Chapter 24: Ishikawa vs. Hiyoshi

  The first day of the selection matches came to an end.

  Ishikawa's outstanding performance had drawn a lot of attention.

  Many people were eagerly anticipating his match against Hiyoshi the next day. And just like that, the night passed in silence.

  The next day.

  The uneventful morning csses ended quickly.

  3:00 PM.

  Hyotei Tennis Club

  Compared to yesterday, there were fewer people today. Some simply had no interest in tennis, but those who remained had mostly been converted into tennis fans.

  The warm-up session was led by Atobe.

  After it ended, the pyers dispersed freely.

  Then, the club's broadcast sounded: "The selection match is about to begin. From Groups A, B, C, and D: Ishikawa Shin versus Wakashi Hiyoshi!"

  "Pyers whose names have been called, please proceed to your designated courts for the match. Any unexcused absence will result in a forfeit!"

  As soon as the announcement ended, a rge crowd began gathering around the three courts assigned to Group D.

  Among them were the regurs, including their captain, Atobe.

  "It's about to start—I can't wait!"

  At the front edge of the court, Shishido stretched his arms behind his head, grinning.

  "Yeah!"

  Chotarou nodded.

  He was in the same year as Hiyoshi and knew well that his true strength was far greater than it appeared.

  As for Ishikawa, Chotarou had a good impression of him.

  Partly because of his role as an uppercssman looking after a junior, but also because of Ishikawa’s undeniable talent in serving. He was genuinely curious to see how the newcomer would fare against Hiyoshi.

  Of course—

  He didn't believe Ishikawa could defeat Hiyoshi.

  Hiyoshi was on an entirely different level from the opponents Ishikawa had faced so far. If Ishikawa underestimated him, he would suffer a serious loss!

  "Oshitari, what do you think?"

  Atobe, arms crossed, gnced at Oshitari beside him.

  "This match?"

  Oshitari raised an eyebrow before replying, "Fifty-fifty, I'd say."

  "Oh?"

  Atobe looked at him in surprise.

  "You rate that newcomer so highly?"

  After all, both Atobe and Oshitari had pyed against Hiyoshi multiple times before. It was precisely because of their dominance that Hiyoshi had yet to become a regur like Chotarou and Kabaji.

  And now—

  Oshitari was saying Ishikawa had an even chance against Hiyoshi?

  "It's slightly off, but that’s about right," Oshitari nodded with a smile. "That guy isn’t just any rookie. You realize, from his match against Saburo until now, every single match has been a 6-0 victory—without conceding a single game!"

  "True."

  Atobe nodded slightly.

  He had been closely observing Ishikawa’s progress. From a first-year’s perspective, his matches had been fwless.

  However—

  Many people had an unconscious bias. Because Ishikawa was a first-year, they assumed, "He's strong, but he’s still too young to be that strong."

  But in reality—

  Atobe’s evaluation of Ishikawa was even higher than Oshitari's. In his judgment, Ishikawa’s chances of winning against Hiyoshi were over sixty percent!

  Still—

  He kept this to himself.

  First, he didn’t want to put too much pressure on Ishikawa. Second, he was curious to hear the other regurs’ opinions on the newcomer.

  Now it seemed—

  Other than Oshitari, no one else had truly realized how terrifying Ishikawa’s growth had been in such a short time!

  This also highlighted the difference in perception among the members of Hyotei. Below Atobe was Oshitari, and below Oshitari was everyone else.

  This realization made Atobe feel the urgency of time.

  If Hyotei wanted to defeat Rikkai Dai at the regional and national levels, they were still far from ready. The massive gap between them left Atobe with a deep sense of powerlessness.

  "Forget it," he sighed inwardly and shifted his focus to the court.

  At that moment—

  Two boys stepped onto the court from opposite sides.

  On the left stood Hiyoshi. He had a delicate face, but his brown, mushroom-cut bangs covered part of his eyebrows, giving him a somewhat shadowy appearance.

  On the right was Ishikawa, who was noticeably more handsome.

  Although still a first-year and not fully matured, it was clear that in two years, Ishikawa’s looks would be on par with Atobe's.

  Moreover—

  His expression was natural, his face carried a smile, and his demeanor was far more approachable. As soon as he appeared, he attracted the attention of many girls in the crowd.

  However—

  There was one thing both pyers had in common.

  Confidence!

  Both Ishikawa and Hiyoshi carried themselves with composure and certainty. Just from their demeanor alone, they were already on a different level from the non-regurs!

  At the net, the two shook hands.

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

  "You ftter me, senpai," Ishikawa replied with a smile. "I still have a lot to learn about tennis. I hope you can guide me."

  "Of course."

  Hiyoshi, proud by nature, felt immensely satisfied by Ishikawa’s humility.

  Nodding, he smirked, "I’ll make sure to teach you how to py tennis properly!"

  Then—

  Hiyoshi spun his racket, deciding who would serve. Luck was on his side—he won.

  Unexpectedly, he grinned and said, "Then… I’ll choose this side of the court."

  With that, he gnced at Ishikawa, expecting a reaction. But to his disappointment, Ishikawa’s expression remained unchanged.

  Instead, he simply smiled and nodded. "Thank you, senpai."

  "No problem," Hiyoshi smirked. "I also want to see the power of your high-speed serve."

  With that, he turned and walked to the baseline.

  "This guy…"

  Watching Hiyoshi’s actions, Atobe shook his head slightly.

  Beside him, Oshitari chuckled. "Not bad. He’s even more confident than I expected."

  Confident? Atobe didn’t expose Oshitari’s teasing.

  To others, it might seem that way. But as someone with national-level perception, Atobe could see the truth—

  This verbal exchange?

  Hiyoshi had already lost.

  By deliberately giving up the serve, he tried to assert dominance as a senior.

  But in reality—

  He had handed Ishikawa the first-strike advantage while putting himself on a pedestal.

  If he fell behind in the match, all of his earlier posturing would backfire, and with his pride, he would likely lose his composure.

  With just one gnce—

  Atobe could already predict how this match would unfold.

  However—

  From Hiyoshi’s perspective, things were different.

  By emphasizing his status and giving up the serve, he aimed to create an image of absolute confidence and invincibility.

  And—

  Ishikawa’s serve was powerful, right? Fine. He would break it head-on and shatter his opponent’s confidence!

  "One set, winner takes all," the umpire announced from the high chair. "Ishikawa to serve. Game start!"

  "Come on."

  Hiyoshi smirked confidently. "Let’s see how powerful your so-called cannon serve really is."

  Whoosh!

  Across the court—

  Ishikawa tossed the ball into the air.

  Bending his knees and lowering his center of gravity, he unched into the air. His racket swung down in a powerful arc.

  Bam!

  A thunderous impact. A fsh of yellow streaked across the court at bzing speed.

  Before Hiyoshi could react, the ball smashed onto the service line and shot past him.

  Too fast!

  His pupils contracted.

  His body felt frozen.

  The ball zipped past.

  Silence.

  A stillness so deep, one could hear a pin drop.

  (End of Chapter 24)