Lost?
The members of Rikkai Dai still didn't know the final outcome.
Akutagawa Hiroha, their Singles 2 player, was one of the strongest in Kanto. Since his rise to prominence last year, he had barely faced any real challengers—only their captain, Mitsuya Akuto, could truly surpass him.
But as they watched QP from Seigaku walk down from the court, a sense of unease settled over them.
If even Mitsuya—the one who knew Hiroha's strength best—claimed that Yoru and QP were "impossible to handle," did Hiroha even stand a chance?
Judging from the Singles 3 match, the odds of Hiroha winning were practically zero.
After all, Mitsuya's so-called "impossible to handle" opponent had just handed them a humiliating shutout.
So what about QP, who was also labeled "impossible to handle"?
The thought cast a dark shadow over Rikkai Dai's bench.
"My apologies, everyone."
Mitsuya Akuto, his face pale, walked to the bench and bowed deeply at a 90-degree angle.
"You did your best. We have no right to blame you."
Akutagawa Hiroha shook his head. His words echoed the sentiments of most of Rikkai Dai's team.
If not for Mitsuya's strategies, they might have still believed Seigaku was just a stepping stone to their 13th consecutive championship—perhaps not even grasping a single opportunity.
The previous match, along with the Doubles 1 match, had shown them the stark gap in top-tier strength between the two teams.
"Leave the rest to me."
"Whether that foreigner is as strong as you say or not—I'll find out by playing him!"
Hiroha gripped his racket and headed to the court to warm up.
"Another funeral march, huh."
Yoru glanced over, watching Hiroha warm up before remarking, "Your next opponent isn't completely hopeless. At least he'll give you a decent warm-up."
Akutagawa Hiroha.
In the original U-17, he was ranked last among Japan's elite camp members—but that didn't mean he was weak.
He was definitely stronger than players like Harahiko Gen or the Ohtori brothers. Rumor had it his low ranking was because he acted as the "gatekeeper" of the top 20.
But that was all in the future.
In the original story, he managed to suppress Inui—someone who, despite his theatrics, wouldn't have been overpowered without genuine skill.
With a 6-star rating, he could at least give QP a decent workout.
"I hope he isn't too weak."
QP pulled out his racket, removed his jacket, and strode onto the court.
---
Ten minutes later.
The referee blew his whistle.
"BEEP BEEP! Kanto Finals—Rikkai Dai vs. Seigaku, Singles 2 match begins! Players, take your positions!"
"Are you strong?"
At the net, Hiroha didn't offer a handshake. His English was rough, but QP could just barely understand.
"I look forward to our match."
QP's response was robotic—completely devoid of emotion, as if he were merely stating a fact.
Hiroha didn't mind. Instead, he declared firmly:
"No matter who you are, the one walking off this court as the winner will be me!"
"..."
QP didn't reply. He simply turned away expressionlessly.
It wasn't that he was ignoring Hiroha—it was just that Hiroha's mix of broken English and Japanese was so painful that even a dog would cringe.
"Game start! QP to serve!"
The referee's whistle signaled the beginning of the match.
SWISH—!
QP didn't waste time bouncing the ball. He tossed it high into the air.
His textbook-perfect serving form drew murmurs of admiration from the crowd.
"Flat serve!"
Hiroha instantly judged the trajectory and lunged forward, ready to intercept.
BANG—! BANG—! BANG—!
A terrifying, overlapping series of impacts echoed across the court.
Before Hiroha could even take a full step, the ball was already rolling outside the lines.
"15-0, QP!"
"This guy...!"
Hiroha's pupils trembled.
"Once QP decides it's a real match, he doesn't hold back."
Yoru shook his head, already seeing how this would end.
Before the Kanto Finals, something significant had happened to QP.
[Name]: Seigaku's QP (Aoi)
[Age]: 13
[Techniques]: Perfect Physical Stats (Lv. 8), Tennis Fundamentals (Lv. 8)
[Talent]: Flawless Quality
[Power Level]: ★★★★★★★★★ (9 Stars)
After his body matured, naturally boosting his physical stats to Lv. 8, QP had thrown himself into relentless training.
Just one day before the finals, he finally broke through to Lv. 8 Fundamentals—not yet perfectly balanced, but a major step forward that noticeably increased his strength.
Most importantly…
QP was now a 9-star player.
A 9-star vs. a 6-star?
This was a meteor crashing into Earth.
"30-0!"
"40-0!"
"Game, 1-0!"
Four consecutive serves.
Even though they were all basic, the sheer speed, power, placement, angle, and psychological pressure made them impossible to return.
"I feel like QP got even stronger..."
Kirihara scratched his chin.
QP wasn't holding back—his serves were visibly faster than before.
Kirihara mentally compared it to his own abilities.
"I'd probably need to activate my 'Speed Boost' just to return these normally..."
It was clear proof of QP's growth.
"This is so unfair," Kirihara grumbled. "How can someone already this strong still improve?!"
"What kind of logic is that?"
Yoru rolled his eyes.
---
Back to the match.
Hiroha served—a spin serve!
QP didn't hesitate. The moment the ball bounced, he swung with flawless precision.
His textbook-perfect form left zero openings.
The spin affected the ball's speed slightly, but…
It didn't matter.
Hiroha's eyes couldn't track it. His brain couldn't react.
All he could do was hear the impact and turn his head to see where the ball had landed.
CRACK—!
A deafening collision echoed through the stadium.
The crowd's eyes snapped toward the back—QP's return had slammed into the advertising board.
"Wait, that's—!"
Rikkai Dai's Ueda noticed something strange.
The ball had hit the hardest part of the board—the steel frame's central joint.
And yet…
It was dented inward.
"Impossible..."
Hiroha's mind reeled.
How could someone with QP's build generate such monstrous power?
Even if he could react to the shot, returning it would be nearly impossible.
"15-0, QP!"
"Boring."
QP muttered the word under his breath before resetting into his stance.
---
In the stands, two young spectators stared at QP with undisguised fear.
They had been visiting Seigaku daily for training under Yoru's guidance, so they were familiar with most of the regulars.
But QP was an exception.
He trained nonstop—only stopping when Yoru ordered him to.
From what Yamato had told them, QP's strength was second only to Yoru's.
And when they learned that even Kirihara couldn't score a single point off him, they were speechless.
But hearing about it was one thing.
Seeing it in person?
The sheer efficiency of his play radiated overwhelming pressure.