Chapter 13

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Today, the main members of the Rikkai University Tennis Club were all distracted. Shita Urayama had seen with his own eyes Senior Kirihara get hit in the face by a ball he had tossed up, yet Kirihara’s expression remained blank, as if he were an empty shell whose soul had drifted away somewhere.

Meanwhile, Vice Captain Sanada, who witnessed the whole scene, surprisingly didn’t shout, “Too lax!” nor did he punish Senior Kirihara by making him run laps, acting as if he hadn’t seen a thing.

The other two pairs practicing doubles were in a state of somnambulism, their shots floating softly and weakly, as if they were playing tennis for elderly wellness.

Watching all this, Urayama felt a surge of, “Is that all? I can do this too.”

He rubbed his cheeks vigorously, the redness deepening. Shaking his head to dispel his impudent thoughts about his seniors, he turned to the prospective main member, Ryo Tamagawa, for an explanation.

“Senpai, do you know what’s going on with Vice Captain Sanada and the others?”

The silver-haired boy stopped his actions and looked around in confusion. “Nothing much. Aren’t the seniors practicing seriously?”

Urayama was speechless. Tamagawa, open your eyes and look at the atmosphere!

The mood in the tennis club was heavy, which worried the responsible red-haired youth deeply. After pondering a moment, he muttered, “Could it be that without Senpai Yanagi and Senpai Higure, everyone just can’t get motivated?”

Regardless of the reasoning, this conclusion wasn’t wrong.

The ordinary students of Rikkai had overheard a conversation in the hospital room and learned that the manager was going to resolve the matter today.

Although still somewhat doubtful, seeing Yukimura’s unwavering faith, they felt reassured.

Under these circumstances, who could focus on training?

Originally, they planned to take leave together and accompany Yukimura at the hospital until things were settled. But Yukimura firmly disagreed and urged them to continue training normally.

After some tug-of-war, they reached a compromise: training would continue, but one person could remain at the hospital.

Yanagi Renji was lucky to be chosen by the captain, so the others had no choice but to come to school obediently.

Marui swung his racket and returned a ball. “I wonder how the manager and captain are doing now?”

Yagyu caught the ball and sent back a high lob. “Do you think the curse story is true?”

“I honestly don’t dare believe it,” said the science-minded Wolf. “Not doubting the manager’s honesty, it’s just that…”

“The foundation and collapse of a worldview aren’t overnight affairs, puri~,” Nio directly pointed to the heart of the matter.

“Right!” Wolf was delighted. “Nio, do you feel the same?”

Nio replied, “No, my worldview is quite flexible.”

Wolf: “…Oh.” Not quite understanding.

“I tend to believe it’s true,” Marui popped a bubble with his gum and said, “If so, the captain’s illness should improve soon, and maybe he can still make it to the Kanto tournament.”

Yagyu adjusted his glasses. “That’s true.”

Belief was one thing; their blessings and prayers for Yukimura were another. Combined, these outweighed doubt.

They all hoped Yukimura would recover and return to the tennis court.

At Kanai General Hospital, Yukimura sat on his hospital bed reading a book. Yanagi Renji, holding a tablet, busied himself with discussions about the upcoming regional qualifiers.

“Sanada and I have drafted the lineup,” Yanagi said, turning the tablet toward Yukimura. “Two main players will be on the court each match, with the rest being prospective main players. Daily training remains unchanged.”

“I trust you and Genichiro to handle things well. Leave the arrangements to you,” Yukimura thought a moment. “Let’s have Akaya lead the team this time.”

Yanagi hesitated. “But…”

Yukimura replied, “We’re seniors now. From now on, Akaya will have to handle things on his own.”

Yanagi took a deep breath. “Alright.”

He turned the tablet back and revised a few names, adding many notes and contingency measures.

Seeing Yanagi’s serious, almost battle-ready demeanor, Yukimura chuckled softly. “Don’t worry too much, Renji. Akaya… he can be quite reliable too.”

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Yanagi lifted his head, staring intently.

“Uh, he will definitely be reliable,” Yukimura corrected himself.

“You’re right. Akaya is the future of Rikkai University,” Yanagi sighed, his expression resolute. “I’ll train him well!”

Yukimura smiled, feeling a pang of conscience.

He closed his book and gazed out the window. “I wonder how Higure is doing…”

“Don’t worry, Azuki won’t be in danger,” Yanagi said. “You’ll be fine too.”

“But you’re worried too, aren’t you, Renji?” Yukimura looked at him. “Trying to change the subject so I don’t get too anxious… The probability that’s your intention is 100%.”

Yanagi: “...” All correct.

“No need for that. I’m not that fragile,” Yukimura said softly but firmly. “We should also believe in Higure.”

From the conversation yesterday between Higure Tsuki and Akira Nitta, the severity of the matter was obvious. Thinking of his childhood friend’s reckless nature, Yanagi couldn’t help but worry more.

But on this issue, he could do nothing and grew more restless.

Yanagi’s finger paused unconsciously on the tablet’s screen: was he the one being comforted?

“I understand.”

At Minami Shonan Elementary, the three weren’t wandering aimlessly.

Higure Tsuki drew his bowstring, infused spiritual power into the arrow, then layered on cursed energy. When the red dot marking the sewn cursed spirit appeared, he released his grip on the arrow’s nock steadily.

Whoosh—

The arrow, wrapped in white light, shot out swiftly and vanished from sight in an instant.

The kappa-like cursed spirit with pointed ears and green skin had just appeared but was pierced through the throat by the swift arrow. Though not dead, it could not break free.

This was the “Arrow of Sealing.”

Higure Tsuki lowered his bow. “Now it can’t escape.”

“Is that enough?”

“Yes.”

“Is the enemy too weak?” Aoi Todou felt a bit empty and bored. “Little Higure could probably just exorcise it right away, right?”

They had been on several missions together in Kyoto, so Todou knew Higure could shoot much stronger arrows.

Higure raised an eyebrow. “It’s not that it’s weak, I’m just too strong!”

Todou and Kamo Norinori exchanged blank looks.

Higure: Nobody understands my humor!

“Ahem, this cursed spirit has special abilities and is level one strength. The ‘Arrow of Exorcism’ probably can’t kill it in one hit. If it escapes, that would be bad.”

So first, they had to seal its movements, then plan the next move.

He sighed sincerely: “I still prefer cursed spirits that let me finish them off obediently; dumb ones are cute.”

Ordinary cursed spirits were helpless beneath his technique, like fish on a chopping block ready for slaughter.

The two seniors didn’t find anything odd about Higure’s harsh remarks.

After all, they were cursed spirits—no rights to speak of.

Comparing the school map with the red dot’s location, he quickly estimated the general area and led the others running toward a teaching building.

The sewn cursed spirit was in a second-floor corridor, its body pinned against the wall by the arrow that shattered the window glass.

When the three arrived, it was clawing at the wooden arrow shaft with its green claws, leaving shallow scratches and pulling off a few feathers.

Seeing them approach, it stopped its futile attempts. Its bulging eyes rolled until settling on Higure’s face. “Pre…tty…play…with me…”

Its voice was muffled with a heavy accent, but the words were discernible.

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Higure: “Huh?”

Kamo Norinori: “What’s up?”

Higure was surprised. “It actually has good taste!”

Kamo Norinori: “…”

He was increasingly baffled by today’s middle schoolers.

A boy raised in a feudal noble family thought this to himself.

Aoi Todou asked, “Is this a kappa?”

Small stature, green skin, a beak-like mouth, pointed ears, vertical pupils—wasn’t this exactly the legendary kappa’s appearance?

“Yes,” Higure’s casual expression grew serious. “Someone actually stuffed a cursed spirit into a kappa’s body. What exactly are they trying to do?”

A faint flow of youkai energy pulsed within the kappa’s body, but more than that was a terrifying amount of cursed energy.

Its three-fingered hand scratched the air, persistently repeating, “Pretty…play…play…”

Higure grew annoyed. “Fine if you say pretty, but how can a boy say that?”

He questioned its soul: “Are you not very smart?”

The kappa cursed spirit, flustered, stammered, “No…no…smart…”

“Just as I thought, an idiot.” Higure wore a knowing expression.

“I…not…smart…” The kappa cursed spirit grew more anxious.

Higure, impatient, said, “Tch, okay, okay. You can’t even speak properly, you’re dumb as hell.”

The kappa cursed spirit: “…” Tired. Just destroy me already.

It tilted its head, hands limply hanging down, showing signs of giving up on itself.

After witnessing the entire bullying scene, Kamo Norinori tentatively said, “Higure, maybe you remember—we’re here to exorcise it?”

Higure felt guilty. “Ah, of course I know.”

Apparently, he really had forgotten.

Raised with traditional etiquette, Kamo Norinori wasn’t one to tease, so even if he noticed, he wouldn’t call it out.

“This is the first time I’ve encountered a cursed spirit I can actually communicate with. It’s kind of rare,” Higure defended himself, though Kamo said nothing.

Aoi Todou brought the conversation back on track. “For now, this sewn cursed spirit is the most complete. Its intellect and strength far surpass the previous ones.”

Higure: “Too bad it’s still a little dumb.”

The kappa cursed spirit twitched its pointed ears, continuing its listless existence.

Ignoring him, Todou asked, “Are kappas generally able to communicate with humans?”

“Yes,” Higure said. “Youkai usually live long lives. Little ones like this can live for hundreds of years. It’s not strange that they pick up some things along the way.”

Todou asked, “Are they close to humans?”

Higure shook his head. “Not really.”

On the contrary, kappas prefer to live in secluded lakes and rivers. If humans approach, they immediately keep their distance, but they won’t attack on their own.

Kamo Norinori mused, “So the ‘face-loving’ personality comes from the fused cursed spirit.”

“Wow, Kamo-senpai, you know about face preferences too!”

His fist clenched tightly.