The boy who stopped Kannagi Shinichi was none other than Tezuka Kunimitsu, who had missed the quarterfinals.
He had set out from home very early, but halfway there, he came across an injured pregnant woman. He took her to the hospital, which kept him from competing in the rest of the tournament.
On his way to the courts, he had already learned that Kannagi Shinichi had won this National Elementary School Tournament.
So the moment he saw Kannagi, he invited him to play a match.
He had thought that Kannagi, proud of his championship, would surely accept a challenge.
But he hadn't expected this!
Kannagi refused—and without the slightest hesitation.
"Actually, it's because..."
Tezuka tried to explain, but Kannagi cut him off. "I know your name is Tezuka Kunimitsu, and that you had your reasons for missing the tournament. But I don't want to hear them. A match is a match. Now that the tournament is over, there's no reason for me to play you."
"I'm sorry, but I really want to play a match against you. Please." Tezuka didn't continue explaining why he had arrived late. Instead, he bowed sincerely to Kannagi.
"Do you think that would be fair?" Kannagi suddenly asked coldly.
"What?" Tezuka was caught off guard by Kannagi's question.
"I said, do you think it'd be fair for me to play you now?" Kannagi's voice was icy. "I've already played three matches in a row. How much energy do you think I have left? Would it be fair to have me play you, when you haven't played a single match?"
Fair?
Not at all. Kannagi had used Thunderclap Eight Trigrams four times during his match against Yukimura Seiichi, and he was already completely exhausted. Was he supposed to play Tezuka just because Tezuka asked? Just because Tezuka was one of the main characters?
"Th-this..."
Listening to Kannagi, Tezuka murmured, at a loss for words.
Just then, Yukimura Seiichi and Sanada Genichiro came over. Seeing Tezuka stopping Kannagi, they stepped forward and asked, "Kannagi, is something wrong?"
"It's nothing." Kannagi looked at Yukimura and Sanada, who had asked him the question, and his cold expression softened into a faint smile. Then he pointed at Tezuka. "This is Tezuka Kunimitsu, the one who missed the matches despite making the quarterfinals. He stopped me because he wanted to play a match, but I already turned him down."
After hearing Kannagi's explanation, Yukimura and Sanada looked over at Tezuka too.
Tezuka's icy expression flushed slightly. He knew it had been rather presumptuous of him to stop Kannagi and ask for a match, but he truly wanted to play against him.
When Tezuka said nothing, Kannagi spoke again. "If you want to compete against me, you can choose Hyotei for middle school. Then I can play you every day."
It would be best if he could bring Tezuka to Hyotei. With Tezuka on the team, Hyotei's lineup would be even more formidable.
Still, Kannagi thought there was little chance Tezuka would join Hyotei.
Sure enough, Tezuka refused. "I'm sorry, but I've already decided to attend Seishun Academy for middle school."
Tezuka's idol was Echizen Nanjirou, so Kannagi wasn't surprised he had chosen Seigaku.
"Is that so?" Kannagi replied coolly. Looking at Tezuka, he said coldly, "In that case, I hope we meet on the court in middle school. Of course, that's assuming you make Seigaku's regular lineup."
"I will." Tezuka then bowed slightly to Kannagi. "I apologize for being so presumptuous just now."
"I accept your apology. If there's nothing else, I'll be going." After speaking, Kannagi nodded to Yukimura and Sanada, then turned and got into the car with Sakaki Taro.
Just before getting in, however, Kannagi turned back and said coolly to Tezuka, "Tezuka Kunimitsu, watch out for your upperclassmen when you get to Seigaku."
Kannagi had already warned Tezuka to be wary of his Seigaku upperclassmen. If Tezuka still ended up injured after being struck with a racket, that wouldn't be Kannagi's problem.
After saying that, Kannagi got into Sakaki's car without looking back. It soon disappeared from Tezuka and the others' sight.
Left standing there, Tezuka was utterly confused. What had Kannagi meant by telling him to watch out for Seigaku's upperclassmen?
Yukimura and Sanada glanced at Tezuka, but didn't say anything. They turned and left, heading back to Kanagawa.
Tezuka had also wanted to play a match against Yukimura. On his way here, he'd heard the spectators talking about the champion and runner-up of this year's elementary school tournament.
He'd learned from them that both finalists were stronger than middle schoolers.
Kannagi Shinichi had won the tournament, and Yukimura Seiichi had come in second.
But remembering Kannagi's words, Tezuka ultimately didn't ask Yukimura for a match, even though he still wanted to play him.
Watching Yukimura and Sanada walk away, Tezuka could only shake his head in disappointment.
It seemed he'd have to wait until middle school to play Kannagi and Yukimura.
In the original timeline, Tezuka Kunimitsu had also arrived late to this elementary school tournament.
But he had played against both finalists: first, he swept runner-up Sanada Genichiro 6–0, then he fought champion Yukimura Seiichi to a draw.
But all of that had changed with Kannagi Shinichi's arrival.
Sanada Genichiro hadn't suffered a crushing defeat at Tezuka's hands. His greatest target for revenge was still Kannagi Shinichi, though that revenge seemed a long way off.
And Yukimura Seiichi hadn't played Tezuka either. They had merely met briefly before Yukimura headed straight back to Kanagawa.
With both finalists gone, Tezuka naturally had no reason to remain at the courts. He left the Shisen Tennis Center with a tinge of regret.
Meanwhile, Sakaki Taro drove and asked Kannagi Shinichi, "You told me Tezuka Kunimitsu was a national-level player too. If he joins Seigaku, could he become a threat to Hyotei?"
After hearing Sakaki's question, Kannagi smiled faintly. "The current Seigaku will never be a threat to Hyotei. Our real opponents are Rikkai Dai, with Yukimura and Sanada joining."
Kannagi didn't take the current Seigaku seriously at all. First, Ryuzaki Sumire had imposed the ridiculous rule that first-years couldn't touch a ball. Then there were the upperclassmen, jealous of their juniors' talent, who had viciously attacked them. Seigaku as it stood wasn't worth taking seriously.
"Understood. I'll pay closer attention to Rikkai Dai." Sakaki, still at the wheel, looked grave when Kannagi mentioned them. Hyotei now had Kannagi Shinichi, the strongest player of the era, but the National Tournament was a team competition. Kannagi could only guarantee victory in one match.
Seeing Sakaki's serious expression, Kannagi spoke up. "Coach, I want to invite someone to join Hyotei. And we'll have to go together to ask him."
Sakaki looked puzzled. Whoever this was, they must be important for Kannagi to insist on making the invitation in person. He asked, "Who is he?"
"Mouri Jusaburou, from Shitenhoji!"
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