While most people were intimidated by Akutsu's smile, a lively voice rang out from the court.
"Wow, that was amazing! Really amazing!"
Akutagawa Jirou's eyes were shining as he hurried over to Akutsu. Facing that terrifying grin, he showed no fear at all. Instead, he beamed brightly. "You move so fast. It's like you're flying through the air! How do you do that?"
Akutsu's smile abruptly vanished. Looking at the bright-eyed boy in front of him and hearing him praise him, he actually seemed a little embarrassed. The corners of his mouth stiffened. "I... don't know, either. I guess I was born that way..."
Seeing this, Kannagi Shinichi secretly grinned. So Akutsu can't handle people who are this enthusiastic.
Back on the court, Akutagawa had returned to the baseline and was waiting for Akutsu to serve, racket in hand. "You're really amazing. Let's play another game! Another one!"
The referee for the match covered his face and reminded him, "Akutagawa Jirou, it's your service game."
"Ah, it's my turn to serve."
Hearing the referee, Akutagawa walked back to the service line, a little disappointed. But the feeling didn't last long. Holding the ball and looking across at Akutsu, he called out excitedly, "You're really strong, but I'm going to hold my serve!"
Akutagawa tossed the ball high into the air, leaned his whole body far forward, and swung his racket.
Thwack...
As the ball left his racket, Akutagawa was already in motion. In an instant, he reached the net.
Akutsu swung his racket again, sending the ball toward Akutagawa's lower body.
Akutsu seemed about to score, but something strange happened. Akutagawa looked as if he were about to fall, yet his racket suddenly changed direction and caught the ball.
The ball crossed the net and dropped short. Akutsu had no time to return it.
Bounce, bounce, bounce...
The ball bounced lightly on the ground...
"15–0, point to Akutagawa Jirou."
After Akutagawa scored with that shot, he won the next few points of the game the same way.
Swish...
"30–0, point to Akutagawa Jirou."
Whoosh...
"40–0, point to Akutagawa Jirou."
"The score is 2–2. The match is tied."
"Huff... huff... You bastard... That definitely wasn't luck..."
Akutsu fixed his gaze on Akutagawa. Those shots had seemed accidental, and his points had looked like nothing more than good fortune.
But Akutsu knew there was something odd about them. It couldn't be as simple as luck.
His eyes were sharp as a beast's as he watched Akutagawa. Perhaps on instinct, his gaze fell on Akutagawa's wrist.
He wanted to know whether his guess was right, but first, he had to hold his own serve.
He tossed the ball into the air again and let out a loud shout, putting all his strength into his right arm as he struck it.
Whoosh...
A streak of yellow shot forward at tremendous speed. The ball had far more power and speed than his previous serve. The spectators saw only its trail as it landed in the opposite court in an instant.
Akutagawa sprang into action and, at the last possible moment, reached the ball. He swung his racket, ready to return it after the bounce.
Thwack...
But as his racket struck the ball, a tremendous force weighed on his wrist. He couldn't help thinking, No wonder the captain personally brought him to Hyotei. He's incredibly strong.
Akutagawa managed to return the ball, but it went up in a high lob.
Akutsu leaped up on the other side of the court and smashed the ball behind Akutagawa.
"15–0, point to Akutsu Jin."
From then on, the game swung entirely in Akutsu's favor. Two minutes later, the referee announced the latest score.
"Game. The score is 3–2, Akutsu Jin leads."
Now it was Akutagawa's service game. He tried the same tactic again, rushing the net as soon as he served.
This time, Akutsu didn't aim for Akutagawa's lower body. Instead, he hit a lob. Akutagawa quickly retreated and barely managed to return it.
Another chance to attack. Akutsu leaped up and smashed the ball with all his might.
"15–0, Akutsu Jin leads."
"Hahahaha... I knew it! Those first two games weren't luck at all. It was your wrist!"
After scoring that point, Akutsu Jin burst into wild laughter again.
"Yikes, you figured it out." Akutagawa didn't seem embarrassed at all to have been found out. He just stood there, grinning, and admitted it.
Once Akutsu had figured out the secret of Akutagawa's wrist, the match swung completely in his favor.
Thump...
"Game. The score is 4–2, Akutsu Jin leads."
"Game. The score is 5–2, Akutsu Jin leads."
"Game. The score is 5–3, Akutsu Jin leads."
"Match over. Akutsu Jin wins, 6–3."
Although Akutagawa managed to take a game in Akutsu's deciding set, he still lost the match.
Now he was sprawled on the court, drenched in sweat and panting heavily, but the corners of his mouth were lifted high. "Tennis is so much fun..."
Seeing him like that, Akutsu started to go over and help him up. He was actually quite willing to spend time with Akutagawa.
But a moment later, Akutsu erupted into a furious shout. "You idiot, wake up already!"
As time passed, the matches grew more intense, and the results of the regular selection became clearer.
One match in particular caught Kannagi Shinichi's attention. It was between Oshitari Yuushi and Mukahi Gakuto.
Perhaps Oshitari's style was a perfect counter to Mukahi Gakuto's. Oshitari didn't lose a single game in the match.
In one game, he even used the Brown Bear Drop Shot, leaving the tennis club members and the reporter Inoue Mamoru stunned.
Inoue seized the opportunity to capture Oshitari Yuushi's return on camera.
The sun was setting. A few evening clouds along the horizon turned the entire court crimson.
The two-day regular selection ended quickly. Most people wore disappointed expressions, after all, there were only eight spots on Hyotei's regular team.
At this point in the timeline, Hyotei didn't have a second-string team. The team had only just been formed and needed matches to improve. They weren't going to pull any stunts by sending a second-string team to compete—not even in the regional tournament.
As the matches unfolded, the strongest players distinguished themselves one after another. Those who lost were disappointed, but they accepted defeat bravely.
After all, the winner had earned it, and the loser had no regrets.
Hyotei's adviser, Sakaki Taro, held the latest list of the tennis club's regulars and looked around at the more than two hundred members.
"I hereby announce Hyotei's new regulars."
"Captain, Kannagi Shinichi..."
"Vice-captain, Atobe Keigo..."
"Third-year, Yamazaki Uye..."
"First-year, Akutsu Jin..."
"First-year, Oshitari Yuushi..."
"First-year, Shishido Ryo..."
"First-year, Akutagawa Jirou..."
And
"First-year, Mukahi Gakuto..."
Before you continue