RNP Chapter 25: Liu Tells a Story, Niou vs. Sanada
Chapter 25: Liu Tells a Story, Niou vs. Sanada
Liu glanced at Sanada, a faint hint of interest flashing in his eyes. He deliberately slowed down his speech. "He said that the Seigaku members criticized St. Rudolph for using any means necessary, but they ignored their own captain, Tezuka Kunimitsu's Zero-Type Short Ball. That move also puts a great strain on the wrist, and long-term use will leave behind pain."
"Both are self-destructive techniques, but at Seigaku it becomes a 'necessary sacrifice,' while at St. Rudolph it becomes 'extremely harmful.' The double standards are laughable."
He made a point of pronouncing the four characters "Tezuka Kunimitsu" clearly.
Everyone in Rikkai University's tennis club knows that their vice-captain, Sanada, has an almost obsessive concern and approval for Seigaku's captain, Tezuka.
So much so that when others heard this name, they instinctively looked at Sanada.
As expected, Sanada's expression froze at this moment.
The hand holding the red bean and rice cake soup froze in mid-air, as if the whole person had been put on pause.
He had always valued Tezuka the most and regarded him as a formidable rival. Now, hearing Tezuka being publicly humiliated like this, he felt a little uneasy.
The others, however, listened with great interest.
Niou straightened up with a smile and was the first to comment: "piyo~ isn't that quite right?"
"Using the captain as an example in front of the Seigaku tennis club?" Marui's eyes widened, his voice rising a half-octave. "Is this transfer student crazy? Won't he get beaten up?"
"He's telling the truth, he won't get beaten up." Liu Sheng pushed up his round glasses, his tone indifferent. "The zero-style short ball does put a lot of strain on the wrist and can't be used frequently. Logically speaking, this analogy is valid."
"Besides, assaulting someone during the competition can result in a suspension."
After receiving the message, Kirihara, who was standing next to him, slammed his hand on the table in excitement, his eyes shining. "That was so cool! That was a perfect comeback! I hate people who talk badly about others behind their backs!"
The quick-witted Niou also caught the meaning behind Yanagi's words. He moved closer to Sanada, tilted his head to look at Sanada, and spoke in a smug tone.
"Puri~ Sanada, did you hear that? Everyone can see it, Tezuka's move was problematic. Seigaku is being hypocritical."
Sanada: "..."
"I suppose in your eyes, Sanada... you only see everything about Tezuka as perfect," Niou added with a smile, his words teasing. "Now you're not... too concerned to speak, are you?"
Marui immediately protested, "Oh~ You care?"
Kirihara didn't understand, but he nodded in agreement: "I do care!"
Yukimura glanced at Sanada but didn't say anything.
Sanada frowned and lowered his voice: "Niou, don't talk nonsense."
"I'm not making this up."
Niou shrugged, quite confidently accepting his accusation, "They're telling the truth. Zero-style short balls put a tremendous strain on the wrist; that's an indisputable fact. Seigaku is definitely applying double standards on this."
"What do you think? Is there any truth to what people are saying about Tezuka?"
Sanada's expression was not good, his hat brim was pulled low, and his voice was muffled: "...Tezuka's situation is different."
"What's the difference?" Niou immediately pressed, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes. "They're all special moves, they both put a strain on the body, so why is Tezuka's considered a 'righteous act,' while others' are seen as 'unjust acts'? Aren't you... also being hypocritical?"
"I didn't say that Fuji Yuta's shot was wrong," Sanada's voice muffled beneath his hat. "I just..."
"But what?" Niou pressed on relentlessly.
"I just feel..." Sanada's expression stiffened slightly, as if he was thinking about how to phrase it, "Tezuka's Zero-Shiki short ball was for the team's victory, it was meaningful. The ball that Mizuki taught Fuji Yuuta was more for tactical needs."
"Oh..." Renwang drawled, twirling his braid three times around his finger, seizing the loophole in his words, "So, it's okay to hurt your body for the team's victory, but not for the tactical victory? Isn't that just double standards?"
Sanada's expression changed repeatedly; he opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it again.
He couldn't refute it.
Because what Niou said did make some sense. Although in his heart, Mizuki's method of teaching people to use a ball that would injure their arms went against his principle of "being upright and honorable," Tezuka's Zero-Shiki short ball would indeed injure the wrist, leaving him at a loss for words.
Seeing Sanada's discomfiture, Niou laughed even harder: "Puri~ So Sanada, you have to admit, the Seigaku guys really do have something wrong with them, don't you?"
Sanada's face darkened, and he glared at Niou, but ultimately didn't say anything in rebuttal, only muttering, "On the tennis court, fairness comes first."
"Yes, yes, yes..." Niou saw through Sanada's stubbornness at a glance, and deliberately dragged out his words, "Anyway, Vice-Captain Sanada gets extra serious whenever Tezuka is mentioned."
"Niou." Sanada's tone carried a hint of warning.
Yagyu gently tugged at Niou and whispered, "Masaharu, that's enough. This is a hospital."
Niou shrugged, sat back down, clearly in a good mood, with a "victorious" expression, and couldn't hide the smile on his lips: "Okay, okay, I won't tease our serious Vice-Captain Sanada anymore."
Sanada remained silent for a while before speaking again: "Seigaku has indeed been too lax in this matter. How could they maliciously criticize others in public?"
This statement was ambiguous, neither directly responding to Niou's provocation nor revealing his full opinion on Tezuka's ball. It seemed he only felt that Seigaku shouldn't slander others behind their backs.
After hearing this, Niou raised an eyebrow, wanting to say something more, but was stopped by a look from Yagyu.
Marui, noticing the slightly awkward atmosphere, quickly changed the subject, his eyes sparkling as he looked at Yanagi: "And then? And then what? What happened after he finished his rant?"
Liu turned a page in his notebook: "After he finished his rant, the Seigaku people were speechless. Then Atobe from Hyotei came and took them away."
"Is that all? I haven't heard enough!"
"What a brave man! To be able to publicly confront everyone and escape unscathed is amazing." Marui was still somewhat impressed after hearing the whole story, but he still expressed his admiration.
"This guy is really interesting. He even dared to talk back to Tezuka. Interesting, Pupina~" Niou tossed his braid and slumped into the chair like he had no bones, his voice soft and weak.
Liu Sheng adjusted his glasses, which had been tilted by someone's braid, and said approvingly, "Clear logic, sharp words, not blindly following others, a insightful person, and a good prospect for debate competitions."
A debate?!
Kirihara was about to clap and cheer when, listening to Yagyu-senpai's words, he remembered the comedy debate reality show his mother would sit in front of the TV every week to listen to, and asked, "This person... he's not actually a professional debater, is he?"
"No." Liu flipped through his notebook. "The information shows that he has never participated in any debate clubs. But he grew up in France and, as the heir to a conglomerate, received an elite education. His logical training and expression skills are indeed stronger than most people."
"However, he is indeed very suitable for participating in debate competitions."
"It's a pity he transferred to Hyotei," Marui sighed, his tone filled with obvious regret. "I wish he were from our school. With that kind of eloquence, it would be really fun to run into Sanada."
"What did you say?" Sanada's voice came from under his hat.
"It's nothing, it's nothing," Marui quickly waved his hand.
Niou laughed out loud from the side.
Liu closed his notebook, his tone returning to its usual calm: "Judging from the eyewitness accounts, this person was very calm when he said those words; he wasn't agitated or out of control. He was simply overwhelming the other person with his eloquence."
"Then why did he meddle in this?" Marui patted his slightly full stomach, took the tissue Kuwabara handed him, and asked with some doubt.
"He's not one of Saint Rudolf's men."