The School That Raised the Man Who'd Beaten Byōdōin Hōō

The next day.

A large crowd of spectators from outside the Kanto region had gathered at Court Ten.

Since today was defending champion Fudomine's first match, everyone wanted to see how strong the team was after a year away.

"Those guys! Do they think our Makino Fuji team doesn't stand a chance against Fudomine?"

The Makino Fuji players looked especially grim when they saw the many spectators in the stands who had come just to watch.

Their captain, Kadokawa Go, even shouted in a frenzy.

But compared to Kadokawa Go's outburst, the atmosphere in the rest of the Makino Fuji players' area sank into gloom.

Although they had won their first-round match with an overall score of 3–1, they now felt that their time in the National Tournament was about to come to an end.

Their next opponents were the team most likely to become the second in the country, after Makino Fuji, to win back-to-back titles.

Before long, the Fudomine players entered the court, led by Muneyoshi.

More and more spectators gathered around as they arrived.

"Captain, what are we going to do about the match later?"

Watching the Fudomine players gathered in their area across the court, the Makino Fuji players looked at them with envy, awe, longing, and frustration...

They had once enjoyed this very same glory.

If they could become members of Fudomine, perhaps they could still enjoy that glory now.

"How should I know? Fudomine has only played in the National Tournament once. Are we supposed to forfeit right away?"

Kadokawa Go gritted his teeth, his face especially dark. When he finished speaking, he glared irritably at the guy who had asked the question.

He really didn't know how to read the room!

Actually, back in his first year, with Fuwa the Iron Man anchoring