Two days later, in the Prince of Tennis world.
"Wow, is this really Tezuka's world? Everything looks so lively!" Shanks adjusted his straw hat and gazed around at the bustling cityscape with obvious fascination.
When Tezuka and Eiji had extended their invitation to Gustave's group, the Red Hair Pirates had been present as well. Naturally, the adventure-loving crew had immediately requested to join the expedition to watch the match.
"Shanks, we agreed beforehand - no causing trouble in Tezuka's world!" Gustave's tone carried a warning edge. The Prince of Tennis world wasn't like the Chinese Ghost Story realm where they could act with complete freedom. Before departing, he'd established three non-negotiable rules with the Red Hair Pirates: no wandering off alone, no causing disturbances, and violation of either rule would result in permanent banishment from using the Gate of All Worlds.
"I understand completely! You can trust us, right Uta?" Shanks leaned down toward his adopted daughter with an exaggerated innocent expression.
"Uncle Gustave, don't worry! I'll definitely keep Shanks and everyone else in line!" Uta declared with the serious authority of someone far older than her years. Gustave knew from experience that the Red Hair Pirates were fundamentally unreliable when left to their own devices - only Uta possessed the influence to actually control them.
"Uta, I'm genuinely hurt that you'd say such things!" Shanks pressed his hand to his heart in mock anguish. "Whenever you're around Gustave and his crew, you always side against your own family!"
"Yeah, that's right! Uta, you're supposed to be a member of the Red Hair Pirates!" Yasopp and several other crew members chorused their agreement.
"You're not allowed to threaten Sister Uta!" Yang Chan stepped forward protectively, her small frame radiating surprising determination.
"Alright, alright! Uta, Chan'er, we promise not to cause any trouble or wander off," Shanks conceded with a defeated sigh.
Among both the Bamboo Staff crew and the Red Hair Pirates, the two young girls - Uta and Yang Chan - commanded the highest respect and authority. When both of them spoke with united purpose, even the infamous Emperor of the Sea had no choice but to comply.
Gustave, the mastermind behind this particular power dynamic, concealed his satisfaction. Controlling the Red Hair Pirates had proven remarkably simple once he'd understood the crew's true hierarchy.
The semifinal match between Yamabuki and Shitenhouji would take place at the Saitama Super Arena, the same venue that had hosted their previous victory over Rikkaidai. The facility offered state-of-the-art equipment, including four massive screens suspended above the court that would broadcast close-up action to spectators in the upper sections.
While waiting in the entry line, Gustave couldn't help but overhear other audience members' nervous commentary about his companions:
"Those people look absolutely terrifying!"
"Do you think they're yakuza?"
"They're not going to suddenly pull out weapons and attack us, are they?"
Listening to these whispered concerns, Gustave had to suppress his amusement. The Red Hair Pirates certainly did present an intimidating appearance to ordinary civilians.
Finally, Shanks couldn't tolerate the fearful murmurs any longer. "Listen everyone, I know we look a bit rough around the edges, but we're really not dangerous people!"
His well-intentioned reassurance had exactly the opposite effect. The surrounding crowd fell into terrified silence, exchanging worried glances but not daring to speak further, clearly convinced that Shanks might attack at any provocation.
"This is hopeless," Shanks muttered under his breath. He silently vowed never to visit such a peaceful world again where his reputation preceded him so dramatically.
Soon enough, the group made their way inside the arena. Their seats were positioned in the premium front section - though this time Shanks had covered the considerable expense. After all, if Gustave was providing interdimensional tourism services for the Red Hair Pirates, shouldn't they compensate their tour guide appropriately?
Once everyone was settled, both Yamabuki Junior High and Shitenhouji could be seen warming up on the court below. However, the atmosphere between the two teams was strikingly different. Yamabuki's players appeared relaxed and confident, while Shitenhouji's mood seemed notably more tense and serious.
This disparity was entirely understandable. Though the schools had never faced each other directly, Yamabuki had earned their reputation by defeating the defending national champions, Rikkaidai, in a decisive head-to-head final at the Kanto Tournament.
While Shitenhouji didn't employ dedicated data analysis specialists, they had still collected extensive intelligence on their opponents. The more information they gathered about Yamabuki, the more daunting the challenge appeared. The team seemed flawless in both singles and doubles competition, with no apparent weaknesses to exploit.
"Shiraishi, are you still worried about the match?" The speaker was Shitenhouji's coach, Watanabe Osamu, addressing his team captain, Shiraishi Kuranosuke, who was known throughout the tennis world as the "Bible of Tennis" for his technically perfect fundamentals.
"Yamabuki is incredibly strong - just like Rikkaidai was. We can't identify any vulnerabilities at all. I'm afraid we might face another semifinal elimination," Shiraishi replied with uncharacteristic pessimism. As captain, he knew he shouldn't express such doubts, but after studying footage of Yamabuki's victory over Rikkaidai, optimism seemed impossible to maintain.
"Shiraishi, have you forgotten the true spirit of Shitenhouji?" coach Watanabe asked with a knowing smile.
"What do you mean?"
"Comedy is king! Hahaha!" A player with glasses, a crew cut, and an unexpectedly elderly appearance suddenly materialized beside Shiraishi, making exaggerated silly faces.
"Koharu, you idiot!" Shiraishi burst into involuntary laughter despite his anxiety. The player was Konjiki Koharu, a specialist in "comedy tennis" who partnered with Hitouji Yuuji in doubles. Together, they formed a bizarre duo whose antics often placed tremendous psychological pressure on their opponents through sheer bewilderment.
"Shiraishi, even if our opponents are incredibly powerful, we have to fight until the very end. Giving up before the match begins isn't the Shitenhouji way!" Koishikawa Kenjiro, the team's vice-captain, stepped forward with encouraging words.
"You're absolutely right! Let's give everything we have!" Shiraishi declared, his spirit rekindled.
"Yeah!" The entire Shitenhouji team's morale surged with renewed determination. Until they actually competed, who could say which team was truly stronger?
"The Shitenhouji team across the court seems really fired up!" Fuji observed with his characteristic gentle smile and perpetually narrowed eyes.
"Every opponent in the national tournament deserves our complete respect. To reach this level proves Shitenhouji's exceptional strength. Don't underestimate them for a second. Is that understood?" Tezuka's sharp voice cut through his team's relaxed attitude.
"Understood!" the Yamabuki players responded in unison.
After Tezuka's reminder, the team finally adopted a more appropriately serious mindset for the crucial match ahead.
Coach Banji nodded with satisfaction as he observed this exchange. Tezuka truly was the perfect choice for captain. Although he'd delegated most routine team management to Minami Kentaro, Tezuka still commanded absolute authority when critical moments demanded leadership.
"Those boys all look so handsome!" Uta exclaimed with excitement, experiencing the electric atmosphere of a live tennis tournament for the first time. Watching the high morale and determination radiating from both Yamabuki and Shitenhouji players, she found herself genuinely impressed by their dedication and spirit.
"Uta, am I not handsome too?" Shanks asked hopefully, seeking reassurance.
"Shanks, you're already a middle-aged man!" Uta replied with brutal honesty, showing absolutely no mercy.
"Hahaha!" The exchange prompted hearty laughter from everyone within earshot.
Time passed quickly as anticipation built throughout the arena. Finally, the public address system crackled to life, announcing that the match would begin momentarily.
The starting lineups for both teams were:
Yamabuki:
Doubles 1: Minami Kentaro, Higashikata Masami
Doubles 2: Oishi Shuichiro, Kikumaru Eiji
Singles 1: Sengoku Kiyosumi
Singles 2: Tezuka Kunimitsu
Singles 3: Fuji Shusuke
Shitenhouji:
Doubles 1: Koishikawa Kenjiro, Shinozu Kenya
Doubles 2: Konjiki Koharu, Hitouji Yuuji
Singles 1: Ishida Gin
Singles 2: Chitose Senri
Singles 3: Shiraishi Kuranosuke
Since Zaizen Hikaru was only a first-year student, he'd been placed on the substitute roster for this crucial match.
Both teams' main lineups consisted primarily of second-year students, formations that would need to remain stable for at least another year unless exceptionally talented newcomers joined their programs.
Additionally, the tournament format had been modified for this semifinal. Rather than the traditional sequence of doubles matches followed by singles, the competition would alternate between singles and doubles throughout the event, adding an extra layer of strategic complexity to both teams' approaches.