The Match Begins

In the original world, Atobe Keigo should have first defeated all the former regulars on the tennis team, then beaten the combined forces of Shishido Ryo and Mukahi Gakuto, and only after that faced off against Oshitari Yuushi.

But Kannagi Shinichi's arrival had changed everything.

"Let's decide who serves by spinning the racket. That way, the loser won't have any excuses."

Kannagi Shinichi had already taken off his jacket and walked to the net. He stood his racket upright on the ground and waited for Atobe Keigo to answer.

"Just what I wanted." Atobe Keigo still sounded confident. He looked at the upright racket. "I choose heads."

Once Atobe Keigo had spoken, Kannagi Shinichi spun the racket.

A moment later, Atobe Keigo held his head high, looking supremely pleased with himself. "Looks like Lady Luck is on my side today. I'm going to win this match."

Atobe Keigo's confidence wasn't blind. He had grown up in the United Kingdom, where he'd received the best tennis training and seen many young prodigies active on the European circuit.

That was precisely why he knew just how enormous the gap was between tennis in Japan and in Europe.

Atobe Keigo was a gifted player who had made a name for himself on the European junior circuit. He had even conquered the junior tennis scene in the United Kingdom, one of the four countries to host a Grand Slam tournament.

He could tell that Kannagi Shinichi was strong. The aura around him was unmistakable. But Atobe Keigo still believed that if he could conquer the British junior circuit, he could conquer Japan's junior tennis scene too.

That was why the arrogant Atobe Keigo knew nothing about the current state of junior tennis in Japan. He'd never even paid attention to anything happening in Japanese tennis.

After all, on the world tennis stage, Japan had produced no professional players in over a decade. The only exception was Echizen Nanjirou, who had been active more than ten years ago and whose legend still endured in Europe.

Atobe Keigo had just arrived at Hyotei, yet he was already challenging the tennis club captain. Most Japanese people wouldn't have approved.

But Atobe Keigo didn't care. His life's creed was that strength was what mattered.

The two had taken their places at the baseline, and Atobe Keigo was ready to serve.

Just then, a warm male voice rang out from beside the court. "Looks like you need a referee!"

A blue-haired boy with glasses set down his bag and climbed into the umpire's chair. Smiling, he looked at the two players. "You don't mind, do you?"

Kannagi Shinichi recognized the boy at once: Oshitari Yuushi, known as the Kansai Wolf and a future tennis prodigy at Hyotei.

He sized Oshitari Yuushi up, then gave a small nod. "A referee would be good. Then the loser will have even less to say."

Kannagi Shinichi was only stating a fact, but to Atobe Keigo, it sounded as if he were saying the match's winner had already been decided.

The arrogant Atobe felt provoked, so he decided to hit back verbally.

He casually flicked the hair over his forehead and spoke to Oshitari Yuushi with characteristic self-admiration. "I don't mind either. It'll give one more person a chance to admire my glorious victory."

Watching the two trade barbs, Oshitari Yuushi's lips curled slightly. He naturally knew Kannagi Shinichi. After all, people called him "the strongest of the new generation," and the recent issues of Tennis Weekly had featured him in most of their articles.

As for the other, gray-haired boy, Oshitari Yuushi didn't recognize him. But in his mind, anyone who dared challenge Kannagi Shinichi was no ordinary player.

Oshitari Yuushi felt that life at Hyotei would never be boring.

He gathered his thoughts, intending to be a perfect referee and carefully observe the two players.

But just as he was about to announce the start of the match, he realized he didn't know Atobe's name. So he asked, "Excuse me, what's your name?"

"I am Atobe Keigo."

After speaking, Atobe flicked his hair again. Oshitari Yuushi's mouth twitched at the sight. This guy was a bit of a chuunibyou.

"Atobe Keigo?" Oshitari Yuushi murmured. He didn't dwell on it, and promptly announced the start of the match:

"Atobe Keigo versus Kannagi Shinichi. One set, with Atobe Keigo serving."

Kannagi Shinichi wasn't surprised that Oshitari Yuushi recognized him. By now, he was a household name in Japan's junior tennis scene. Most young tennis players, especially, had seen his photos in Tennis Weekly.

Thwack...

Atobe Keigo had served. The ball was incredibly fast, and even Oshitari Yuushi, sitting in the umpire's chair, couldn't help thinking that the boy was no ordinary player.

Most tennis players would have struggled to return that serve, but for Kannagi Shinichi, with his explosive power, it was nothing.

In an instant, Kannagi Shinichi reached the ball. He didn't hold back, swinging his racket with all his strength.

The only way to make Atobe Keigo submit was to crush him with overwhelming ability. Otherwise, Atobe Keigo might rebel every other day in the future.

The tennis ball screamed through the air like a beam of light and dropped into Atobe's court.

Thump...

The ball hit the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust, then bounced back even faster. Like a roaring dragon, it shot past Atobe Keigo.

"How is that possible..."

Atobe's face was filled with shock. The return had been even faster than his serve.

Though stunned at first, he reacted quickly. He raced after the ball, which had already flown far away, gathered all his strength, and swung his racket.

But Kannagi Shinichi was simply too powerful. The moment Atobe Keigo's racket met the ball, he felt a tremendous force surge toward his wrist.

A moment later, a racket lay on the ground, and the tennis ball had bounced into the fence beside the court, embedding itself there.

"What incredible power. He's a monster." Oshitari Yuushi glanced at Kannagi Shinichi warily, then announced the score.

"0–15, point to Kannagi Shinichi."

The ceremony had ended, and a large crowd had gathered outside the tennis court. They had all seen that last shot.

"As expected of the captain. He scored with a return right away!" Shishido Ryo, squeezed in at the very front of the crowd, shouted happily.

"Serves that guy right for acting so full of himself. The captain taught him a lesson!" Mukahi Gakuto chimed in.

Behind Kannagi Shinichi, Akutsu looked puzzled. "Using his full strength from the start?"

Several members of the tennis club were mocking Atobe Keigo, making the girls who had been captivated by his looks and Haki glare at them angrily.

Many of the boys sheepishly fell silent, though a few taunts still rang out now and then.

On the court, Atobe Keigo stared blankly at his right hand. Then he burst out laughing. "Hahaha... This is interesting. So interesting. I never imagined Japan had a player like you."

When he was done laughing, Atobe picked up his racket and prepared to serve again.

Thwack...

"That's fast. I can barely see it."

Even Shishido Ryo, who had mocked Atobe earlier, looked astonished by his serve.

The crowd outside the court fell silent when they saw it too.

Although Atobe Keigo's serve was fast, Kannagi Shinichi still returned it. As before, the ball screamed through the air and flew into Atobe's court.

Thanks to his extraordinary powers of observation, Atobe Keigo immediately saw the ball's trajectory and predicted where it would land. He sprinted toward the spot.

Now gripping his racket firmly with both hands, he swung hard at the ball just as it was about to bounce, shouting, "One hand wasn't enough, so I'll return it with both! I refuse to lose to the same move twice!"