*pat-reon: belamy20*
"15-15!"
After what felt like an eternity, the referee's voice finally broke the silence that had enveloped the court.
The crowd's thoughts slowly returned from the shock they had just experienced. Yet, the way everyone looked at Ishikawa was still filled with overwhelming awe.
"Can a middle schooler really hit a shot like that?"
On the Seigaku side, Momoshiro and Kaidoh were utterly stunned. Others like Oishi, Kikumaru, and Kawamura also wore expressions of disbelief. Especially after seeing the wall that had been obliterated by the shot, their shock had reached a level beyond words.
"Can we even win against an opponent like this?"
Coach Ryuzaki, sitting in her seat, gave Ishikawa a deep look before shaking her head with a bitter smile.
"Yeah," Inui said with a similar tone of resignation. "Losing to him is just inevitable. I think Tezuka would accept this outcome, don't you?"
As he spoke, his gaze shifted to the lonely figure on the court.
The rest of the Seigaku team felt the same way. Even if Tezuka were to forfeit now, they would understand.
*Swish!*
But to everyone's surprise, Tezuka, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, once again assumed his receiving stance.
"Still not giving up?"
Shishido and Mukahi raised their eyebrows. The Seigaku captain was far too stubborn.
"Tezuka Kunimitsu!"
Atobe, watching the cold and determined Tezuka, couldn't help but sigh. "To carry your conviction to this extent... Your willpower is truly something beyond ordinary comprehension."
He had come to respect this opponent he had never faced before—not just for his skill, but for his unyielding determination to give everything for his team.
*Whoosh!*
At that moment, Ishikawa tossed the ball into the air once more.
"You really are something," Ishikawa muttered, his sharp eyes scanning Tezuka's resolute expression. "If that's the case, I'll make sure you fully understand the reality of this situation!"
*Thwack!*
The next instant, the crisp sound of the racket hitting the ball echoed through the court. A faint yellow streak shot across the net, but the serve was so fast that it was nearly impossible for the naked eye to follow.
Even Tezuka could only catch a faint glimpse of the ball's trajectory. By the time he tried to swing, his exhausted body simply couldn't keep up with the speed.
*Whoosh!*
Helpless, Tezuka could only watch as the ball flew past him.
"30-15!"
"It's over," Inoue muttered from the sidelines, shaking his head.
Tezuka was undoubtedly strong—perhaps even the pinnacle of middle school tennis. But unfortunately, Hyotei's first-year vice-captain, Ishikawa, had grown at an unimaginable rate, surpassing even the best of them.
*Thwack!*
As expected, Ishikawa's next serve was another direct point.
"40-15!"
*Thwack!*
"Game!"
"Hyotei Ishikawa leads, 5-3!"
The game ended with Tezuka only managing to score once, using his "Phantom Spin" to blow Ishikawa's shot out of bounds. After that, he hadn't been able to secure a single point.
By now, even the most loyal Seigaku supporters knew that their captain had been defeated. Seigaku's chances of advancing to the finals were gone.
*Tap... Tap... Tap...*
Yet, against all odds, Tezuka pulled out another ball and began tapping it lightly against the ground.
"Tezuka (Captain)!"
The Seigaku team was moved. Seeing their captain, his arms bruised but his posture still upright, his eyes as sharp as ever, they felt a lump in their throats. Tears welled up in their eyes.
This... was their captain. No matter how dire the situation, he would never back down. He would never abandon his team when they needed him most.
Looking at him, the third-years like Oishi and Kikumaru, the second-years like Momoshiro and Kaidoh, and even the first-years like Horio felt a surge of determination.
"Is this Seigaku's spirit this year?"
Coach Tōyama, sitting in his seat, was also moved by Tezuka's display of courage and responsibility. He could clearly feel that, starting from Tezuka, the entire Seigaku team's willpower had reached an extraordinary level.
At that moment, Tōyama felt a pang of fear. If it weren't for Ishikawa joining Hyotei this year, their team would have stood no chance against Seigaku's unyielding spirit.
*Swish!*
With that thought, Tōyama glanced at Ishikawa, who was now bending down to remove the lead weights strapped to his ankles.
*Gasp!*
A collective intake of breath echoed across the court.
Players from St. Rudolph, Yamabuki, Rokkaku, and other schools stared at Ishikawa as if they had seen a ghost.
This was insane! The Hyotei first-year had been wearing lead weights throughout the entire match!
*Thud! Thud!*
After removing the weights, Ishikawa assumed a serious receiving stance.
"Tezuka-senpai," Ishikawa said, looking up at his opponent. "I've truly felt your determination. So, I'll be the one to cut off your and Seigaku's future!"
*Hum!*
As soon as he finished speaking, a sharp, blinding light erupted from Ishikawa's body. His already intimidating aura skyrocketed to new heights.
*Whoosh!*
On the other side, Tezuka tossed the ball into the air. His eyes were unwavering, and his bruised arm didn't falter in the slightest.
*Swish!*
With a powerful swing, he sent the ball flying in a perfect arc, landing it precisely on the service line in front of Ishikawa.
*Sizzle...*
The ball hit the ground and began spinning rapidly.
"It's here!"
The spectators from various schools gasped in awe. "The Zero-Shiki Serve!"
This move was considered overpowered in middle school tennis—a nearly unreturnable serve. Naturally, all eyes were on Ishikawa, waiting to see how he would handle it.
*Hum!*
But Ishikawa's body began to emit a silvery-white glow, mixed with a chaotic black-and-white energy. The two forces intertwined, further amplifying his aura.
**Ability Resonance: Eye of Truth!**
*Step!*
In the next moment, Ishikawa moved. His sharp eyes had completely deciphered the trajectory of Tezuka's serve. Now, free from the weights, his speed and reflexes reached an unprecedented level.
*Swish!*
Suddenly, Ishikawa swung his racket.
To everyone's astonishment, he managed to intercept the ball just as it was about to roll back, hitting it with the tip of his racket.
*Bang!*
The ball shot out like an arrow, landing precisely on the baseline beside Tezuka before ricocheting off the wall behind him, still spinning furiously.
"0-15!"
The referee announced.
The court fell into complete silence once more.
"No... that's impossible," the Seigaku team murmured, their jaws dropping as they stared at the spinning ball behind Tezuka.
"Tezuka's Zero-Shiki Serve... was broken?!"
In an instant, the Seigaku team's morale was shattered. Their once unshakable belief had been completely destroyed.
Even Tezuka seemed to lose all strength. The determination in his eyes faded, replaced by emptiness.
This single point had severed Seigaku's hope, crushed Tezuka's fighting spirit, and completely extinguished any chance of Seigaku advancing to the finals.
"Hyotei's player is just too strong," Coach Banji from Yamabuki sighed. "In all my years, I've only seen two players like him. The last one was over twenty years ago..."
Hearing this, the Yamabuki players trembled. They had heard stories about their coach's past, how he had once led an underdog team called Sōjitsu to victory against a dominant Seigaku.
Back then, there was a legendary figure in the tennis world—the Samurai, Echizen Nanjirō. And now, Coach Banji was comparing Ishikawa to that very legend. How could they not be shocked?
"What a pity..."
The elderly coach from Rokkaku sighed softly. He admired Tezuka's courage and determination.
But unfortunately, Tezuka's luck had run out. He had encountered an even more formidable opponent in the same era.
Turning to look at the confident Ishikawa, the old man murmured, "Being in the same generation as him... is your misfortune."
*Bang!*
A moment later, after Ishikawa scored another direct point, the referee announced loudly, "Game, set, match! Hyotei Ishikawa wins, 6-3!"
"Woohoo!!!"
The Hyotei supporters, numbering around two hundred, erupted into cheers.
"We won!!!"
Even Shishido and Mukahi couldn't help but pump their fists in excitement.
Seigaku was strong. Tezuka was a formidable opponent, and his unyielding spirit had put immense pressure on them. But in the end, Hyotei had emerged victorious!
With a decisive 3-1 victory over Seigaku, Hyotei had secured their spot in the Kanto Finals!
"In the end... we seized the opportunity," Coach Tōyama said, a rare smile appearing on his usually stoic face as he watched Ishikawa return victorious.
He couldn't help but feel that his decision to accept Atobe's suggestion and include Ishikawa in the team had been the right one.
"Uh..."
However, while Tōyama was pleased, the Hyotei captain, Atobe, wore a complicated expression.
Ishikawa had won. Hyotei had advanced. But Atobe's mood was far from celebratory.
*Bang! Bang! Bang!*
At the same time, on another court, the match between Rikkai Dai and Fudomine was reaching its climax.
"Yahahaha! You're going down too!"
On the court, a figure with blood-red skin and snow-white hair, resembling a demon from hell, dashed around while letting out a spine-chilling laugh. Blood dripped from his body as he moved.
"Kirihara Akaya!"
Outside the court, Fuji, who had come to warm up, witnessed the scene. Watching this monstrous second-year from Rikkai Dai, Fuji felt a chill run down his spine.
"Is this the strength of one of the Two Heroes of Kyushu?"
Yanagi's expression turned somewhat grave, as he clearly remembered that this person had been utterly defeated by that first-year from Hyotei during the Tokyo Metropolitan Tournament.
"So,"
Thinking of this, Yanagi's narrowed eyes slowly opened, a subtle gleam flashing within them: "Just how strong is that Ishikawa from Hyotei in reality?"
Regarding the Zero-Shiki: Apart from the time during the U17 shuffle matches when Marui returned a Zero-Shiki serve executed by the phantom of Yukimura, during the World Cup arc in the manga, when Japan faced Germany, Yukimura also directly countered the Zero-Shiki. This indicates that the move can be returned. The original rules do not specify, but I personally interpret it as being able to return the ball as long as it has landed, without needing it to bounce off the ground. I reiterate, this is my personal understanding of the original work, no nitpicking allowed!
(End of chapter)