Three days later, in the quarter-finals, Hyotei faced off against Gunma Prefecture's Kōshō Fourth Middle School, easily winning with a total score of 3-0. With this victory, Hyotei became the first team to advance to the semifinals and secure their ticket to the National Tournament.
"What gives?! It's already over?" Jirou, who was slated for Singles 2, was eager to play a few rallies. However, Shishido defeated his opponent in less than fifteen minutes, meaning Jirou wasn't needed on court. This level of power hadn't been seen even in last year's Kantō Tournament, where they didn't win so easily. It's undeniable that since these first-years joined as regulars, Hyotei's overall strength has significantly changed. No matter who the opponent is, they can achieve a perfect shutout.
However, the Hyotei team knew their biggest rival was Rikkaidai Junior High, the undisputed champions of the Kantō region, a team even Ochi-senpai couldn't defeat. Their last practice match ended in a crushing defeat for Hyotei, but this time, in an official match, Hyotei absolutely wouldn't lose! Absolutely not!
"Hmm~" Atobe scanned the area, his brow slightly furrowed. Noticing someone was missing, he walked over to Tezuka and asked, "Did that guy go to the vending machine again?"
"Yeah, he said he was going to scout Seigaku's match," Tezuka recalled. Kamikawa had arrived at Seigaku's match site early this morning.
In the quarter-finals, Seigaku was playing Yamabuki. These two renowned tennis schools from Tokyo clashing in the quarter-finals meant one of them was destined to miss out on this National Tournament.
"Speaking of which," Atobe continued, "Seigaku clawed their way from the loser's bracket all the way to the Kantō Tournament quarter-finals. Yesterday's match was a narrow victory, but today's match is hard to say..."
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As he spoke, Atobe's mind pictured Akutsu's figure. "After all, Yamabuki has that guy!"
Tezuka nodded. "It's still early. Let's go take a look. After all, the winner of their match will be our opponent in the next round."
Before anyone else could speak, Tezuka already started walking towards the Seigaku vs. Yamabuki match site, his gaze sharp. He knew very well that even if Seigaku suddenly got a burst of strength, they couldn't beat Yamabuki. There was a decisive gap between the two teams, both in doubles and singles.
"Rokkaku Chuu and the King, Rikkaidai," Inui muttered, pushing up his glasses, his heart filled with anxiety.
The current match was Seigaku versus Yamabuki in Singles 2. Singles 3 saw Oishi fight tooth and nail to snatch a crucial point from Sengoku. The two doubles matches played earlier were both tight 7-6 victories, decided at the very last moment, with Yamabuki and Seigaku each taking a point. Now, Singles 2 was essentially match point for Seigaku. If they won this match, Seigaku would advance to the semifinals and qualify for the National Tournament.
"Inui, do you think we'll win?" Kikumaru asked, clearly frustrated. The only match they lost was Kikumaru and Oishi's doubles. In terms of synergy, Kikumaru and Oishi weren't as good as Minami and Higashi. On the other hand, Doubles 1 managed a difficult victory thanks to Inui's data analysis.
"Eiji, what nonsense are you talking about? We'll definitely win!" Oishi clenched his fists, his own heart pounding with nerves. In this match, Fuji was facing Yamabuki Middle School's undisputed monster.
Sanada, who had just arrived at the match site, noticed Kamikawa sitting in the stands. "Kamikawa, aren't you watching your own team's match? You're here alone."
"Rikkaidai has already finished their match, and I figured Hyotei would be done soon too. I'm here to scout for information, you wouldn't understand," Kamikawa said with a slight smile, shaking the chilled soda he had just bought.
"You're quite confident," Sanada replied flatly.
Kamikawa wiggled his finger. "That's not confidence, it's just the truth."
"Hmph," Sanada snorted softly, no longer paying attention to Kamikawa.
"Genichiro, that first-year named Akutsu seems formidable. His muscular physique and those incredibly aggressive eyes... his strength is probably superior to mine."
Superior to Yanagi's strength? Sanada froze. Before he could speak, Yanagi Renji continued, "Let's keep watching. I have a feeling that guy isn't simple. This year's Yamabuki is much stronger than last year."
Sanada nodded, his gaze also falling onto the court. Akutsu Jin. Sanada had never heard that name before, but those defiant eyes told him that this guy possessed extraordinary skill.
"Now beginning, Seishun Gakuen vs. Yamabuki Middle School, Singles 2."
"Fuji Syusuke of Seigaku vs. Akutsu Jin of Yamabuki."
"One set match."
"Match start! Seigaku's Fuji Syusuke to serve."
The two players on the court were ready. Akutsu held his racket casually at his waist, a relaxed posture, and beckoned towards Fuji with a sneer. "Let's begin!"
On the sidelines, upon seeing this, Kikumaru couldn't help but shout, "This guy is so arrogant!"
Akutsu seemed to hear Kikumaru's shout. His eyes briefly flicked towards the stands, and he gave a disdainful smirk.
"You damn guy!" Kikumaru couldn't hold back. He raised his hand, wanting to rush up and give Akutsu a good beating, but Kawamura and Oishi held him back.
"Eiji, calm down."
"Yeah, Kikumaru, don't let your emotions get the better of you." Oishi and Kawamura quickly tried to persuade him. "Quiet down, don't disrupt the match," Oishi frowned, sternly rebuking him.
With Oishi's words, Kikumaru and the others settled down, focusing on the match. Only Oishi and Inui noticed Akutsu's unusual nature.
"Akutsu Jin! Yamabuki's top singles player. His strength is far greater than Sengoku, who just played. In a school ranking match, he once gave Sengoku a 6-0 beating, relying purely on instinct to attack."
"At the Prefectural Tournament, he played Singles 3 for Yamabuki Middle School. In that match, he lost to Kamikawa." Inui flipped through his notebook. Even though Akutsu didn't have many matches under his belt, Inui had still meticulously recorded the matches Akutsu had participated in.
However, as for Akutsu's playing style, even now, it remained unknown in Inui's database. This type of player simply couldn't be measured by data; collecting more information would be pointless.
Whack!
Whack!!
Fuji bounced the tennis ball a few times on the ground, then grabbed it. He held the ball in his left hand and gave it a gentle spin. His unique serving posture surprised everyone. Even his own teammates from Seigaku were seeing Fuji serve this way for the first time. The ball dropped sharply, Fuji lowered his center of gravity, and the moment the ball landed, he swung steadily.
WHAM!
The ball carried a spin, rapidly descending in mid-air, then hitting the ground hard, kicking up a cloud of dust. The ball bounced slightly, oscillating violently in the air.
Akutsu stared at the tennis ball in front of him, a slight smirk playing on his lips. He suddenly shifted his body backward. After clearly seeing the ball's trajectory, he swung his racket fiercely, hitting the ball squarely in the center of the strings.
"Kid, you think this trick will fool me?!"
After two defeats, Akutsu had been constantly adjusting his speed. Bantana had even specifically taken Akutsu to a tennis club, using serving machines to continuously improve Akutsu's reaction time. The ball was pre-spun, hit as a slice serve the moment it landed, causing it to dart sharply outwards after bouncing. An ordinary person, not noticing this, would try to return it along its original path, easily whiffing the shot. But Akutsu was different; he had seen even more exaggerated oscillations.
Boom!
Boom!!
On the court, Akutsu's speed kept increasing. His defensive range seemed to cover the entire court. Whether it was a ball pressured to the sideline or a deceptive drop shot, he returned everything with bizarre maneuvers.
"His playing style... is unpredictable." Inui silently closed his notebook. He couldn't find Akutsu's weaknesses anymore. No matter what kind of shot was hit, this guy would return it. And what seemed like purely defensive shots were forcefully turned into absolute offense by him. For Akutsu, offense was the best defense.
"What a monster," Yanagi Renji came to the same conclusion, taking a deep breath. From his perspective, Akutsu was playing this match purely on physical talent. His returns seemed unrefined, yet he managed to return every ball. Even after prolonged, high-intensity rallies, his judgment showed no flaws. Instead, his condition steadily improved; even what initially seemed like sloppy returns became easier to accept.
WHAM!
Next, Akutsu appeared at the net. With a bizarre maneuver, he suddenly leaped, slamming his racket downwards.
Whack!
Fuji narrowed his eyes, judging the smash's landing point. He moved into position first, spreading his arms wide. The ball squarely hit the face of his racket. The overwhelming force instantly sent Fuji's racket flying.
Clatter~
The racket spun in the air before falling in front of Fuji.
"Game, Akutsu, 1-0!"
"That's all you've got, huh?!" Akutsu scoffed, shaking his racket. He had thought all middle schoolers were on Kamikawa's level, but it wasn't until he reached the Kantō Tournament that he realized not every middle schooler was named Kamikawa Muzuki.
"His power is substantial, and his reflexes are equally outstanding," Fuji thought, narrowing his eyes as he observed Akutsu, his heart sinking. No wonder Kawamura repeatedly emphasized not to go to the net before the match. So this is why.
That smash... with his current wrist strength, unless he used both hands to support the racket, he couldn't perfectly return it with just one hand. Furthermore, Akutsu's every return had immense power. After just one round of back-and-forth rallies, Fuji's arm was already feeling numb from the vibrations. If he had to endure a long match, what good would it be if he couldn't even hold his racket?
Power had always been Fuji's weakness. Even with his strong techniques, he would be at a disadvantage against power players. To counter this, Fuji had tried his best to increase his own strength, but with little effect. Compared to those naturally gifted in power, this was an inherent disadvantage that couldn't be overcome by effort alone.
Fuji had been present at the Prefectural Tournament and personally witnessed Kamikawa's shutout victory over Akutsu. However, at that time, Akutsu's returns were very unrefined, save for his half-volley. Yet, in just half a month, the power he was displaying now made even Fuji feel immense pressure.
Boom!
WHAM!
Ten minutes passed, and the atmosphere on the court was incredibly tense. Fuji, dressed in his Seigaku tennis club uniform, swayed in the wind, looking as if he might collapse at any moment. His right arm was numb from the repeated impacts of the ball, and even his consciousness began to blur.
"This is no good, Fuji! If this keeps up, he'll completely break down!" Oishi clenched his fists, his heart agonizing. If Fuji forfeited this match, Seigaku would have to put all their hopes on Singles 1.
"Captain Oishi, it's time to call the match," Inui took a deep breath, looking at Oishi with difficulty, wanting him to declare the match's result. Oishi was the captain, so it would be most appropriate for him to make the announcement.
"Fuji!" Oishi's heart was torn; victory was so close. But just then, countless images of him being plagued by injuries, waking up in a cold sweat, flashed through his mind, like a nightmare, deeply haunting his soul. He absolutely could not let his junior walk down the same path he did!
At this moment, just as Fuji was dazed and his concentration wavered, a lightning-fast straight shot zipped towards him with astonishing speed, heading directly for where Fuji Syusuke stood. The ball struck Fuji Syusuke's racket, and the racket was sent flying by the force. Fuji, mentally disoriented, slumped to the ground, his mind a blank.
Coach Ryuzaki sprang up from her coaching chair, her brow tightly furrowed, her face filled with worry. She hurried towards Fuji, clutching the tennis ball in her hand.
"Fuji! Are you alright?!" Coach Ryuzaki's voice conveyed her concern. Her gaze fell upon Akutsu on the opposite court, and she sighed. "It seems the opponent's strength is indeed greater."
When Fuji didn't respond for a long time, Coach Ryuzaki's heart tightened, and a bad feeling surged within her. "You—you're not going to—"
Just then, Fuji slowly raised his hand and took the tennis ball that Coach Ryuzaki offered. His movements were slow. He slowly turned around and walked step by step towards the service line.
"Wait, Fuji!" Coach Ryuzaki, seeing this, quickly reached out to stop Fuji, her voice filled with urgency and unease. "You can't continue the match. Your body is already—"
"Please... please let me finish this match, Coach Ryuzaki!" Fuji's voice, though weak, carried an unshakable resolve. His body was clearly exhausted, looking as if he might collapse at any moment, but his deep-seated belief supported him until the very last moment of the match. He wanted to win! He wanted to lead this team to the nationals!
Coach Ryuzaki stood still, dazed. The words she had been about to say were now stuck, as if blocked by an invisible force, unable to come out.
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