"The next match will be the second round of the U-17 Japan Team versus the Second String Selection Shuffle Match!"
"From the Japan Team, No. 10 Ochi Tsukimitsu and No. 9 Mōri Juzaburō will face the Second String Selection pair, Atobe Keigo and Sanada Genichirō! Players, please enter the court!"
At the umpire's call, the four stepped onto the court together. After performing the pre-match ritual at the net, Atobe spoke first, his tone playful as his sharp gaze fell on Ochi.
"As the former captain of Hyōtei, Ochi-senpai dropped from No. 4 to No. 10 in just one year? Looks like I can celebrate victory already!"
"Ma~ don't say it like that, Atobe! Ochi-senpai only did that to look after me. Still, winning this match won't be that easy for you two!" Mōri replied cheerfully with a grin.
"Hah? Do you know who I am?" Atobe said with disdain, raising his right hand skyward. Suddenly, cheers and chants echoed all around, surprising everyone into turning their heads.
"Victory to Hyōtei!" "Victory to Atobe!" "Victory to Hyōtei!" "Victory to Atobe!"
"Wha... what the?! There aren't supposed to be any Hyōtei supporters here! Where are those voices coming from?" Kikumaru looked around in confusion.
"No way! Don't tell me this guy Atobe comes with his own cheer squad now?!" Jackal exclaimed in disbelief.
"How amusing~ as expected of Atobe-kun," Yukimura smiled knowingly as if he had already figured it out.
Soon, even the middle schoolers were swept up by the chants and began shouting their own slogans. The sight left the high schoolers stunned, and even some of the First String members could only shake their heads speechlessly.
When the atmosphere reached its peak, Atobe snapped his fingers. Instantly, the cheers fell silent. Tossing aside his outer jacket with dramatic flair, he declared in his usual narcissistic tone:
"Now, bask in the brilliance of my elegant tennis!"
Beside him, Sanada tugged the brim of his cap lower, clearly wishing no one could see his face. Right now his heart was filled with nothing but endless awkwardness and shame. He deeply regretted how he had rashly agreed yesterday to pair up with Atobe in doubles.
"You're still the same as ever, Atobe!" Mōri muttered, sweat sliding down his temple, his voice slightly stiff. As for Ochi, he remained silent, standing there unmoved as if nothing in the world could disturb him.
Thankfully, the umpire intervened just in time, urging them to decide serve order. Mōri's luck flared and he won the toss, which left both Atobe and Sanada visibly displeased. After all, the opponents had Ochi Tsukimitsu—the man with a 100% serve success rate.
"The match will be best of three sets! Japan Team to serve first!"
Ochi slowly walked to the baseline. For the first game, Mōri didn't hesitate to let him serve. After all, Ochi's serve was a terrifying weapon, the perfect way to deliver a crushing opening blow.
Atobe and Sanada grew solemn, eyes locked on Ochi. Sanada stood ready to receive first, his aura surging as he focused everything into the moment.
Ochi lifted his head slightly, but his long bangs obscured his eyes. Mōri at the net was completely relaxed—he had absolute faith in Ochi's serve.
"MACH!" Ochi whispered, tossing the ball high. The next instant, a thud sounded behind Sanada before he even reacted. Despite being prepared, his heart lurched—he simply couldn't keep up.
"Ace! 15-0!"
"Serve speed... 291 kilometers per hour! He used a full-powered Mach Serve right from the start?!" Inui exclaimed in shock.
"Eh?! That speed's insane! Wait, how'd you measure that so fast?!" Kirihara yelped, eyes wide, then turned curiously toward Inui.
"There's... a speed gun on the sideline," Yanagi sighed helplessly, pointing toward the equipment by the court.
Kirihara's jaw dropped as realization dawned. Around them, the other second-years all wore stunned expressions. A serve over 290 kilometers per hour? That was beyond anything they'd even imagined.
While the crowd buzzed, Ochi was already preparing for his second serve. He tossed the ball again, motion fluid and calm. Before Sanada even reacted, the thud of the ball striking behind him rang out once more.
"Ace! 30-0!"
"292 kilometers per hour! The speed's still climbing?" Oshitari Yuushi muttered as he glanced at the display.
"So our former Hyōtei captain was this strong all along?" Ōtori Chōtarō whispered in awe.
"Heh~ you're really useless, Sanada. Looks like it's up to me, Ore-sama!" Atobe taunted, even though he hadn't been able to see Ochi's serve clearly. Mocking was something Atobe never let slip by.
"Hmph!" Sanada only gave a cold snort. He really hadn't managed to return Ochi's serve, so there was no way to argue back.
As the two switched positions, Ochi calmly unleashed his third Mach Serve. Atobe strained his vision to its limit—he barely caught the shadow of the ball, but his body couldn't react at all. He could only stand frozen in place.
"Ace! 40-0!"
"Game! Japan Team! 1-0!"
With four consecutive Mach Serves, Ochi took the first game with ease. Mōri wasn't surprised at all—it was exactly what he expected. Ochi himself remained calm, as though this outcome was nothing unusual.
"You're far too careless, Atobe!" Sanada couldn't hold back anymore and barked at him.
"Tch~ Ore-sama doesn't need you meddling in my affairs, Sanada!" Atobe snapped back, equally displeased.
"Say... are those two really going to be okay like that?" Tachibana Kippei chuckled from the bench.
"Don't forget that exhibition match not long ago. Their teamwork wasn't bad at all," Chitose said with a smile.
The second game was Atobe's service game. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes. When it came to serving, Ore-sama didn't think he'd lose to anyone—not even Tezuka.
Atobe tested the bounce of the ball, then tossed it high. With a sharp twist of his wrist, he drove his racket down hard, sending the ball spinning fiercely across the net.
"You want to compete in serves? Ore-sama will gladly oblige! Tannhauser Serve!" Atobe sneered as the ball shot forward.
The ball crossed the net, landed, and spun wildly. Mōri had already rushed to the landing spot, well aware of the Tannhauser Serve's path. But in the next instant, his expression shifted. The ball didn't bounce at all—it skimmed flat across the ground, sliding forward.
"Ace! 15-0!"
"Heh~ Ore-sama's evolution grows by leaps and bounds! Were you planning to use the old method to counter it, Mōri?" Atobe taunted with a sly grin.
"This is bad... I didn't expect you to refine your Tannhauser Serve to this level," Mōri muttered, clearly troubled.
Ignoring his complaint, Atobe tossed the ball again and cleanly struck another Tannhauser Serve. The ball skimmed the ground once more, impossible to lift, leaving Mōri helpless as it zipped out of play.
"Ace! 30-0!"
Now it was Ochi's turn to receive. But despite his overwhelming serve power, even he had little counter against the Tannhauser Serve, bound by its rule-breaking spin. He tried sweeping his racket at it, but the moment his strings touched the ball, it shot sideways out of control.
"Ace! 40-0!"
"Game! Second String Selection! 1-1!"
"My god! This is practically a serve battle!" Kikumaru exclaimed as he watched.
"Oh my~ both Ochi-senpai and Atobe's serves are almost unreturnable! Though it does make Mōri-senpai and Sanada look a little awkward~" Fuji said with a teasing smile.
"Fuji-kun, if you put it like that... should I take it as you mocking our Rikkai?" Yukimura asked, still smiling, but his eyes sharp.
At once, everyone nearby instinctively took a step back, leaving space around them. The air between Yukimura and Fuji grew strangely charged. Yet in the very next moment, both smiled lightly as if nothing had happened, turning their gazes back to the match.