Kansai Region – Mochinofuji Middle School
Similar to the Kanto tournament, the draw ceremony for the National Championships was held at the previous year's champion school.
Teams that had earned their spots in the national tournament gathered here for the draw.
Though called the "National Championships," only 24 schools made the cut—smaller in scale compared to regional qualifiers, but with far greater prestige.
After all, these were the elite teams that had survived district preliminaries, prefecturals, and regionals.
As one of Kansai's prestigious schools, Mochinofuji had gone all out for the ceremony. The draw was held in the largest lecture hall on campus, capable of seating hundreds.
A screen behind the stage displayed the names of all 24 participating schools.
Among them, the most notable were:
- Kanto: Seigaku, Rikkai Dai, Yamabuki, Hyotei
- Kansai: Maizono Academy, Mochinofuji, Shitenhouji, Shishigaku
…and others.
Most were established powerhouses—except Seigaku, the dark horse that had ended Rikkai Dai's 13-year reign. Naturally, they drew the most attention.
---
"Shishigaku's lineup is so weak this year. Even if they made it to Nationals, they're just cannon fodder. Hope we draw them."
The speaker was Inoue from Maizono Academy.
Shishigaku, the perennial Kyushu champions, had always been a Nationals regular. But this year was different—their strongest players had all graduated, leaving only Washio Kazuya and Suzuki Shun to carry the team.
Shiraishi didn't mince words: "And they still won Kyushu like this…"
The two bantered shamelessly, earning an eye-roll from Kajimoto, their teammate.
…Especially since Shishigaku's team was sitting right next to them.
Washio, their captain, shot them a dry look. "Hey, hey. You guys realize we're right here, right?"
Beside him, Suzuki slumped like a dead fish. "Don't bother. We're probably getting eliminated in the first round anyway."
Surprisingly, Washio and Suzuki weren't angry. In fact, they seemed on decent terms with Shiraishi's group.
Before the Nationals season, Maizono and Shishigaku had played a practice match.
Having known each other since last year, their relationship was friendly enough for light teasing.
Most importantly—Shishigaku had already accepted their fate.
This year's team was weak.
No comparison to last year, let alone the year before.
Yet they'd still won Kyushu, a testament to the region's declining strength.
---
"Yo~ Shiraishi-senpai, Inoue-senpai! Long time no see!"
A cheerful voice cut through the chatter.
Everyone turned to see Shitenhouji's team arriving.
Thanks to their school's easygoing reputation, Shitenhouji was always well-liked. Hirakoba and Tetsuya were already familiar with Shiraishi's group.
Shiraishi raised an eyebrow. "Where's Mori? Didn't he come?"
Hirakoba and Tetsuya exchanged a wry look.
"We tried to drag him along, but he disappeared somewhere to nap again."
Shiraishi remembered Mori's "sleepwalking tennis" vividly. During the Kansai finals, they'd faced off in Singles 1—an unforgettable match.
Hirakoba suddenly leaned in, lowering his voice.
"Hey, have you heard? Mochinofuji expanded their roster. Recruited some top players from other regions—especially one doubles pair that's making waves."
Washio snorted. "That's not even a secret anymore."
Mochinofuji's aggressive recruitment had been the talk of Kansai. They'd scouted talent from Kyushu, Gunma, and beyond—impossible to miss unless you lived under a rock.
Washio smirked at Shiraishi's group. "If you face them again, Maizono won't have it so easy."
"Don't worry. We're prepared."
Inoue adjusted his glasses, the picture of confidence. Shiraishi mirrored his calm, while Kajimoto just rolled his eyes.
Hirakoba blinked. "Wait… did you guys recruit too?"
Before they could answer, Kajimoto exploded:
"Recruit?! They're just planning to lose gracefully!"
Silence.
Everyone stared as Shiraishi and Inoue nodded proudly, as if this were a brilliant strategy.
Inoue sighed. "What else can we do? With Mochinofuji's new lineup, we're outmatched. Winning Kansai was already a fluke."
No one argued.
The Kansai finals had been a strategic gamble—Maizono's victory hinged on a risky lineup shift. Without it, Mochinofuji would've crushed them.
---
"Seigaku's here!"
Suzuki's sudden whisper cut through the chatter.
The room hushed instantly, all eyes turning to the entrance.
But the arrivals were… not what anyone expected.
Instead of Yoru and QP (the faces plastered all over tennis magazines), two unfamiliar figures walked in:
- A glasses-wearing guy with a sleazy grin
- A serious-looking middle schooler
It was Yamato and Tezuka.
Gulp.
Under the weight of everyone's stares, Yamato broke into a cold sweat. Tezuka, however, remained unfazed.
Yamato hurriedly dragged Tezuka to Seigaku's assigned seats.
The moment they sat down, Mitsuya (Yamabuki's data specialist) leaned over curiously.
"Yamato, why are you two the only ones here? Where's Yoru?"
"Uh… slight mishap."
Yamato laughed awkwardly.
The original plan was for Yoru, QP, and Tezuka to attend—a chance for Tezuka to observe the national stage.
But disaster had struck that morning.
With Echizen Rinko and Nanako away on vacation, Nanjiro was put in charge of breakfast.
After much deliberation, he decided on:
- Grilled saury
- Raw beef
…A combination he'd always wanted to try but never dared.
Shockingly, Yoru didn't refuse. In fact, he looked excited.
QP hesitated, but with the other two already digging in, he reluctantly joined.
Result?
A triple case of explosive food poisoning.
Rumor had it the ambulance arrived to a symphony of flatulence—none of them were in any state to attend the draw.
With Kiriya managing practice back at Seigaku, Yamato and Tezuka were the only ones left to represent the team.
---
"Mochinofuji's here!"
The crowd's attention shifted to the entrance, where Byoudouin Phoenix and his revamped squad strode in.
The Kansai teams collectively grimaced.
No one had expected Phoenix to pull such a dirty move—stacking his roster right before Nationals.
It was like bringing a rocket launcher to a sword fight.
Phoenix scanned the room, frowning when he didn't spot Yoru.
With all teams present, the draw began.
Seeing Yamato's hands shake uncontrollably, Tezuka silently steadied him as they approached the stage.
Yamato drew their slot—
"Seigaku… C Block!"
The announcer's voice echoed through the hall.
Yamato froze.
"C Block… Oh no."