In team competitions, it ultimately comes down to overall strength.
Compared to the progress made by Izumi and Bukawa, the other members of Gyokurin Middle School were no match for Seigaku.
The remaining four matches ended in complete shutouts for Seigaku.
The final score was 1-4. (The first round required all five matches to be played.)
Gyokurin Middle School was eliminated.
However, this only highlighted the impressive skills of Izumi and Bukawa. After the match, they immediately became the center of attention.
The other Gyokurin players eagerly asked the duo how they had suddenly become so strong.
Under persistent questioning, the two revealed the location of the street tennis court and the time when the mysterious "Mr. X" would appear.
"Only on weekends, huh?"
Not far away, a spiky-haired boy—Seigaku's training advisor, Inui Sadaharu—quietly noted this information in his notebook.
He was curious.
Who could it be, frequenting a place like a street tennis court? And not only that, but also training two players from a mediocre team like Gyokurin to such a high level.
Soon, the morning matches concluded.
At Shigino Forest, Seigaku and Fudomine advanced to the finals. Meanwhile, at Akizuki, Hyotei faced off against a team called Reikyo Middle School.
The outcome was never in doubt.
Even though Hyotei was fielding their second-string players, they still defeated Reikyo in an average of fifteen minutes per match, securing the regional qualifier championship.
On the other side, Seigaku and Fudomine battled fiercely.
In the end, Seigaku defeated Fudomine 3-1 to claim the championship, while Fudomine secured second place and a ticket to the Tokyo Metropolitan Tournament.
It's worth noting that, perhaps due to his crushing defeat against Gyokurin, Ryoma finally unleashed his full strength in the finals.
In the end, without sustaining any injuries, he defeated Fudomine's Ibu Shinji with a score of 6-1.
This match showcased the formidable strength of Seigaku's new prodigy.
However, aside from Inui, no one paid much attention to the so-called "Mr. X." This was understandable, as most people believed that figures from street tennis courts were hardly worth considering in the national league.
Meanwhile, at Hyotei, Ishikawa, who had returned victorious, solidified his reputation to some extent. Even some of the third-year players who had previously doubted him due to his age could no longer find reasons to criticize him.
Of course, Ishikawa didn't pay them much mind.
After winning the championship, he immediately threw himself back into what seemed like monotonous and tedious basic training.
Five days passed in the blink of an eye.
It was the weekend again.
After completing his basic training with the tennis club, Ishikawa grabbed his racket and headed straight for the street tennis court.
There, a group of street tennis players, led by Izumi and Bukawa, were already waiting for him.
And so, the training began—altruistic guidance for others, but a leveling-up opportunity for Ishikawa.
*Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!*
At 10 a.m., the crisp sound of tennis balls being struck echoed across the street court.
"Is this the place?"
On a platform not far from the court, a spiky-haired boy in a light blue jacket and carrying a tennis bag walked toward the source of the sound.
It was none other than Inui Sadaharu, former Seigaku regular and current training advisor.
As he passed the platform, Inui was surprised to find an open-air tennis court.
What shocked him even more was that this small area was packed with over a hundred players.
After a brief scan, he spotted the two Gyokurin players who had defeated Ryoma and Momoshiro.
"Who would've thought so many people would gather in a place like this? So..."
His gaze shifted to the ongoing match on the court. On one side were two players, and on the other was a black-haired boy around 165 cm tall.
"Is this the mysterious Mr. X?"
In his imagination, Mr. X was an older man, at least in his thirties.
But to his surprise, it was just a boy who looked even younger than himself.
Inui felt a pang of disappointment. He had hoped to learn some coaching methods from a seasoned expert.
Now, it seemed he had overthought things.
However, Inui didn't leave immediately. Instead, he quietly blended into the crowd and began observing the match.
"To earn the support of over a hundred people, this guy must have something special."
With this thought in mind, Inui continued to watch.
But the more he observed, the more puzzled he became.
"This guy is really strong!"
Inui was astonished as he watched the boy effortlessly handle two opponents at once.
"Why would someone this strong come to a street tennis court to train? Does this kind of practice even work?"
Inui couldn't understand it.
After all, Ishikawa's opponents were too weak.
Each match lasted less than a minute, and as soon as one ended, another challenger would step up.
The boy showed no signs of boredom or fatigue, and the challengers were equally enthusiastic.
The more Inui watched, the more he felt that something was off about this court.
"Is he training his stamina?"
Inui stared at Ishikawa, deep in thought.
If it was about building stamina, that would make sense. Even the strongest players would struggle against a relentless wave of challengers.
"Also, didn't those two Gyokurin players say they received guidance from Mr. X? Is he using matches to teach his opponents?"
Inui was baffled.
But as the match ended, the two players who had just lost cautiously approached the net and waited respectfully for Ishikawa's feedback.
"Izumi, your speed isn't bad, but your timing is off. You need to read your opponent's intentions before moving. Don't act recklessly."
"Bukawa, your slice needs work. Also, if your wrist strength is lacking, try using a small grip strengthener to improve your control."
"Thank you so much!"
The two players took Ishikawa's advice to heart, bowed respectfully, and left.
"Speed and control?"
Outside the court, Inui frowned.
"Did those two even have any strengths in the match?"
He thought hard but couldn't pinpoint anything they did well. On the contrary, all he could recall were the flaws in their teamwork.
"This guy..."
Inui glanced suspiciously at Ishikawa.
"Could he just be making things up?"
After all, it seemed impossible to identify someone's weaknesses and offer actionable advice in such a short time. Inui doubted even Seigaku's captain, Tezuka, could do that.
But at the same time, there was something about the boy that Inui couldn't quite figure out.
"In that case..."
Inui's eyes darted around the crowd. Soon, he spotted a player who was frowning and looking around. He approached him.
"Hey, how about teaming up with me?"
(End of Chapter)