Thud!
Thud!
Thud!
The crisp sound of tennis balls being struck echoed across the U-17 center court.
At this moment, two of the strongest high school newcomers from the Kanto and Kansai regions—Mouri and Hara Tetsuya—were locked in an intense battle.
Thud!
Mouri swung his racket, skillfully brushing the ball to send it in a sharp diagonal trajectory, landing precisely near Hara's backhand corner.
"What incredible technique!"
Outside the court, the high schoolers watching couldn't help but feel a jolt of excitement. Mouri's control over the ball was beyond what many had imagined. Even Suzuki, a former No. 3 court player who had lost to Mouri before, was visibly shocked.
Tap! Tap!
However, despite the beauty of Mouri's diagonal shot, Hara's speed was nothing to scoff at. He quickly chased down the ball and, with a half-volley, sent it back with precision.
Thud!
The ball shot back with a sharp sound.
"Amazing!"
Mukou Ichiha, another spectator, also felt the intense pressure. Compared to their last match, Hara's skills had improved dramatically. Now, he didn't even have the courage to face him again.
Thud!
Mouri countered swiftly, reacting faster than anyone could process.
Hara, however, wasn't about to back down.
Thud!
Thud!
Thud!
The two of them sped up their rally, their skills escalating with each shot. The intensity of their match soon surpassed what most high schoolers could keep up with.
---
In the Coaches' Room
Watching the match on the screen, Coach Saitou nodded in approval. "Their skills have already surpassed the No. 1 court. Their progress over this period has been remarkable."
"It's still early," Coach Takuzou chuckled, shaking his head. "For some reason, these two have been training like crazy. Their physical stats have improved significantly since they first entered U-17."
As the coach in charge of physical conditioning, Takuzou was well aware of the changes in Mouri and Hara. This match was just the beginning.
"Indeed," Coach Kurobe added. "To catch up to Ishikawa, they've been training relentlessly. Their five-dimensional data is being updated daily."
Even Kurobe, known for his strict standards, couldn't help but praise their progress.
---
Back on the Court
Smack!
In the midst of their rapid exchange, Hara suddenly changed tactics, executing a beautiful drop shot.
Caught off guard, Mouri rushed forward to intercept.
Swish!
But Hara had anticipated this. He leaped into the air, raising his racket high, and smashed the ball down with a powerful overhead shot.
Bang!
The ball exploded like a cannonball, landing with such force that it kicked up a cloud of dust. Mouri, undeterred, raised his racket to counter.
Thump!
However, the moment his racket made contact with the ball, the strings visibly strained, and the ball tore through them.
Thud!
The ball hit the ground with undiminished force, bouncing high into the air, leaving the spectators in awe.
Tap!
Hara landed gracefully, the dust around him scattering as if he were a fierce tiger descending from the mountains.
"So this is your 'Tiger Meal'?" Mouri asked, his expression serious.
During training, Hara had often joked about his powerful smash, sometimes sounding like he was bragging. But now, Mouri could feel the sheer terror of that shot.
Hara seemed like a completely different person—no longer the carefree, boastful guy he usually was. Mouri could almost see an orange aura swirling around him.
"Is this your tennis?" Mouri muttered, preparing himself for the next round.
Hara, now fully unleashed, began dominating the match with aggressive, fast-paced plays.
Thud!
"Game! Hara, 1-0!"
Thud!
"Game! Hara, 2-0!"
Thud!
"Game! Hara, 3-0!"
Thud!
"Game! Hara, 4-0!"
In the blink of an eye, Hara had taken four games. His ferocious style and overwhelming presence left the audience in awe.
---
Among the Spectators
"As expected," Yamato couldn't help but sigh. "To earn that guy's recognition and follow him, Hara's strength is on a whole different level."
"Yeah," Nakakauchi nodded in agreement.
The previous match between Ishikawa and Oni had completely redefined their understanding of what newcomers were capable of. Now, seeing these two followers of Ishikawa display such elite-level skills, it no longer seemed surprising.
However, it was clear that even among Ishikawa's followers, there was a hierarchy. Hara's strength was noticeably superior to Mouri's.
---
A Sudden Twist
"Hey, Mouri!" Hara suddenly called out, pointing his racket at his opponent. "How long are you going to keep pretending?"
"Huh?"
The crowd turned their attention to Mouri, who scratched his head awkwardly.
"Sorry," Mouri said with a sheepish grin. "I got so into the match that I forgot about this."
"Forgot? Forgot what?"
Before anyone could process his words, Mouri began removing the weights from his wrists and ankles, dropping them to the ground with a heavy thud.
"No way!"
The spectators were stunned. Suzuki, Mukou, and others stared in disbelief. "Was he seriously wearing those during the match?!"
"This year's newcomers are on another level!"
The second and third-year players were equally shocked. Even the other top four newcomers, who had thought they weren't far behind Mouri and Hara, were now realizing the vast gap between them.
---
The Match Intensifies
With the weights removed, Mouri's speed and power skyrocketed. He moved like the wind, his shots now packing enough force to make even Hara's hands tremble.
Thud!
Mouri began closing the gap, breaking through Hara's defenses and scoring point after point.
Thud!
"15-0!"
Mouri's momentum was unstoppable. He quickly turned the tide, tying the score at 4-4, then taking the lead at 5-4.
Feeling the pressure, Hara dug deep, managing to win a crucial game to tie it at 5-5. But the effort drained him, and Mouri capitalized, winning the next two games to seal the match.
Thud!
"Game, set, match! Mouri Suzumura wins, 7-5!"
---
After the Match
Both players were gasping for breath. Despite his victory, Mouri was exhausted. Hara, on the other hand, looked even worse.
Walking to the net, Hara extended his hand. "I lost this time, but next time, I'll win."
"I'll be waiting," Mouri replied with a faint smile.
Though they were rivals, there was no animosity between them. Mouri knew Hara wasn't the type to hold grudges, but this was clearly a challenge for future matches.
However, Mouri's thoughts were elsewhere. He knew that winning the fall tournament was largely due to Ishikawa's absence. If he let this victory inflate his ego, he'd be making a huge mistake.
Mouri was determined not to slack off. He knew that within U-17, there were even stronger players, and his ultimate goal was still far out of reach.
---
A New Threat
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a tennis ball came flying at them with incredible speed.
"Danger!"
Mouri and Hara reacted instantly, stacking their rackets to block the shot.
Thud!
The ball hit their rackets with such force that it felt like a bullet. Fortunately, the combined strength of their two rackets managed to stop it.
Plop.
The ball fell to the ground, its spin and power finally spent.
Looking up, they saw a young man with purple hair and a sinister smile walking toward them, carrying a tennis bag.
"Not bad," the stranger said, clapping slowly. "This year's newcomers have some skill."
Mouri and Hara immediately noticed his jacket. While it bore the same Japanese team logo as theirs, the colors were different—black and red, exuding a far more serious and imposing aura.
"Is this guy... from the First String?"
They had heard of the elite group of players who represented Japan in international competitions. These were the top players, far above even the No. 1 court.
"So... the First String has returned?"
The atmosphere grew tense as more figures in black-and-red jackets appeared, led by a blonde-haired young man.
The high schoolers around the court froze, their faces pale with fear.
"The First String... they're back!"
The court, which had just witnessed an intense match, was now enveloped in an oppressive silence.
---
The Final Question
"Hey, kids," the purple-haired man sneered, looking at Mouri and Hara. "Do you know someone named Ishikawa Makoto?"
"Ishikawa?"
The two exchanged surprised glances. They hadn't expected this stranger to be targeting Ishikawa, the same player who had once battled Oni to the point of destroying the court.
Was this guy from the First String really that strong? Or was he just overconfident?
As the tension mounted, one thing was clear: the return of the First String had brought with it a storm of uncertainty.
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