Less than two minutes, and four perfect Aces! Everyone outside the court was completely stunned. You see, in tennis, the player with the advantage in their service game practically holds the mastery of the match, especially in singles. When both sides are exchanging serves, and one player is guaranteed to score on their serve, the other can only fight with all their might to hold onto their own service game.
At the start of this match, both players tacitly agreed to protect their service games. When their opponent was serving, they tried their best to drag out the game, draining their opponent's stamina and making it harder for them to score easily. But then, when Kamikawa unleashed that Golden Serpent, the delicate balance was instantly shattered! Tezuka couldn't even touch the ball, let alone wear Kamikawa out. Meanwhile, Kamikawa had plenty of energy to spare, free to disrupt Tezuka's attempts to win his own service game.
The Battle Continues
Back on the court, the match pressed on.
Pow!
"15-0."
...
Pow!
"15-15!"
...
Pow!
"15-30!"
...
Pow!!!
"30-40!"
...
Pow!!!
"Game, Kamikawa, 5-4!"
"Hmph... Hmph-hmph..."
Tezuka felt like his lungs were about to explode. The after-effects of the Self-Actualization state were once again sweeping through his entire body. Even though it was his service game, Tezuka had lost this crucial game. The next game was Kamikawa's serve, and Kamikawa's Golden Serpent would surely bring this match to an end.
During the changeover, sweat poured relentlessly down Tezuka's forehead. His wire-rimmed glasses were fogged up, and his heart pounded with shock. "My area skills are completely locked down... My Self-Actualization state can't pose a threat, and now I don't even have the strength to activate the Pinnacle of Perfection."
Tezuka took off his glasses, wiping the mist from the lenses. He suddenly felt incredibly tired, a weariness unlike anything he had ever experienced. But even so, a smile still touched his lips. He was genuinely having a fantastic time playing. It was exhausting, but it was a magnificent match, wasn't it?!
Kamikawa, he was truly formidable. But that one serve, he would definitely break it. He absolutely would! Tezuka took a deep breath, forcing himself to regulate his breathing and adjust his current state. After a long moment, when the referee's warning call finally echoed, Tezuka slowly stood up, a milky-white aura once again swirling around him. He hadn't lost yet!
The Unyielding Spirit
"Even knowing he's going to lose, he still has the courage to pick up his racket?!"
Gazing at Kunimitsu Tezuka's back, Yukimura was lost in thought for a long time before finally snapping back to reality. Spirit, Skill, Body—even with his Body being almost completely overwhelmed in the latter half of the match, he still maintained an unyielding belief in victory. Simply put, even if the final match were between him and Tezuka, the one who would ultimately lose would surely be him.
Yes, in the depths of Yukimura's heart, he had already simulated a match between himself and Tezuka.
"Here we go," Kamikawa chuckled, tossing the tennis ball up. "Try to return it, Tezuka!"
Smack!
There it was again, that golden streak, weaving wildly across Tezuka's court. Tezuka quickly lunged forward, seeming to pinpoint the ball's location, and swung his racket forward, but all that met him was the whistle of air.
Pow!!
The tennis ball slammed into the wall, bouncing violently upwards.
"15-0!"
...
Pow!
"30-0!"
...
Pow!!
"40-0!"
This was the final point. Even until the very end, the Golden Serpent's speed showed no signs of slowing down. Tezuka remained in his Self-Actualization state, crouching low, his eyes fixed intently forward. He could now track the Golden Serpent's landing spot, but his body still couldn't quite keep up—just that last little bit was missing.
Because the Golden Serpent bounced at such a low angle, the only way to return it was to rely on a half-volley at the precise moment the ball landed and bounced up. This not only tested the player's eyesight, but they also had to consider if their arm could withstand hitting that high-speed spinning ball back after contact. That was the most challenging aspect of the Golden Serpent.
"Here it comes," Kamikawa raised his arm, tossed the ball, and delivered another high-quality Golden Serpent. The power was undiminished, and the pale yellow tennis ball instantly appeared on Tezuka's side of the court.
A Glimmer of Light
This time, Tezuka's figure appeared at the ball's landing spot. The milky-white aura around him instantly solidified, transforming into a dazzling white light that enveloped his entire body. At this moment, the light was exceptionally brilliant, and Tezuka's movements accelerated slightly with the glow.
Light of Full Brilliance!!
Yukimura, Sanada, and the others only saw Tezuka's sudden forward movement. In that instant, his figure quickened by a few fractions, successfully catching up to the descending tennis ball.
Pow!
The next moment, Tezuka turned his body, swung his racket with a backhand, and at the instant the ball bounced, he hit it back. He felt the tearing sensation from his racket strings in that moment. That dazzling white light enveloped the tennis ball, invisibly adding a bit more power to Tezuka, allowing him to return it.
Thump!
A crisp sound echoed.
Zzzzz...
Followed by a grating friction sound, the tennis ball transformed into a golden lightning bolt, but it didn't clear the net. It struggled fiercely on the net until it lost all its power and slowly dropped down, brushing against the net.
"Game... Match over!"
Then, the referee, seated high on his chair, also came to his senses and loudly announced, "The winner is from Tokyo, No. 26, Mugetsu Kamikawa!"
"The score is 6-4!"
Immediately, the entire stadium erupted in enthusiastic cheers. Tezuka also disengaged from his Self-Actualization state, forcing his body to stand. He tucked his racket under his arm and clapped his hands, genuinely happy for Kamikawa.
"Congratulations, Kamikawa-senshu," the referee stepped down from his high chair. "You've won the JR Tournament Elementary School Division championship."
"Thank you," Kamikawa nodded.
He then walked past the referee, entering Tezuka's side of the court, and said with a slight smile, "You really did force yourself to use the Pinnacle of Perfection in the end, didn't you?"
"It was worth it," Tezuka straightened his posture, a serene smile on his face. "Next time, I'll definitely break that serve."
"Next time, you might even have to break my drop shot, you know? My Maple Leaf Drop is still an unfinished technique."
The Maple Leaf Drop was that eerie drop shot Kamikawa had hit earlier that bounced to the left. That drop shot wasn't perfected yet; it still lacked some specific rotation and needed his skill to improve further to fully complete it. The finished product might be similar to Tezuka's Zero-Shiki Drop, but its own rolling direction or the way it presents itself would definitely be different from Zero-Shiki. Zero-Shiki is Zero-Shiki, and Maple Leaf is Maple Leaf; they share some connection, but they are still two different types of drop shots.
A Promise of the Future
"We should go."
Outside the court, Yukimura watched Tezuka and Kamikawa's backs, then suddenly spoke. Sanada was momentarily stunned. "Already? Aren't we going to say something?"
"No," Yukimura shook his head. "Sanada, we'll meet them eventually. We're not strong enough yet, but this defeat will only make us stronger."
"Make us stronger, huh?!"
"Yes," Yukimura nodded. "We'll become even stronger than before. We'll achieve the National Tournament three-peat and continue our seniors' legacy of dominating Kanto."
Rikkaidai Junior High is the top tennis school in Kanagawa Prefecture and a renowned tennis powerhouse in the Kanto region. To this day, they maintain an unbroken winning streak in the Kanto Tournament. And what Yukimura needs to do is to extend that Kanto Tournament winning streak and seize the National Tournament championship trophy that Rikkaidai Junior High has never obtained.