Young Tennis Prodigies

"How arrogant!"

At Itakura Tennis Club in Kanagawa, Kanto, a boy wearing a cap held the latest issue of Tennis Weekly. He was filled with anger and disdain at Kannagi Shinichi's bold declaration.

"Heh heh..." A gentle childish laugh sounded beside him. A boy who looked exceptionally mild took Tennis Weekly from Sanada Genichiro's hands. Looking at the stern, resolute Kannagi Shinichi in the magazine photo, a trace of amusement appeared on his face before he suddenly said, "Genichiro, let's go to Tokyo and enter this year's National Elementary School Tournament."

The mild boy was named Yukimura Seiichi. At that moment, he raised his head and looked at Sanada Genichiro.

"Seiichi, with your strength and mine, entering an elementary school tournament would be completely meaningless. No elementary school student can stand against us."

Sanada Genichiro was very confident in his own strength. In his eyes, among people their age, only Yukimura Seiichi standing before him was an opponent worth defeating. As for Kannagi Shinichi, whom Tennis Weekly had lavishly praised, he did not take him seriously at all.

Ever since he began playing tennis, Sanada Genichiro had only lost to Yukimura Seiichi. As for Kannagi Shinichi's undefeated record, Sanada Genichiro was confident that either he or Yukimura could achieve the same.

Of course, Sanada Genichiro's premise was that he did not face Yukimura. After all, Yukimura's godlike technique that erased vision and touch had left far too many shadows in Sanada Genichiro's mind.

"We might run into Kannagi Shinichi if we go to Tokyo for this tournament. After all, Hyotei is in Tokyo." Yukimura Seiichi paused, then asked Sanada Genichiro with a gentle smile, "Genichiro, don't you want to see this man Tennis Weekly calls the Second Legendary Man?"

After hearing that, Sanada pondered for a while before agreeing. A sword-like gleam flashed in his eyes as he said coldly, "Fine. If I truly encounter Kannagi Shinichi, then I, Sanada Genichiro, will cast him into the abyss of defeat once and for all."

Yukimura Seiichi merely smiled gently, then looked once more at the photo in Tennis Weekly. The corners of his lips curved up slightly. "Kannagi Shinichi? Interesting."

Kumamoto, Kyushu.

Inside a bookstore, a curly-haired boy with a fluffy head of hair held Tennis Weekly and pointed at Kannagi Shinichi's photograph as he said to the golden-haired boy beside him, "Kippei, this guy looks really strong."

The curly-haired boy was Chitose Senri, while the golden-haired boy was Tachibana Kippei. The two were highly renowned tennis prodigies in Kyushu.

Tachibana Kippei also glanced at the photograph, a beastlike fighting spirit radiating from him. "That's what makes it interesting. Tennis is only fun when there are powerful opponents like this. Chitose, I can't wait to enter middle school, face him on the national stage, and defeat him."

"Kippei, perhaps we won't have to wait until middle school to play against Kannagi Shinichi."

"What do you mean?"

Chitose Senri flipped Tennis Weekly open to another page and held it before Tachibana Kippei. "The National Elementary School Tennis Tournament is being held in Tokyo. Kannagi Shinichi might take part in this tournament too. After all, this is the last national competition of his elementary school career, and Tokyo is Hyotei's territory."

"You want to go to Tokyo and enter this National Elementary School Tennis Tournament?" Tachibana Kippei looked at Chitose Senri.

"Not me. Us." Chitose Senri smiled and lightly shook his head. "Kippei, don't you want to face him sooner and see just how much substance this man hailed as the Second Legendary Man really has?"

After hearing Chitose Senri's words, Tachibana Kippei fell silent for a while. His eyes were full of eagerness as an aura like that of a beast erupted from his body, his fighting spirit growing even stronger than before.

"Kippei, you... got stronger again?" Though Chitose Senri phrased it as a question, it sounded more like certainty.

Tachibana Kippei merely nodded calmly and said to Chitose Senri, "Chitose, let's go to Tokyo and register for this tournament."

"All right." As a prodigy, Chitose Senri believed that neither he nor his friend Tachibana Kippei would be inferior to anyone else, even if that man was called the Second Legendary Man.

Osaka, Kansai.

On the rooftop of Shitenhoji Middle School's teaching building, Mouri Jusaburou was hiding in a corner with his jacket draped over him, taking a light nap with his eyes closed.

"Mori-senpai, you're slacking off here again."

A brown-haired boy stood there, panting as he looked at Mouri Jusaburou. His name was Shiraishi Kuranosuke. Though he was still an elementary school student, Coach Shuu of Shitenhoji had discovered him because of his outstanding talent and allowed him to take part in Shitenhoji's training early.

Today, he had been sent by captain Taira Yoshiyuki to find Mori-senpai, who had skipped training.

When Mouri Jusaburou did not answer, Shiraishi Kuranosuke anxiously said, "Mori-senpai, if you still don't go train, Captain Taira and Coach Shuu are really going to get angry."

Although his own tennis talent was exceptional, Shiraishi Kuranosuke envied the Mouri Jusaburou before him even more, because Mori-senpai's talent far surpassed his own.

Mouri Jusaburou slowly opened his eyes, looking utterly lazy. "What's the big deal? Once those monsters from Makino Fuji Middle School graduate, there probably won't be anyone in middle school who can beat me. What's the point of training anymore?"

Mori-senpai clearly possessed such extraordinary tennis talent, yet he was wasting it. This made Shiraishi Kuranosuke, who was younger than Mouri, resent his refusal to strive for better.

Remembering what Coach Shuu had told him before he came, Shiraishi Kuranosuke continued, "Mori-senpai, perhaps there is someone stronger than you."

"Oh? Who?"

"Kannagi Shinichi—the one who defeated Tono Atsukyo of Makino Fuji Middle School with a single shot."

When Mouri Jusaburou heard Shiraishi's words, the laziness around him vanished. His entire body became like a sword about to leave its sheath, ready to reveal its edge at any moment.

Tono Atsukyo was very strong. Although Mouri Jusaburou had never faced him, he knew in his heart that he was not confident he could defeat him.

At first, when tennis magazines reported that Tono Atsukyo had lost to Kannagi Shinichi, he had not believed it. It was only after Coach Watanabe Shuu of the Tennis Club confirmed it that he accepted the truth: one of Makino Fuji's aces had truly been severely injured by a single shot from Kannagi Shinichi.

It was because of this that Mouri Jusaburou began to take this elementary school student named Kannagi Shinichi seriously.

When Shiraishi Kuranosuke saw the change in Mori-senpai upon hearing Kannagi Shinichi's name, he could not help but secretly admire Coach Shuu. Then, following the coach's instructions, he continued, "We just received news that Kannagi Shinichi will choose Hyotei Academy for middle school and has declared that he will lead Hyotei to the top of the nation;

but that isn't the most important part, because there is also news that Kannagi Shinichi had a one-shot match with Hyotei's captain, Ochi Moonlight, and Kannagi Shinichi won."

"Is that so? Ochi-senpai probably didn't serve first, right? After all, no one has ever returned Ochi-senpai's serve on the first try." Mouri put the jacket draped over him back on, then looked at Shiraishi with a rather gloating expression. "If I remember correctly, that guy is in the same year as you, Shiraishi. Ah, being in the same year as him... Little Shiraishi, you'd better work hard."

"Yes, I will, Mori-senpai." Just as Shiraishi finished speaking, Mouri Jusaburou was already about to head down from the rooftop. Shiraishi Kuranosuke hurriedly shouted, "Mori-senpai, where are you going now?"

"Idiot, of course I'm going to train." Without looking back, Mouri Jusaburou walked straight down the stairs, sighing inwardly, Even if Ochi Moonlight wasn't the one serving, defeating him is no small feat. This Kannagi Shinichi really is a monster.

Seeing this, Shiraishi Kuranosuke's face lit up. He hurried after him. "Mori-senpai, wait for me!"

Youth Heights First Elementary School, Tokyo.

A stoic, bespectacled boy was carefully reading Tennis Weekly's report on Kannagi Shinichi.

"Will you be participating in the National Elementary School Tennis Tournament, Kannagi Shinichi?"