King of Tennis (POT)

The first day of the selection matches concluded. 

Ishikawa, with his dazzling performance, garnered a lot of attention. 

Many were eagerly anticipating his match against Hiyoshi the next day. And so, the night passed uneventfully. 

The next day. 

The uneventful morning classes quickly came to an end. 

3:00 PM. 

At the Hyotei Tennis Club. 

Compared to the previous day, the crowd was slightly smaller. Some had left because they simply weren't interested in tennis, but those who remained had essentially become tennis fans. 

The session began with Atobe leading the warm-up exercises. 

After the warm-up, everyone dispersed freely. 

Then, the club's broadcast system announced: "The selection matches are about to begin. Group A, Group B, Group C, Group D—Ishikawa Shin vs. Hiyoshi Wakashi! Players whose names have been called, please proceed to the designated courts. Absence without reason will result in an automatic forfeit!" 

As soon as the announcement ended, a large crowd began to gather around the three courts designated for Group D. 

Even the regulars, including Captain Atobe, were among the spectators. 

"It's about to start. I'm really looking forward to this!" said Mukahi, standing at the front near the court, his hands behind his head, smiling. 

"Yeah," nodded Chotaro. 

He and Hiyoshi were in the same year, so he was well aware of Hiyoshi's true strength, which wasn't as simple as it appeared on the surface. 

As for Ishikawa, Chotaro had a favorable impression of him. Partly because of his seniority and his natural inclination to look out for underclassmen, but also because Ishikawa's serving talent was genuinely impressive. He was curious to see how far the rookie Ishikawa could push Hiyoshi. 

Of course, he didn't believe Ishikawa could defeat Hiyoshi. Hiyoshi was on a completely different level compared to the opponents Ishikawa had faced so far. If Ishikawa underestimated him, he would likely suffer a heavy defeat. 

"Oshitari, what do you think?" Atobe, with his arms crossed, tilted his head slightly to glance at Oshitari beside him. 

"This match?" Oshitari raised an eyebrow and then replied, "It's fifty-fifty." 

"Oh?" Atobe looked at him in surprise. "You rate that rookie that highly?" 

After all, Oshitari, like Atobe, had faced Hiyoshi multiple times in the past. It was precisely because of their dominance that Hiyoshi hadn't been able to secure a regular spot like Chotaro and Kabaji. 

And now, Oshitari was saying that Ishikawa and Hiyoshi had an equal chance of winning? 

"There might be some margin of error, but it's roughly accurate," Oshitari nodded with a smile. "That guy isn't your average rookie. You have to remember, from his match with Shohara to now, every single one of his matches has ended with a 6-0 scoreline, and he hasn't dropped a single game!" 

"True," Atobe nodded slightly. 

He had been closely following Ishikawa's performances. From the perspective of a first-year, Ishikawa's matches were flawless. 

However, many people had preconceived notions about Ishikawa due to his age, leading them to believe that while he was strong, he wasn't *that* strong because he was still so young. 

In reality, Atobe's evaluation of Ishikawa was even higher than Oshitari's. 

In his judgment, the first-year had a more than 60% chance of defeating Hiyoshi in this match! 

But he didn't say it out loud. 

For one, he didn't want to put too much pressure on Ishikawa, and secondly, he wanted to see how the other regulars evaluated this newcomer. 

From the looks of it, apart from Oshitari, none of the others had realized just how terrifying Ishikawa's growth had been over this period! 

This also highlighted the difference in insight among the Hyotei members. Atobe was at the top, followed by Oshitari, who was a cut above the rest. 

This disparity made Atobe feel a sense of urgency. 

If Hyotei wanted to defeat Rikkai in the Kantō and National tournaments, they were still lacking in many areas. 

This significant gap left Atobe feeling a deep sense of helplessness. 

"Never mind," he sighed inwardly, shifting his attention back to the court. 

At that moment, two boys walked onto the court from opposite sides. 

On the left was Hiyoshi, with his delicate features. However, his brown mushroom-cut bangs partially covered his eyebrows, and his reserved personality made him appear somewhat gloomy. 

On the right was Ishikawa, who was more handsome. Although he was only a first-year and hadn't fully matured, it was clear that in a couple of years, Ishikawa's looks would easily rival Atobe's. 

Moreover, Ishikawa's expression was natural, and his smile gave off a more comfortable vibe. As soon as he appeared, he caught the attention of many girls in the crowd. 

However, the two had one thing in common: confidence! 

Both Ishikawa and Hiyoshi carried themselves with composure and calmness, exuding an air of self-assurance. 

Just this aura alone set them apart from the other non-regular members! 

At the net, the two shook hands. 

Hiyoshi smiled and said, "Ishikawa-kun, I've heard about your record. I hope you won't disappoint me in this match." 

"You flatter me, senpai," Ishikawa replied with a smile. "There's still a lot I don't know about tennis. I'll be counting on your guidance during the match!" 

"Of course," Hiyoshi nodded, his sense of superiority greatly satisfied by Ishikawa's humility. "I'll make sure to teach you how to play tennis properly!" 

With that, Hiyoshi spun his racket, and the two began to guess the orientation of the racket handle's base to determine who would choose either the side of the court or the serve. 

Hiyoshi was lucky and guessed correctly. 

Surprisingly, he smiled and said, "Then... I'll choose this side of the court." 

He then looked at Ishikawa, expecting a reaction. But to his disappointment, Ishikawa's expression remained unchanged as he nodded and said, "Thank you, senpai." 

"No problem," Hiyoshi replied, still smiling. "I'm looking forward to seeing the power of that high-speed serve of yours." 

With that, he turned and walked back to the baseline. 

"This guy," Atobe shook his head lightly as he watched from outside the court. Oshitari, standing beside him, chuckled and said, "Not bad. He's more confident than I expected." 

Confident? 

Atobe didn't bother to correct Oshitari's teasing. 

To others, it might seem that way, but as someone who had faced Hiyoshi multiple times and possessed national-level insight, Atobe knew that in this verbal exchange, Hiyoshi had already fallen behind! 

By deliberately giving up the serve, Hiyoshi had seemingly used his seniority to assert dominance over Ishikawa. 

But in reality, not only had he handed Ishikawa the serve, but he had also put himself in a precarious position. 

If Hiyoshi fell behind in the match, his earlier actions would backfire, and his pride would likely cause him to lose his composure. 

With just one glance, Atobe could foresee how the match might unfold. 

However, from Hiyoshi's perspective, things were completely different. 

He had emphasized his seniority and given up the serve to project an image of absolute confidence and invincibility. 

Moreover, wasn't Ishikawa's serve supposed to be strong? 

Well, he would break through it head-on, shatter Ishikawa's serve, and crush his spirit! 

"The match will be decided in one set," the referee sitting on the high chair announced after confirming both players' readiness. "Ishikawa to serve. Game start!" 

"Bring it on," Hiyoshi said with a confident smile as the referee's voice faded. "Let's see just how powerful this so-called cannonball serve of yours really is!" 

*Whoosh!* 

At the same time, Ishikawa on the opposite side tossed the ball into the air. 

He bent his knees, tightened his core, lowered his center of gravity, and then forcefully pushed off the ground, leaping slightly into the air. His racket swung swiftly from behind his head, smashing down onto the ball with tremendous force! 

*Bang!* 

A loud crack echoed through the court as a faint yellow streak shot across the net at an astonishing speed. Before Hiyoshi could even react, the ball landed just inside the service line on his side. 

Fast! 

Too fast! 

Hiyoshi's pupils contracted instinctively, and he tried to swing his racket, but his body seemed frozen in place. He could only watch helplessly as the ball bounced past him and flew out of reach. 

*Tap-tap-tap...* 

The ball hit the wire fence and rolled to a stop. 

At the same time, the entire court fell into complete silence. You could hear a pin drop! 

*(End of Chapter)*