Genichirou Sanada had never once worried about Yukimura. That's because he, more than anyone, knew just how powerful Seiichi Yukimura truly was! In any match he entered, Sanada could only ever be number two. Even if it stung a bit, he was still happy for his good friend. That's why, no matter what, he had to make it to the finals.
"Kanagawa Prefecture, Genichirou Sanada!" Sanada calmly walked onto the court, pulling his cap low. He spoke in a flat tone.
"Tokyo Metropolitan Area, Kunimitsu Tezuka!" Tezuka held his racket in one hand, his glasses gleaming sharply in the sunlight.
"The one who wins this match will be me," Sanada stated calmly, then turned and walked away. No matter who his opponent was, he would win! That was his tennis style – entering the finals with absolute conviction.
"No!" Tezuka looked at Sanada's retreating back and said flatly, "The one who wins this match will be me. Not only that, but in the Group B court, the winner will be Mugetsu Kamikawa!"
Compared to Sanada's confidence, Tezuka was overflowing with it. Geniuses are always proud, and even Shishido was unbelievably arrogant. What more could be said for Tezuka and Sanada, whose skills surpassed his? Their pride was simply inherent.
"These two boys..." The middle-aged umpire seemed to drift back in time, recalling the Junior Rally tournament from three years ago. At that moment, a few similar boys had spoken the very same words. One of them had white hair, and he had claimed victory in every single match at that Junior Rally tournament with a score of 6-0.
(The Junior Rally tournament is a Kanto area competition. Byoudouin, Juujirou Oni, and others are from the Kansai region. The most famous player in Kanto is Tsukimitsu Ochi, and even Byoudouin and others acknowledge his prowess in singles. His ranking is much more than just No. 9!)
On the Group B court, "The Child of God – Seiichi Yukimura." Unlike the proud and self-assured Sanada, Yukimura possessed a different kind of confidence, born from his absolute skill. He had never lost a single game in a formal match, earning him the title of the "Child of God."
He was quite similar to Tezuka; both had skills so far beyond their peers in their second year that their abilities were "sealed" until they were "unleashed" in their third year for the National Tournament. The only difference was that Tezuka had injured his elbow due to certain events at Seigaku, while Yukimura suffered from Guillain-Barré syndrome. The worsening of his condition meant he spent almost an entire year in his third year undergoing rehabilitation, constantly facing the risk of paralysis. The success rate of his surgery was incredibly low, yet he ultimately persevered through sheer willpower and astonishing mental fortitude. It wasn't until just before his U-17 match against Tezuka that he truly overcame his mental block and was reborn.
His current strength remained an unknown quantity. Likewise, Kamikawa wasn't sure how strong he truly was either. Kamikawa had entered this Junior Rally tournament specifically for Sanada and Yukimura. He wanted to use this tournament to test his own abilities and, at the same time, witness the splendor of the Child of God with his own eyes.
"He's already mastered Intuition... I wonder if he's also mastered the technique of depriving the five senses," Kamikawa mused, his gaze fixed on the boy with deep blue hair. This was Yukimura's unique Intuition, his very path in tennis.
"This might take up a bit of your time," Yukimura said.
"That phrase..." Kamikawa smiled. "I think that's something I should be saying to you. I will win this match, and likewise, my friend will win the match in the other group."
Yukimura paused slightly, then shook his head. "No! You're mistaken. The winner of this match will be me, and likewise, Sanada won't lose over there either." Both Kamikawa and Yukimura had absolute confidence in this match, and the same confidence in their friends' matches.
"Which?"
"Rough."
Kamikawa spun his racket. It twirled a few times before falling. "It's rough. Do you choose sides or serve?"
"Serve."
With that, both players moved to their respective positions. The umpire, seated high in his chair, nodded once they were ready and called out, "Yukimura to serve! Game!"
As he spoke, everyone's attention shifted to Yukimura. That deep blue-haired boy hadn't lost a single game in his previous matches, and each match had been incredibly short. His absolute skill had drawn everyone's gaze.
Whoosh...
Yukimura raised his hand, tossed the ball, bent his knees, and leaped – a fluid series of motions. His eyes focused on the tennis ball plummeting from the sky, and he decisively swung his racket. With a crisp crack, the glowing yellow tennis ball soared through the air, rapidly landing in the inverted triangle of the service line.
"Hmph... so fast..." Spectators gasped. Shishido and Mukahi's pupils constricted. This serve was something no ordinary person could hit. Even the regular players from elite schools might not be able to produce such a perfect serve. A serve delivered as an aerial smash, while powerful, is hard to control. It requires years of accumulated practice to achieve such terrifying control and precision. But Yukimura was only in his sixth year of elementary school, yet he possessed such precise and tricky serves. Was he truly an elementary schooler, just like them?!
"Have I really been learning tennis all these years?!" Mukahi was starting to question his entire life. Even if he had another year, he might not be able to hit a serve of this caliber.
Before they could ponder further, Kamikawa was already there, catching up to the tennis ball. The moment the ball bounced, he hit a blazing fast drive shot – or more accurately, a half-volley.
A half-volley is an advanced technique where you hit the ball the instant it bounces. When returning, you need to lower your center of gravity and hit the ball the moment it springs up. If you make a mistake, the ball can easily bounce up and hit the player's face. The advantage of a half-volley is that the hitting point is earlier than usual, increasing the return speed and allowing for a quicker approach to the net. Half-volleys are also a favorite offensive tactic for net players.
Whack!
Before anyone could react, Yukimura drove the ball right back.
Whack!
The ball had barely landed when Kamikawa drove it back again.
Boom!!
Boom!!
The tennis ball was driven back and forth between their courts, and their movements steadily accelerated with each passing moment. As these two picked up the pace, some spectators gradually found themselves unable to follow their rhythm.
Kamikawa hit a high-quality, line-hugging backhand drive.
Boom!!
Yukimura's eyes sharpened as he returned with a high-quality, cross-court forehand drive.
They exchanged shots, back and forth, with such high-quality rallying that soon, the spectators outside felt their vision blurring. The speed of the ball exchange continued to increase. With these kinds of returns, most ordinary players would have been scored on already. Yet... the match wasn't over. They were still locked in an intense rally. The clash of strong players is evident from the very first point. And after such a prolonged rally, the speed, technique, and reactions displayed by both players had undoubtedly reached the pinnacle of skill.
Suddenly...
BOOM!!!
Kamikawa suddenly sped up, rushing to the net, intercepting the return. Following that, he hit a drive shot, sending the ball flying into the deep corner of the baseline. Yukimura reacted quickly, rushing to catch it, but it was too late. The tennis ball whizzed past him, slamming into the back wall and spinning violently.
"Zero-fifteen!"