*Ding!*
At that moment, the system suddenly chimed again.
[Detected that the player's special ability overlaps with an existing effect. Would you like to merge them?]
"Yes!"
Without hesitation, Ishikawa chose to merge.
*Ding!*
[Merge successful. The player's special ability, "Truth of Go," has leveled up. Current level: Lv2.]
*Buzz!*
Instantly, Ishikawa felt a wave of clarity wash over his mind. The fusion of the two special abilities elevated his skills in data tennis and his ability to conceal his movements to a whole new level.
In the original story, abilities with similar effects included Fuji's "Heart's Eye," Oshitari's "Closed Heart," and Sanada's sealed technique, "Hard to Know Like Yin." At this point, Ishikawa's ability had already surpassed Heart's Eye and Closed Heart. As for Hard to Know Like Yin, it was hard to say whether he had surpassed it without facing Sanada directly.
However, with the end of the Tokyo Metropolitan Tournament, the Kanto Tournament was about to begin. The national powerhouse school from Kanagawa Prefecture would soon clash with Hyotei. Ishikawa couldn't help but feel excited about the upcoming match.
The two weeks of competition had further honed his skills. But the most significant improvement came after defeating Akutsu and merging the dropped sub-profession, [Karate]. His ancient martial arts had reached their peak, and his overall stats had also increased.
[Stats: Speed 3.5, Power 3.5, Stamina 2.5, Technique 5.5, Mental Strength 4.3. Total: 19.3]
Afterward, Ishikawa ran 20 laps around the field. Following a light workout, he called it an early night.
The next day, at the Hyotei tennis club.
Due to the various outcomes of the Tokyo Metropolitan Tournament, Mukahi and Oshitari unsurprisingly lost their regular spots. Of course, this didn't mean they wouldn't have a chance to play in the Kanto Tournament. After all, Coach Sakaki hadn't stripped them of their eligibility to compete for a regular position.
Moreover, just like Shishido, representatives from the second team still had opportunities to play. However, with Hiyoshi and Shishido eyeing the regular spots, Mukahi and Oshitari's positions were somewhat precarious.
As for Jiro, who also lost his match, he too lost his regular position. But no one doubted that he would make his way back to the regular lineup. Unlike before, Jiro, who used to sleep in and drag his feet during training, had now become one of the most active participants in practice.
"Not bad," Coach Sakaki nodded in satisfaction as he observed the team's training from a distance. "Jiro finally knows how to put in the effort. If he had done this earlier, he wouldn't have lost to that first-year from Seigaku."
Sakaki had always admired Jiro's talent. Unfortunately, the boy had never fully utilized it. In Sakaki's eyes, the crushing defeat in the Metropolitan Tournament wasn't entirely a bad thing. On the contrary, if it could truly awaken Jiro, then the loss was worth it.
"I don't think it's enough," Atobe, standing beside him, shook his head. "Some habits are hard to break overnight. Of course, if he can keep this up, that would be ideal."
"Hmm..."
Atobe's words made Sakaki ponder. Indeed, a soul-crushing defeat could awaken Jiro. But with Hyotei's current lineup, unless they deliberately manipulated the match roster, it wouldn't be easy to keep Jiro out of the regular lineup. And with his position not under immediate threat, Sakaki knew Jiro well enough to doubt how long this newfound diligence would last.
After all, someone like Ishikawa, who trained and pushed himself relentlessly every day, was a rarity not just in Hyotei but across the entire Kanto region.
"By the way," Sakaki's stern expression softened as he seemed to recall something. "If everything goes smoothly, we might be adding a new member to the team."
"That person?" Atobe immediately caught on and nodded. "If it turns out as we expect, it could definitely serve as a wake-up call for Jiro."
The regular spots were limited, and the singles positions were fixed. If that person were to join Hyotei, Jiro would have a much harder time holding onto his regular position.
As for bringing in an outsider...
Atobe, who grew up in England and was the heir to a major conglomerate, had a broad perspective and an open mind. His current goal was simple: to do everything in his power to defeat that team from Kanagawa and thwart their plans for a national three-peat.
However, days passed, and the person Atobe and Sakaki were waiting for never showed up. Ishikawa, too, seemed to have forgotten about the matter, returning to his usual routine of training day in and day out. Seeing their vice-captain maintaining his rigorous schedule, the rest of the team didn't dare slack off either.
Unfortunately, Jiro proved Sakaki and Atobe right. After three days of intense training, he started cutting back on the fourth day and used rest as an excuse on the fifth. If it weren't for his fear of Ishikawa's infamous penalty tea, he might have skipped even the basic drills.
And so, his "rest" lasted three days. Just one week after the Tokyo Metropolitan Tournament, Jiro had reverted to his old habits. Today, he even skipped training altogether, finding a cozy spot to nap instead.
Sakaki could only shake his head in disappointment. As for Ishikawa and Atobe, they weren't around to intervene. Early that morning, they had left Hyotei to head to Kanagawa for the Kanto Tournament draw.
---
Kanagawa Prefecture, Kamakura City.
Rikkai Dai Fuzoku Middle School.
Standing at the school gates, one could see the endless coastline stretching out into the distance. Inside, the campus was dominated by simple, gray-and-white buildings.
By 9 a.m., the school grounds were already bustling with unfamiliar faces. Most of them walked in pairs, chatting and pointing at the various buildings and club activities around the campus.
"Hey, Kurata, I've got a secret to tell you," a boy who had just come out of the restroom whispered to his companion. "Rikkai's captain, Yukimura, is in the hospital!"
"What?!" The thin boy named Kurata was startled, then his face lit up with excitement. "Really, Miyamoto? Who told you that?"
"I overheard some people talking about it in the restroom. Apparently, after the Kanagawa Prefectural Tournament last week, Yukimura collapsed during their team's celebration party."
"This is great!" Kurata clenched his fists in excitement. "Yukimura's illness couldn't have come at a better time. Without him in the way, this year's Kanto Tournament is our chance to shine!"
"Hey."
Just then, a lazy yet menacing voice interrupted them. "You're from Gunma, right? From the sound of it, you seem pretty confident about this year's Kanto Tournament, huh?"
Who?!
Kurata and Miyamoto turned around sharply. Standing there was a boy with slightly curly hair and a cold, piercing gaze, smirking at them.
"That uniform... Rikkai's team?"
The two boys' faces paled. Rikkai was, after all, the two-time national champion. Even without Yukimura, they still had Sanada and Yanagi, both formidable players. Their earlier excitement had been nothing more than careless chatter upon hearing about Yukimura's illness. They hadn't expected to be caught red-handed by a Rikkai player.
"Uh, um..." Kurata forced a laugh. "You must have misheard us, Rikkai-san. We were just... expressing our concern for Captain Yukimura's health, right?"
As he spoke, he frantically shot glances at his companion.
"Yeah, yeah, that's exactly what we were thinking," the companion stammered in agreement.
Miyamoto nodded repeatedly, like a chicken pecking at rice.
"Do you think I'm an idiot?" The curly-haired boy's expression turned even colder. With a swift motion, he pulled out his racket and pointed it at the two of them. "I'll give you two options. First, apologize to our captain in front of everyone from the other schools later. Or second, play a match against me!"
"Against you?" The two exchanged uneasy glances.
"That's right, just me," the curly-haired boy said arrogantly, pointing his thumb at himself. "Let me introduce myself. I'm the one who's going to defeat you—Rikkaidai Tennis Club's second-year regular, Akaya Kirihara!"
"Second-year?" Hearing Kirihara's introduction, Kurata and Miyamoto looked stunned for a moment.
But soon, a hint of amusement flashed in their eyes.
"Fine!" Kurata, the one in charge, nodded immediately. "We'll play with you!"
In their minds, if their opponent had been a third-year regular from Rikkaidai, they would've backed down without hesitation. But this guy was just a second-year. Kurata and Miyamoto were confident they could handle a second-year player.
*Thud! Thud!*
Fifteen minutes later, however, the two of them lay sprawled on the court after teaming up to attack Kirihara. Their bodies were covered in bruises from being hit by what felt like heavy objects, with no spot left untouched.
"Is this guy really a second-year?"
"He's a monster…"
Lying on the ground, wincing in pain, Kurata and Miyamoto exchanged glances, both filled with deep regret. They shouldn't have badmouthed Yukimura, and they definitely shouldn't have chosen to play against this guy. Who would've thought that the two strongest players from Gunma Prefecture couldn't even last fifteen minutes against him? This second-year from Rikkaidai was an absolute monster!
As they lay there, they felt a mix of fear and awe toward Rikkaidai, the team that dominated the Kanto region and ruled the national stage.
"Tch." On the other side, after dealing with the so-called "Gunma Twins," Kirihara scoffed. "All talk, no action. I thought they'd be stronger, but they're not even as good as the guys from Seigaku. What a waste of time!"
For Kirihara, these kinds of opponents weren't worth his attention—unless they insulted his captain, Yukimura.
"Oh no," he muttered, glancing at the time. "If I remember correctly, today's the day we're supposed to have a match against the OB players." (OB: Old Boys, referring to alumni.)
The thought made him panic. He knew all too well how strict Vice-Captain Sanada could be, especially with Yukimura hospitalized. If Sanada found out he'd been late because of an outside match, he'd be in for a world of pain.
*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*
Just as Kirihara was about to rush to the match location, a loud noise filled the air. He looked up in surprise. "What's going on? A helicopter landing on the school field? Is there some kind of emergency?"
This was a first for Kirihara. In all his time at Rikkaidai, he'd never seen anything like this.
Soon, the helicopter landed smoothly on the school grounds.
*Clang!*
As the metal door opened, two boys in white T-shirts stepped out. They looked about the same age as Kirihara.
"Two middle schoolers? Wait, that's…" Kirihara's sharp eyes caught the golden embroidery on their collars. "Hyotei? These two are Hyotei's representatives for the draw?"
Kirihara was shocked. He'd heard of people taking the bullet train, buses, or even riding bikes to the draw, but arriving by helicopter? That was a first.
"This is way too much… Wait, isn't that Hyotei's captain?"
"So this is Rikkaidai?" Stepping out of the helicopter, Ishikawa took a deep breath of the moist air and nodded. "The atmosphere here is completely different from Tokyo's."
"Yeah," Atobe agreed. This wasn't his first time here for the draw. Since the Kanto and National Tournament draws were always held at the previous year's winning school, and Rikkaidai had won both for two consecutive years, Atobe was no stranger to this place.
As someone who grew up in England, attended elite schools, and was the heir to a major conglomerate, Atobe had transferred to Japan with the goal of creating his own era. But his dreams had been crushed by this monstrous team. Now, standing on Rikkaidai's grounds again, Atobe silently vowed that he wouldn't let history repeat itself.
"Let's go," Atobe said to Ishikawa, and the two prepared to head to the draw ceremony.
"Wait a minute!" Just as they were about to leave, a figure suddenly appeared, blocking their path.
"You're Hyotei's captain… Atobe-senpai, right?" Kirihara's gaze landed on Atobe, scrutinizing him boldly. "I've heard you're a national-level player. I'm curious—is that really true?"
*Swish!*
As he spoke, Kirihara pointed his racket directly at Atobe, his eyes filled with undisguised provocation. Ishikawa, standing beside Atobe, was completely ignored.
(End of Chapter)