Boom!
The gloomy sky roared with thunder, its echoes reverberating across the horizon.
Keigo Atobe stiffened, his gaze dropping to the unmistakable mark left by the tennis ball beside him. His mind went blank.
His World of Ice had been shattered.
He never imagined that his newly perfected technique would be dismantled so effortlessly by his opponent.
"No!"
Atobe snapped out of his daze, his eyes narrowing as he stared at Ishikawa. It wasn't that his technique was weak—it was exactly as Ishikawa had said. The guy had no weaknesses.
At that moment, a wry smile crept onto Atobe's face.
He had once thought that his relationship with Ishikawa was awkward, like two tigers unable to share the same mountain, which might affect the judgment of the other Hyotei members.
But now, he realized he had overthought it.
Ishikawa's strength, as others had said, had already transcended the national level.
"The Demon King of Hyotei, huh?"
Atobe's eyes gleamed with understanding as he recalled Ishikawa's nickname. He couldn't help but sigh. The power Ishikawa displayed was indeed like that of a demon king—flawless, with eyes that could see through everyone's weaknesses.
It was true for Tachibana, for Tezuka, and even for Atobe himself.
Once he accepted this, Atobe felt a strange sense of relief.
Losing wasn't something he couldn't accept. After all, he wasn't the only one who had fallen to Ishikawa. Besides, Ishikawa was a member of Hyotei, so Atobe didn't feel too embarrassed.
More importantly, if he had buried his head in the sand, refusing to acknowledge the loss, he would never grow.
"Again!"
Despite losing five straight games, Atobe's expression grew calmer. He took his stance, his sharp gaze like that of a hawk. His aura intensified, having already pushed past his limits.
"Alright."
Ishikawa nodded. Atobe had not only broken through his limits but also resolved his inner conflict. The purpose of this match had been achieved.
Thud!
Ishikawa served the ball, and the two engaged in a fierce rally.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
With his newfound clarity, Atobe's skills had noticeably improved.
However, Ishikawa was simply too strong.
Even with Atobe's enhanced insight, reflexes, and speed, he couldn't break through Ishikawa's ironclad defense.
In the end, Ishikawa won the match 6-0.
Snap!
At the net, the two shook hands.
Atobe looked at Ishikawa's calm expression and nodded. "I think I understand your intentions now. Don't worry, I'm not foolish. The position of Singles 1 in the Kanto Tournament is yours."
There was a meaningful glint in Atobe's eyes as he spoke.
"No problem," Ishikawa replied with a smile. "We'll definitely win the Kanto Finals."
"Alright then."
Atobe slung his racket over his shoulder and took a few steps before turning back. "I'm not giving up, though. I'll reclaim this loss someday."
With that, he walked away without looking back.
Ishikawa chuckled as he watched Atobe's retreating figure.
In the original story, Atobe's talent might not have matched Tezuka or Yukimura's, but he was undoubtedly a leader among the second-tier players. Even Sanada's performance in the World Cup couldn't compare to Atobe's.
Once someone like Atobe awakened and found his path, his growth would be astonishing.
Drip... Drip...
Rain began to fall like threads from the sky.
Hyotei had chosen this time for intensive training, but the weather didn't seem to cooperate. However, Ishikawa, now assured of his Singles 1 position, was in high spirits.
At least in his plans, Hyotei's chances of winning the Kanto Tournament had reached 100%.
"Ugh, my shoes are soaked! This awful weather!"
Mukahi couldn't help but complain as they entered the building.
Despite holding umbrellas, everyone's shoes and pants were drenched by the time they reached the shelter.
Fortunately, Atobe had prepared spare clothes and shoes for everyone. After changing, they followed him into the manor.
"It's raining, so we'll warm up in my private training room for now," Atobe announced as Kabaji opened the door behind him.
The team was stunned.
Inside was a fully equipped gym—chest pull machines, leg bikes, bench presses, and barbells for back training. The sheer size of the room rivaled that of a professional gym.
And this was just one of Atobe's private estates.
At that moment, the team gained a deeper appreciation for Atobe's wealth. Even Akutsu's expression shifted slightly.
He couldn't help but think that if he had extorted someone like Atobe in the past, one payout would've lasted him two or three years.
"Everyone," Ishikawa suddenly spoke up, "during training, rackets are prohibited."
He pointed to a storage box nearby. "Hand them over to me. I'll return them in three days."
The team hesitated but eventually complied, handing over their rackets.
In their minds, Ishikawa's status was now on par with Atobe's. Since this intensive training was his idea, no one dared to defy him.
After all, if he decided to increase their training load as punishment, they'd be in trouble.
Soon, everyone changed into their workout gear.
Ishikawa addressed the group.
"This morning, we'll focus on strengthening the lower body and core. Make sure to complete the assigned training."
He pulled out a notebook and added, "I'll be keeping track of everyone's progress. Except for Oshitari, anyone who fails to meet the training quota will lose points. Those who exceed it by 10% will gain a point.
"Additionally, losing a practice match will cost you a point, while winning will earn you one.
"After three days, I'll use the total scores to determine the lineup for the finals."
The atmosphere in the gym grew tense.
What they had thought would be a relaxing retreat in the countryside now felt like a pressure cooker.
But under Ishikawa's gaze, no one dared to object.
"If there are no objections, let's begin."
Ishikawa placed the notebook on a nearby table, then bent down to strap on weighted lead plates and wrist weights.
The team gasped.
Ishikawa's strictness toward them paled in comparison to the brutal regimen he imposed on himself. The sheer weight of his equipment meant that even if he completed the same training as them, the difficulty was on another level.
"Vice-Captain Ishikawa," Mukahi asked timidly, "do we have to wear those too?"
"No," Ishikawa replied. "It's optional. Besides, my level of weight isn't something everyone can handle. It could lead to injuries."
But as soon as he finished speaking, Akutsu stepped forward, strapped on the weights, and headed straight to the training area without a word.
"That guy's insane!" Mukahi muttered, his face pale.
"Well," Shishido shrugged, "he's got the talent for it. It's not something you or I can match."
Akutsu was one of those rare individuals blessed by nature, far beyond the reach of ordinary players.
Still, the rest of the team exchanged glances and began selecting weights based on their usual capacity.
Even Oshitari, with his injured hand, wore ankle weights.
Though Ishikawa hadn't explicitly said it, everyone knew that no one would receive special treatment during this training—not even Atobe or Ishikawa.
The final lineup would be determined solely by the scores, as Ishikawa had stated.
With that in mind, everyone gave their all, diving into the training with everything they had.
In short, it was time to grind!
Meanwhile, as Hyotei's special training squad worked hard at the countryside estate, over in Kanagawa, Rikkai Dai was also preparing for the upcoming Kanto Finals.
During club activities that afternoon, under the watchful eyes of Sanada and Yanagi, the team was training hard.
"Strange," Yanagi frowned as he approached Sanada. "I don't see Kirihara."
"That brat!" Sanada's expression darkened.
In the semifinals a few days ago, Rikkai Dai had crushed Fudomine. However, in the Singles 3 match, Kirihara, in his demon mode, had been utterly defeated by Tachibana.
The next day, Kirihara had thrown himself into training, seemingly determined to vent his frustration from the loss.
Sanada had been pleased to see the boy's determination to improve.
But now, after just two days of intense training, Kirihara had disappeared?
"If I find him..." Sanada's eyes gleamed with a dangerous light.
He was clearly planning to make an example out of Kirihara.
"Maybe it's not what we think," Yanagi mused. "Kirihara's attitude toward training has always been positive. His sudden disappearance must have a reason."
"Are you looking for Kirihara?"
A pink-haired boy chewing bubble gum approached. It was Marui, Rikkai Dai's genius.
"Here's his note," Marui handed Sanada a small piece of paper Kirihara had given him after class.
Sanada's eyebrows twitched as he read the note, then shot up in anger. "That brat! He's too reckless!"
"Let me see," Yanagi took the note and his expression turned odd.
The note, written in Kirihara's messy handwriting with several misspelled words, explained that he was heading to Tokyo to challenge players from other schools.
"To Tokyo, huh?" Yanagi glanced northeast and smiled. "That kid's got guts."
Sanada snorted, though his anger had subsided somewhat.
Yanagi chuckled. "I bet he's gone to Hyotei. Knowing him, he'd want to scout our finals opponent early. This saves me the trouble of gathering intel."
Sanada nodded slightly.
Kirihara's actions might seem impulsive, but for Rikkai Dai, facing Hyotei in the Kanto Finals, it could prove useful.
Ishikawa's guess was correct.
The current leader of Rikkai Dai, the so-called "Emperor of Middle School Tennis," had indeed felt the pressure from Hyotei's match against Seigaku.
Especially Ishikawa's overwhelming victory over Tezuka, which had left Sanada deeply wary.
"Let's get back to training," Sanada said, picking up his racket and heading to the court.
"Sanada..." Marui was surprised. He rarely saw Sanada look so serious and tense.
"Train hard," Yanagi said, his eyes slightly open. "Our opponents this time won't be easy to deal with."
Marui raised an eyebrow, watching as Yanagi also joined the training. He couldn't help but wonder, "Is Hyotei really that strong this year?"
---
At 3 p.m., outside Hyotei Academy's gates.
A figure in a yellow-and-black jacket stepped off the bus, glanced at the school's name on the cornerstone, and smirked.
"Finally, I'm here."
The curly-haired boy, Kirihara, who had traveled all the way from Rikkai Dai, looked up at the school and sneered. "Ishikawa Makoto, I'm coming for you!"
With that, he strode into the school grounds.
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(End of Chapter)