Fuji Shusuke

Tokyo Metropolis.

ARENA Forest Park Dome.

The annual National Tournament was in full swing.

Saeki Muneyoshi walked through the passageway and slowly made his way toward the stands. The final match was underway.

[Makino Fuji Middle School VS Maiko Ban School]

Makino Fuji had been last year's champion. This year, they had reached the final once again, and stood a good chance of claiming back-to-back titles.

As a result, the tournament had drawn plenty of attention, including from some influential figures who had come in person.

As Muneyoshi entered the arena, Kojiro, who had been waiting for some time, spotted him at once.

"Muneyoshi, over here."

Muneyoshi followed his voice over and sat down.

Kojiro, sitting beside him, complained, "Muneyoshi, what took you so long in the bathroom? I thought you'd gotten lost."

Muneyoshi rolled his eyes and ignored him, but a slender figure beside Kojiro caught his attention.

Seeing his questioning gaze, Kojiro finally remembered and hurried to introduce them.

"Muneyoshi, this is the good friend I told you about before—Fuji, Fuji Shusuke. He goes to school in Tokyo Metropolis too!"

Saeki Muneyoshi raised an eyebrow, thinking that he'd been right.

That familiar hairstyle, those eyes that narrowed whenever he smiled, and his gentle appearance—who else could it be but Fuji?

"Hello, Fuji. Pleased to meet you. I'm Saeki Muneyoshi, Kojiro's cousin."

Fuji smiled gently and nodded. "It's nice to meet you. I should be the one asking you to show me the ropes, Muneyoshi. Kojiro said you've started going to school in Tokyo Metropolis too?"

"That's right. Do you play tennis too, Fuji? If so, I'll have to challenge you whenever I get the chance."

"I hope you'll go easy on me then, Muneyoshi!"

"Hahaha, I should be the one hoping you'll go easy on me, Fuji."

"All right, you two. Aren't you laying it on a bit thick? Watch the match, watch the match."

Watching them exchange pleasantries, Kojiro felt goosebumps all over.

The two shook their heads, then exchanged smiles before turning their attention to the court.

Over the years, the tennis scene in Japan had grown increasingly vibrant. Courts and sports facilities had sprung up everywhere, and a great many talented middle schoolers had emerged.

Tennis had consequently become a frequent headline in the papers.

The teams facing off before them, Makino Fuji and Maiko Ban, were among the best. As Muneyoshi watched the familiar figures competing on court, he pondered.

This atmosphere must have been the work of the person in the U17 Training Camp's mountain retreat...

"Game, match over. Makino Fuji wins, 3–2."

As the umpire's final words rang out, the dome erupted. Cheers and shouts thundered through the arena.

The Regulars of Makino Fuji's Tennis Club cheered and rushed toward their captain on court—the golden-haired boy who gleamed beneath the sunlight.

In the stands, every spectator rose to their feet in unison. Applause roared through the arena. This was an unprecedented, historic moment in Japanese tennis.

Kansai Makino Fuji had claimed its first-ever back-to-back National Tournament titles. They had made history!

Amid the camera flashes, a group of boys laughed as they raised the trophy, their faces brimming with confidence. The most eye-catching among them was the captain of the Kansai Legend, Makino Fuji: Byōdōin Hōō!

He had served as captain of the Tennis Club ever since his first year of middle school, leading Makino Fuji to sweep the prefectural, Kansai, and National Tournaments.

He had also never encountered a rival in all of Japan's middle school tennis scene!

Now, on the podium, he embodied a boy's unrestrained confidence and swagger.

Of everyone in the stands, only Muneyoshi knew that the boys beneath the spotlights would one day rock the tennis world and unleash a storm!

They would never stop moving forward.

"Let's go, Kojiro. We should leave too..."

He rose to his feet, unfazed by the deafening roar behind him. Kojiro and Fuji followed close behind as they walked against the crowd and out of the dome.

Kojiro was so excited that he peppered Muneyoshi with questions as they walked.

"Muneyoshi, do you think we'll ever get the chance to make it here?"

Thinking back to the thrilling scene they had just witnessed, Kojiro felt a sense of longing.

Muneyoshi stopped in his tracks and looked back at his cousin, whose features closely resembled his own. "Of course," he said with complete certainty.

After leaving ARENA Forest Park, they found the grounds full of people practicing and competing on the courts. Since it was the school holidays, the three of them wandered around and chatted.

"Did you graduate from Seishindai Third Elementary School, Fuji?"

"That's right, Muneyoshi." Fuji answered with a gentle smile, letting the breeze brush against his face.

Muneyoshi nodded. "Do you play tennis often, Fuji?"

Kojiro chimed in, "Don't underestimate Fuji, Muneyoshi. He's a prodigy who won the Junior Tournament."

"Oh, really?"

Muneyoshi raised an eyebrow, though he wasn't surprised. Then he stopped and got straight to the point. "Want to play a match, Fuji?"

At that, Fuji seemed even happier. He leaned forward, tilting his head slightly as he smiled. "Sure. I've been wanting to play against you too, Muneyoshi."

Kojiro couldn't pass up such a great opportunity. "Great, I'll be the umpire."

The three exchanged glances, then headed toward an indoor court.

"Saeki Muneyoshi versus Fuji Shusuke! One game, winner takes all!"

Seated in the umpire's chair, Saeki Kojiro announced the start of the match.

They were still children and didn't look particularly imposing, so no one nearby paid them much attention. That suited them just fine.

Muneyoshi and Fuji walked up to the net.

"Heads or tails?"

"Tails."

"Looks like luck isn't on my side today, Muneyoshi."

Fuji Shusuke smiled at Saeki Muneyoshi as he spoke.

But the moment Muneyoshi stepped onto the court, it was as if he'd become a different person. His expression turned cool and his demeanor serious. He didn't answer.

He wanted to show his full strength.

First, he wanted to show what he was really capable of. Second, he wanted to see what Fuji Shusuke could do at this point.

And third, of course, he hoped Fuji would put him under pressure. That was the only way he could improve further.

Fuji Shusuke looked at Saeki Muneyoshi across the net, and his smile faded too.

It seemed he'd sensed Muneyoshi's seriousness and resolve. Against an opponent like this, continuing to joke around would be disrespectful.

"Looks like you're getting serious, Muneyoshi."

"Fuji, I hope you'll give it everything you've got. I won't hold back!"

"I hope so too." Although he'd already grown somewhat wary, Fuji still replied with a smile. It was simply in his nature.

As Saeki Kojiro blew the whistle, the match began.

Thump... Thump... Thump...

After bouncing the ball lightly a couple of times, Saeki Muneyoshi glanced at the figure across the court and said calmly, "Here it comes, Fuji!"

Before the words had even left his mouth, Saeki Muneyoshi tossed the ball gently into the air, bent forward slightly, then leaped up. His center of gravity shifted smoothly from low to high.

"Bang!"

The ball cracked off his racket, a yellow flash cutting through the air before landing precisely at the inverted triangle of the service line, as if he'd rehearsed the shot tens of thousands of times.

"Ace, 15–0."

Fuji, who had kept his eyes half-closed until then, immediately straightened. His eyes snapped open as he stared at Saeki Muneyoshi across the court.

"Nice shot, Muneyoshi!"

He moved to the receiving position, knees bent and attention focused. Now he was completely on guard.