"H-how is this possible?!"
Chieri stared in shock at the clear white mark on the left baseline, feeling like his head was about to explode.
Why was it so fast?
He was already fast, but when did his opponent even get there?
At that moment, he suddenly felt an overwhelming pressure emanating from his opponent.
"Wait, is Chieri actually being suppressed?"
Outside the court, the Gunma Twins exchanged glances, both seeing the astonishment in each other's eyes.
"Hey, come check this out!"
"Chieri's actually playing against someone from another school!"
"Haha, he's definitely gonna get an earful from Sanada later."
"But his opponent's in for a rough time, running into a guy like him. Wait... does Chieri seem a little... off?"
Near the court, a group of Rikkai Dai tennis club members had gathered. They were casually joking about Chieri, their words dripping with confidence in his skills. However, as they noticed the look on his face, their expressions grew uneasy.
*Thud. Thud. Thud.*
At the baseline, Ishikawa calmly tapped the tennis ball. As more people gathered to watch, his expression remained unchanged—calm and composed, as if he weren't playing on his opponent's home turf.
"Senior," Ishikawa said, holding the ball and looking up at Chieri with a smile. "You know my serves have both left and right spins. Why don't you try guessing which way this one will go?"
*Thwack!*
With that, he unleashed another sharp, spinning serve.
"Here it comes!"
Unlike the first two times, Chieri, having learned his lesson, didn't dare underestimate his opponent. He focused intensely, scrutinizing every subtle detail of Ishikawa's serve.
*Thud!*
The ball landed, skidding fiercely across the ground.
*Ssshh...*
As the ball spun rapidly, Chieri's mind raced: "The spin is to the left, so the bounce should go to the right... No!"
Just as he prepared to move right, he remembered Ishikawa's ability to create irregular bounce patterns. Doubt crept into his mind.
"What if he's trying to trick me into going right, but the ball actually bounces left?"
The more Chieri thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.
So, he stopped himself from moving right and instinctively braced for the ball to bounce left instead.
*Whoosh!*
But when the ball actually bounced, it went to the right after all. Caught completely off guard, Chieri barely managed to intercept it with his racket.
*Thud!*
However, the return was predictably weak due to his rushed reaction.
*Swish!*
On the other side, Ishikawa leaped into the air, smashing the ball down with a powerful overhead shot.
*Boom!*
The Rikkai Dai members watching from the sidelines were stunned.
"What's going on with Chieri?"
"That was clearly a right-spin serve. How did he not react in time?"
"He's being too careless. If Vice Captain Sanada finds out, he's in for a world of trouble!"
"Losing a point this quickly? If he drops a game to his opponent, there's no saving him!"
"Game!"
At that moment, Ishikawa, having landed smoothly after his smash, smiled and announced, "Ishikawa from Hyotei, 1-0!"
"What?!"
The Rikkai Dai members' faces instantly changed.
"He's already lost a game?" one of them muttered in disbelief.
The atmosphere grew tense. Even the slowest among them realized that Chieri's opponent was no ordinary player.
"Hyotei?" someone noted, recalling the black-haired boy's introduction. "Oh, that makes sense!"
Hyotei Academy—last year's runner-up in the Kanto Regional Tournament and the second-ranked school in the region after Rikkai Dai. With their captain, Yukimura, hospitalized and possibly unable to compete in this year's tournament, Hyotei was undoubtedly shaping up to be their biggest rival.
"But... Ishikawa?" another member frowned. "I don't remember anyone by that name in Hyotei."
"Who knows? He might've transferred from another school," someone suggested.
After all, Rikkai Dai had its own transfer student, Mori Shintaro, who had joined from Osaka's Shitenhouji last year and became one of their key players in the national tournament. Transfers weren't uncommon in the competitive tennis scene.
"Still," another member said gravely, "to take a point from Chieri and even suppress him... This Hyotei guy might end up being one of their main players in the Kanto Tournament."
"Suppressed? Who's being suppressed?"
A surprised voice interrupted the conversation.
"Marui-senpai! Jackal-senpai!"
The group turned to see a boy with orange hair chewing bubblegum and a dark-skinned, bald boy walking over. They were none other than Marui Bunta and Jackal Kuwahara, Rikkai Dai's top doubles pair.
"Huh?"
As they approached the court, Jackal's eyes widened. "Isn't that Chieri? He's got some nerve—today's the day we're playing against the alumni. If he's late, Sanada's gonna tear him apart... Wait, is that guy from Hyotei?"
"Atobe," Marui said, narrowing his eyes.
As one of the few nationally ranked players in the Kanto region and with Hyotei being a long-time rival, Marui immediately recognized Hyotei's captain.
"So... Chieri's playing against someone from Hyotei?" Jackal frowned.
He didn't know why the two were facing off, but if the opponent was from Hyotei, this match wasn't ending anytime soon.
"Marui," Jackal turned to his partner, "should we..."
"Don't worry," Marui said with a grin. "Chieri getting scolded by Sanada is nothing new. Besides, isn't this a great chance to scope out Hyotei's strength?"
"Oh, okay."
Jackal nodded.
Truth be told, the match against the OB (old boys) players was more about bonding than anything else. After all, those guys had been so busy with their college entrance exams that they hadn't had much time to train. Their skills were nowhere near the level of the current team members.
"Huh? Is it Akaya's serve now?"
At that moment, seeing Akaya Kirihara lightly tapping the tennis ball on the court, Jackal and Marui couldn't help but look on with anticipation. They knew just how powerful Akaya's serve was. And they also knew that once he took control, it would turn into a relentless, fast-paced offensive battle.
*Thwack!*
Sure enough.
As soon as Akaya hit the ball, he didn't hesitate to rush forward to the net.
"Here it comes."
Seeing this, Marui and Jackal nodded to themselves.
Akaya had a strong offensive drive, and with his exceptional focus and skills like the single-footed split step—which allowed him to anticipate his opponent's moves—his attacking power was fearsome even within Rikkai Dai.
*Thwack!*
However.
No one expected.
Ishikawa's return shot landed right in Akaya's path. The ball hit the ground, and Akaya's eyes widened in shock.
"A body shot?"
Marui and Jackal, watching from outside the court, were equally surprised. They hadn't expected this opponent to be so bold. Nor had they anticipated his level of precision.
But then.
It dawned on them that Akaya, who usually used his precision to target others with body shots, was now on the receiving end of his own tactic. Their expressions turned a little strange.
*Thwack!*
At that moment.
Akaya countered.
He reacted quickly, using a half-volley—a difficult technique—to return the ball with impressive speed. However, his rush to the net slowed down as a result.
Still.
Frustrated from being dominated in the previous game, Akaya was determined to push forward and return the favor.
*Smack!*
But little did he know.
Ishikawa, who had read his intentions, sent the ball soaring high into the air with a lob.
"A lob!!!"
Marui and Jackal's expressions changed.
It wasn't the fact that Ishikawa had used a lob at this moment that surprised them. After all, anyone with basic tennis knowledge would know that a high-angle lob is one way to counter an opponent rushing the net.
What truly shocked them was how high the lob was. Even if Akaya had a ladder, he probably wouldn't have been able to smash it back.
And.
The trajectory of the ball was extreme.
It looked like it was going to sail out of bounds.
"Wait!"
But as the ball reached its peak, it suddenly accelerated downward, defying normal physics. Based on Marui and Jackal's experience, the ball was likely to land inbounds—and probably right on the baseline.
At this thought.
A hint of wariness crept into their minds about Akaya's opponent on the court.
This guy's precision was on another level!
"Damn it!"
By the time Ishikawa hit the lob, Akaya had already sensed something was wrong. He immediately turned and sprinted back to chase the ball.
But.
He had charged forward too aggressively.
Now, as he tried to backtrack, he was at least a step too slow. However, the thought of being humiliated by a basic lob made Akaya grit his teeth. He pushed himself harder, lunging forward to reach the ball.
*Thwack!*
With all his might, Akaya stretched out, using every technique he had to try and return the ball. But after hitting it, he instinctively turned to look—only to see the ball hit the net.
"Damn it… no, no, no!"
Akaya was filled with frustration, but before he could even react, he stumbled forward from the momentum of his lunge and face-planted onto the ground, lying motionless for a while.
"Gulp."
Seeing this.
The Gunma twins couldn't help but swallow hard.
Kurata and Miyamoto, who had been completely dominated by Akaya and saw him as a monster, were shocked to see him in such a sorry state against this player from Hyotei.
"Is… is Akaya okay?"
The other Rikkai Dai team members exchanged uneasy glances. No one had expected the match to turn out like this.
"Oh no!"
At that moment.
As if remembering something, Marui and Jackal's expressions turned serious. "That guy from Hyotei is in trouble now!"
"Huh?"
Kurata and Miyamoto exchanged puzzled looks.
From the tone of their voices, it sounded like they weren't planning to let this Hyotei player leave Rikkai Dai unscathed.
"Heh, heh, heh…"
But just then.
Akaya, who had been lying on the ground, slowly pushed himself up and stood. "Hyotei's guy… you played well. Really well!"
*Whoosh!*
Suddenly.
Akaya turned around.
His eyes bloodshot, he glared at Ishikawa with a twisted grin. "As a thank you, I'll make sure to repay you properly!"
*Crack!*
With that.
He pressed his knuckles into the tennis ball, and with a powerful flick, sent it soaring high into the air.
"Oh no!"
The others didn't react immediately, but Marui and Jackal's faces turned pale. "It's the Knuckle Serve!!!"
*Thwack!*
At that moment.
Akaya, his eyes blazing red, swung his racket with full force, smashing the ball.
*Whoosh!*
The ball shot forward like a bullet.
*Thud!*
It landed just in front of Ishikawa's right side.
*Sizzle…*
Then.
Like a twist serve, the ball spun rapidly. Once it reached a certain speed, it suddenly shot upward.
*Whoosh!*
*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*
In an instant.
The ball zigzagged wildly, moving unpredictably. It was impossible to tell where it would go next.
"Ha, ha, ha, ha…"
Seeing the ball bounce, Akaya, his eyes bloodshot, burst into maniacal laughter. "This serve… even I don't know where it's going to go. Be careful not to get hit, okay?"
Though he seemed to be warning his opponent, anyone could see the malice in his frenzied state. The Gunma twins, who had suffered at Akaya's hands before, couldn't help but feel nervous for the Hyotei player.
"Is that so?"
But Ishikawa simply smiled. "Then I'll give it a try."
*Whoosh!*
In a flash.
He swung his racket.
A silver streak of light appeared in front of him.
*Thwack!*
Then.
With a crisp sound.
Akaya's wildly spinning, unpredictable Knuckle Serve was effortlessly returned by Ishikawa.
"What?"
"No way… that's impossible!"
Marui and Jackal were stunned.
They had been worried about Ishikawa, fearing he'd be seriously injured by Akaya in his red-eyed state.
But instead.
He had not only returned the Knuckle Serve but had done so with ease!
"No way!"
Seeing the ball rapidly approaching him, Akaya's face twisted in disbelief.
"It's a fluke… it has to be a fluke!"
He refused to accept that someone could so easily counter his Knuckle Serve.
"Hmph!"
Then,
he let out a cold snort.
A flash of ferocity gleamed in his crimson eyes.
"If the serve didn't take you out, then this time, I won't miss!"
With his mind made up,
Chitose raised his racket, ready to swing.
Whoosh!
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!!!
But as soon as he lifted his racket,
the tennis ball flying toward him suddenly accelerated, rapidly shifting left, right, up, and down in an erratic, unpredictable pattern.
"What?!"
Chitose's pupils trembled.
"No way… an irregular shot?!"
Whoosh!
Before he could adjust his stance, the ball, now less than half a meter away, sped up again.
Thud!
The ball slammed into Chitose's abdomen, forcing him to stagger back several steps.
"Ugh…"
A sharp, suffocating pain shot through his stomach, draining the color from his face. The crimson in his eyes visibly faded under the intense agony.
Thud!
Finally,
his body, as if drained of all strength, crumpled to the ground. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead like raindrops.
Silence.
The Gunma Twins, the Rikkai team members, and even the regulars like Marui and Jackal were utterly stunned. Their mouths hung open, but not a single word came out.
The court was engulfed in a deathly silence.
(End of chapter.)