Claire brushed her hair back with a trembling hand as she heard Riley accept the challenge.Her heart sank.She couldn't believe he had actually said yes.Jerry stared at Riley for a few seconds before a grin slowly spread across his face."I like your courage," he said with a chuckle. "But sadly... it's going to make you a cripple."The smile on his face grew even wider."Since you're this desperate, let's make it an official spar."Those words immediately caught everyone's attention. Even the students who had gathered nearby leaned in with curiosity.Riley frowned slightly."Official?" he asked. "What do you mean by official?"Jerry slipped both hands into his pockets."Actually," he began with a relaxed smile, "there's an underground tournament held every night."He glanced around before continuing."It's not legal, of course. People usually go there to place bets... or simply watch for entertainment. That's where I'd like to cripple you."Fred's expression instantly became more se

With that, the second game began.This time, Riley personally selected the paddle and the ball before handing them to Nearl. Nearl accepted both without hesitation, giving Riley a faint smile before taking his position across from Karl. The crowd grew quiet again, everyone eager to see whether Nearl could repeat his earlier performance without the paddle he had used during the final.The whistle sounded.Karl served first.The ball crossed the net, and Nearl returned it with a simple stroke. Karl immediately moved into position, ready for the ball to come back toward him, but at the last second, it suddenly curved away from his paddle. He swung and missed completely.The crowd gasped.Nearl remained calm.The next rally was even more intense. Karl tried using different spins and angles, but Nearl seemed to read everything. He would make what looked like an ordinary return, yet the ball would suddenly change direction after bouncing, forcing Karl to move desperately across the table."