"The match begins, one set to decide the winner."
A moment later.
After confirming both players' conditions, the referee turned to one side of the court and announced, "Seigaku's Tezuka to serve, first game!"
*Thud!*
*Thud!*
*Thud!*
As the referee's voice faded, the surroundings gradually quieted down, leaving only the sound of Tezuka lightly tapping the tennis ball.
"Tezuka Kunimitsu."
On the steps, representatives from various schools and casual spectators all fixed their eyes on Tezuka.
At this moment, Mizuki from St. Rudolph spoke up, "He joined Seigaku two years ago and became a regular that same year. In his second year, he was recommended for the National Junior Selection Tournament but gave up his spot to Yamabuki's Sengoku for personal reasons."
"Yuuta," Akazawa Yoshirou, the captain of St. Rudolph, asked curiously, "You were still at Seigaku back then. Do you know why?"
"How would I know?" Yuuta shook his head repeatedly. "Back then, all I thought about was how to leave Seigaku. I didn't pay much attention to the tennis club. I just knew that Tezuka-senpai was amazing, even stronger than my brother!"
"Hmm," Mizuki nodded. "Yes, by his second year, Tezuka had already gained recognition from professional players."
"P-professional players?!" Yanagisawa Shinya beside him widened his eyes in shock, looking as if he'd seen a ghost.
"That's right," Mizuki confirmed, his gaze shifting to the figure on the court holding the tennis ball. "That's why, even though Seigaku didn't make it to the Nationals, Tezuka is still considered a national-level player!"
*Whoosh!*
On the court, Tezuka tossed the ball high into the air.
Then, he pivoted on his left foot, his body naturally extending as he swung his racket straight down toward the ball.
*Crack!*
A crisp sound echoed as the ball shot forward at an astonishing speed, instantly clearing the net and arcing beautifully toward the far corner of Ishikawa's side.
*Thud!*
The ball landed precisely at the intersection of the baseline and sideline.
*Whoa!!!*
The textbook-perfect, high-speed serve immediately drew gasps of admiration from the spectators.
"What a powerful serve," murmured Ryoma and the others, their expressions darkening.
Even Shishido, known for his quick reflexes, and Oshitari, with his keen insight, felt immense pressure just watching the serve.
When experts make their move, you can tell their level instantly.
Tezuka's serve was so overwhelming that few of Hyotei's regulars could confidently return it. The sheer force of the serve alone was enough to intimidate most players.
*Crack!*
But then, a sharp sound rang out as Tezuka's high-speed serve was enveloped by a silver streak and sent hurtling back with incredible speed.
"He returned it?!"
Many spectators, still marveling at Tezuka's powerful serve, were taken aback.
However, when they remembered that Tezuka's opponent was none other than Hyotei's powerhouse, Ishikawa—also a national-level player—they quickly understood.
While Tezuka's serve was formidable, Ishikawa himself was a master of high-speed serves. What might be a challenge for others was likely child's play for him.
*Crack!*
But then, the crowd noticed something else.
Ishikawa's return had landed precisely at the intersection of the baseline and sideline on Tezuka's left side.
"This Ishikawa!"
Seeing this, Oishi and Kikumaru from Seigaku couldn't help but raise their eyebrows. "He really doesn't give an inch, does he?"
*Tap tap!!*
Faced with Ishikawa's aggressive return, Tezuka quickly moved toward the ball, not even glancing at it as he swung his racket to send it back.
"A cross-court drive!"
Shishido and the others' eyes twitched.
The precision and speed of Tezuka's shot were impeccable, landing right on the baseline.
With just this one shot, Shishido and the others knew they were no match for Seigaku's captain.
*Crack!*
But as they were still processing the shot, Ishikawa's return was already speeding back.
Moreover, Seigaku's Inui and Kikumaru noticed that Hyotei's vice-captain hadn't even looked at the ball before returning it with equal precision.
"In terms of control, Ishikawa is on par with Tezuka," Oishi said gravely.
"Hmm," Inui nodded.
As a data-driven player, he also noticed that Ishikawa's skills had become even more refined since their match at the street courts.
At the very least, his experienced eyes couldn't find a single flaw.
*Crack!*
*Crack!*
*Crack!*
On the court, the two engaged in a fierce exchange.
Tezuka's control was masterful, the ball seemingly obeying his every command. Every shot landed precisely on the baseline or sideline.
Ishikawa was no less impressive.
His racket seemed like an extension of his arm, allowing him to not only return Tezuka's sharp shots but also send the ball back to equally tricky spots.
Outside the court, the casual spectators watched in awe, their jaws dropping at the sheer intensity of the rally.
One spectator couldn't help but exclaim, "Are these two really middle schoolers like us?!"
*Crack!*
In response, Tezuka unleashed another fierce shot, the ball skimming just over the net at incredible speed.
"The match started like this…"
On the steps, Inoue said with a mix of excitement and tension, "Just how far will it go?"
"Yeah!"
Shiba couldn't help but agree.
Tezuka and Ishikawa's precise returns left no room for error. Even the slightest misjudgment could lead to a fatal mistake.
But as the match progressed, neither player made a single error, leaving the crowd in awe of their incredible control and mental fortitude.
"As expected of Captain Tezuka!"
Seeing Tezuka hold his own against Ishikawa, Seigaku's first-year Horio couldn't help but say, "We might actually win this!"
Hearing this, the others raised their eyebrows.
They could tell Horio was subtly rooting for Hyotei, but they didn't react much. After all, during the Tokyo Metropolitan Tournament, Fuji had been utterly defeated by Ishikawa without putting up much of a fight.
In comparison, Tezuka's ability to hold his own in such an intense match showed that his skills were a cut above.
"Hmm."
But unlike the others, Oishi, the vice-captain, felt a pang of worry as he watched the two engage in such a high-intensity spin battle. "If this match drags on, it might be bad for Tezuka's wrist…"
Aside from Coach Ryuzaki, no one knew about Tezuka's recent condition. Only Oishi, who had accompanied him to the hospital, knew that while Tezuka's injury had healed, the doctor had warned against prolonged use of his exaggerated slice shots.
But now, the match was clearly heading in a direction unfavorable to Tezuka.
"Tezuka!"
Thinking this, Oishi clenched his fists, silently urging, "Don't let this drag on. Finish this service game quickly!"
*Crack!*
At that moment, Tezuka sent another shot skimming along the sideline.
*Tap tap.*
On the other side, Ishikawa quickly moved to intercept the ball.
"What a terrifying player," Sengoku said with a grim expression. "After such an intense rally, his reflexes and insight should have started to waver, but… there's no sign of decline at all."
"Hmm," Coach Ban nodded in agreement. "These two are evenly matched in control, mental strength, and physical condition. It's hard to see who will come out on top in the short term."
"However," he added, shaking his head, "everyone has their limits. No one can maintain such a high level of play indefinitely. And once a mistake happens, even the smallest error can be fatal in a match between players of this caliber!"
*Tap tap!!*
As he spoke, Ishikawa reached the ball and, glancing at Tezuka's position, unexpectedly sliced the ball with a high-speed shot.
"Here it comes!"
Seeing this, the Hyotei players perked up.
This was the turning point. In a match between two top players, a change in tactics could shift the momentum and break the balance.
On Tezuka's side, however, he seemed caught off guard by Ishikawa's sudden change, standing still without moving.
"Oh no."
Seeing this, the Seigaku players' expressions darkened.
It looked like Tezuka was about to lose the point.
*Thud!*
Sure enough, Ishikawa's high-speed slice landed perfectly on the baseline, his control so precise it was almost suffocating to watch.
*Whoosh!*
But just as everyone thought Tezuka was about to lose the point, the ball took an unexpected turn after bouncing.
To the crowd's astonishment, the ball curved dramatically, landing right beside Tezuka.
"W-what is this?!"
Seigaku's first-years widened their eyes in shock.
"Tezuka Zone," Inui said with a smile. "It looks like Tezuka's still in control of this point."
*Swish!*
As he spoke, Tezuka sidestepped to create space and swung his racket, sending the ball toward the far corner of Ishikawa's side.
*Tap tap!!*
But to Inui and the others' surprise, Ishikawa managed to chase down the ball.
"How is that possible?"
Horio and the others were stunned.
"His insight is too sharp," Inui said grimly, watching Ishikawa return the ball with a backhand. "He probably anticipated the ball's trajectory the moment it changed direction."
"Hmm."
Coach Ryuzaki's expression darkened.
A player like this was truly terrifying. Even with Tezuka's Zone technique, he couldn't score a point.
*Tap tap!!*
*Tap tap!!*
Watching Ishikawa sprint across the court to return Tezuka's shots, her mood grew heavier.
This match might indeed turn into a battle of endurance.
And Ishikawa… was an even better data player than Inui. As time went on, he would only gather more information on Tezuka, making the match increasingly unfavorable for Seigaku's captain.
"Tezuka!!"
Seeing Ishikawa running tirelessly along the baseline without losing a single point, Oishi anxiously called out, "Don't hesitate! Finish this game quickly!"
*Thud!*
As if hearing Oishi's plea, Tezuka lowered his racket and gently sliced the incoming ball.
"That racket angle…"
Inui's eyes narrowed behind his glasses as he noticed the subtle change in Tezuka's swing. "Could it be…?"
*Swish!*
The ball cleared the net and landed on the court.
*Sizzle…*
Instead of bouncing up, the ball seemed to roll backward.
"This is…"
Kikumaru and Momoshiro immediately realized what was happening and exclaimed, "Tezuka's Zero-Shiki Drop Shot!!!"
"Zero-Shiki?!"
On Hyotei's side, Atobe and the others were stunned.
Though they didn't know what it was, the reaction from Seigaku's players told them it was a formidable technique. And Ishikawa had finally lost the point.
The others, like Inoue, couldn't help but marvel.
Only someone like Ishikawa could force Tezuka to use both the Zone and Zero-Shiki in a single point.
*Whoosh!*
But before Seigaku could celebrate, the ball, which was supposed to roll backward, suddenly bounced up and curved dramatically, landing beside Ishikawa in the center of the court.
"W-wait a minute!!"
Realizing what was happening, the Seigaku players exclaimed in unison, "Tezuka Zone?!"
*Crack!*
Ishikawa swung his racket, sending the ball flying back at incredible speed. To Seigaku's shock, it landed precisely on the baseline.
As for Tezuka, having used the Zero-Shiki, he hadn't applied the Zone's spin to the ball. It flew past him and hit the wall behind him.
"0-15!"
*Thud…*
As the referee's voice echoed, the crowd stared in stunned silence at the ball rolling gently behind Tezuka.
Even the Hyotei players were left speechless.
The entire court fell into absolute silence!
---
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(End of Chapter)