The Doubles Two match ended with the American West Coast team being completely crushed, which made the Japanese crowd especially excited. The cheers and applause grew louder and louder, and before anyone noticed, the whole stadium was echoing with chants of "Atobe."
Sanada didn't think much of it. He clearly knew Atobe could've returned that last shot himself but had purposely left it for him. Sanada was well aware of that.
Most of the match had been dominated by Atobe. Of course, that was also because the opponents were too weak. Atobe could've taken them down alone. Watching from the VIP box, Akashi just shook his head.
Originally, Akashi wanted to let the middle school players experience American tennis, but the opposing team's level was even lower than expected—far worse than what Akashi had anticipated.
Honestly, this was partly Akashi's own bias. In his memory, the American West Coast team in the original work had some strength, but that was only in comparison to the original middle school players.
Now, the members of the Kanto team could hold their own even on an international expedition. As long as they didn't face a true powerhouse country, they would have no problem winning. Akutsu and Yukimura could easily serve as aces.
Right now, someone on the court was extremely awkward—Echizen Ryōma. When Atobe walked off the court, he looked at Ryōma with a smirk and said:
"So this is the strength of the American team? If I remember correctly, Echizen-kun, weren't you the four-time U.S. Junior Open champion? No wonder~"
Ryōma had no rebuttal. Even he felt that the American West Coast team was too weak. Honestly, even Seigaku might not lose to them.
So Ryōma could only lower his head to adjust his cap, trying to hide his embarrassment. Atobe smiled when he saw this and didn't tease him further. He walked straight toward the VIP box—he had no intention of standing around at the player tunnel. That would go completely against Atobe Keigo's aesthetic.
Akashi wasn't surprised by Atobe's arrival. He simply gestured for Atobe to find a seat on his own. Meanwhile, Akashi's father, current head of the Akashi family, greeted Atobe with a smile and began praising his impressive tennis skills.
Seeing Akashi in a white suit, Atobe was momentarily stunned. Ever since Akashi returned to Japan, he hadn't dressed this formally again—always wearing his Fudomine regulars' jacket.
Akashi Seijūrō.
On the other side, over at the American team's bench, Richard harshly scolded Billy Cassidy and Michael Lee. But Michael clearly didn't care about Richard's anger, while Billy just lowered his head in shame.
After venting for a while, Richard waved them off. "Get out." Billy and Michael picked up their tennis bags and turned toward the player tunnel. No one noticed that Stephanie, who had been in the spectator stands earlier, had vanished too.
Soon, the Doubles One match was about to begin. The players from both teams waited at the entrance tunnel. This time, the announcer first introduced the American West Coast representatives—the Griffey brothers. As soon as their names were called, several American girls in the crowd screamed loudly.
In truth, Richard was grooming the brothers as idols in America, with little focus on their tennis abilities. This match was Richard's ace card. If they succeeded in becoming stars in Japan, it would mean big sponsor deals and loads of fan money later.
Tom Griffey (left) and Terry Griffey (right).
But soon after, when the announcer introduced the Kanto team players, the Japanese cheers instantly overpowered the American girls. Though the two players didn't have the massive fanbase that Atobe had, the crowd still gave them strong applause and cheers.
"Up next is the Doubles One match: representing the Kanto team are Fuji Shūsuke and Niō Masaharu! Representing the American West Coast team are Tom Griffey and Terry Griffey! Players, please take the court!"
As the Griffey brothers entered, Richard reminded them that they had to win this match. If they didn't, he'd send them back to their old lives. The brothers immediately tensed up. They had worked hard to get to this point and didn't want to go back.
The four players met at the net to greet each other. Fuji and Niō just gave small nods and reached out to shake hands silently. Then came the coin toss—Niō won and chose to serve. That was exactly what everyone on the Kanto team expected.
"Game start! Kanto team to serve first!"
Standing at the entrance tunnel, Yukimura looked at the two players on court and showed a faint, playful smile. He whispered softly:
"That mental pressure… Ah, I see now. As expected of Niō-kun~"
Niō stood at the baseline with a strange expression. He took a tennis ball from his pocket, stretched his left hand forward, and gave the ball a counterclockwise spin before releasing it.
The spinning ball gently dropped toward the ground. In the next moment, Niō's right hand swung up from below and flicked the ball out. It flew across the court with fierce spin, speeding toward the opponent's half.
Tom froze for a second. He hadn't expected his opponent to use an underhand serve in a match like this. Still, he didn't think much of it and ran to the landing point, ready to return. But as soon as the ball bounced, it began darting wildly through the air and then suddenly vanished right before his eyes.
"This serve disappears, you know~" Fuji said with a smile at the net.
"Ace! 15-0!"
Tom stared blankly at the ball behind him. He hadn't expected an underhand serve to hide such a trick. Still, he quickly collected himself and focused, waiting for the next serve.
Terry was also surprised, but he believed his older brother could handle it. So he just held his ready stance at the net and didn't say anything more.
Niō was already back at the baseline, giving the ball another counterclockwise spin before serving again with an underhand motion. The spinning ball shot once again toward the other side.
Tom reached the landing spot and kept his eyes locked on the ball. Just after it bounced, he swung his racket—only for the ball to disappear again.
"Ace! 30-0!"
"Onii-san! Are you okay?" This time Terry couldn't help asking his brother.
"Relax, Terry! I've already figured out the trick behind that serve!" Tom didn't seem flustered. Just like he said, he'd seen through it.
"Oh? Already cracked the disappearing serve? Guess we really can't underestimate you~" Fuji said with a grin.
Soon, Niō hit the third disappearing serve. Tom moved straight to the landing point and swung right after the bounce—but whiffed. Then, a second later, he spun around and swung again at the air to his right. The ball appeared at the edge of his racket—but without control, it hit the net and dropped.
"40-0!"
Terry relaxed a little after seeing his brother make contact. It didn't go over this time, but from now on, that serve shouldn't be a problem for him.
When Niō served the fourth disappearing ball, Tom was fully ready. As the ball flew toward him, he turned and swung at the space to his right. This time, the ball was returned—an impressively angled topspin shot.
Fuji saw it coming and smiled. He lifted his racket and drew a semi-circular arc through the air. The ball picked up an even sharper spin as it crossed the net and dropped just inside the front court. Terry moved to intercept—but the ball barely bounced before skimming along the ground and sliding out of bounds.
"First return—Tsubame Gaeshi," Fuji said calmly.
"Game! Fuji, Niō pair leads 1-0!"
Terry and Tom were speechless now. What was with these Japanese players? Why did they all love hitting these low-skimming balls? That Atobe guy had done the same thing earlier.
The second game was Tom's service game. Before serving, Terry gave him a look. Tom was a little surprised but nodded—no words were needed between the two.
Fuji and Niō then noticed the brothers had lined up in a straight line—but it didn't quite look like the Australian formation. Just as they were puzzled, Tom served. The ball flew straight toward the back of Terry's head.
Just before impact, Terry tilted his head. The ball whizzed past his ear and flew straight toward the other side.
Fuji rushed to the landing point. His view had been blocked, so he couldn't read the trajectory in advance. Still, he managed to catch up, but could only send back a high lob.
Terry saw it and immediately leapt into the air, smashing the ball down with full force toward the front court. But Fuji was ready. He spun halfway and blocked the ball's path with his racket, using centrifugal force to lob it back high again.
The ball traced a parabolic arc, dropped right onto the baseline, and bounced out of bounds—so fast that Tom couldn't react in time.
"Second return—Higuma Otoshi!" Fuji called out again.
"0-15!"
"That's weird. Why isn't Fuji using his evolved six returns? Why go back to the older ones?" Kikumaru in the stands tilted his head in confusion.
"Maybe he's hiding his strength. That's just how Fuji is," Oishi replied beside him.
"Maybe so… but something still feels off," Inui Sadaharu said as he adjusted his glasses thoughtfully.
Tom calmed himself and repeated the same serve. The ball shot straight toward Terry. As it reached the back of his head, Terry tilted again, dodging it easily. The ball sailed over the net and headed straight down the center of the opposite court.
This time, Fuji was ready. The moment he saw the ball, he moved to the landing spot and returned it sharply, aiming for the open space on Terry's left.
But Terry made a move Fuji hadn't anticipated. He leapt into the air and did a 180-degree flip, head down and feet up, opening a wide view for Tom behind him. Tom caught up and fired a forehand shot.
Niō was already at the net. He swung his racket to intercept. The instant the ball hit his strings, Niō used a special technique to soften most of its force, then dropped a short ball just over the net.
Terry had only just landed and rushed to his right, but he was too late. The ball bounced with barely any lift, and all Terry could do was watch it skip once, twice, then come to a stop.
"0-30!"
Terry stared across at Niō with a sharp look. He knew exactly how strong his brother's shot was. Though Tom was a bit weaker than him, it still wasn't something just anyone could handle like that.
Tom stuck to the same serve again, working in perfect sync with Terry, but it no longer worked on Fuji. Fuji reached the ball with ease and returned it.
The two sides went back and forth in a fierce rally. Niō and Fuji soon realized that the Griffey brothers' coordination wasn't limited to serving—even their returns were perfectly synchronized. Fortunately, neither Fuji nor Niō were ordinary players. Even without preemptively reading the shots, they could react fast enough.
After four or five rallies, Niō caught a gap between the brothers and slammed the ball right through it. It bounced and flew out of bounds before they could respond.
"0-40!"
Tom served again, Fuji returned with ease, and the rally began once more. But this time, Terry unleashed everything he had at the net, using all sorts of acrobatic, high-difficulty shots—some even flashier than Kikumaru and Hiyoshi's signature techniques.
On top of that, Terry's strength didn't match his looks at all. If not told beforehand that he was a boy, 99% of people meeting him for the first time would've thought he was a girl.
Thankfully, both Fuji and Niō were skilled enough to deflect most of the force behind his shots, limiting their effect. As Terry slid across the court to smash another forehand—
Fuji, sensing the breeze, smiled. He met the ball with a quick backhand slice. The ball spun fiercely, crossing the net fast. Terry moved to intercept, but the ball shot straight upward.
Terry and Tom looked up and judged it was flying out. But just as it reached the backcourt, the ball dropped sharply, landed on the baseline, and started spinning wildly.
Tom rushed to return, but the ball bounced in the opposite direction. Up front, Terry sensed it behind him and instinctively turned his head. The ball flew past his ear—right into Fuji's outstretched hand.
"Third counter—Hakugei." The wind lifted Fuji's hair slightly, giving him a graceful look.
"Game! Fuji, Niō pair leads 2-0!"
The third game was Fuji's serve. By now, Richard on the sidelines looked like he was about to explode. He hadn't expected his players to keep losing points like this. Judging from the situation, they'd probably lose this match too. There was no way he could accept that.
"Damn it! How can Japan's tennis players be this strong?! It's a low-ranked country—there's no way they should have players like this. Don't tell me Tom and Terry aren't playing seriously?" Richard fumed to himself.
Fuji stepped to the baseline with a strange smile. He held the ball in his left hand, gave it a counterclockwise spin, and released it.
Terry froze when he saw that motion, but Fuji was already swinging in an underhand serve.
Still unsure, Terry dashed to the landing spot and swung at the bouncing ball—but it disappeared. His racket hit nothing. The next moment, the ball appeared behind him and flew out of bounds.
"I already told you guys—this serve disappears~" Fuji said with his usual smile.
"Ace! 15-0!"
Terry and Tom were beyond frustrated. They'd played doubles together for a long time and never encountered any team that served exactly the same way. These two from Japan were seriously something else.
Still, Terry quickly calmed down. That disappearing serve didn't work on him anyway. He'd already figured it out when his brother returned it. The only reason he missed last time was because he hadn't believed it could really vanish.
Fuji didn't hesitate and served another disappearing ball, but Terry returned it easily. At the net, Niō looked like he hadn't expected the return at all and barely managed to block it, sending it weakly into the air.
Terry had already rushed to the net. Before jumping, he glanced at Fuji and saw he was still backcourt. Without holding back, Terry slammed the ball down hard with full force toward the front court.
Terry's power wasn't bad at all. That smash was on par with Momoshiro's slam dunk smash. But Niō gripped his racket with both hands, spun around with his back to Terry, and intercepted the ball just before it hit the ground.
The ball struck Niō's racket and spun rapidly. With a quick upward swing, Niō sent the ball flying high. It passed over Terry and crashed sharply onto the baseline, bouncing out before Tom in the back had a chance to react.
"Kirin Otoshi!"
"30-0!"
Terry stared dumbfounded at Niō, who was kneeling on one knee. Though his motion was slightly different from what Fuji did earlier, the effect was even stronger. Clearly a similar move. What was up with this doubles pair?
Their smashes were effectively shut down now, leaving the Griffey brothers frustrated—but they had no choice but to concentrate and keep playing.
This time, Fuji didn't use the disappearing serve. Instead, he served a fast, sharply angled ball straight for the corner. Terry dashed there and returned it with a swift drive.
The two sides launched into a rapid rally. Terry's explosive power and wide coverage made it hard for Niō and Fuji to close the point—until Terry sent a topspin shot over.
Niō raised his right-hand racket and carved an arc under the ball. It spun rapidly and sailed across the net.
Terry saw the motion and instantly recalled the move Fuji had used in the first game. He lunged forward to block the ball before it dropped—but the ball's descent was faster than he expected.
It dropped the moment it crossed the net, spinning fast on the ground. After a slight bounce, it slid forward hugging the court, zipping past Tom's helpless gaze and out of bounds.
"Hoo Gaeshi!"
"40-0!"
The Griffey brothers exchanged a glance. Now they were sure—their opponents' techniques were nearly identical. That Niō guy was probably even stronger, given how much more forceful his moves were.
As Fuji served again, the brothers returned with extra caution. No more topspin. No more smashes. But they had overlooked the breeze on court.
Niō watched the ball coming and sliced it with a backhand. The ball spun oddly as it flew over.
Terry recognized the movement and quickly signaled his brother to get ready.
Just as expected, the ball shot up after crossing the net, then slammed straight onto the baseline. Tom reached it just in time, waiting for the rebound—but the next moment, the ball shot to the right, leaving him stunned as it flew out.
"Hakuryu!"
"Game! Fuji, Niō pair leads 3-0! Time for a break!"
As the crowd cheered for the pair, Fuji turned to Niō and said, "We're really in sync, huh~ fufufu!"
"Your Triple Counter was impressive. Even I was a little surprised!" Niō replied—in Fuji's voice.
Then, Niō took off the wig from his head, revealing Fuji underneath. At the same time, the figure that had looked like Fuji blurred—and Niō's form appeared before everyone.