"Hmph... You should trust the data... We don't stand a chance of winning."
"Huh?"
Takashi Kawamura was left dumbfounded by Inui's response.
Seeing his teammate's reaction, Inui sighed. "Beating them is impossible. Don't forget who QP-senpai is—he went undefeated in last year's official matches. How could we possibly win?"
Though confident in his data tennis, Inui knew that data only mattered when both sides could engage in a proper match.
After observing QP and Yoru's practice sessions, Inui had gathered a mountain of data. But after analyzing it, none of it was useful.
If QP didn't hold back, the two of them wouldn't even have a chance to return the ball—let alone win.
Recalling QP's flawless record from last year's national tournament, Inui knew he wasn't the type to go easy. Their only hope was to put up a decent fight during their own service games… and pray QP would go a little lighter on them.
---
The match began immediately after warm-ups.
Inui opened with his high-speed serve—only for QP to return it in the blink of an eye, the ball's trajectory invisible to the naked eye.
On the sidelines, Yoru and Yamato covered their eyes in exasperation.
Before the match, Yoru had specifically told QP to hold back just enough to give the younger players motivation to improve.
But this?
Sure, QP technically held back… but not by much.
Starting with a return speed far beyond their limits? How were they supposed to keep up?
Gulp.
Inui swallowed hard. "That's the same return speed he uses against the captain… So QP-senpai is holding back… right?"
The sound of racket strikes echoed across the court—but every single point ended with QP scoring in one shot, leaving Inui and Kawamura frozen in place, unable to react.
---
Sideline Reactions:
Oishi and Kikumaru broke out in cold sweat.
Fuji, who usually kept his eyes relaxed, now watched the match with sharp focus.
Tezuka spoke calmly. "QP-senpai is already holding back."
Having followed QP's matches since the Kanto Tournament last year, Tezuka had witnessed his growth firsthand.
And now, after all this time?
With QP's talent, he had only gotten stronger—there was no way he'd stagnate.
---
Match Result: Brutal Domination
In less than two minutes, QP effortlessly took two games.
When it was Kawamura's turn to serve, Inui hoped his raw power might at least cause some trouble.
No such luck.
QP smashed Kawamura's powerful serve back without hesitation, the return just as flawless as before.
"Sigh…"
Inui exhaled in resignation.
He'd expected this outcome, but the sheer helplessness still felt crushing.
The entire match lasted less than ten minutes.
Final Score: 6-0.
---
Aftermath: A Harsh Lesson
"S-Sorry, Inui…"
Kawamura lowered his racket, guilt written all over his face.
Inui shook his head. "I knew this would happen. It's not your fault—we didn't even have the basics to compete. Data was useless here."
QP walked past them, pausing just long enough to deliver a blunt verdict:
"Keep working on your fundamentals. Especially you, Kawamura."
"Y-Yes, sir!" Kawamura stiffened like a soldier.
Thanks to the special training regimen, Kawamura's overall stats had reached near Level 7—but his fundamentals still lagged behind, likely due to innate limitations.
---
Yoru's Reaction: "You Call That Holding Back?!"
As QP walked off, Yoru gave him an exasperated look.
"I told you to go easy on them. That was not 'easy.'"
QP didn't flinch. "The most crushing defeats are the ones that fuel growth."
"Fair point." Yoru nodded, then frowned. "Actually, I just realized something—these kids haven't even developed their own scoring techniques yet. What do you think?"
QP stared at him blankly before rolling his eyes.
"…Right." Yoru chuckled awkwardly. "Forgot you don't bother with 'techniques.'"
---
Next Match: Tezuka & Fuji vs. Yoru
QP climbed into the umpire's chair—a first for today's matches.
The earlier games hadn't needed a referee, but this one?
Tezuka and Fuji were on a completely different level.
Fuji's overall stats might not have caught up to Tezuka's yet, but his arsenal of techniques was already formidable.
Yoru grabbed his racket and called out:
"Warm up inside the court!"
"Yes, sir!"
The two stepped onto the court, drawing every pair of eyes in the vicinity.
---
Sideline Chatter: Fear & Awe
"Tezuka and Fuji… are about to face the strongest middle schooler in Japan." Kawamura's voice trembled.
"They say even someone as strong as QP-senpai can't score against the captain," Oishi murmured. "Last year's so-called 'strongest middle schooler' thought he'd scored, but in the end… it was all an illusion."
Kikumaru shuddered. "After seeing how strong QP-senpai is… and knowing the captain is even stronger… I can't even imagine what they're up against."
The six of them had grown close over time—which only made the impending match more nerve-wracking.
---
A Shocking Revelation: The "Unreturnable" Serve… Returned
Tezuka took the first serve.
Inui adjusted his glasses. "If Tezuka serves first, they might hold their service game."
Kikumaru's eyes lit up. "Right! If he uses the Zero-Shiki Serve, they can take the first point!"
THWACK!
Tezuka's serve arced gracefully—a Zero-Shiki Serve, designed to never bounce.
"That won't work."
Yamato's calm voice cut through the excitement.
Everyone turned to him in confusion.
"Didn't Tezuka tell you?" Yamato said. "The captain is the only one who can return the Zero-Shiki Serve."
"Impossib—"
Inui's protest died in his throat as the impossible unfolded before them.
Yoru appeared at the landing spot in an instant—and the Zero-Shiki Serve bounced.
No tricks. No flukes. Just pure, terrifying skill.
"H-How?! Did Tezuka mess up?"
Yamato shook his head. "He stomped the ground at the perfect moment to create a vibration, forcing the ball to bounce. Right now, only the captain can do that—even QP struggles with the timing."
He crossed his arms, his voice firm.
"If you think a single technique can score against him… you're underestimating what it means to be the strongest in Japan."
---