The anticipated Group A finals showdown between Yamabuki and Seigaku never materialized. Weakened by the departure of their six strongest players, Seigaku crashed out in the quarterfinals against an unremarkable middle school, never even earning the chance to face their former teammates in official competition.
While some might have felt regret at missing the opportunity for direct confrontation, Tezuka and his transferred teammates felt no such sentiment. Their focus had shifted to far greater ambitions—a national championship that would render petty revenge matches meaningless. Seigaku had become irrelevant to their larger goals.
Yamabuki's march through Group A proved as dominant as expected. They claimed first place with ruthless efficiency, securing both a semifinal berth and automatic qualification for the Kanto Tournament. The real competition was only just beginning.
Their semifinal opponent was supposed to be Ginka Middle School—a team of average ability whose supernatural luck rivaled even Sengoku's legendary fortune. The "Lucky Ginka" moniker had carried them further than talent alone ever could have managed.
As the Yamabuki players warmed up on their designated court, the absence of their opponents became increasingly conspicuous.
"Where are the Ginka guys?" Eiji complained, glancing repeatedly toward the empty visitor's area. "The match should be starting soon."
"Maybe they hit traffic," Sengoku suggested with characteristic nonchalance. "Tokyo can be unpredictable."
Before anyone could speculate further, Coach Banji approached with his hands raised for attention.
"Everyone, gather around," he called, his gentle smile carrying a hint of unusual satisfaction.
The team quickly assembled, their warm-up routines abandoned in favor of whatever news their coach had to share.
"I have an announcement that will interest you all," Banji continued once he had their complete attention. "Our semifinal opponents from Ginka Middle School have officially withdrawn from competition. We advance directly to tomorrow's final."
The moment Ginka's administration learned their semifinal opponent would be Yamabuki—a legitimate national powerhouse—they had immediately conceded defeat. Reaching the Kanto Tournament qualification rounds already exceeded their most optimistic expectations. Why risk injury or embarrassment in a hopeless match?
"Ginka actually forfeited?" Fuji mused with his characteristic serene smile. "How fortunate for us."
"Of course it's fortunate!" Sengoku declared shamelessly. "Don't you see who's on this roster? My luck obviously influenced their decision!"
The shameless attempt to claim credit for their opponents' pragmatic choice drew chuckles from the entire team.
"Since Ginka has withdrawn, everyone should head home and rest properly," Banji instructed. "Tomorrow's final will require your peak performance."
"Coach, shouldn't we scout the match between Groups C and D?" Oishi asked with his usual conscientiousness. "We need to know who our final opponent will be."
"That won't be necessary," Inui interjected, adjusting his glasses with clinical precision. "The C versus D semifinal began before our scheduled match time. I observed the first three games before returning here. Hyōtei was leading 2-0 and dominating the third match when I left. Our final opponent will definitely be Hyōtei Academy."
As Yamabuki's strategic analyst and logistical coordinator, Inui had been monitoring potential opponents throughout the tournament. His intelligence gathering left no room for doubt about tomorrow's matchup.
"In that case, Coach, what lineup should we use against Hyōtei?" Vice-Captain Minami Kentaro inquired.
"We'll use our standard doubles configuration," Banji replied thoughtfully, "but I want to switch the singles order. Sengoku and Tezuka will swap positions."
He paused to ensure everyone understood the implications before announcing the revised roster:
"Tomorrow's lineup against Hyōtei will be:
Doubles 2: Eiji, Oishi
Doubles 1: Higashikata, Minami
Singles 3: Tezuka
Singles 2: Fuji
Singles 1: Sengoku"
"Hey, Atobe said he'd be playing singles three," Sengoku noted with obvious interest. "I was hoping for a chance to face him myself!"
"Sengoku, if you went up against Atobe in a three-match, you'd probably get demolished," Eiji observed with brutal honesty.
"What are you talking about, red-head?" Sengoku protested. "That guy's strength is nothing special! He just relies on superior conditioning to drag matches into endurance contests and wear opponents down. I'm not worried about a stamina battle!"
Through their comprehensive scouting efforts, both Inui and Coach Banji had thoroughly analyzed Hyōtei's key players. Atobe's English tennis training and preference for prolonged rallies were well-documented weaknesses to exploit.
"Regardless, everyone needs proper rest tonight," Banji concluded. "Tomorrow's match against Hyōtei will be our most challenging test yet."
The strategic reasoning behind moving Tezuka to singles three was simple: eliminate Atobe quickly and decisively to prevent psychological momentum from building. While Hyōtei's overall roster remained somewhat mysterious, their doubles strength was undeniable.
Banji expected Hyōtei's first doubles team to feature the same partnership that had reached national semifinal levels under previous captain Ochi Gekko's leadership. Now in their third year, that duo represented genuine national-level competition.
Although Yamabuki possessed their own national-caliber doubles in the "Potato Heroes," the outcome of that matchup remained uncertain. Better to deploy the Golden Pair against Hyōtei's strongest doubles and give them a chance to breakthrough to national level under pressure.
It would be a trial by fire—cruel perhaps, but potentially transformative for Eiji and Oishi's development.
After team dismissal, Tezuka made his way to the Bamboo Staff to extend invitations to their Otherworldly friends. In addition to the regular crew and visiting guests like Conan and Ai, Daigo and Camearra had also arrived for specialized training to help Daigo better control his Ultra powers.
The prospect of witnessing high-level tennis competition in another world immediately appealed to both Ultraman.
"We'd be honored to attend," Daigo replied enthusiastically. "Neither of us has experienced other worlds beyond the One Piece universe where the Bamboo Staff operates."
The next morning arrived with perfect weather for competitive tennis. Gustave led their expanded group of Otherworldly tourists through the Gate of All Worlds, emerging into the sun-drenched tennis park where Tokyo's championship would be decided.
"This world feels so bright and energetic!" Daigo exclaimed, his spirits lifting as he took in the verdant courts and crystalline sky. "The atmosphere is completely different from our usual environment."
"That's probably because you're tired of being cooped up in your own world," Gustave observed with amusement.
"Haha, perhaps you're right," Daigo laughed. "After all, isn't travel really just about escaping the place you're bored with to visit somewhere that bores other people?"
His unexpectedly philosophical observation drew appreciative chuckles from the group.
"I didn't know you had such insights, Daigo," Gustave commented warmly.
After exchanging a few more lighthearted remarks, the party made their way toward the final venue.
The Metropolitan Tournament final commanded significantly greater attention than preliminary matches. This wasn't merely a regional championship—it was a clash between two schools with legitimate national tournament credentials. The quality of play would rival anything seen in elite national competition.
Anticipating massive crowds, tournament organizers had reserved the park's only stadium court, complete with grandstands capable of seating two thousand spectators. Both school cheering sections and general tennis enthusiasts were expected to fill every available seat.
Despite having ninety minutes until the official start time, both Yamabuki and Hyōtei had arrived early for extended warm-up sessions. The atmosphere crackled with competitive tension as elite players prepared for battle.
"Hey there, Little Guy!" Eiji's sharp eyes spotted the approaching Bamboo Staff delegation, and his enthusiastic greeting carried clearly across the courts.
"I'm older than him," Conan muttered under his breath, his perpetual complaint about the nickname falling on deaf ears. No matter how many times he explained his unusual situation, Eiji seemed incapable of processing the information.
Hearing their teammate's call, the entire Yamabuki squad looked up from their preparation routines. Recognizing their Otherworldly friends, they immediately abandoned their warm-ups to offer proper greetings.
The month and a half of shared training had forged genuine bonds between the tennis players and their supernatural hosts. Today's final would be the culmination of everything they had worked toward together.
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