After observing Atobe's quiet conference with the Hyōtei doubles team, Gustave recognized the telltale signs of impending tactical escalation. He cracked another sunflower seed between his teeth before speaking.
"The real challenge for Eiji and Oishi is about to begin," he said matter-of-factly.
"What do you mean?" Conan turned from his focused observation of the court action. From his perspective, the match appeared evenly contested, with both pairs trading games effectively.
"Look at the expressions on those Hyōtei players' faces," Gustave instructed, tossing his empty shells into the portable trash bin before pointing toward the opposition bench.
Following the direction indicated, Conan studied the Hyōtei doubles team with his detective's trained eye for reading human behavior. What he saw made his stomach sink—both players displayed the relaxed confidence of people who held decisive advantages. Their casual conversation and easy laughter spoke of opponents who had been merely toying with their competition.
"This is..." Conan's voice trailed off as recognition dawned.
That expression was intimately familiar—the same satisfied confidence he felt after solving particularly complex cases. These players weren't concerned about the tied score because they already knew the outcome.
"Hey! Eiji! Oishi!" Conan suddenly stood and cupped his hands around his mouth. "Be careful! Those guys are about to change their strategy!"
Despite the ongoing nickname dispute, Conan genuinely cared about Eiji's wellbeing. Seeing the trap about to spring, he couldn't remain silent.
"Don't worry, Little Guy!" Eiji called back cheerfully, waving toward the stands with undiminished confidence. The previous four games had convinced him that he and Oishi could match any opponent through sheer determination and teamwork.
"Eiji, maybe we should listen to him," Oishi suggested cautiously. His more analytical nature made him receptive to outside warnings, especially from someone as observant as Conan.
"Oishi, what's wrong with you?" Eiji laughed, slapping his partner's shoulder reassuringly. "We're the Golden Pair! We've got this handled!"
He bounded toward the court with his characteristic enthusiasm, but Oishi's worried expression suggested the warning had found fertile ground.
As the fifth game prepared to begin, the entire atmosphere around the Hyōtei doubles team transformed. The casual demeanor evaporated, replaced by an intensity that seemed to charge the air around them. Even Eiji's keen athletic senses detected the shift, his grip unconsciously tightening on his racket handle.
When Maeda stepped to the service line, both Hyōtei players became enveloped in a faint, otherworldly luminescence that seemed to emanate from their very beings.
"What... what is that?!" Conan gasped, pointing at the glowing figures. "Is that the same selfless state Tezuka achieved?"
"No, that's something even more specialized," Gustave replied grimly, his earlier levity completely absent. "What you're witnessing is the ultimate secret of doubles play—Synchro. Just as Selflessness represents the pinnacle of singles tennis, Synchro allows doubles partners to function as a single consciousness. Teams that master this technique are essentially unbeatable unless their opponents can match their synchronization or deploy even more powerful abilities."
The casual tone Gustave had maintained throughout the match disappeared entirely. He hadn't expected this unnamed doubles team—players never mentioned in his knowledge of the original timeline—to possess such devastating capabilities.
The observation sparked a troubling thought about the nature of this world's competitive landscape. There were supposed to be two distinct golden ages in Prince of Tennis—the first represented by legends like Byōdōin Hōō and Ochi Gekko, the second encompassing Tezuka's generation. Players like Maeda and Takamiya served as bridges between those eras, and surviving at elite levels across two golden ages required extraordinary hidden depths.
Eiji and Oishi were about to face opponents who had been concealing their true strength for years.
"Hyōtei wins, 3-2!"
"Hyōtei wins, 4-2!"
"Hyōtei wins, 5-2!"
The synchronized Hyōtei team displayed no spectacular individual techniques, but their coordination transcended normal human limitations. Every shot was perfectly anticipated, every movement flawlessly supported by their partner. No matter how cleverly Eiji and Oishi attempted to exploit angles or create openings, their opponents responded as a unified entity rather than two separate players.
Three consecutive games fell to Hyōtei with ruthless efficiency. One more victory would secure the opening match and provide crucial psychological momentum for the entire team competition.
Eiji and Oishi trudged back to their bench with rackets clutched tightly and heads hanging low, the weight of impending defeat pressing heavily on their shoulders.
"Coach, how did Maeda and Takamiya suddenly learn Synchro?" Higashikata Masami asked anxiously. "They never used this technique when we played them last year!"
"Improvement isn't exclusive to our team," Coach Banji replied philosophically, though concern flickered in his normally calm eyes. "From the Metropolitan finals onward, we can no longer evaluate our rivals based on past performance."
The Hyōtei doubles team had concealed their development far too effectively. Banji had hoped this match would provide the pressure needed for Eiji and Oishi to breakthrough to national-level play, but the skill gap had proven insurmountable. Desperate situations could inspire transcendence, but they could also simply result in crushing defeat.
"Eiji, Oishi..." Kawamura's worried voice reflected the entire team's concern.
"Don't worry, everyone," Eiji forced a smile despite his exhaustion. "We haven't lost yet, right? It's only 5-2."
"That's right," Oishi added, following his partner's lead in attempting to maintain team morale. "Hyōtei still needs to win one more game. The match isn't over."
"YAMABUKI!" Captain Tezuka's commanding voice cut through the gathering despair. He thrust his right hand forward, refusing to allow his team's spirit to collapse at this crucial moment.
"FIGHT ON!" The entire roster responded in unison, their hands joining their captain's in a gesture of unified determination.
Meanwhile, Hyōtei's massive cheering section launched into their psychological warfare campaign:
"HYŌTEI WINS! YAMABUKI LOSES!" "HYŌTEI WINS! YAMABUKI LOSES!"
The chant thundered across the stadium, hundreds of voices creating an oppressive wall of sound designed to crush opposing morale. Eiji and Oishi walked back onto the court under this crushing psychological pressure, prepared for what might be their final stand.
Unfortunately, not every player possessed Fuji's genius-level ability to transcend limitations under extreme pressure. Despite their desperate resistance, Eiji and Oishi ultimately succumbed to their opponents' overwhelming coordination. The final score read 6-2, handing Hyōtei the crucial opening victory.
Both players slumped in their chairs afterward, devastation written across their features. The Potato Heroes immediately moved to provide consolation.
"Don't worry about it," Higashikata said reassuringly. "We'll handle the next match."
"Just leave it to us," Minami added as he and his partner prepared to take the court for the first doubles match.
Before they could depart, however, a familiar voice rang out from the stands.
"Hey! Eiji! Oishi! Don't let this get you down!"
Conan's encouragement carried clearly across the stadium, his small form standing prominently among the spectators.
"Don't worry, Little Guy!" Eiji suddenly sprang from his chair with renewed energy. "There's no way I can stay defeated!"
Without hesitation, he vaulted over the courtside barrier and bounded up into the stands, his acrobatic abilities making the climb look effortless. Upon reaching Conan's location, he immediately began ruffling the detective's carefully arranged hair with both hands.
"You little troublemaker!" Conan protested, struggling futilely against the assault. His diminutive size made resistance impossible against Eiji's enthusiastic affection.
Ai watched the interaction with barely concealed amusement, one hand covering her mouth as she giggled at Conan's predicament.
"Eiji!" Oishi called from below, his own smile returning as he witnessed his partner's resilient spirit. Nothing could keep Eiji Kikumaru down for long.
"Daigo, doesn't this remind you of Shinjo and Horii?" Camearra observed to her boyfriend, having become familiar with the GUTS team dynamics through their relationship.
Since announcing their romantic involvement, the Defense Team had included Camearra in most of their social gatherings. She had quickly learned to recognize the playful antagonism that characterized certain team friendships.
"They really do behave exactly like those two," Daigo agreed with warm laughter.
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