Matchups

"Atobe, you almost showed up late. This is such an important day, so you should take it seriously," Oshitari complained. He and Hiyoshi had been waiting there for quite a while.

"Now, Oshitari, how could I possibly be late? I timed it perfectly, didn't I?"

Atobe glanced at Oshitari and replied with a hint of irritation. To say he was late was utterly inelegant.

"Come on, Hiyoshi, Kabaji!"

Atobe led Hiyoshi and Kabaji into the venue, with Oshitari bringing up the rear. Once inside, they found seats, and soon heard the quiet murmuring around the hall.

Shortly after Atobe and the others entered, Seigaku arrived as well.

"Tezuka, this is our last National Tournament..."

Fuji looked at Tezuka beside him, a yearning gleam in his eyes.

This was the last tournament of his and Tezuka's middle school careers. It was also their final chance to give it everything they had and fight with all their might.

By the end of the Kanto Tournament, Fuji had already learned that Tezuka would be leaving after the National Tournament.

Though he and Tezuka had promised to meet again at the summit, that lay in the future. Fuji didn't want either of them to have any regrets about this National Tournament.

"Yeah. Let's give it everything we've got in this National Tournament, Fuji."

Tezuka's steady voice came from beside him. Fuji nodded. It was a promise between them.

Fuji fell silent and walked toward the venue with Tezuka and the members of the other schools.

As Tezuka and the others entered Fudomine's auditorium, only the host school remained absent: Fudomine, the previous year's National Tournament champions. Everyone in the hall began to murmur among themselves.

"Rikkai Dai really has fallen off this year. They even lost in the Kanto Tournament semifinals."

"They've already lost