A moment later.
Both players confirmed the serve and retreated to the baseline.
"The match will be decided in one set."
The referee's gaze shifted toward Akutsu's direction. "Yamabuki Akutsu to serve, first game!"
At the same time.
In Ishikawa's eyes, detailed information appeared above Akutsu's head.
**[Akutsu Jin (Boss): Lv5]**
"Just as I thought."
After seeing his opponent's level, Ishikawa nodded to himself.
When it came to raw tennis talent, Akutsu was undoubtedly in the top tier, as depicted in the original story. However, his match experience was severely lacking.
Even so, Akutsu's skills were close to those of a Kanto-level player.
"But," Ishikawa thought, a faint smile appearing on his face, "I've never had such a comfortable match before."
Usually, he was the one fighting uphill battles against stronger opponents. This time, however, he was the one with the upper hand.
"You little brat!"
On the other side, noticing Ishikawa's smile, Akutsu's eyes flashed with anger as he tossed the ball into the air.
*Thud!*
He slammed the ball with tremendous force.
"This serve..."
Watching from the sidelines, elite players from various schools couldn't help but frown.
To put it simply, Akutsu's serve was fast, and by all appearances, it packed a lot of power.
But it was also incredibly crude.
The timing, the trajectory, and the placement—there was no finesse or technique to it whatsoever.
Yet, despite its roughness, no one dared to underestimate it.
Most of the players watching likely wouldn't have been able to return it.
*Thwack!*
But Ishikawa quickly sidestepped, caught up to the ball, and effortlessly returned it with a clean shot aimed at Akutsu's right side.
"He returned it?"
"Was that a cross-court shot?"
"Wait, he was aiming for the outer corner!"
Gasps of surprise erupted from the crowd.
Those who hadn't seen Ishikawa play before, including most of the Yamabuki team, were visibly shocked.
It was hard to believe that this first-year could remain so calm and composed while returning such a fast serve.
Not only that, but the quality of his return was nearly flawless.
*Thud! Thud!*
But then, a figure came charging forward.
It was Akutsu.
He was sprinting at full speed, closing the distance to the ball in the blink of an eye.
But as he got closer, he showed no signs of slowing down.
"He's running too fast!"
Someone from the Hyotei team couldn't help but scoff. "He doesn't even have the basics of footwork or spacing down. How is someone like this even allowed to play?"
*Screech!*
However, in the next moment, Akutsu suddenly decelerated. His feet skidded across the court, kicking up a trail of dust.
Then, his upper body snapped into action as he raised his racket, while his lower body continued to slide forward from the momentum.
Two different speeds—one fast, one slow—coexisting in the same person.
The stark contrast left the spectators wide-eyed.
*Thwack!*
With a violent swing, Akutsu smashed Ishikawa's precise return back across the net.
"Whoa..."
The Hyotei team collectively gasped.
"Wait, you can play like that?"
Mukahi blurted out, unable to contain his surprise.
Even he, with his exceptional balance, couldn't pull off such a sudden deceleration without losing control.
"A once-in-a-decade tennis prodigy, huh?"
From the coach's seat, Coach Sakaki narrowed his eyes.
He glanced at Coach Banji beside him. Although the old man's smile hadn't changed much, Sakaki could sense genuine pride radiating from him.
"Coach Banji truly is something," Sakaki thought to himself.
He remembered clearly that Banji hadn't been with Yamabuki for long. Yet, under his guidance, the team had gone from barely making it past regional tournaments to becoming regulars in the Kanto Championships. Last year, they had even made it to the Nationals.
All of this was thanks to the old man.
Last year, Yamabuki's singles lineup had relied solely on Senju, making them a non-threat. But this year, Banji had somehow unearthed a genius like Akutsu, filling the gap in their singles lineup.
If Hyotei hadn't recruited Ishikawa, their original lineup—with Shishido at singles 3 against Senju and Akutsu at singles 2 against Kabaji—could have easily led to an upset.
"But," Sakaki thought, recalling the bet Ishikawa had made with Akutsu before the match, "that kid..."
His gaze shifted back to the court, where Ishikawa was locked in a fierce rally with Akutsu.
A faint smile crept onto Sakaki's lips. "Is he planning to do what I think he's planning?"
*Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!*
On the court, the two players were engaged in a heated exchange.
In Akutsu's service game, the once-in-a-decade prodigy launched relentless attacks.
With his incredible speed and exceptional balance, he easily countered Ishikawa's precise shots.
And once he caught up to the ball, his explosive power allowed him to unleash devastating returns.
At first glance, Akutsu seemed like an unstoppable force, charging across the court and overwhelming his opponent with sheer aggression.
If you only watched Akutsu's side, you'd think his opponent was in serious trouble.
But on the other side of the net, Ishikawa remained calm and composed, moving with the ease of someone taking a leisurely stroll.
"His judgment is incredible," Banji thought, a hint of surprise in his eyes. "The moment Akutsu hits the ball, he already knows where it's going and adjusts accordingly."
This level of composure and precision was unlike anything you'd expect from a rookie.
On the contrary...
Even players like Sengoku and Oshitari, who are at the Kanto level, can't compare to Ishikawa.
Thinking this, Banda couldn't help but feel a growing sense of worry.
When he first heard about Ishikawa's match against Tachibana, he had assumed Ishikawa was an aggressive player. But now, it was clear that the information was wrong—dead wrong.
"Damn it!"
Meanwhile, on the court, Akutsu, who had been struggling to break through, was growing increasingly frustrated. "How is this kid so fast? Wait, it's not his speed—he's reacting before I even move!"
Akutsu's keen eyes quickly picked up on the secret behind Ishikawa's rapid reactions.
"If that's the case..." A thought flashed through his mind, and a smirk crept onto his face. "Then let's see how you handle this!"
With a sharp motion, Akutsu swung his racket.
"Is he aiming for the right side this time?" Unlike Ishikawa, players like Shishido and Mukahi, who were caught up in Akutsu's relentless attacks, instinctively tried to predict his moves.
Ishikawa, however, seemed to step forward, preparing to move to the right.
But in the next moment, Akutsu abruptly shifted his stance, adjusted his position, and slammed the ball with a powerful stroke.
*Boom!*
The tennis ball shot toward Ishikawa's left, targeting his backhand.
"Oh no!" Most of the Ice Empire team members looked panicked.
"How is that possible?" Mukahi exclaimed in disbelief. "He changed his swing in such a short time?!"
"His physical abilities... just how far do they go?" Taki and the others were equally stunned.
"Great shot!"
"Yeah, that's the way to do it!"
On the other hand, the Yamabuki team, which had been feeling the pressure, began to rally as Akutsu's momentum surged. Even Muratsu, who didn't usually get along with Akutsu, couldn't hide his excitement.
Sure, Akutsu wasn't on Tezuka's level. But if he could humiliate Ice Empire and teach them a lesson, Muratsu was all for it.
"If Akutsu can take down this Ishikawa, I should probably start warming up... huh?!"
But just as Muratsu began to think about preparing, his eyes widened behind his sunglasses.
Near the outer corner of the court, a figure in gray and white had appeared—none other than Ishikawa himself!
*Boom!*
The sound of the ball being struck echoed across the court. Akutsu's carefully planned shot was effortlessly returned by Ishikawa.
"H-how?!" This time, not just Yamabuki, but even players from Seigaku and St. Rudolph were shocked.
"Isn't he supposed to be moving in the opposite direction?" Kikumaru asked, confused.
"That was an illusion," Inui said gravely. "Ishikawa was never fooled by Akutsu's tactics in the first place."
As he spoke, Inui's hand, holding his notebook, trembled slightly. What Ishikawa was demonstrating was a level beyond ordinary data analysis—a realm Inui himself aspired to reach.
"Unfazed by illusions, always calm and decisive," Inui thought, watching Ishikawa remain steadfast at the baseline. "This guy's mental fortitude is on a completely different level."
*Boom!*
*Boom!*
*Boom!*
On the court, Akutsu continued his relentless attacks. But as his attempts to score failed, his frustration grew. His playstyle became increasingly erratic, no longer focused on winning points but on sheer domination.
Each shot he took was aimed closer and closer to Ishikawa's body.
"This is bad!" Kawamura, watching from the sidelines, paled. "Akutsu's losing it—he's resorting to violent tennis!"
He remembered a similar situation from five years ago. On a tennis court, a young prodigy named Hakugyoku had been brutally beaten by a 9-year-old Akutsu, who had used the same kind of aggressive, violent playstyle.
Now, Akutsu's inner rage was resurfacing, and what had started as a tennis match was turning into a brutal confrontation.
*Boom!*
*Boom!*
*Boom!*
Akutsu's pace quickened, and his movements became more frenzied. Even the Ice Empire supporters, who had been cheering for him, began to feel uneasy.
On the Yamabuki side, the mood was equally tense. They wanted Akutsu to win, but not like this—not through sheer violence.
"Sigh." Banda sighed inwardly. He had known Akutsu had a volatile temper, but he hadn't expected it to flare up so easily.
As someone who wanted to see talented players thrive, he wanted Yamabuki to win, but not at the cost of destroying a promising player's future.
At this point, Banda had made up his mind. If things continued to spiral out of control, he would step in and stop the match.
"You damn brat!" On the court, Akutsu's rage reached its peak. His eyes were bloodshot as he glared at Ishikawa. "Just die already!"
*Bang!*
This shot was pure rage, aimed directly at Ishikawa's head.
"This is bad!" The spectators gasped, their faces pale. Coach Mizuki looked ready to jump to his feet.
If that ball hit Ishikawa, it would mean serious injury—or worse. Even the referee was preparing to intervene.
*Bang!*
But in the next moment, a figure was sent flying like a broken kite.
*Clatter...*
The racket slipped from his hand and skidded across the court.
The crowd was stunned, but not by Akutsu's violence. The person who had been sent flying wasn't Ishikawa—it was Akutsu himself!
*Drip... drip...*
Blood trickled down Akutsu's face as he struggled to get up from the ground.
Meanwhile, Ishikawa, who had remained calm throughout, finally spoke. His usual gentle smile was gone, replaced by a chilling coldness.
"Senpai," he said, his voice icy. "Are you done playing around?"
(End of Chapter)