The Fudomine vs. Yamabuki Match
"As expected of the Kanto Tournament, even though it's only the third round, after a week of warm-up, so many people have come to watch."
Of course, Inoue Mamoru, a reporter for Tennis Monthly, is always present during crucial matches.
He looked around and saw that the venue was already surrounded by countless spectators, and couldn't help but sigh.
However, unlike before when he was mentoring newcomers, Inoue Mamoru has now returned to operating alone.
Perhaps it's because the previous male assistant wasn't very user-friendly?
Of course, none of this matters.
He turned his gaze away and looked towards the entrance of the venue, searching for the two teams participating in today's finals.
At that moment, a series of orderly footsteps sounded from the direction of the entrance.
Step... step...
Inoue Mamoru looked up and saw a line of people in green uniforms walking into the court and entering the pre-arranged player area.
"It's Yamabuki! Yamabuki!"
Inoue Mamoru recognized the Yamabuki Middle School uniforms worn by the boys, so he quickly picked up his camera, aimed it at the Yamabuki players, and pressed the shutter.
Click... click...
After taking the photos, Inoue Mamoru began to keep an eye on Fudomine's movements.
"Fudomine not arrived yet? Their captain Saeki Muneyoshi, only made a move against Seigaku and Hyotei Academy before. I wonder if he'll make a move today?"
Inoue Mamoru, who has always idolized Inoue Mamoru Japan, was actually very excited to see the Echizen Nanjirō high school student to make a name for himself in World Tournament.
He originally wanted to write a lengthy report on his performance and strength in the World Tournament, but the proposal was rejected by the editor-in-chief as soon as it was submitted.
I heard that someone higher up is suppressing the spread of this message in junior high schools to prevent a brain drain, and doesn't want it to have too much of an impact on them.
Moreover, Japan has long been infiltrated like a sieve, and every time a talented person emerges, some countries are like sharks that have caught a whiff of their talent.
Therefore, as a second choice, Inoue Mamoru began reporting on Fudomine, including assessments and predictions of Saeki Muneyoshi's various strengths.
As Inoue Mamoru pondered these thoughts, the crowd outside the stadium parted again to create a passage.
A series of orderly footsteps sounded.
The footsteps were as dense and rapid as drumbeats, and the sounds converged to create an aura like that of a thousand troops.
"This aura is truly worthy of Muneyoshi!"
As soon as Saeki Muneyoshi led his group into the arena, Inoue Mamoru instantly pressed the shutter of his camera, capturing the moment.
Saeki Muneyoshi defeated Akutsu Jin in the regional preliminaries and then beat Atobe Keigo of the Hyotei Academy, in the Metropolitan Tournament. These two tough battles earned him widespread recognition for his popularity and strength.
Many people consider him one of the top masters in the national martial arts world.
Many people believe that Fudomine was the stronger side in this match.
"It seems Fudomine will be the first team to reach the Semifinals!"
Inoue Mamoru thought to himself silently.
Despite numerous predictions regarding the match between Fudomine and Yamabuki, Inoue Mamoru, who knows more inside information, is not optimistic about Yamabuki.
Compared to Fudomine, Yamabuki is stronger in doubles, Fudomine is stronger in singles.
However, there's one more match in singles than doubles. Can anyone from Yamabuki win a singles match against Fudomine?
Inoue Mamoru expressed his doubts.
"The match is about to begin!"
"Yes, both Yamabuki and Fudomine are here!"
"Is this Fudomine? What a terrifying aura! The second-ranked player from Fudomine must be last year's ace from Kyushu Shishigaku Middle School, the Lion King, Tachibana Kippei! I wonder if he'll be playing today!"
The pre-match handshake between the two teams on the court.
"Hello, Bantian-senpai!"
Hanamura Aoi walked up to her Banrō and bowed deeply.
"My Banrō, I look forward to your guidance today."
Hanamura Aoi showed great respect to Banda Kenya, who had a full head of silver hair, and extended her hand again to greet him politely.
"Well!"
"Coach Hanamura is truly a woman who doesn't yield to men! Leading Fudomine to the Kanto Tournament at such a young age, she's really a force to be reckoned with! It seems I'm really getting old, and it's time for me to retire!"
Banda Kenya responded to Hanamura Aoi's greeting with a smile, offering both praise and self-deprecation.
"Yes, that's exactly where we need guidance from a senior like you."
Just as Hanamura Aoi and Banda Kenya were greeting each other, the players from Fudomine and Yamabuki were also sizing each other up.
"Is that Tachibana Kippei from Fudomine? He has such a powerful aura!"
Sengoku Kiyosumi stared intently at Tachibana Kippei. He knew Muneyoshi, but he had never met Tachibana Kippei before.
"Let's put on a great match, Coach Hanamura."
After the greetings were exchanged, they sat down on the coach's bench, Banrō, with a squinting smile, uttered his final polite words.
Suddenly, a glint flashed in Hanamura Aoi's eyes. She knew quite a bit about the battle between Yamabuki and their living fossil-level figure.
Even the past of Yamabuki and Japan Echizen Nanjirō twenty years ago, was all known to her through various research materials.
In Hanamura Aoi's view, Echizen Nanjirō's overwhelming strength in the junior high school class back then was just like Muneyoshi's today.
Even so, they were still defeated by Yamabuki Middle School, led by Banrō.
Their greatest strength comes from their well-planned tactics and Yamabuki doubles skills.
However, she wouldn't boost others' morale while diminishing her own.
Although Yamabuki's strength was stable, she believed that the group of teenagers from Fudomine would give everyone a big surprise.
"Next, we will begin the third round of the Kanto Tournament's elimination rounds, with Fudomine Junior High facing off against Yamabuki Middle School."
"Let's begin with doubles match number two. Both players, please get ready."
The referee's announcement rang out, and the doubles players had all returned from warming up, while the number of spectators watching the game began to increase.
Seeing the growing crowd and the tense atmosphere of the match even before it started, Ishida Tetsu and Kamio Akira felt the pressure, but it was soon dispelled by their surging emotions.
Especially for Ishida Tetsu, standing on such a stage made him feel that all his previous efforts had not been in vain.
Snap!
A large hand patted him, and Ishida's focus returned to him; Saeki Muneyoshi was standing beside him.
"Ishida, Kamio, you two go! The opponent is strong, but don't feel pressured!"
"Yes, Minister!"
The two men, now brimming with confidence, responded with a resounding "yes."
As Saeki Muneyoshi said during a training simulation, Yamabuki's doubles team is the second real test they need to face.
"Next, we begin the second doubles match, featuring Ishida Tetsu and Kamio Akira from Fudomine Junior High against Niwatori Dōkichi and Kita Kazuma from Yamabuki Middle School."
"The match begins, with Fudomine Junior High serving first."
Standing at the baseline, Ishida first glanced left and right, and finally his gaze fell on Kita Kazuma was receiving the serve on the opposite side.
Knowing that their opponent in the third round was Yamabuki, Fudomine was not entirely unprepared.
Everyone knows that Yamabuki Middle School's greatest strength lies in its two "national" level doubles teams.
The way to assess skill in doubles is different from that in singles. It involves teamwork and coordination, as well as serving and net play skills, and various combination attacks.
The power it unleashes will be far more than a simple 1+1.
Furthermore, as long as the doubles teamwork is sufficient and they reach a level unique to doubles, they can touch the threshold of world-class competition.
Synchronization!
However, no one in the junior high school community has yet achieved such a state.
In the original work, Niwatori Dōkichi and Kita Kazuma became a National Level doubles team this year.
As one of the Yamabuki Doubles champions, even when paired with Kita Kazuma, who is only a first-year Kita Kazuma.
They had both defeated the Fuji Shusuke duo of Seigaku Syusuke and Kawamura Takashi in the semifinals of the Metropolitan Tournament Semifinals.
Their storyline is minimal in the original work, entirely due to the protagonist's perspective.
In reality, their strength is not as unknown as their fame suggests.
Hanamura Aoi arranged this match to let Ishida Tetsu and Kamio Akira experience what a truly powerful doubles team looks like.
P. S.: "Requesting monthly votes"