Chapter 240: Chapter 239: The Battle of the Strongest Rookies, Ishikawa vs. Echizen
"Sorry, Coach. We lost."
On the Ice Emperor's side, after returning from the match, Oshitari and Mukahi bowed their heads in apology.
Especially Mukahi. If it weren't for his inability to keep up with his partner, they might have turned the tables and become the first pair in national tournament history to break through the Synchro state.
"I understand."
Coach Sakaki nodded.
He wasn't particularly angry about losing this crucial match. Most of his calm came from knowing that Ishikawa was there to back them up. But he also understood that both Oshitari and Mukahi had given it their all.
Their opponents had awakened the Synchro state. In the national tournament, aside from Shishido and Ootori, there probably wasn't another fixed doubles pair capable of defeating them.
Losing 5-7, Oshitari and Mukahi could hold their heads high despite the defeat.
"Go rest now."
Coach Sakaki waved his hand, and Mukahi left with a heavy heart. Just as he was feeling down, Oshitari patted him on the shoulder and whispered, "Mukahi, get stronger quickly."
"Huh?"
Mukahi looked up, confused.
"What?"
Seeing his partner's puzzled expression, Oshitari smiled and said, "Don't you want to experience what Synchro feels like?"
Synchro?
Mukahi was stunned for a moment, but then a spark of determination reignited in his eyes. He nodded firmly.
"Oshitari... I understand!"
At that moment, he finally let go of the disappointment from losing the match.
Lifting his head, Mukahi's gaze fell on the boy beside him, who was holding a racket and walking onto the court with a smile.
"Vice-Captain Ishikawa, it's all up to you now!"
On the other side, the Seigaku team.
Oishi and Kikumaru, returning victorious, were warmly welcomed by their teammates.
"Echizen."
However, both of their eyes were fixed on the boy beside them, who was bending down to tie his shoelaces.
"Senpais."
Echizen looked up, his expression serious as he nodded at them. "Don't worry. I won't waste the opportunity you've fought so hard to create."
With that, he picked up his racket and stepped onto the court.
"I can't believe it's really come down to these two facing off!"
In the stands, Inoue couldn't help but marvel as he looked at the two boys from Ice Emperor and Seigaku.
Ishikawa Shin.
Echizen Ryoma.
The strongest rookies of Ice Emperor and Seigaku this year.
Echizen was the four-time champion of the U.S. Junior Tournament, an astonishing feat. As the son of the Samurai Nanjiro, he carried the bloodline of a tennis legend.
If it weren't for Ishikawa's emergence, Inoue would have considered Echizen the most impressive rookie of the year.
But Ishikawa had appeared.
This boy, who had risen like a comet, entered everyone's sights during the Metropolitan Tournament and had since swept through the ace players of various schools.
Compared to him, even Echizen, with his U.S. Junior Championship title, seemed to pale in comparison.
Before this, Seigaku's Fuji and Tezuka had both fallen to Ishikawa. So had Ice Emperor's Akutsu, Shitenhouji's Chitose, Fudomine's Tachibana, and even Rikkai's Sanada and Yukimura.
Ishikawa had never lost.
No matter how you looked at it, this Ice Emperor rookie was the stronger player, the one who would lead Ice Emperor to continue dominating the national stage.
"Mr. Nanjiro..."
At this thought, Inoue turned to the middle-aged man in a black robe standing beside him, one arm crossed over his chest and the other stroking his chin.
"What do you think Echizen's chances are?"
"Hmm?"
Hearing this, Saotome was the first to react. He looked at Nanjiro in surprise. "Wait, is that Echizen Ryoma... your son?"
Instantly, Saotome's attitude shifted.
The Samurai Nanjiro! Anyone who knew even a little about tennis had heard of him. Even outside Japan, in Europe and America, his name was legendary.
Now, over a decade since he dominated the professional circuit, it was finally time for the next generation of the Samurai to make his mark.
With this in mind, Saotome's gaze toward Nanjiro became even more intense.
"That kid?"
Nanjiro chuckled and shook his head. "He's still got a long way to go. That Ice Emperor kid isn't someone to be trifled with!"
During the Metropolitan Tournament finals, Nanjiro had personally witnessed Ishikawa's match against Fuji. Back then, Ishikawa had already been able to crush Fuji with absolute dominance.
Now, two months later, Fuji's skills had improved dramatically, and he had even found his own path. It was clear that Ishikawa hadn't been standing still either—his skills had undoubtedly reached an even more terrifying level!
Of course, despite saying this, Nanjiro still held a glimmer of hope that his son could use this match as a stepping stone to prove himself on the national stage.
On the court.
Echizen, wearing his white cap, looked up and locked eyes with Ishikawa. "I knew I'd face you eventually, but I didn't think it would be in a situation like this."
"The situation doesn't matter," Ishikawa replied with a smile. "Even if it were just a practice match, I'm sure you'd still give it your all... right, Echizen?"
"And what about you?" Echizen shot back, his gaze sharp. "Ishikawa, will you go all out in this match?"
"That depends on you."
Ishikawa's expression remained calm.
"I see."
Echizen nodded firmly.
Then, he placed his racket on the ground, spinning it to decide who would serve first.
"Heads."
"Alright."
Clatter.
The racket landed, the letter 'R' on the base facing downward.
"Looks like luck's on my side."
Echizen picked up the racket, slung it over his shoulder, and grinned. "Get ready, Ishikawa. I'm going to beat you!"
"I'm looking forward to your challenge."
Ishikawa's smile was calm, almost as if this weren't a finals match. Despite being the same age as Echizen, he exuded a maturity and composure that made him seem far older.
But no one, not even Echizen, found this demeanor out of place.
Because, at this moment, Ishikawa was undoubtedly the strongest middle school tennis player in the country... bar none.
"Game set, one match. Seigaku's Echizen to serve."
The referee, seated high above, nodded toward one side of the court.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Echizen bounced the ball a few times, then tossed it into the air.
"This is..."
Seeing Echizen's grip, the Seigaku team froze for a moment before exclaiming, "The Twist Serve?!"
Swish!
Echizen leaped into the air, his racket slicing through the ball with precision.
Thwack!
The ball shot across the court, landing sharply on the service line in front of Ishikawa.
Sizzle...
The ball spun fiercely, kicking up dust as it skidded across the ground.
"Is he really trying that serve?"
Hiyoshi raised an eyebrow. "Does this Seigaku first-year really think that serve will work?"
After all, Ishikawa was the first person to ever break Tezuka's Zero-Shiki Serve.
Whoosh!
But as the ball bounced up, everyone's expressions changed.
Instead of rising with a normal topspin, the ball shot sideways at an almost parallel angle, heading straight for Ishikawa's backhand.
"This spin?!"
Saotome's eyes widened.
"Oh?"
Nanjiro's eyes gleamed with interest.
He hadn't expected his son to have developed the Twist Serve to such a level.
It was starting to resemble his own, true Twist Serve!
Swish!
But in the next moment, a silver streak of light sliced through the air, intercepting the ball with ease.
Thwack!
Echizen's impressive serve was effortlessly returned by Ishikawa.
"Incredible technique!"
Saotome's heart skipped a beat.
Looking at Ishikawa, who showed no hint of pride after returning such a serve, Saotome was struck by his calm and confidence.
This was his first impression of Ishikawa.
Tap tap!!
On the other side of the court, Echizen dashed forward, chasing the ball. Without hesitation, he raised his racket and prepared for a volley.
Snap!
With a flick of his wrist, Echizen sent the ball skimming low over the net.
Sizzle...
To everyone's surprise, the ball hugged the ground, sliding at an angle.
"This is?!"
On the bench, Seigaku's Coach Ryuzaki's eyes narrowed.
"The Cool Drive?"
Kaidoh blurted out.
This was one of Echizen's recently mastered techniques, a shot with spin so intense it rivaled Fuji's Phoenix Return.
But in Echizen's hands, it looked effortless!
Tap tap!!
But on the other side of the court, Ishikawa quickly closed in, shaking his head with a smile. "That's just a regular Drive C. Why don't you show me the real Cool Drive?"
Thwack!
With a simple stroke, Ishikawa returned the sliding ball.
"Seen through already?"
Echizen raised an eyebrow, then dashed forward, crouching low as he approached the net. "Then how about this?"
Sizzle...
Echizen slid into position, leaping up and smashing the ball with a sharp angle.
"Drive B!"
Thwack!
The ball soared high into the air.
But unlike his usual Drive B, this one bounced at an extreme angle, far beyond what Ishikawa could reach with a normal jump.
At its peak, the ball suddenly changed direction, heading straight for the baseline.
"As expected!"
Oshitari's eyes narrowed. "His techniques have all improved."
Like Fuji, Echizen's skills were exceptional. There was no way he hadn't grown stronger over the past few months.
"Too bad."
Oshitari's gaze shifted to Ishikawa, who had already positioned himself at the baseline. "A technique like that won't score against him."
Thwack!
The ball was easily returned, heading straight for Echizen's backhand.
"Mada mada dane!"
Echizen shot back, dashing toward the ball while switching his racket from his right hand to his left.
"Two-sword style?"
The Fudomine team's expressions shifted.
Ibu raised an eyebrow. "This guy's technique is getting more and more polished."
During the regional tournament, he had lost to this Seigaku first-year precisely because of this move.
Snap!
Echizen swung his racket, using the edge to increase the ball's spin and speed in an instant.
Whoosh!
The ball spiraled through the air.
"This spin?"
Oshitari's eyes widened. "Is this the real Cool Drive?"
Snap!
The ball landed.
Echizen's lips curled into a smirk.
"This point... is mine!"
He was confident in his technique. His skills had improved leaps and bounds since the Metropolitan and Kanto tournaments.
Thwack!
But just as Echizen was certain he had scored, the ball bounced up in a straight line, curving around in an arc to land right in Ishikawa's hitting zone.
"Domain?"
"The Ishikawa Domain!"
Players from various schools exclaimed almost in unison.
Bang!
The ball slammed into the ground at Echizen's feet, leaving him no time to react.
"0-15!"
"That Ishikawa... he's mastered a Domain technique too?"
Saotome's eyes sparkled with interest.
This kind of spin control was something most players could only dream of, even if they understood the theory behind it.
Yet, this Ice Emperor first-year had executed it so effortlessly.
"Not surprising," Nanjiro said with a chuckle, watching his son lose the point. "His technique is on a completely different level from that Seigaku kid. Among middle schoolers, there's probably no one else who can match his skill!"
That strong?
Saotome's heart raced.
As a U17 coach, he had seen many talented players, some with top-tier potential.
But to receive such high praise from someone like Nanjiro... this was a first!
With this thought, Saotome's eyes locked onto Ishikawa like a collector who had just discovered a priceless treasure.
"This isn't looking good..."
On Seigaku's side, Inui's expression was grim. "Even the Cool Drive didn't work. This match is going to be tough for Echizen."
"Yeah."
Beside him, Fuji, Kikumaru, and Momoshiro all wore solemn expressions.
From serves to drives, every one of Echizen's techniques had been countered by Ishikawa. And Ishikawa didn't even look like he was breaking a sweat.
If things continued like this, Seigaku had no chance of winning.
Hum...
But just then, a white aura began to swirl around Echizen as he stood at the baseline, gripping the ball.
"That's..."
"The State of Self-Actualization?!"