Kanagawa, Rikkai Dai Junior High. Google Search Read
In the tennis club's meeting room, a squint-eyed boy holding the latest issue of Tennis Weekly walked over to Yukimura and Sanada.
The boy's name was Yanagi Renji. After joining Rikkai Dai, he had joined forces with Yukimura Seiichi and Sanada Genichiro, using their formidable tennis skills to take complete control of the tennis club.
Yanagi handed them the magazine. "This is the latest issue of Tennis Weekly. It has the newest news about Hyotei."
The two took the magazine. On the cover were four boys wearing gray-and-white tracksuits.
The moment they saw the cover, Yukimura and Sanada fixed their eyes on the boy standing at the back on the left.
At the sight of that familiar face, a complicated look entered Yukimura Seiichi's blue eyes. The first match he had ever lost in his life had been against that boy.
Sanada, meanwhile, pressed down the brim of his cap. It was only after losing that match in the elementary school tournament that he had realized someone his own age could be so powerful.
Noticing the complicated expressions on their faces as they looked at the cover, Yanagi couldn't help asking, "Is Kannagi Shinichi really as strong as the rumors say?"
After all, over the past few days, Yanagi had learned just how skilled the two were. If he faced either one now, he wouldn't stand a chance.
Yet even Yukimura and Sanada had lost to Hyotei's current captain, Kannagi Shinichi, a few days earlier.
He wanted to know whether Kannagi Shinichi was truly as powerful as the stories claimed.
At Yanagi's question, the two came back to themselves. Yukimura Seiichi spoke with a trace of bitterness. "The information those tennis magazines published is all true. Kannagi Shinichi is now unmatched in junior high tennis. No one can beat him—not even me."
Remembering Kannagi Shinichi wielding Thunderclap Eight Trigrams, Yukimura Seiichi's eyes dimmed.
"What...? The news in those tennis magazines was all true?"
Yanagi recalled the photos in the magazines showing Kannagi Shinichi smashing a wall with a tennis ball. He hadn't believed them at the time, but hearing Yukimura say it himself finally convinced him. There really was a terrifying monster in Japan's junior tennis world.
Beside him, Sanada Genichiro shut his eyes in pain. "His strength is beyond belief. I couldn't win a single point against him."
"This..."
Yanagi wanted to say, "How is that possible?" But Sanada Genichiro had said it himself, and Yanagi couldn't help believing him.
After a long while, Yanagi composed himself and looked at the cover of Tennis Weekly, studying the four boys' youthful faces.
He felt a twinge of concern about Rikkai Dai's chances of winning the National Tournament.
Yanagi pointed to the other three on the cover. "Yukimura, Sanada, do you know these three?"
Yukimura and Sanada both shook their heads as they looked at the three unfamiliar faces.
Sanada Genichiro asked, "Are they all members of Hyotei's tennis club?"
Yanagi nodded, his expression grave.
"All three are current starters at Hyotei. They won every match in Hyotei's selection tournament."
After speaking, Yanagi opened the pages about Hyotei. The magazine gave detailed information on the three boys.
Atobe Keigo, a first-year at Hyotei Academy and vice-captain of the tennis club. A tennis prodigy who had returned from the United Kingdom, he had conquered the British junior tennis scene. He qualified as a starter with a perfect record in Hyotei's selection tournament and didn't lose a single point.
Oshitari Yuushi, a first-year at Hyotei Academy and a starter on its tennis team. Known as a genius in Kansai, he also qualified with a perfect record in Hyotei's selection tournament and didn't lose a single game.
Akutsu Jin, a first-year at Hyotei Academy and a starter on its tennis team. Invited by the club captain, Kannagi Shinichi, he had joined Hyotei Academy and qualified as a starter with a perfect record in its selection tournament.
According to the report, Akutsu had only started playing tennis after joining Hyotei Academy. His exceptional physical talents had earned him Kannagi Shinichi's praise as a once-in-a-decade tennis prodigy.
After reading the information about the three, Yukimura and Sanada looked grave as well.
After joining Rikkai Dai's tennis club, Yukimura Seiichi and Sanada Genichiro had set their sights on winning the National Tournament.
Though they had already considered Hyotei, where Kannagi Shinichi played, their greatest rival, at the time Hyotei had only had Kannagi Shinichi. Rikkai Dai's strength as a team had far surpassed Hyotei's.
But now three more tennis prodigies had joined Hyotei. The two couldn't help worrying more about their chances in the National Tournament.
After carefully reading the article about Hyotei, the two discovered that seven of Hyotei's starters were first-years. This came as a huge surprise.
"Hyotei... Is it a place where strength comes first?"
Yukimura Seiichi murmured, then let his presence flare. He turned to Sanada Genichiro and Yanagi Renji. "Genichiro, Renji, hold another selection tournament for the tennis club. This time, make sure every member takes part."
Yukimura Seiichi spoke with unwavering resolve, a cold glint in his blue eyes.
"Agreed. Tennis has always been about strength. Only the strongest can become Rikkai Dai starters."
Sanada Genichiro was the first to agree. Yanagi nodded beside him. "Understood. I'll arrange the groups for the new selection tournament right away."
The three made a major decision for the tennis club in that meeting room.
As a result, players who wouldn't have emerged until their second year in the original story—such as Niou Masaharu, Jack Sanada, and Marui Bunta—would step onto the stage of this year's National Tournament ahead of schedule.
Osaka, Shitenhoji.
Several first-year boys gathered around a boy named Oshitari Kenya, holding a copy of Tennis Weekly.
"Kenya, that Hyotei starter has the same surname as you. Is he a relative?"
The boy who asked was Koishikawa Kenjiro. He and Oshitari Kenya, who stood among the group, had joined the Shitenhoji tennis club at the same time.
However, Koishikawa was still an ordinary club member, while Oshitari Kenya had already become a starter for Shitenhoji.
Seeing how eager his friends were to know, the usually helpful Oshitari Kenya didn't hide anything. He nodded. "Yeah. Oshitari Yuushi is my cousin."
"I'm so jealous. One of you is a Shitenhoji starter, and the other is a Hyotei starter..."
"Hyotei is a Tokyo powerhouse. They made the semifinals of last year's National Tournament. Kenya, your cousin must be really good, right?"
"Yeah, he's strong. I've never beaten him in a match."
When Oshitari Kenya heard the question, he didn't hold back. After all, Oshitari Yuushi's reputation as a genius had spread because of him.
Hearing Kenya's answer, someone immediately asked, "Then he must be one of the best at Hyotei. He can beat you, after all."
But Oshitari Kenya shook his head. "I talked to my cousin on the phone. He said the other three are the real monsters. Leaving their captain, Kannagi Shinichi, aside, Atobe Keigo and Akutsu are also ridiculously strong."
The first-year members of Shitenhoji's tennis club continued discussing the news about Hyotei.
Behind them, a young man with a toothpick between his teeth murmured to himself, "I can't believe that after getting Kannagi Shinichi, Hyotei also got Atobe Keigo and Akutsu. Hyotei's really strong this year..."
Then he glanced at Oshitari Kenya, who was surrounded by the others, and thought, If that kid named Oshitari Yuushi can easily beat you, Kenya, he must be a monster too...
Elsewhere,
Tokyo Metropolis, Seishun Academy
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