*Thwack!*
*Thwack!*
*Thwack!*
With their weights removed, the two third-year players from Seigaku and Ice Emperor began their fierce battle for victory.
Shishido's explosive power and his mastery of volleys far exceeded what was seen in the original storyline. However, Inui had thoroughly analyzed his playing style.
Shishido, who excelled at net play, was forced to the backcourt by Kaidoh's Snake Shot. Meanwhile, Inui used precise calculations to predict Shishido's return patterns, systematically pressuring the Ice Emperor's volley expert.
In a two-on-one situation, Shishido struggled to keep up, and the score gap began to shrink visibly.
By the time the match reached 5-5, Hiyoshi finally regained his composure. He joined the fray, trying to share the pressure with Shishido. But at that moment, Inui suddenly shifted his focus to Hiyoshi.
Facing Inui's targeted attacks, Hiyoshi, whose data had been completely analyzed, was overwhelmed. Instead of helping, he became a burden to Shishido.
In the end, Seigaku's late-game momentum and superior stamina allowed them to secure a 7-5 victory over Ice Emperor, winning the doubles 2 match.
"Seigaku!"
"Seigaku!"
"Seigaku!"
With their first win, Seigaku's morale soared. The trio and the rest of the support team cheered enthusiastically.
On the other hand, Ice Emperor's Shishido and Hiyoshi were visibly dejected. After the loss, they walked over to Coach Sakaki with their heads down.
"Go rest," Sakaki said, waving them off without reprimand.
"Y-yes," Shishido and Hiyoshi replied, still unable to look up.
Strangely, the lack of scolding from their coach left them feeling even worse.
"Stamina," both Shishido and Hiyoshi clenched their fists.
Aside from their mental state, the biggest reason for their loss was their overlooked stamina. In the latter half of the match, if Shishido had been more physically prepared, he wouldn't have been so overwhelmed by Inui and Kaidoh's relentless attacks.
Determined, the two vowed to focus intensely on stamina training after this match.
"We won!"
On Seigaku's side, Horio laughed triumphantly as Inui and Kaidoh walked off the court. "What's the point of that Ice Emperor second-year copying Kaidoh-senpai and Momoshiro-senpai's moves? In the end, they still lost to us!"
"Horio…" Katsuo and Kachiro quickly tried to rein him in, feeling his tone was too arrogant.
"What's the big deal? I'm not wrong," Horio shrugged. "Besides, if their vice-captain was really that amazing, he would've seen through Inui-senpai's strategy…"
"You're wrong about that," Inui, who had just entered the rest area, shook his head seriously. "He definitely saw through my plan. He just chose not to expose it."
Inui knew that if even the old coach from Rokkaku could see through his tactics, someone as skilled in data tennis as Ishikawa would have no trouble doing the same.
"But…" Momoshiro frowned. "If he saw through it, why didn't he warn Shishido and Hiyoshi?"
"Probably because he didn't think it was necessary," Inui glanced at the calm Ishikawa and sighed. "In his eyes, the outcome of doubles 2 wouldn't affect the semifinal result."
"Hmm…"
The Seigaku team fell silent, realizing Inui was right. Ice Emperor, who had defeated Seigaku 3-1 in the Tokyo Metropolitan Tournament, had every reason to be confident.
"Maybe so," a voice chimed in. A figure stepped forward, spinning his racket like a windmill without ever dropping it.
It was none other than Seigaku's doubles specialist, the net-play master, Kikumaru Eiji.
Seeing the tension on his teammates' faces, Kikumaru grinned. "No matter how strong Ice Emperor is, we're taking both doubles matches!"
*Step!*
Following him was Oishi, gripping his racket firmly. His expression was serious but calm, his eyes filled with determination.
"Next up, the doubles 1 match will begin."
"Seigaku's Oishi Shuichiro and Kikumaru Eiji pair versus Ice Emperor's Oshitari Yuushi and Mukahi Gakuto pair."
"Please prepare, both teams."
As the announcement echoed, the crowd's attention shifted to the players from both schools.
Seigaku's golden pair, Oishi and Kikumaru, stepped onto the court. On the other side, Oshitari and Mukahi walked in with composed confidence.
"It's Oshitari and Mukahi," Inoue noted from the sidelines. "Finally, Ice Emperor is fielding their strongest doubles pair!"
"Inoue-senpai," Takeshi asked curiously, "Both pairs are national-level. Who do you think is stronger, Oishi and Kikumaru or Oshitari and Mukahi?"
"Hmm…" Inoue hesitated.
After a moment, he shook his head. "These two pairs haven't faced each other often, and their results are mixed. It's hard to say who's stronger."
This year, with Ishikawa's addition, Ice Emperor had become an even more formidable force. Not only had Ishikawa defeated Hiyoshi and Shishido, but he'd also challenged Oshitari, pushing him to evolve further.
Meanwhile, Seigaku, with Echizen's arrival, had also undergone significant changes.
After losing to Oshitari and Kabaji in the Tokyo Metropolitan Tournament, Seigaku's golden pair had spent the past few weeks intensively training to improve.
"Perhaps," Inoue mused, watching the four players step onto the court, "this match will determine who holds the title of Tokyo's top doubles team."
At the net, the four players exchanged a few words. As seasoned rivals, they knew each other well. After a brief exchange, they shifted into game mode.
"The match will begin. One set, decisive match." The referee looked toward Seigaku's side. "Seigaku's Oishi to serve. Game start!"
As the words rang out, the crowd's attention focused on Oishi.
*Tap… Tap… Tap…*
The steady Seigaku vice-captain bounced the ball lightly, his eyes quickly scanning Oshitari and Mukahi's positions.
"Huh?"
Noticing something, Ootori from Ice Emperor's side exclaimed, "Their positioning… Are they not using their usual formation?"
"The Australian formation?" Ryoh raised an eyebrow, then shook his head. "Probably not. Oshitari already cracked that in the Tokyo Metropolitan Tournament. Seigaku isn't foolish enough to try it again."
For Oshitari, once a tactic was broken, even if it evolved, it was likely to be countered again. Moreover, such gimmicks held little value against Ice Emperor's top doubles pair.
*Thwack!*
Seemingly agreeing, Oishi opened with a powerful serve. The ball landed in a tricky spot near the outer sideline, showcasing Oishi's improved control.
*Step, step!*
However, such a serve posed little threat to Oshitari. He quickly closed in and returned the ball with a straight shot toward the opposite corner.
"D·F·D·R (Flat Drive Return)."
From the sidelines, Inui raised an eyebrow. "Is Ice Emperor's technique master declaring war on Oishi?"
*Thud!*
As if to confirm Inui's thoughts, the ball landed precisely on the baseline.
*Step, step!!*
Oishi sprinted to intercept it. Feeling the sharp angle of the ball's bounce, he frowned. "If this turns into a baseline rally, I might not be Oshitari's match. This is doubles—I can't afford to be reckless."
With that in mind, he redirected the ball toward Ice Emperor's front court.
"Boo!!!"
The Ice Emperor supporters jeered at Oishi's cautious play.
"What kind of vice-captain is this?" someone sneered. "Too scared to fight head-on. What a coward!"
Despite the taunts, Oishi remained unfazed. The golden pair's anchor stayed calm, patrolling the baseline and ready to cover any gaps left by his partner.
"That's Oishi for you," Shishido nodded in approval.
To the Ice Emperor regulars, Oishi's behavior wasn't something to mock but to be wary of. His stability was a crucial asset in doubles.
Earlier, Hiyoshi had fallen into Kaidoh's trap because he couldn't resist going for the kill. In contrast, Oishi seemed to erase his own presence, focusing entirely on supporting Kikumaru.
"So it seems…" Coach Sakaki observed from his seat. "Seigaku is planning to make Kikumaru the focal point of their offense."
*Thwack!*
At that moment, Kikumaru executed a sharp volley, aiming for his opponent's backhand.
"Hmph," Mukahi smirked.
He lunged forward, countering with a shot toward Kikumaru's backhand.
*Tap!*
After the shot, Mukahi gracefully spun in place, landing steadily on his feet.
"The Dance Step?"
Seigaku's players frowned. This was Kikumaru's signature move, the foundation of his role as the golden pair's core.
Now, Ice Emperor's doubles pair had the same technique, putting Seigaku at a disadvantage.
*Thwack!*
However, Kikumaru wasn't about to back down. He retaliated with his own Dance Step, sending the ball back.
Mukahi responded in kind.
*Thwack!*
*Thwack!*
*Thwack!*
For a moment, the two players engaged in a dazzling net duel, their movements resembling acrobatics.
"This guy!!!"
After several failed attempts to break through Kikumaru's defense, Mukahi began to lose patience.
"Gakuto!"
Oshitari's voice cut through the tension. "Don't get carried away. Remember our strategy."
"Right," Mukahi snapped out of it.
Instead of engaging Kikumaru further, he redirected the ball toward Oishi at the baseline.
"Running away?" Horio couldn't resist taunting. "Thought they were so great, but they can't even handle Kikumaru-senpai!"
"No," Fuji shook his head. "Mukahi isn't avoiding the net duel. He's switching tactics."
"Exactly," Inui adjusted his glasses, his expression serious. "This is Ice Emperor's targeting strategy."
*Thwack!*
Sure enough, Oshitari also aimed his shots at Oishi, while Mukahi used his net advantage to pressure Seigaku's vice-captain.
*Thwack!*
*Thwack!*
*Thwack!*
Under their combined assault, Oishi began to falter, his movements growing erratic.
*Swish!*
Seizing the opportunity, Mukahi leaped into the air, performing a midair twist. As he descended headfirst, he spotted a gap in Seigaku's defense and struck.
*Thwack!*
The ball shot through Seigaku's formation, landing cleanly for a point.
"0-15!"
*Tap!*
Mukahi landed gracefully, a confident smile on his face.
"There it is," the Ice Emperor supporters cheered. "Mukahi's Moon Volley!"
"Hmm…"
Watching Mukahi's display, Seigaku's golden pair, the other regulars, and Coach Ryuzaki all grew tense.
Compared to last year, when Seigaku faced Yamabuki's targeting strategy, this year's Ice Emperor pair was far more dangerous.