency medical kit.
"Check if they have broken any bones."
"Take Akaya's blood pressure again. His berserk state just now was clearly abnormal. Let's see if he's still fit to continue fighting."
Upon hearing this, Atobe walked in from outside the fence and stood next to Kabaji, his icy blue eyes sweeping over the abrasions on Kabaji's arm.
"Kabaji, cooperate fully with the testing."
"Yes." Kabaji's voice was deep as he obediently stretched out his arm for the doctor to examine.
Upon hearing that he couldn't continue the match if his blood pressure reading was abnormal, Kirihara immediately panicked, waving his hands and showing strong resistance.
"I'm fine."
"It's just a minor scratch, no need to get it checked. My blood pressure will return to normal very quickly."
Sanada got really angry when he heard him try to explain himself. His brows furrowed suddenly, and his voice was as deep as muffled thunder.
"Kirihara Akaya! You didn't seem to be alright on the field just now. Cooperate with the medical staff for the examination."
Kirihara shrank back in fright at Sanada.
Yukimura's eyes softened, his expression turning serious as he looked at Kirihara inside the net and spoke slowly, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"Follow the instructions to get tested. If your blood pressure is not up to standard, this match will be terminated, and you will not be allowed to play again."
Seeing that both Minister and Vice Minister Kirihara were adamant, he dared not whine or act spoiled anymore. He could only nod with a pout, then quickly walked around the side of the net back to the court, carrying his racket.
He walked up to Kabaji, reached out and scratched his messy curly hair, his face showing a hint of embarrassment and shyness, and his tone was sincere.
"Kabachi, I'm sorry, that just now... I didn't mean to, I hope I didn't scare you."
Kabaji remained as kind and gentle as ever, gently shaking his head and saying in a low voice, "It's alright."
Kirihara was relieved, then pointed to the scrapes on Kabaji's arm and face, "Are your injuries alright? Do they hurt a lot?"
Kabaji looked down at his arm, then at Kirihara.
"It's just a scratch." He shook his head gently, his expression still honest and calm. "It doesn't hurt."
Upon hearing this, Kirihara's eyes lit up immediately.
"real?!"
"Um."
Kirihara grinned happily, leaned closer to him, and whispered, "Then after the competition, I'll ask the vice-captain to give you all the confiscated snacks!"
Kaba looked at him, remained silent for a moment, and then nodded.
The test results came back quickly.
The doctor informed Mochizuki Ryo and Yukimura of the results.
"Both of them suffered superficial abrasions, with no serious injuries. Kirihara's blood pressure was a bit high, but it recovered quickly."
He paused and glanced at Kirihara again.
"Kirihara's body has become accustomed to that ball technique, and his blood pressure fluctuates much more dramatically than that of an average person, so he recovers much faster."
"However, since I've been receiving treatment with acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine recently, there could be danger if I engage in high-intensity walking like I just did in the near future."
Wang Yueling nodded slightly to the medical staff, indicating that they should be on standby at any time.
Kirihara listened from the side and immediately raised his hand to swear an oath before the minister and deputy minister could speak.
"I promise I won't need it again!"
Yukimura glanced at him, then looked at Kabaji, who was sitting obediently on a bench on the other side of the fence, waiting.
He spoke slowly, his tone softening.
"Adjust your mindset and play the game seriously. Don't let your opponent wait for nothing."
Kirihara nodded vigorously, then turned and ran back to the baseline, taking two quick steps on one foot, spinning the racket in his hand, and nodding at Kabaji.
"Kabachi, let's continue the game!"
Hua nodded, his expression remaining calm. He straightened his posture and decided to continue using the tactical approach he had previously refined.
Once everything was ready, we waited quietly for the game to resume.
Urayama looked at Kirihara, then at Kabaji, took a deep breath, and blew his whistle.
"The game continues!"
The crisp whistle echoed throughout the stadium.
As the setting sun cast its light and shadow, the atmosphere on the field became tense once again.
The two players took their positions again to serve, and a new round of the match began immediately.
Kirihara served first.
Kirihara stood at the baseline, gripping the ball tightly in his hand.
His legs were still weak and his arms were sore from the excessive exertion of his demonic transformation. His once nimble, quick steps were now much more sluggish, and he occasionally slipped lightly on the grass while running.
But his eyes were much more serious than before.
The minister has arrived.
He absolutely couldn't let the minister down, as he had the opportunity to demonstrate his growth in front of him.
He needs to be in top form to finish the remaining games.
Kirihara took a deep breath, gripped the tennis ball tightly with his fingertips, and tossed the ball up into the air.
"Riot serve."
The ball made two curves in the air, spinning sharply as it slammed into Kabaji's backhand corner.
Kabaji was on high alert, keeping a close eye on the ball's trajectory, quickly moving into position, and raising his hand to intercept.
But the spin of this ball was too tricky.
It suddenly changed direction just before landing.
He grazed the edge of the ball with the tip of his paddle, but ultimately failed to catch it securely.
"ACE, 15-0".
A low gasp rippled through the crowd from the sidelines once again.
Marui peeled open a new piece of apple-flavored gum, popped it into his mouth, chewed it a couple of times, and stared at the court with his purple eyes.
"Wow, Akaya's riot serve can produce an enhanced effect like 'Demonization' even in his normal state."
Liu opened his notebook, scribbled a few lines on the paper with his pen, and wrote, "The speed of the riot serve in the demonized state is about 200 km/h, while in the current state it is about 178 km/h, the difference is not too big. The spin intensity is also maintained above 80%."
"His previous berserk demonic transformation consumed 80% of Akaya's stamina. If he were at full strength, it shouldn't be difficult for him to hit a ball with the speed and spin of his demonic transformation state."
"The current effect is due to Akaya's absolute control over this new technique."
The second goal.
Kirihara tossed the ball again, serving with his knuckles. This time, Kabaji used the same breaking serve technique as before, moving ahead and positioning himself perfectly to return the ball.
The ball landed in the midfield, and Kirihara dared not relax for a moment. He immediately seized the opportunity and rushed forward, unleashing a powerful forehand smash.
"Riot Smash".
After the ball landed, it slid along the grass. Kaba bent down to catch it, and his racket swept over the ball.
He didn't encounter it.
"30-0".
The next two balls.
Kirihara is becoming more and more adept at using his riot serve, hitting the ball to more off-center points, at higher speeds, and at more tricky angles.
It was nailed directly to the bottom line behind Kabaji.
Kabaji still couldn't stop Kirihara's ball from spinning strangely.
Even if he manages to catch the ball in time, he can only return it with force. The ball's spin will force him to hit it out of bounds.
"Game, Kirihara, 5-4."
Kirihara stood at the baseline, supporting himself on his knees and panting heavily.
He was at his physical limit; his legs were shaking uncontrollably, his arms were trembling, and sweat was dripping down his chin, but he was having a great time.
Yukimura stood outside the net, his purplish-blue eyes watching Kirihara happily on the court, and the corners of his mouth curved slightly.
The atmosphere on the sidelines gradually relaxed.
The Rikkai students, having not received an answer before, gathered around Yukimura again, lowering their voices to ask the same questions.
"Minister, what brings you here today?"
"How long have you been doing rehabilitation training?"
"When did the doctor say I could rejoin the team?"
……
A barrage of questions came crashing down on them like a machine gun.
Yukimura reached up and straightened his coat collar, patiently answering each question one by one, his voice calm and a warm smile playing on his lips.
When Mochizuki Ryo shifted her gaze from the match to Yukimura, she saw that Yukimura was once again surrounded by the Rikkai group.
He raised an eyebrow.
Then he elbowed them all the way.
He first pulled Niou out of the crowd and casually tossed him aside.
Ren-ou was suddenly pushed to the side by him, and his fox-like eyes blazed with anger.
"Feeding... Ling, you've gone too far."
Ignoring him, Mochizuki Ryo reached out and shoved Marui hard to the side with his elbow. Completely unprepared, Marui flailed his arms in the air several times before Kuwabara caught him.
"Jack, look at him, what shameless things he does."
Wang Yueling ignored him and continued walking forward.
Wherever he went, no one was spared.
Sanada was standing directly in front of Yukimura, asking a question. Mochizuki Ryo walked to his side, turned slightly, and nudged him with her shoulder.
Sanada was pushed to the side and stumbled, losing his footing.
I almost fell flat on my face.
With lightning speed, Liu grabbed Sanada's arm. Liu reached out from the other side and supported his shoulder.
The two of them had to work together in a rather comical way to steady him.
After Sanada regained his footing, his face beneath the brim of his hat was as black as the bottom of a pot. He turned his head and glared fiercely at the back of Mochizuki Ryo's head.
Completely ignoring their complaints, Mochizuki Ryou stood in front of Yukimura in a very good mood, looking at him with her azure eyes, and asked softly.
"Seiichi, why didn't you tell me we were coming here? Weren't you supposed to stay in the hospital for two weeks?"
Although Niou and Marui were pushed aside, they huddled together and chuckled when they saw Sanada almost embarrass himself.
Niou's braid swayed, and he lowered his voice, "Puri~ Sanada almost fell flat on his face."
Marui covered his mouth, his shoulders shaking. "I saw it too. The way he was being held up by Yanagi and Yagyu was hilarious."
Yukimura saw Mochizuki Ryo domineeringly preventing others from getting close to him, causing Sanada and the others to be pushed and shoved.
I couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"We'll be staying for another two weeks."
"I specifically asked Dr. Laurent for leave to come here today."
He glanced toward the court; Kirihara was standing at the baseline, bending over to adjust his shoelaces, while Kabaji stood quietly on the opposite side.
"Today is the last day of the joint training camp between the two schools. As the head of Rikkai University, how could I be absent?"
Wang Yueling didn't speak, but just looked at him quietly.
Yukimura looked away, his voice soft and tinged with amusement.
"So I contacted Uncle Yuanye to come pick me up."
The butler behind him bowed slightly to his young master, his silver-white hair gleaming in the sunset.
Wang Yueling turned her head, her lips pursed in dissatisfaction, and looked at the butler Yuanye with reproach in her eyes.
That expression clearly said, "How could you keep something so important from me and not tell me?"
The butler, unusually, did not maintain the proper etiquette expected of a wealthy family's butler. He shrugged slightly and leaned closer to his young master to explain.
"Young master, it's not that I don't want to tell you. It's just that Yukimura-kun forbids me from saying it."
His voice was very low, "Besides, didn't you say it yourself, young master? When it comes to Yukimura-kun, we'll listen to him."
"I was following your instructions, that's right."
Upon hearing this, Wang Yueling's expression froze for a moment.
Yukimura stood to the side, having overheard the not-so-quiet conversation between master and servant. He looked at the speechless Mochizuki Ryo with a wry smile, unable to suppress the curve of his lips.
At that moment, Atobe walked over.
He stood before Yukimura, his icy blue eyes fixed on him, his chin slightly raised, and his magnificent aura naturally emanating from him.
"Hmm~ Yukimura, you look good."
Atobe's tone was as arrogant as ever, but a closer listener could detect a hidden concern: "Are you almost fully recovered?"
He raised his hand and touched the beauty mark at the corner of his eye, a smile curving his lips. "I'm really looking forward to facing you in the Kanto Tournament and the National Tournament. Without you, beating Rikkai wouldn't be very meaningful."
He raised his chin even higher as he spoke, his icy blue eyes radiating an air of self-assured confidence. "I just beat Sanada, and I'm in top form right now. You'd better hurry back to the court, don't keep me waiting too long."
Yukimura's smile deepened as he listened to Atobe's extremely arrogant "challenge."
He understood the good intentions in Atobe's words.
"Yes, I've almost recovered."
He paused, his gaze falling on his teammates, and his voice became serious.
"I should be able to play in the Kanto Tournament finals. I'll be waiting in the singles spot then."