*Wham!*
*Wham!*
*Wham!*
On the court.
Two figures darted back and forth, clashing fiercely.
But the silver-haired teen in the yellow-green jacket looked slightly worse for wear.
"What's going on?"
At Shitenhoji's bench, Zaizen gaped in disbelief. "Shiraishi, even after taking off his golden wristbands, is being pushed back this badly?"
"That golden aura…"
Chitose glanced up, his eyes locking onto Tezuka. Sensing that commanding, oppressive presence, his expression darkened. "If I'm not mistaken, Tezuka's sheer *kiai* is overwhelming Shiraishi!"
"*Kiai*? Overwhelming?"
Nearby, Oshitari Kenya frowned, puzzled. "This isn't a riddle, Chitose. What are you getting at?"
"Exactly what it sounds like."
Coach Watanabe Osamu shook his head, his voice low. "That golden aura radiating from Tezuka—what the Hyotei players call his 'Emperor's Presence'—is putting pressure on Shiraishi's psyche. It's like an ancient king, where a single glance could shake someone to their core!"
"No way…"
The other Shitenhoji players, catching on, wore looks of stunned disbelief.
Their captain, the mentally unshakeable Shiraishi, was being dominated in spirit and will by his opponent?
"Tezuka… Keigo!"
Oshitari, Ishida Gin, Zaizen Hikaru, and the others turned to Tezuka, a wave of indescribable awe rising in their hearts.
*Bang!*
Suddenly.
Tezuka unleashed a smashing shot.
Shiraishi sprinted after it, gripping his racket with both hands and swinging with all his might to send the ball flying back.
"This match…"
But Tezuka leaped again, his body perfectly poised for a devastating smash. A glint of regal, piercing authority flashed in his eyes. "It's over!"
*Bang!*
In an instant.
Tezuka's smash rocketed down.
"No way!"
Shiraishi refused to give up. In that critical moment, his fighting spirit surged, breaking through Tezuka's mental pressure. He charged toward the ball's landing spot with blazing speed.
This Shitenhoji captain, known as the "Tennis Bible," shattered his own limits in that final moment.
*Skrrt!*
But then.
Tezuka's smash hit the ground—and instead of bouncing normally, it skidded along the surface.
"Game over."
The referee's voice boomed. "Hyotei Academy's Tezuka Keigo wins, 6-2!"
*Thud!*
Tezuka landed firmly.
Hyotei's side fell silent for a moment before erupting into an uncontainable roar of cheers.
"Tezuka!"
"Tezuka!"
"Tezuka!"
The crowd chanted his name in unison.
The overwhelming momentum left Shitenhoji's supporters in the dust.
"This is Hyotei's Emperor… Tezuka Keigo!"
Outside the fence, Inoue sighed with admiration. "Defeating Kansai's strongest, Shiraishi Kuranosuke, means he's reached the absolute pinnacle of national-level players!"
Tezuka, Sanada, Tezuka!
These three firmly held the top tier among junior high players nationwide.
Of course.
Above them stood Ishikawa and Yukimura—two terrifying figures who had completely transcended the junior high ceiling.
"With this win, Hyotei's probably locked in for the semifinals,"
Shiba mused, recalling both teams' lineups. "With Ishikawa and Atobe still to come, Shitenhoji doesn't stand a chance."
"Hyotei's just too strong,"
Inoue agreed. "For Shitenhoji, the first match was their do-or-die moment. Still, their remaining doubles pairs should be interesting."
He paused, then chuckled. "After all, like Rikkai's doubles teams, Shitenhoji's pairs haven't lost a single match in the national tournament so far."
"Sorry, Osamu-san… everyone."
Having lost the first match, Shiraishi, looking drained, apologized to his team. "I couldn't win the opener. I let you all down."
"No way!"
Watanabe shook his head. "Their captain is a real monster. And this year's Hyotei is stronger than ever!"
"Exactly."
Konjiki Koharu, Hitouji Yuuji, and the others nodded in agreement.
Though disappointed by the loss, they knew Shiraishi had given his all. No one held it against their captain.
"Don't worry, leave this match to me and Gin,"
Oshitari Kenya said with a grin. "Doubles 2, we've got this. Just a shame I won't get to properly face off with Yuushi."
With that,
Oshitari Kenya and the bald, burly Ishida Gin grabbed their rackets and headed to the court.
At that moment, the loudspeaker crackled to life:
"Next up, the Doubles 2 match."
"Hyotei Academy's Oshitari Yuushi and Mukahi Gakuto versus Shitenhoji's Oshitari Kenya and Ishida Gin."
"Both teams, please prepare."
As the announcement ended, someone on Hyotei's side piped up curiously. "Didn't Oshitari-senpai come from Kansai? And now Shitenhoji has a guy named Oshitari too? Are they related or something?"
"No way, that's too convenient!"
Someone else shot back. "They don't even look alike."
"You're wrong about that,"
Taki Haginosuke, a second-string player, said with a smile. "Yuushi and Shitenhoji's Oshitari are actually cousins."
"Long time no see, Kenya."
"Yuushi."
At the net, the cousins greeted each other.
"Didn't expect Hyotei to make it this far this year,"
Kenya said with a grin.
"True,"
Yuushi admitted, nodding. "Hyotei's transformation is thanks to that rookie. With him around, the national championship is ours this year."
"Oh?"
Kenya raised an eyebrow, surprised. His cousin was usually humble, and he'd never heard him make such a bold, confident claim about something uncertain.
"Maybe,"
Kenya said, not arguing. He smiled. "It's been a while since we've faced off. Let's see if the rumors are true—have you really reached national level?"
Never one to back down, he didn't challenge Yuushi's championship boast but instead issued a direct challenge.
"Too bad this is doubles,"
A light, teasing voice cut in. "Shitenhoji's Oshitari, your opponent… is me!"
"Mukahi-kun, huh?"
Kenya glanced at him, smiling. "Alright, let's see what you've got first."
As for the towering, bald teen beside him, Ishida Gin stayed silent. But neither Yuushi nor Mukahi ignored his presence.
With that,
Both sides began the coin toss for serve.
After deciding positions, the two forwards stayed at the net, while the servers and receivers retreated to the baseline.
"Match begin!"
Moments later, the referee called out. "Hyotei's Oshitari to serve, first game!"
*Tap!*
*Tap!*
*Tap!*
At the baseline,
Yuushi's gaze swept over his opponents, a thoughtful glint in his eyes. "Kenya's speed, Ishida's power. These two are probably Shitenhoji's strongest duo. Placing them in Doubles 2, their coach must be aiming to sweep the first three matches!"
Given Shiraishi's placement, Yuushi could easily guess their strategy.
Too bad for them.
Hyotei was a different beast this year.
With Ishikawa and Atobe in the lineup, they could afford to be flexible with their roster. Even against last year's top-four team and this year's Kansai powerhouse, Shitenhoji, Hyotei held the upper hand.
In this scenario,
Hyotei's doubles teams faced much less pressure.
But Yuushi wasn't about to coast. Locking eyes with his cousin, a scrutinizing look crossed his face. "Kenya, let's see that speed of yours!"
*Wham!*
With that,
Yuushi struck the ball.
The tennis ball arced beautifully through the air, landing precisely near the service line on Kenya's right.
"Not bad, not bad,"
Kenya said, grinning at the pinpoint serve. "Yuushi, your control's as sharp as ever!"
He moved to return the ball.
*Whoosh!*
But the ball suddenly curved, veering in the opposite direction of his movement.
"A trick shot?"
Kenya gasped.
Luckily, his reflexes were lightning-fast.
He pivoted, bursting into an almost exaggerated sprint, and managed to swing his racket just before the ball flew out.
*Thud! Thud!*
On the other side,
Mukahi seized the chance, darting forward at breakneck speed.
Ishida watched him warily.
*Whoosh!*
But in terms of speed, Mukahi completely outclassed him. Before Ishida could react, Mukahi swung, sending the ball into the gap between the singles and doubles lines, scoring.
"15-0!"
"Blazing speed,"
Zaizen muttered from Shitenhoji's side, his face grim. "That guy's explosiveness is on par with Kenya-senpai."
"He's decisive,"
Shiraishi nodded. "He spotted the flaw in Kenya's return and used his speed to shake off Gin. In a net duel, Gin's probably no match for him."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Ishida was tall, muscular, and brimming with explosive power.
But that physique wasn't built for quick, short-range maneuvers.
In a straight-up net battle, Ishida couldn't keep up with Mukahi.
Still,
Ishida had his own strengths.
*Bang!*
After Yuushi's second serve,
Ishida suddenly struck, unleashing a powerful shot laced with crackling arcs of energy.
"What's that…?"
Inoue's eyes widened instinctively. "Hadoukyuu?!"
"Ugh."
Feeling the raw power of the return, Yuushi quickly backed off. Only after the *Hadoukyuu* landed did he manage to hit it back.
*Bang!*
Even then,
He felt a jarring impact. If he hadn't been prepared, the racket might've flown out of his hands.
*Thud! Thud!*
Meanwhile,
On Shitenhoji's frontline,
A figure blurred across the court, leaving a trail of afterimages in its wake.
"This point… is mine!"
Kenya shouted, angling his racket downward. The ball slammed into the gap between the singles and doubles lines with a *wham*.
"15-15!"
"Talk about ruthless!"
On Hyotei's side,
Shishido, Hiyoshi, and the others frowned slightly.
The opponent's play was clearly a direct counter to Mukahi's earlier attack. In terms of speed, this Shitenhoji player might even surpass Rikkai's Jackal or Seigaku's Kikumaru!
"That Ishida guy…"
Outside the fence,
Inoue's gaze lingered uncertainly on the tall, powerful bald teen.
After scoring,
Ishida tucked his racket under his arm, pressing his hands together in a gesture of respect.
"Senpai!"
Shiba suddenly piped up, as if struck by a thought. "This Shitenhoji guy's name is Ishida Gin. There's a second-year at Fudomine named Ishida Tetsu. Coincidence?"
Coincidence?
Inoue narrowed his eyes.
But he quickly dismissed the idea.
Hyotei and Shitenhoji's Oshitari cousins were already a rare coincidence. But Fudomine's Ishida and this teen named Gin? They were likely brothers!
"If I'm not mistaken,"
Inoue looked up, studying Ishida closely. "This guy's the true creator of the *Hadoukyuu*!"
Because neither Fudomine's Ishida, Seigaku's Kawamura, nor Hyotei's Kabaji could unleash the *Hadoukyuu* as effortlessly as this guy.
"Shitenhoji's doubles…"
Inoue's eyes swept over the pair again.
Oshitari Kenya, a master of speed and quick attacks.
Ishida Gin, wielding the *Hadoukyuu* with ease.
No matter how you sliced it, Hyotei seemed to have no answer for this duo!
**(Chapter End)**