It was the weekend, and the sports park hosting the Tokyo Metropolitan Tournament was already bustling with people early in the morning. Compared to the previous week, the number of spectators had noticeably increased.
"Senpai," one of the reporters from *Tennis Monthly* said as they arrived. Shishido, looking at the crowd, remarked, "It seems like the Metropolitan Tournament has drawn in students from all the nearby middle schools, huh?"
"Not just that," Inoue replied, shaking his head. "Take a closer look. There are some unfamiliar faces here too."
"Who are they?"
"They're players from other regions," Inoue explained, pointing at a boy in a white-and-green jacket wearing glasses. "See the 'Midoriyama' emblem on his chest? That's Midoriyama Middle School from Saitama Prefecture—last year's champions. They're here to scout."
"Saitama?" Shishido gasped in surprise. "They came all the way from there?"
"That's nothing," Inoue said with a shrug. "Compared to Tokyo, last year's Kanagawa Prefectural Tournament, where Rikkai competed, even attracted schools from Kyushu, Kansai, and Hokkaido."
"Wow," Shishido murmured, visibly stunned.
Hokkaido, Kyushu… those places sounded so far away. Representatives from those schools had traveled hundreds of miles just to watch a tennis match?
"That's the pull of a strong team," Inoue said with a smile. "This year's Tokyo Metropolitan Tournament is no different. Seigaku and Hyotei both have unprecedentedly strong lineups. Teams that might face them in the future wouldn't miss the chance to gather real data."
"I see," Shishido nodded thoughtfully.
Soon after, the two entered the tennis grounds. At the registration area, they ran into Ryuzaki, who was leading Seigaku. Not long after, teams from Ginkan and Yamabuki arrived as well.
However, the combined presence of these three teams paled in comparison to Hyotei, who made their grand entrance under the leadership of Coach Sakaki. Aside from the coach, eight regular players, and eight reserve players, Hyotei's entourage included over 200 members, marching in like a full-fledged army.
"Is… is this the same Hyotei from last week?" Shishido's jaw dropped at the sight of the doubled numbers and heightened aura of the Hyotei team.
"Yes," Inoue replied firmly. "This is Hyotei in their true form."
Just the sheer size of their 200-member team was enough to turn any away game into a home game. Players with weaker mental fortitude would feel intimidated just stepping onto the court, unable to perform even half their usual strength.
"It seems Seigaku's path to victory just got a lot harder," Inoue thought to himself.
As someone who admired Seigaku—the team his idol once belonged to—Inoue naturally hoped they would win. Plus, as a magazine reporter, a Seigaku victory would make for a captivating story.
Unfortunately, this year's Hyotei was simply too strong. With the addition of Ishikawa, a newcomer who couldn't even be described as just a prodigy anymore, they were practically invincible.
As a result, like Inoue, almost everyone believed that Hyotei was destined to win this year's Tokyo Metropolitan Tournament.
However, the first semifinal match shattered everyone's expectations.
**Court 3: Seigaku vs. Ginkan**
Ginkan, the team that had defeated last year's semifinalist, Hojyo Middle School, and secured a spot in the Kanto Tournament, shocked everyone by forfeiting the match right at the start.
Their official reason was food poisoning.
But Inoue distinctly remembered seeing the Ginkan players full of energy and determination just before the match.
"Well, it looks like Seigaku might still have a chance after all," Inoue mused as he watched the Seigaku team leave the court.
"Let's go, Shishido. Time to watch the other match."
With that, Inoue and the others headed to the other side of the park, where another match was about to begin.
**Clang!**
The iron gate of Court 2 swung open.
Two teams—one in white, the other in gray—entered the court, led by their respective coaches, Taro and Sakaki. The players, led by their captains, lined up at the net to face each other.
The captains stepped forward, shook hands, exchanged a few polite words, and then both teams bowed before retreating to their respective sides.
"The first match will be Doubles 2," the announcer declared. "Hyotei Gakuen's Ryo Shishido and Chotaro Ootori vs. Yamabuki Middle School's Shinomiya Inakichi and Kita Ichimaru. Please prepare."
"Shishido?" The crowd murmured in surprise.
Shishido, the reporter, was equally shocked. "Isn't he a singles player? Why is he playing doubles now?"
"I'm not sure," Inoue replied, shaking his head. "Maybe it's a new strategy Hyotei is trying."
Others in the crowd began to speculate as well.
"This is ridiculous!" On Yamabuki's side, the dark-skinned, sunglasses-wearing Muneyoshi muttered angrily. "Hyotei's looking down on us!"
"Exactly!"substitute representative, Nishikori, said with barely contained anger,
"You think just because you're stronger than us, you can randomly pick the doubles players?"
The anger was palpable among the Yamabuki players. Shinomiya and Kita, the doubles pair about to take the court, also looked visibly upset. But against the overwhelming strength of Hyotei, there was little they could do except channel their frustration into determination, vowing to defeat their opponents on the court.
"Coach Sakaki is fielding this kind of doubles lineup?" On the Yamabuki coaching bench, the wrinkled face of Coach Taro showed a hint of contemplation.
Unlike the others, what he saw was the depth of Hyotei's bench strength beneath their overwhelming power.
"So," Taro thought, his eyes narrowing slightly, "they're conserving their main players' stamina for the finals against Seigaku, huh?"
At this realization, a sly, fox-like smile spread across his face.
He had initially thought Yamabuki's chances of winning would be slim if Hyotei fielded their main players. But now, Hyotei's decision to shuffle their lineup might just be the opening Yamabuki needed.
"If we can win both doubles matches," Taro thought, "we only need to win one of the three singles matches. Whether it's Sengoku or… Araya!"
"The match will now begin," the referee announced. "Best of one set. Yamabuki's Shinomiya to serve."
As the referee's voice faded, the court fell silent, and all eyes turned to Shinomiya at the baseline.
He bounced the ball a few times, his gaze not on his opponents but on his teammate, Kita, who was standing at the net.
"Huh?" Shishido, the reporter, noticed Kita's hands moving subtly behind his back. "Inoue-senpai, what's Kita doing with his fingers?"
"Those are signals," Inoue explained patiently. "Yamabuki is known as the 'Undefeated Kings of Doubles.' Their doubles teams are incredibly strong, with both pairs making it to the national tournament last year."
"National-level doubles? Both pairs?" Shishido exclaimed. "Seigaku only has the Golden Pair as a national-level doubles team!"
"Exactly," Inoue nodded. "That's what makes Yamabuki so formidable. As for the hand signals, they're a way for doubles partners to communicate before a serve, ensuring their strategy isn't exposed to their opponents.
"And from what I know, each pair has their own unique set of signals. Even within Yamabuki, the two doubles teams use completely different codes."
"I see," Shishido said, finally understanding.
She now realized that doubles wasn't just about putting two players together—it was a complex, coordinated effort.
**Thwack!**
At that moment, Shinomiya, having confirmed Kita's signal, served the ball.
The serve landed deep, forcing Ootori to take a step back. His return was slow, giving Kita the perfect opportunity to rush the net and intercept with a sharp volley.
"15-0!" the referee called.
The match had officially begun.
Some of the spectators nearby, including Chisato Shisaori, were so shocked that their jaws dropped.
"So fast?"
"Yeah," Inoue nodded. "That's the efficiency of a signal-based strategy. By predetermining the ball's trajectory, they control where the opponent can return it. Then, they move early to firmly take control of the match!"
Looking around, the players from Hyotei and Seigaku remained calm. Clearly, they weren't surprised by Yamabuki's doubles team displaying this level of skill.
Soon after, Kitahara placed his left hand behind his back again, his fingers rapidly shifting into various signals. Meanwhile, Nitobe launched another attack.
*Thud! Thud! Thud!*
The two of them moved in perfect sync, completely overwhelming the Hyotei pair.
*Thud!*
"Game!"
"Yamabuki's Nitobe and Kitahara, 1-0. Switch sides!"
In the blink of an eye, they had secured the first game. This was a huge morale boost for Yamabuki, and their team cheered loudly.
In the second game, it was Shishido's serve. Nitobe and Kitahara immediately went on high alert. They knew this Hyotei player was strong in singles. While he might not compare to top-tier players like Tezuka or Atobe, he was still a significant threat to them.
*Thud!*
However, to everyone's surprise, Shishido didn't rely on his signature fast attacks. Instead, he used a strategy of alternating left and right shots to disrupt their rhythm.
"Makes sense," said Yamabuki's captain, Kentaro Minami, who sported a spiky hairstyle. "He probably realized that trying to overpower both of them with speed alone wouldn't work, so he's trying to break their formation."
"Cool-headed decision," added his partner, Masami Higashikata, who had a slicked-back undercut. "But unfortunately for him, their doubles teamwork isn't so easily shaken."
*Swish!*
Sure enough, Nitobe, with his mushroom-cut hair, suddenly stepped aside, allowing Kitahara—who had a hairstyle similar to Atobe's and two spiral marks on his face—to rush forward.
*Thud!*
A sudden straight shot caught Shishido and Ootori completely off guard.
"0-15!"
"See?" Inoue remarked. "The level of their doubles play is on a completely different level."
Nitobe and Kitahara might not seem like standout players at first glance, but their doubles skills were undoubtedly national-tier. On top of that, Shishido and Ootori were a temporary pairing. It was no surprise they were being dominated.
*Thud!*
"0-30!"
*Thud!*
"0-40!"
*Thud!*
"Game!"
"Yamabuki's Nitobe and Kitahara, 2-0!"
After two games, Hyotei had only managed to score two points, thanks to Shishido's individual efforts. But in terms of the overall score, Yamabuki had widened the gap.
In the third game, it was Yamabuki's serve again. This time, Nitobe was in charge of signaling, while Kitahara served. With their intricate hand signals and seamless coordination, they quickly racked up points.
Soon, they secured another game, leading 3-0.
"It's over!" one of the Hyotei supporters groaned, clutching his head. "Is Hyotei really going to get shut out?"
This was the defending champion, after all! And they hadn't sent out second-string players—these were their top representatives. If they lost like this, it would cast serious doubt on Hyotei's dominance in the Tokyo Metropolitan Tournament.
However, Shishido and Ootori paid no attention to the reactions around them.
"Ootori," Shishido said, turning to the younger player as they switched sides. "It's about time we showed them what we're made of."
"Right," Ootori nodded firmly.
"Third game!"
"Hyotei's Ootori to serve. Game point!"
As the referee announced, the crowd's attention shifted to Ootori.
"This guy's a second-year, right?" Yamabuki's Muromachi, wearing sunglasses, smirked as he watched Ootori gently bouncing the ball at the baseline. "No point in struggling. Even Shishido, a third-year, couldn't turn things around. Why are you, a second-year, taking this so seriously?"
Not just him—most of Yamabuki's team and the spectators seemed convinced that Hyotei's doubles pair had no chance of winning.
*Whoosh!*
Under their dismissive gazes, Ootori tossed the ball high into the air.
"One," he silently counted, his left foot pivoting and pressing against the baseline.
"Ball," he stretched his arm, raising his racket high.
"Into," his muscles tensed as he focused intently on the ball, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
"SOUL!!!"
Suddenly, his racket swung down with a powerful, almost slam-like motion, smashing into the ball.
*Boom!*
A loud crack echoed through the court as a streak of yellow light shot across the net. The speed was so intense that the spectators could only catch a blur, and even the other players barely saw the ball's trajectory.
Meanwhile, on Yamabuki's side of the court, Nitobe, who was positioned to receive the serve, froze like a startled cat, his hair standing on end.
*Boom!*
The serve, like a cannonball, slammed into the ground right in front of him. Before Nitobe could even react, the ball shot past him.
"I... I couldn't move?" A cold sweat dripped down Nitobe's face as he stood there, stunned.
The entire court fell into a stunned silence after Ootori's devastating serve.
---
(End of Chapter)