Seigaku vs. Hyotei

The next day was the final of the Metropolitan Tournament.

As the final match of the Metropolitan Tournament, the Ariake Tennis Forest Park, which was empty early in the morning, was noticeably more crowded.

Starting from eight o'clock, more and more people gradually gathered, flooding in from the entrance, shoulder to shoulder.

As a sport extremely popular in Japan and even worldwide, the final of the Metropolitan Tournament was naturally an unmissable feast for many tennis enthusiasts, attracting many tourists.

The final match was held on the largest court in the center of the park.

At this moment, the area around the court was already packed, a vast expanse of black, with many members from other schools' tennis clubs inside.

They surged towards the final venue, filling not only the stands outside the court but also lining the guardrails.

Everyone planned to secure their spots early, waiting for the two main teams of the day to appear.

"As expected of the Metropolitan Tournament final, so many people came to watch."

Inoue Mamoru, a reporter for Tennis Monthly, naturally wouldn't miss it. He surveyed the surroundings, seeing countless spectators surrounding the court, and couldn't help but sigh.

He then withdrew his gaze and looked towards the entrance of the court, searching for the figures of the two teams about to compete in the final.

Just then, not far behind him, a neat sound of footsteps could be heard.

Thump... thump... thump...

Inoue looked up and saw a team in blue and white uniforms walking in an orderly fashion into the player area arranged by the tournament committee.

"It's Seigaku."

Inoue Mamoru recognized the uniforms of these young men, knowing it was the Seigaku team. He quickly picked up his camera and aimed it at the Seigaku players, pressing the shutter.

Click... click...

In the player area, the Seigaku members began to wait quietly.

"So many people! Just like the final!"

Kikumaru Eiji, after putting down his tennis bag, immediately regained his liveliness and looked around.

He was very excited by the bustling atmosphere and thrilled to be able to compete in such an event.

"Tezuka, Hyotei hasn't arrived yet. Today is probably going to be a tough fight!"

Oishi Shuichiro said nervously to the calm boy at the front.

Unlike the optimistic Kikumaru, Oishi, as Seigaku's caretaker, was a little worried.

"Oishi, don't worry. Our chances of winning against Hyotei are 40%, and if we can exploit Hyotei's matchups, our win rate will increase to 60%."

Tezuka pushed up his thick-rimmed glasses and gave a reassuring probability.

"Only forty percent? Is Hyotei that strong!"

"Oishi, they're the kings of the Metropolitan Tournament after all!"

"That's true."

Oishi suddenly remembered this and scratched his head with a hint of simple honesty.

"The victors will belong to Hyotei..."

"The victors will belong to Hyotei..."

Hyotei has arrived!

Hearing the deafening roar, everyone turned their heads.

A group of boys in gray and white uniforms also entered the player area, led by Atobe Keigo.

Behind the Hyotei regulars, there were two hundred cheerleaders, who were now shouting hoarsely behind the regulars.

This grand display made the Seigaku regulars suddenly feel a sense of pressure and tension.

Around the court, the Hyotei cheerleaders, wearing Hyotei Academy uniforms, forcibly pushed aside the already gathered crowd, reclaiming the perimeter of the tennis court.

All sorts of banners and slogans were unfurled. As it was summer, many of Atobe's female fans even formed a beautiful scenic line.

In contrast, on Seigaku's side, apart from a reserve player, Kawamura Takashi, the number of people cheering for them was almost negligible.

This contrast made it seem as if this Metropolitan Tournament final was Hyotei's home game.

Amidst the cheers of the crowd, Atobe walked to Seigaku's waiting area.

"Tezuka Kunimitsu? I heard you defeated all your seniors at Seigaku and broke their long-standing system. In that regard, you are very much like me. I also defeated all the players at Hyotei to take the captain's position."

"However, our goal at Hyotei is this year's National Tournament, while Seigaku, at best, is only at the Kanto Tournament level."

"You are still too far behind!"

Atobe said proudly, looking at the calm Tezuka.

"Atobe, I hope this will be an exciting match!"

Tezuka's expression remained unchanged as he said coldly.

Atobe chuckled, extended his right hand, and pointed a finger at the sky. Instantly, thunderous cheers erupted from the crowd again.

"The winner is Hyotei, the loser is Seigaku!"

"The winner is Hyotei, the loser is Seigaku!"

Atobe snapped his fingers, and the venue immediately fell silent.

"These cheers have already shown who the winner of this match is... it's me!"

"This guy is so full of himself!"

Watching Atobe's elegant retreating figure, Kikumaru said with some indignation.

The boisterous cheers from Hyotei's large support team would inevitably affect the morale of Seigaku's members.

"Everyone, don't worry about it. Hyotei's tennis club has over a hundred members, a number that even other nationally ranked strong schools can't match."

In the end, the very experienced Yamato Yūdai clapped his hands and stood up to boost everyone's morale.

"..."

"Heh, I can only say, as expected of Atobe."

Under a large tree off the court, Saeki Muneyoshi sat on the grass, leaning against the tree. He glanced at the situation on the court and said with a faint smile.

In the entire Prince of Tennis world, perhaps only the young master Atobe Keigo could do something like this.

"However, Seigaku's situation probably won't be optimistic either. They don't have a coach, and the opposing Coach Sakaki Tarou is no simple person..."

In Hyotei's player area, Sakaki Tarou was giving the regulars their pre-match talk.

"Atobe, you did well in crushing the opponent's morale."

Coach Sakaki looked at Atobe with approval. This was why he believed this man should be the king of Hyotei. Then, he took out a stack of documents.

"I have collected information on Seigaku's specific players, except for Tezuka Kunimitsu. Based on the data, their singles matches are a strong point, while their doubles, though not weak, are at a disadvantage compared to singles. Therefore, we need to change our formation..."

"Coach..." Atobe's lips moved, wanting to object.

Coach Sakaki directly interrupted him, saying in a calm and firm tone:

"Atobe, victory is Hyotei's only pursuit. As for your wish to play against Tezuka, wait for the next time!"

Looking at Coach Sakaki's unquestionable gaze, Atobe ultimately remained silent, indicating his agreement.

Coach Sakaki greatly admired Atobe's consideration for the overall situation, recognizing it as the quality a captain should possess.

"Alright, go prepare!"

Coach Sakaki waved his hand and sat down on the coach's bench, awaiting the start of the match.

ps: I finished writing last night and it was already very late, so I didn't post it. There will be an extra update today. Please recommend~ Please vote with monthly tickets~