Stunned!
The pair from Fudomine were stunned.
The rest of the team in the rest area also widened their eyes, their expressions full of disbelief.
If Nagoka Hanaburi hadn't reacted, it would've been understandable.
After all, in doubles rules, the non-receiving player—especially one positioned at the net—can't return the serve.
But for Furuyama Haru, the actual receiver, to fail to react? That was just absurd!
"How… how is this possible?!"
Furuyama turned his head stiffly, his pupils contracting.
"What's wrong with Furuyama?"
"It's not his fault—that serve was just too fast!"
Due to differences in perspective, spectators on the sidelines and players on the court perceive ball speed differently.
To the audience, Kawasaki's serve, while fast, shouldn't have been impossible to return.
Of course, part of it was Furuyama underestimating his opponent.
"Kawasaki's serve speed has increased significantly."
Kushima Kaoru, who also possessed 4-star skill, wore a serious expression.
Recalling that serve, even he would've had to treat it seriously if he were on the court.
"Huh?"
Kawasaki Junna himself was also stunned.
"How did I just score…?"
He looked down at his racket, utterly bewildered.
That had just been a normal serve for him.
With players like Kirihara and Yamato, a casual return would've put him at a disadvantage. Even someone like Kaidoh should've been able to return it.
The thought made him frown. "Are they… going easy on me?"
Watching Kawasaki's dazed expression on the court, Kirihara twitched. "The strong are bewildered."
Yamato sighed, glancing at the Fudomine pair. "The weak are unshaken."
Though they understood why the two were reacting this way, Yoru still found it ridiculous.
This was the first time he'd seen just how terrifying habit could be.
Kawasaki and Nishimura, already at 4-star skill, completely outclassed the Fudomine duo in raw ability.
Add in the enhanced serve effect from the First Strike rune?
Even among players of the same level, their serves were exceptional—let alone against opponents a whole star weaker.
"Game, Kawasaki Junna and Nishimura Komugi! 15-0!"
The umpire's voice snapped everyone back to reality.
On the court, Nagoka Hanaburi looked stunned. "That serve… was fast."
As the net player, he had the clearest sense of the ball's speed as it whizzed past him.
That serve was among the quickest he'd ever seen.
"Furuyama, don't let your guard down!" Nagoka warned.
"I know!"
Furuyama tightened his grip on his racket, his expression turning serious.
This supposed "weakling" in front of him suddenly seemed… different. He needed to focus.
Thud—!
The moment the thought crossed his mind, another impact sound rang out. A gust of wind brushed his cheek as the ball shot past him, landing out of bounds.
"Game, Kawasaki Junna and Nishimura Komugi! 30-0!"
The whistle blew. Furuyama's face froze.
He'd zoned out again!
"Furuyama, what the hell are you doing?!"
Kushima's expression darkened.
The first time was excusable. But a second lapse in concentration? Unforgivable.
"S-sorry!"
Furuyama clenched his racket, knowing it was his fault, and forced himself to focus.
Thud—!
Thud—!
Thud—!
The sound of the ball bouncing echoed across the court again.
Kawasaki tapped his racket against the ground, eyes locked onto Furuyama's position.
Two consecutive service aces.
His mindset was shifting.
"Nishimura… I think we misjudged something," Kawasaki said slowly.
"Huh?"
Nishimura, at the net, turned back in confusion.
"We've actually gotten stronger."
That had just been a standard serve.
Even if Furuyama had been distracted, it still proved their improvement.
Against players like Yoru, Kirihara, and Yamato, their progress hadn't been obvious—the bar was too high.
But against Furuyama and Nagoka? The difference was undeniable.
Thud—!
Kawasaki served again.
This time, Furuyama managed to intercept—but before he could even smile, Nishimura suddenly appeared in the ball's trajectory, executing a sharp net intercept.
"No way…"
Nagoka, also at the net, stood frozen.
Though Furuyama's return hadn't been fast, its angle had been wide—it should've been out of Nishimura's reach.
How had he gotten there so quickly?
And with such a precise counter?!
"It's not just Kawasaki who's improved."
The realization drained the color from Furuyama's face.
Thud—!
"Game, Kawasaki Junna and Nishimura Komugi! 40-0!"
Thud—!
"Game, Kawasaki Junna and Nishimura Komugi! 1-0!"
As their lead grew, Kawasaki and Nishimura's confidence soared.
Their dominance was overwhelming.
Furuyama and Nagoka managed to put up a fight, even scoring a few points through doubles tactics.
But in the end, they were no match.
In just 10 minutes, the score was 5-0.
"What's wrong with these two? They're treating every point like their lives depend on it!"
Furuyama and Nagoka were gasping for breath, sweat pouring down their faces.
At this point, they weren't even hoping to win—just to avoid a shutout.
Losing 6-0 after their pre-match trash talk would make them the laughingstock of the Nationals.
But fate wasn't on their side.
Under Yoru's orders, Kawasaki and Nishimura fought for every point, leaving no room for mercy.
Thud—!
A brilliant net intercept sent the ball streaking past Furuyama and Nagoka, landing out of bounds.
"Game, Furuyama Haru and Nagoka Hanaburi! 40-30!"
Only one point remained.
The Fudomine bench was silent.
No one had expected their doubles pair to be crushed like this.
Aside from a few scattered points, they hadn't won a single game—their serves broken every time.
"Seigaku's improved more than we thought."
Fudomine's vice-captain, Sekine Kazuyoshi, frowned.
In last year's Nationals, Kawasaki's skill had been middling—not terrible, but far from impressive.
His strategy had relied on Furuyama and Nagoka, their regular doubles pair, easily overpowering Kawasaki and Nishimura.
Especially since neither Kawasaki nor Nishimura were natural doubles players.
Who could've predicted this?
Even with obvious flaws in their doubles technique, their sheer individual skill had carried them through.
Thud—!
The final ball flew out of bounds.
The umpire blew his whistle. "Game, set, match—Seigaku wins! 6-0!"
Haaah…
Kawasaki exhaled deeply, exchanging a glance with Nishimura.
Smack!
They high-fived.
The sweat dripping down their faces seemed to symbolize it—a new future was waiting for them.