The next morning.
Seigaku's team bus pulled up to the Metropolitan Tournament venue.
Led by Yoru, the players stepped off in a wave of quiet confidence.
"Who's that guy at the front? Never seen him before."
"That's Seigaku's captain."
"Captain? No way—we got wrecked by Seigaku last week, and he wasn't there!"
"He is their captain. Our school was in their group during the prelims—he was in the coach's seat."
"I've watched most of Seigaku's matches this tournament. Never saw him."
"Wait… so their captain skipped all the earlier rounds?"
"That's… insane."
Yoru's appearance drew attention—partly due to his looks, but mostly because Seigaku's sudden rise had put them on everyone's radar.
Ignoring the murmurs, Yoru led the team inside.
After submitting an updated roster to the officials, a staff member frowned. "Last-minute changes are risky. You're swapping two players. Sure about this?"
Yoru nodded.
The exchange didn't go unnoticed. Two players from Kamakura Middle School, their uniforms emblazoned with "Kamakura Chū", watched from a distance.
"Seigaku's swapping players? And one's a foreigner?"
"Who knows? Maybe they hired a ringer. This year's Seigaku has been impressive."
"Wonder if they'll face us or Hyōtei in the finals."
"You're way too confident. Yamabuki's no pushover, and we're trash. Our whole team's carried by just the two of us."
"Relax. I scouted Yamabuki—they're weaker than us this year."
The duo's absurd hairstyles made their conversation oddly comical.
---
Courtside.
With the roster updated, Seigaku arrived first.
As they waited for the referees and Hyōtei, Yoru addressed the team.
"Doubles 1: Kawasaki and Yamato. Doubles 2: Sensui and Kaidō."
"Singles will adjust based on match flow. Any questions?"
"NO, CAPTAIN!"
The shift to doubles was Yamato's request. After seeing QP and Kirihara's level, he knew QP was better suited for singles.
His Displacement Shot relied on reading opponents' habits. With a partner like Kawasaki—whose Power Shots could pressure foes—they'd complement each other perfectly.
---
Minutes later.
The referees arrived. Spectators trickled in. But Hyōtei was nowhere in sight.
Only when the officials were fully prepped did Hyōtei finally appear—led by their coach, Sakaki Tōru.
Yoru's gaze locked onto their spiky-haired ace.
[Status]
- Name: Etchū Mizuki
- Age: 15
- Techniques:
- Personal Five Stats (Lv. 7)
- Tennis Fundamentals (Lv. 6)
- Supersonic Vertical Serve (Lv. 6)
- High Volley (Lv. 6)
- Talent: Mental Suppression
- Combat Rating: 6 Stars
[Mental Suppression]
"Overwhelms opponents with oppressive mental pressure. Effects intensify over time."
"Only 6 stars?"
Yoru mused. By the data, Mizuki was near the top of the 6-star tier—likely a threat to Kirihara before his training.
But the Mach Serve (原著的「馬赫發球」) wasn't developed yet. The Supersonic Vertical Serve was its precursor.
Scanning Hyōtei's roster, Yoru spotted a few vaguely familiar names:
- Matsudaira Chikao
- Sasabe Jun'ichi
- Takei Toshio
- Kishimoto Masa
All 5-star cannon fodder from the original series—named but unseen. The remaining two were 4-star.
This lineup could reach Nationals.
Far stronger than Seigaku's original squad.
---
"Huh? Seigaku has two new faces… and one's foreign?"
Matsudaira—Hyōtei's strategist and vice-captain—frowned. His intel hadn't mentioned Yoru or QP.
"This complicates things." Sasabe grimaced.
Old Seigaku wouldn't warrant concern. But this year's team had strong singles players.
"Coach…" Mizuki glanced at Sakaki.
"Stick to the plan," Sakaki said coolly. "Take both doubles. Mizuki ends it at Singles 3."
"Whether it's Kirihara or Yamato, Mizuki can handle them. Singles 3 is our anchor."
Hyōtei's Achilles' heel was their lack of singles depth. With their seniors graduated, Mizuki had to clinch Singles 3 early.
The longer matches dragged, the riskier it got.
---
Seigaku's bench.
"I'll take Singles 3, then."
Yoru's decision was instant. Hyōtei's rigid tactics left no room for adjustment.
No one objected.
Yoru had been absent for most of the tournament. It was time to remind everyone why he was captain.
QP, not understanding Japanese, simply nodded.
---
Spectator stands.
The crowd grew steadily—nowhere near packed, but far busier than the prelims.
"Peeeeep! Metropolitan Semifinals—Seigaku vs. Hyōtei! Matches begin shortly!"
At the referee's whistle, both teams lined up for the pre-match handshake.
Mizuki blinked, surprised to find Yoru—a head shorter—standing before him.
"So this is Seigaku's new captain?"
No words were exchanged. Both sides returned to their benches.
"Doubles 2 will begin in ten minutes! Players, prepare!"
Kaidō grinned. "Yamato, Kawasaki—make your debut count!"
"Leave it to us." Yamato turned to Kawasaki, fist raised. "First doubles match together. Let's do this."
Kawasaki paused—then bumped fists with a smirk.
Watching from behind, Yoru nearly facepalmed as Kawasaki's combat rating ticked up to 5.5 stars.
"That's all it took to hype him up?!"
As the two strode onto the court, Hyōtei's Matsudaira and Sasabe met them at the net.
The battle was on.