"Even Boss's 'World Pirate' didn't work?!"
Outside the court.
Watanabe's smile vanished, replaced by deep tension. In his memory, this had never happened to Byodoin.
Not even against Switzerland's pro player—Amadeus, the current U-17 leader—had Byodoin been pushed this far.
Yet now, he was being suppressed.
The high schoolers watching, the three coaches observing from the second-floor platform, and even Tokugawa—standing in the No. 1 court zone with his arms crossed—were stunned.
"He's actually being overwhelmed?!"
Tokugawa's eyes gleamed with disbelief.
Yes, Ishikawa was strong. But Tokugawa, having faced him before, was confident he could've returned that last shot. At the very least, his Black Hole absolute defense would've held up.
For the usually reserved Tokugawa, this realization sent a thrill through him. If he had been the one facing Byodoin, the outcome might not have been much different!
"Senior."
As the dust settled, Ishikawa shook his head with a faint smile. "Isn't it about time you lifted your restrictions?"
"Huh?!"
The high schoolers, still processing the match, froze at his words.
"N-no way…" Someone blurted out. "That kind of power… and he was still holding back?!"
Tokugawa's fist clenched.
He didn't want to believe it, but Ishikawa had no reason to lie.
"You noticed, huh?"
Byodoin cracked his neck, the sound like popping joints. "I'll admit, you're impressive." His gaze locked onto Ishikawa. "I thought restricting myself to 60% would be enough to crush you. But it seems I'll have to go all out."
A flicker of approval crossed Byodoin's eyes.
As the U-17 leader, he appreciated talent like this. Originally, his plan had been to mold Tokugawa into Japan's next pillar through relentless pressure.
But Ishikawa?
He was a better option.
And the fact that he was only a first-year? Perfect.
The World Cup was held every two years—meaning Ishikawa's peak would align perfectly with Japan's next campaign. By then, he'd be strong enough to dominate the world.
"But before that…"
Byodoin tossed the ball up, his voice sharp. "Let me show you the vastness of the world!"
BANG!
The serve exploded like a gunshot.
The sheer pressure sent dust scattering like a blade, the ball slamming into Ishikawa's backhand with surgical precision.
To the spectators, it was a blur—a distorted, nauseating sight that strained their focus.
THUD!
The ball rebounded, drilling into the wall with violent spin.
"Incredible!" Mouri couldn't help but exclaim.
Unlike the raw power of earlier serves, this one was crafted—minimal wasted motion, perfect spin, and flawless control.
A pro-level serve.
"30-30!" the umpire called.
"He's insane!"
Mouri and Tetsuya gaped.
"Is this the true strength of the No. 1 player?"
Aside from Oni's Super-Gravity Dimension Serve, this was the first time they'd seen Ishikawa fail to return a serve.
BANG!
Byodoin served again.
A spiraling bullet, kicking up dust and wind, masking its trajectory.
THUD!
Ishikawa didn't move.
"40-30!"
"Heh." Kaji smirked. "Finally realizing the gap between him and a pro?"
The other U-17 reps nodded.
Byodoin wasn't officially a pro yet—but in their eyes, he was already on that level. They'd seen him dismantle geniuses, prodigies, and even national team leaders overseas.
Ishikawa was strong, yes.
But against Byodoin?
It was like a toddler trying to fight a titan.
BANG!
Another serve.
Another ace.
"Game! Byodoin leads 1-0! Change ends!"
"OOOOOH!!!"
The U-17 reps erupted in cheers.
To them, Byodoin was more than just their leader—he was their symbol. The idea of him losing to a rookie was unthinkable.
"Damn it! Three straight aces?!" Tetsuya gritted his teeth.
While the others rooted for Byodoin, he and Mouri were firmly in Ishikawa's corner. Seeing him shut out like this was painful.
But then—
"Interesting. Is he hiding something?"
A deep voice cut through the noise.
Mouri turned.
It was Mares.
"Senpai," Mouri asked cautiously, "what do you mean?"
"You've seen him play before, right?" Mares's piercing gaze fixed on him.
Mouri nodded.
How could he forget the match at the Kanto Tournament? It was the reason he'd pushed himself so hard.
Tetsuya glanced at him, surprised.
"If you've seen him then," Mares continued, "you know how strong he was. There's no way he couldn't return those serves."
"Right!" Mouri's eyes widened.
Back then, Ishikawa had already returned Mares's Mach Serve. Now, with his improved skills, pure speed shouldn't be an issue.
"So then—"
"In high-level matches," Mares said coolly, "every shot has meaning. Especially in a battle like this."
"Got it."
Mouri and Tetsuya exchanged glances.
Ishikawa hadn't tried to return those serves—because he was forcing Byodoin to go all out.
"Game 2! Ishikawa to serve!"
As they switched sides, Ishikawa tossed the ball high.
His body coiled like a spring—then unleashed.
WHOOSH!
The serve was invisible.
Byodoin's instincts screamed at him to swing—but in that split second, something felt off.
The ball, which should've landed right in front of him, seemed to stretch away—as if space itself had warped, creating an uncrossable gap.
THUD!
The ball hit the wall behind him, spinning violently.
Silence.
From the outside, Byodoin hadn't even moved.
"Ref."
Ishikawa's calm voice broke the stillness.
The umpire hesitated.
Even with his experience, this match was beyond his ability to judge. Sweat beaded on his forehead under the crowd's pressure.
"It's fine."
Kurobe's voice came from the second floor. "In matches like this, the players can confirm the score themselves."
"Understood."
The umpire looked to Ishikawa, who smiled.
"15-0, Ishikawa."
Byodoin didn't protest.
"Score updated! 15-0, Ishikawa!"
"That serve…" Watanabe muttered, eyes wide.
It wasn't just fast—it had crossed into the realm of Hyper-Speed Dimension Tennis.
In all of U-17, only Mares had reached that level. Even Byodoin hadn't mastered it yet.
WHOOSH!
WHOOSH!
WHOOSH!
Three more aces.
"Game! 1-1!"
The crowd was speechless.
No explosions, no shockwaves—just absolute speed.
And with it, Ishikawa had earned the U-17 reps' fear.
Hyper-Speed Dimension Tennis.
With this, he'd cemented himself among the world's elite.
What had seemed like a one-sided match now hung in perfect balance.
The Decisive Moment
The first set stretched on, both players holding their serves with ease.
Six minutes later—
6-6.
A tiebreaker.
"A tiebreaker?!"
"Boss isn't even trying to break his serve?!"
"It's too fast! And this is just the first set—no point wasting energy now."
The U-17 reps argued, some shocked, others making excuses.
But one thing was clear:
Without realizing it, they'd started seeing Ishikawa as Byodoin's equal.
BOOM!
As the tiebreaker began, Byodoin's aura erupted.
Golden flames of power surged around him, transforming him into something monstrous—a force of nature.
"Enough games."
His voice was ice. "Ishikawa… are you ready?"
SHING!
Ishikawa's response was a blade of silver light—his Sword Intent (3rd Stage), sharper than ever.
Even without Asura Path or Muga no Kyouchi, this was his strongest standalone technique.
And now, after relentless training, it had reached a level where it could clash with Byodoin's overwhelming presence.
CRACK!
The air between them split, lightning-like energy arcing across the court.
The crowd held its breath.
This was it.
The next few points wouldn't just decide the set—they'd determine the new leader of Japan's U-17.