Bu Er and Nintoku

The next day.

Ariake Forest Tennis Park.

The bustling crowds made the park a bit noisy on the weekend.

"Hurry, hurry, the match between the Hyotei Academy and Seigaku is about to start!"

Who do you think will win?

"It should be Hyotei Academy, after all, they are the number one seed, they were a top four in the national competition last year, and they've already won against them in Metropolitan Tournament."

"I don't think so. Seigaku is also very strong this year, and their growth is quite remarkable."

"Hey, what's so special about those Metropolitan Tournament?"

"Yes, Seigaku, will definitely see some changes today."

"There's no need for anyone to argue anymore. It doesn't matter who wins or loses. For us, as long as the game is exciting enough, that's enough."

When they reached the Semifinals stage of the Kanto Tournament, the competition naturally attracted everyone's attention.

The sidelines were almost completely packed with people, including not only spectators but also spies from other colleges.

However, while the match was exciting, it seemed that the anticipated scenario of Seigaku coming to seek revenge fell short of expectations.

Bang!

The tennis ball flew diagonally towards the opposite corner.

Shishido Ryo moved quickly behind him and caught up with the ball in the blink of an eye.

As the tennis ball bounced, he glanced ahead and swung his racket without hesitation.

Bang!

A loud bang followed.

The baseline volley from Anahira Ryo came Half Volley towards them like a streak of light.

The ball is moving very fast!

With a whoosh, it flew over the net and landed in the midfield.

At the same time, the timing of this shot was excellent, hitting directly into the gap created by the change in Seigaku's lineup.

It flew directly past Kikumaru.

Fortunately, the player responsible for defense in the backcourt at that moment Oishi, who had a wide field of vision.

Oishi has a high basketball IQ; amidst Kikumaru's panic, he calmly caught up with the ball.

Then followed by a backhand side pull.

He retrieved the tennis ball from the baseline.

However, the duo lacked the chemistry they had in their third year, and their opponents constantly exploited their weaknesses during the matches.

Kikumaru hurriedly turned around to fill in for him.

Mukahi Gakuto, who had remained silent until now, leaped like a hunter in the shadows, reaching a height greater than Kikumaru, and then flipped in mid-air.

A powerful volley.

The tennis ball, suspended in mid-air, was slammed straight into the empty right court area of Seigaku.

Kikumaru and Oishi, who had been moved to the center line, didn't have time to save the ball, which flew out from the corner of the baseline.

The referee announced the score at just the right moment.

"15-15."

Such minor problems occurred one after another in the subsequent matches.

Sakaki Tarou, who was extremely wary of Seigaku's potential, had already organized the Hyotei Academy team to conduct a frame-by-frame study of Seigaku after the Metropolitan Tournament.

"Drink it!"

Kikumaru quickly strode forward, caught up with the ball's landing point again, and returned the tennis ball with a thud.

At the net, Mukahi Gakuto leaped up again, swinging his racket in mid-air like Hawk Flip.

Bang!

"Game, Seigaku,3:3."

"Game, Hyotei Academy, 4:3."

"Game, Hyotei Academy, 4-4, time for rest and switch sides."

Break time.

He looked at Kikumaru and Oishi, who were slumped in their chairs beside him.

Tezuka, whose face remained expressionless, spoke.

"Their strategy is to focus on protecting Kikumaru, then look for weaknesses to exploit."

"Oishi, when we switch sides, you can move your position a little further forward, and Kikumaru can move a little further back."

Tezuka used the break time to explain the tactics.

Kikumaru and Oishi quickly understood.

Tezuka's idea was to change the areas the two people were responsible for by moving their positions, so as to quickly fill the gaps left by Kikumaru's relocation.

"Also, Oishi, you're in the backcourt. Use your wide field of vision to try and see the opponent's movements clearly."

This pair from Seigaku has a very good chemistry.

Oishi's composure and broad vision determine that he is the dominant player on the court, responsible for defense and overall team coordination.

Kikumaru primarily serves as an offensive player.

With Kikumaru being targeted.

Besides needing Kikumaru to hold the line, Oishi needs to break the deadlock.

Finally, stay calm and don't panic.

"Trust your comrades, and charge forward with full concentration!"

Looking at the two who had returned to the stage, Tezuka's face didn't change much, but a hint of worry flashed in the corner of his eye.

Tactical changes cannot make up for inherent deficiencies.

He didn't actually tell Oishi that the opponent's tactics had succeeded.

After repeatedly using Special Skill Shot, Kikumaru's weakness in stamina began to show, and he was panting heavily.

Moreover, this weakness cannot be resolved in a short period of time.

Sweat poured down his face like rain, and Kikumaru felt as if he were soaked through. Exhaustion overwhelmed him in an instant; he was at his limit, and it was just a matter of how long he could hold on.

The subsequent matches proved his idea correct.

Under the relentless attacks of the Hyotei Academy duo, Oishi alone simply couldn't solve the problem.

The match ended quickly.

"Game, Hyotei Academy wins, score 6-4."

The second defeat in doubles was hard for Kikumaru and Oishi to accept.

However, they are the only ones who can truly understand this bitterness; no one else can help them.

"Next up is the doubles match, both players please get ready!"

The referee's voice echoed throughout the stadium once again, signaling the start of the second match.

Among the Seigaku team, Fuji Kane, who had just returned from warming up, walked towards the court with Fuji racket in hand.

Suddenly, a thunderous cheer erupted from the Hyotei Academy's camp.

Hyotei Academy sent out their number two doubles player, Oshitari Yushi, who was the second-best player in their Tennis Club.

And Akutagawa Jirou strength is equally unfathomable.

Tezuka's expression changed slightly; Sakaki Tarou was actually trying to use the same trick again.

Having seized upon this weakness of Seigaku, he was determined to crush them!

While their blatant and undisguised approach is infuriating, it is currently the most effective way to target Seigaku.

Should we skip Seigaku's doubles and focus on their singles?

Neither Sakaki Tarou nor Atobe is that stupid.

Noticing the change in Tezuka's emotions and knowing his purpose, Fuji walked to Tezuka's side before going on stage and paused.

"Tezuka, I will bring back victory."

Seeing Fuji's stance, Tezuka felt slightly relieved.

Meanwhile, at this time, Hyotei Academy was resting in their rest area.

Atobe rubbed his forehead with his fingers and sighed.

"Yue Ren! Go and wake Jirou!"

His victory in the doubles second game made him realize that this game was the most important part of the match.

If Hyotei Academy wins the doubles match, they will have an 80% chance of winning.

Forced to wake up Akutagawa Jirou, still sleepy-eyed, yawned and walked onto the court with Oshitari!

He stood hunched over in front of the net, looking like he hadn't woken up yet.

"What's wrong with this guy from the Hyotei Academy? Is he still half asleep?"

Within the Seigaku camp, everyone was somewhat speechless. What did Hyotei Academy mean by this?

Are they planning to forfeit this match?

Is he really capable of competing in this condition?

However, the crowd quieted down when they saw that his partner was Oshitari!

Many people are unaware that in the original work, Oshitari Yushi and Fuji Shusuke have the exact same five-dimensional data.

Even after entering the U-17 team, the two players' abilities remained exactly the same.

Until the Maple Leaf War broke out.

Fuji completely abandoned his previous pursuit of defensive tennis and switched to playing purely offensive tennis.

This is what created a vast gap between the two in their tennis careers.

Ultimately, Fuji Shusuke made it into the U-17 team and went on to represent the world, while Oshitari Yushi gradually faded into obscurity.

While the protagonist's halo might play a role, it's also related to Oshitari Yushi's own tennis style.

Just as Atobe Keigo and Sakaki Tarou said in their first evaluation of the strength of everyone in the Tennis Club.

Oshitari a wide range of tennis skills and is very good at imitating other people's special techniques, but his skills are broad but not refined, and his repertoire is quite mixed.

He's a genius, but he hasn't yet found the right path for himself in tennis.

On the Fuji Shusuke, as he continued to play matches, refined his tennis skills by taking the best aspects and discarding the worst.

All the technologies were developed from flashes of inspiration.

In terms of technical brilliance, it is almost the strongest among junior high schools today.

Perhaps this is why two people with exactly the same potential end up with completely different fates.

Hyotei Academy! Hyotei Academy! Hyotei Academy! Hyotei Academy! Hyotei Academy!...

The stadium was now filled with the cheers of the Hyotei Academy.

Meanwhile, in the Hyotei Academy's rest area, Atobe Keigo stood up straight, carefully observing Fuji Shusuke opposite him, and muttered to himself.

"Short in stature, yet a true 'genius'."

"Furthermore, he never easily reveals his strengths; he's a man not to be underestimated. This looks like an interesting match."

"However, Yushi and Jirou's words should bring something different, hmm~"

On the court, the players on both sides stood in place.

"Oshitari -kun, this should be our first official match, right?" Fuji Shusuke asked with a smile.

"Yes, although it's not singles, the doubles is actually pretty good too." Oshitari Yushi returned the smile.

However, the two men's smiles give off very different vibes. If Fuji Shusuke's smile is that of a cunning schemer, then Oshitari Yushi is like that of a cunning old fox.

Indeed, geniuses are a very dangerous species.

"The match begins, with the Hyotei Academy serving. One set ends."

They stood one in front of the other, both sides in a standard doubles formation.

Tap... tap... tap...

Fuji nodded to Kane, standing calmly on the receiving line, but his mind was filled with the words that Saeki Muneyoshi had said to him before.

Sometimes, taking on some responsibility isn't a bad thing!

"Shall we shoulder this responsibility...?"

As the sounds of the ball hitting the court echoed, the noise outside the Hyotei Academy Stadium quickly subsided, and everyone's attention was focused on Oshitari.

Maintaining silence when serving is a quality that every tennis enthusiast should possess.

This can prevent excessive noise from affecting the players' judgment.

However, if it's the opponent's serve, then a little noise is fine.

Oshitari raised his eyes slightly, looking at the makeshift pair in front of him. A cold white light flashed from the frame of his glasses.

With my left hand, I tossed the tennis ball straight up, and then stretched all the muscles in my body slightly.

"Ha!"

Bang!

With a swift, powerful gust of wind, the tennis ball whistled past Fuji's feet.

15-0.

The serve scores! It was a beautiful, incredibly fast ace, so fast that even Fuji was momentarily stunned.

He had just seen a resemblance to Saeki Muneyoshi in Oshitari.

"The opponent's serve is very fast."

Gan frowned slightly, glanced at the landing point of the tennis ball, and silently collected data in his mind.

Fuji wasn't wrong. Because of Muneyoshi, his current strength, along with Oshitari and even Atobe, is actually greater than it was at the same time in the original work.

Like Fuji, after being educated by Muneyoshi, Oshitari's skills and style of play improved to a higher level.

However, this level of difficulty is not a challenge for Fuji.

The ball was served again, pressing against the air and whistling through it once more, transforming into a surging wave of golden light.

Fuji Shusuke lowered his center of gravity and judged the landing point of the tennis ball the instant Oshitari swung his racket.

"Bang!"

A pale yellow beam of light flew back, its angle perfectly positioned between Oshitari and Akutagawa Jirou, making for a very tricky shot.

However, this response was not unexpected for the two of them.

The white light in the dry lens flickered; he was quite satisfied with Tezuka's arrangement for him to partner with Fuji.

As a data collection enthusiast, nothing excites him more than experiencing it firsthand and then collecting the right data.

Moreover, the opponent's strength is enough for him and Fuji to take this seriously.

"At this rate, this match will likely be a protracted battle..."

While silently calculating the course of the entire match, his hands moved with lightning speed.

Bang!

Bang!

After several rounds of back-and-forth fighting...

Swish!

Seizing the opportune moment, Akutagawa Jirou once again used his superior net play and athleticism to forcefully pull the ball up at a wide angle with his forehand.

Bang!

A crisp sound rang out as the tennis ball once again streaked across the court in a winding golden arc before landing precisely on the boundary line of Inui Sadaharu's half of the court.

Hyotei Academy scores, 40-0!

Bang!

Bang!

"Game, Hyotei Academy, 1-0!"

"Change venues!"

When it was Seigaku's turn to serve, Fuji hit the tennis ball a few times, then stood up straight.

Without tossing the ball high, Fuji held the tennis ball in front of him Fuji three fingers of his left hand, then gently twisted it, letting it spin and fall naturally.

"Bang!"

With a downward-facing slicing motion of his right racket, a curved yellow beam of light flew towards Akutagawa Jirou's court.

Even after a short game, Akutagawa Jirou's drowsy nature still hadn't truly woken him up.

He was Fuji to Fuji's serve at that moment.

However, he still managed to reach the point where the tennis ball would land ahead of time.

"This ball might disappear!"

Fuji's azure eyes held a hint of sharpness, and his cool voice echoed across the court.

Swish swish swish swish...

The tennis ball left a scratch on the ground, bounced up, and then rapidly swung up and down and side to side in a chaotic manner.

Akutagawa Jirou swung his arm violently, but there was no feeling of hitting the ball.

A streak of light flashed past Jirou's feet, then slammed into the iron netting behind him with a sizzling sound.

Seeing the yellow tennis ball roll to his feet, he, who had been looking rather listless, was instantly drawn in, as if he had spotted a very interesting toy.

"ACE, Seigaku Fuji Shusuke, 15-0."

A bead of cold sweat trickled down Jirou's forehead. He hadn't even seen the ball's trajectory before it crashed into the iron net behind him.

"Hey! Atobe, Yushi, did you see that?! This guy is amazing!"

After a moment, Jirou suddenly shouted excitedly at Atobe, then looked at Oshitari.

"Then concentrate, you idiot!"

Atobe silently rubbed his forehead.

Jiro Akutagawa's performance made him, who always prided himself on his flamboyant style, feel somewhat embarrassed.

Oshitari was also somewhat speechless, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he stared intently at Fuji opposite him.

"Okay! Focus! Focus!"

Having shaken off his drowsiness with Fuji's disappearing serve, Jiro Akutagawa stared intently at Fuji with wide, bright eyes.

Then, Fuji's second serve was still a slice serve.

"Idiot, if that was a surprise attack, do you think you can score with that serve now?"

When he arrived at the receiving position, Oshitari's eyes turned slightly cold. He believed that the serve just now was simply due to Jiro's carelessness.

"This ball is about to disappear!"

"Hmph, what a joke!"

Oshitari, his eyes quickly scanning the landing point of the tennis ball, and then, as the ball bounced up, he swung his racket fiercely.

Swish!

Without any sensation, the tennis ball struck the metal net behind it again, making a sizzling sound.

Seeing the yellow tennis ball roll to his feet, Oshitari's face immediately turned ugly.

Whew~

A gentle breeze blew by, Fuji opened his eyes, glanced Oshitari at Oshitari opposite him, and said.

"Disappeared."

The once again displayed disappearing serve silenced the entire court.

"Really...?"

"It really disappeared just now, right?"

"Can't even Oshitari catch him?"

Not only the members of the Hyotei Academy, but also the Regular of Seigaku, except for Tezuka and Akutsu, were all filled with surprise at this moment.

This was a serving technique that Fuji had Fuji used against them before.

"Eiji, have you seen that serve before?" Oishi asked, standing next to Kikumaru and staring at the court in surprise.

Kikumaru's eyes widened, and his mouth gaped open in surprise. "No."

"Tch, this guy!"

Akutsu curled her lip in disdain.

Even the referee was so surprised that he forgot to announce the score.

Sakaki Tarou glanced at Fuji and calmly said, "Referee, it's alright, it's in bounds."

"Oh, 30-0."

The match continued, with Fuji standing in the backcourt, gently tapping the yellow ball in his hand with his racket.

Snap... Snap... Snap...

"Catch me again."

When it was Akutagawa Jirou's turn to receive the ball, he was no longer sleepy and his eyes had become incredibly sharp.

He swung his racket again, but unfortunately, he still couldn't catch it; the tennis ball disappeared once more before making contact.

This Fuji the entire stadium.

Everyone was talking about it.

However, Inui Sadaharu, who was on Fuji's side, was the first to understand.

He pulled out a notebook from somewhere and started taking notes.

"It turns out to be a slice serve, a technique that uses the tip of the racket to hit the ball and slice it, and before hitting the ball, the player spins the ball with their hand to change the point of impact."

"Because of this change, the tennis ball suddenly accelerates in front of the opponent, appearing as if it disappears."

After finishing writing, Inui Sadaharu glanced at Fuji. At that moment, Fuji's eyes were sharp, far from his usual gentle gaze.

"As expected of Fuji..."

In the Hyotei Academy's rest area, Atobe, with his astonishing eyesight, also discerned the secret behind this serve.

"Hmm? They're putting in this much effort from the very beginning. It looks like the competition is going to get more and more interesting."

Atobe didn't believe that Fuji's shot could fool Oshitari for the entire game.

Moreover, this is a doubles match, and it will take four games before it's Fuji's turn to serve.

"Game, Seigaku, 1:1."

Soon, with Fuji hitting four aces, Seigaku won their service game.

Akutagawa Jiro knew he had encountered an unprecedentedly formidable enemy, and he immediately became serious.

Bang!

Jiro Akutagawa serves and moves to the net, attempting to use volleys to control his opponent.

Fuji nor Gan were willing to yield an inch.

"Brown Bear Drop..."

Bang...

"0:30, Seigaku Fuji Shusuke scores."

Bang!

"Game, score 2-2."

Fuji took Fuji step forward, and a sharp glint suddenly flashed in his icy blue eyes.

His hands stretched back as if flying like birds, then he turned to the side and stood still, bending his right knee and raising his left hand in front of his body.

Behind the outstretched five fingers were icy blue eyes that shone like the starry sky, radiating a soft glow.

With a twist of his body, he forcefully snapped his right knee.

The racket, raised high, slashed down fiercely at the incoming tennis ball.

Sizzle~

In the final, clean-up stroke.

A golden crescent moon already shines in the sky.

"The Returning Swallow..."

Whoosh!

Amidst the startling whistling sound of the tennis ball cutting through the air.

The tennis ball, spinning wildly, skimmed over the net and landed on the ground.

Instead of bouncing up, it glided past Oshitari's feet at lightning speed, skimming along the ground as he prepared to receive the ball.

"Game, score 3-3."

During the break on the sidelines, looking at Coach Sakaki in front of him and Atobe behind him, Oshitari's fighting spirit was Oshitari an all-time high.

"Interesting, I didn't expect him to be the same type of player as me."

Thinking of the tennis ball that had just slipped past his feet, Oshitari tilted his head back and smiled, followed by a deep sigh:

"The Brown Bear Drop used more skillfully than mine, as if it comes naturally to him. Every move seems to be within his expectations. Fuji Shusuke, you are truly a worthy opponent."

Upon hearing Oshitari Yushi explain the problem he had identified, both Sakaki Tarou and Atobe smiled.

Sakaki Tarou nodded slightly. Being able to recognize one's own shortcomings allows one to know how to change those shortcomings, which is also a way to find strength and move forward.

Moreover, with Akutagawa Jirou's assistance at this moment, Oshitari is not without a chance of winning.

"You should have found a way to win by now, right? Go and take the victory!"

"Yes, Coach!"

Fuji his next service game, Fuji once again used the serve that disappears.

But.

In a flash.

Oshitari had already determined the direction in which the ball disappeared. Instead of catching it where it bounced, he arrived at the position after the ball changed direction and was ready to catch it.

The biggest drawback of the "disappearing serve" is that the ball is too slow.

Once the trajectory is predicted, the opponent can easily counterattack, or even use their special skills specifically for that ball.

For example, Oshitari's actions right now have taken everyone at Seigaku by surprise.

"Could this action be...?"

Kikumaru couldn't believe it; the pose Oshitari was exactly the same as when Fuji Returning Swallow.

The next moment, Oshitari sliced the ball back, and the tennis ball didn't bounce off the ground like Returning Swallow.

Instead, the Topspin.

In this shot, Oshitari used his backhand to hit the ball with powerful spin, and the ball's trajectory was similar to a short-distance snake.

However, the shot has a small amplitude, lands close to the net, and spins quickly, resulting in a rapid landing. Usually, the opponent scores before they can even see the trajectory of the ball.

"If it weren't for the Returning Swallow, I would have thought that Oshitari Yushi would use Fuji's Returning Swallow. But this move is also very powerful; the ball bounces back at such a fast speed after landing!"

The Seigaku members were also incredibly surprised, never expecting that Oshitari Yushi possessed such dazzling tennis skills as Fuji Shusuke.

Kikumaru, whose dynamic vision is astonishing, said:

"That ball bounced off the ground and flew out of the court at extremely high speed with Topspin, the exact opposite of Fuji's Returning Swallow."

"A side spin approach shot can also be called a SSAS!"

After giving Fuji a cold look, Oshitari uttered the name of the move.

"30-15."

The match then moved into the performance segment Oshitari.

Bang!

"Flat approach shot!"

"FAS!"

Hyotei Academy is leading, 40-15.

Bang!

Bang!

In the midst of the back-and-forth attack, Oshitari suddenly switched from a wide-ranging feint to a low-powered net shot.

Fuji was the first to realize this, but it was too late to come to his rescue.

The tennis ball has gently sailed over the net.

Oshitari's strike seemed to completely halt the flow of the tennis ball.

"Fake and Dr'default shot!"

F&D!

"Game, Hyotei Academy is in the lead, score 4-3."

The Hyotei Academy, Oshitari, who is said to possess a thousand unique skills, treats tennis balls as if they were just toys in his hands.

His superior technique allows him to make the ball move in any irregular way.

Originally, due to his personality, he often didn't use his full strength. However, after being spurred on by Muneyoshi and Fuji, he began to truly show his talent.

However, Fuji Shusuke is not one to give up easily, and with his superior strength and skills, he managed to catch up in the score.

Unfortunately, the decline is already evident.

Moreover, this was a doubles match, and Hyotei Academy was clearly better prepared than the hastily assembled pair of Inui Sadaharu and Fuji.

Moreover, the Data Tennis has yet to demonstrate its power; its current data collection is still too limited.

After all, they were only first-year students. After a hard-fought tiebreaker, Hyotei Academy finally emerged victorious under the relentless attacks of Oshitari and Jirou.

"Game, Hyotei Academy, 7:6."

Hyotei Academy won the doubles match, bringing the overall score to 2-0.

With two Seigaku leaving the field, the situation for the entire match was already very unfavorable.

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