"First match, Doubles 2."
"Hyotei Academy's Hayata Shuno and Shunsuke Kurokawa pair versus Fudomine's Tetsu Ishida and Masaya Sakurai pair."
As the referee's voice fell, the noisy court instantly quieted down.
Everyone's attention turned to the players from both sides.
"Two second-years?" Hayata from Hyotei couldn't help but laugh when he saw his opponents. "I don't know how Fudomine even made it to the quarterfinals."
"Probably just luck," Kurokawa agreed with a smile.
The two were third-year players selected from Hyotei's second team. Given that Hyotei was a dominant powerhouse in Tokyo, they didn't take their opponents seriously at all.
And why would they?
After all, Fudomine hadn't even made it past the regional preliminaries last year. In the eyes of many, they were just an unknown, third-rate team.
"Fudomine, huh?"
However, some people did pay attention to Fudomine.
For example, Inoue and Inui, who had come to watch the match, had witnessed Fudomine's performance against Seigaku in the regional preliminaries.
This team had real potential.
Seeing Ishida and Sakurai step onto the court, Inoue remarked, "Their spirit seems even stronger than it was a month ago."
"Yeah," Inui nodded.
After the regional tournament, Fudomine, having only secured second place, had seemed somewhat demoralized.
But now, they appeared sharper and more determined. Especially Ishida and Sakurai, who showed no fear facing Hyotei, last year's Metropolitan Tournament champions. Instead, they were brimming with fighting spirit.
Their sharp gazes were like hunters locking onto their prey.
"Hey, Hayata, Kurokawa!"
Outside the court, some Hyotei players jeered, "Finish this quickly! I've got a date to get to!"
"Don't worry," Hayata and Kurokawa exchanged confident glances. "We'll wrap this up in fifteen minutes!"
Fifteen minutes!
The spectators were stunned.
"This is Hyotei for you!"
"No wonder they're last year's champions. They're so confident!"
"But then again, Fudomine's just a third-rate team. Making it to the quarterfinals is already a miracle."
"Their luck's run out now that they've run into Hyotei before the semifinals."
Most of the spectators were Hyotei supporters.
The few who weren't also didn't hold much hope for Fudomine. They seemed to have already predicted the outcome of the match.
*Thud!*
Moments later, Kurokawa from Hyotei served.
Standing at 6'1", Kurokawa's serve was fast and powerful.
"Not bad," Shishido, wearing a baseball cap, commented. "Kurokawa's improved a lot recently."
"Yeah," Atobe nodded slightly. "He's been holding back his strength, only showing it now in the quarterfinals."
For second-string players like Kurokawa, the Metropolitan Tournament quarterfinals were the furthest they could go.
The semifinals, finals, and the subsequent Kanto and National Tournaments were beyond their capabilities.
Neither Coach Sakaki nor Atobe would consider second-string players for those matches.
So, this match was essentially their season finale.
From the very start, both Kurokawa and Hayata gave it their all.
*Step, step!*
On the other side, Ishida chased down the ball.
"Pretty quick," Kurokawa's eyes showed a hint of surprise. "But with your strength, there's no way you can return my serve."
*Bang!*
However, Ishida decisively struck the ball, sending it back with precision.
"Huh?" Kurokawa raised an eyebrow.
But he reacted quickly, rushing to intercept the ball. As he approached, he raised his racket for a powerful shot. "Not bad. You can return my serve. No wonder you made it to the quarterfinals. But your luck ends here!"
*Swish!*
Kurokawa swung his racket, aiming to smash the ball.
*Bang!*
But the moment the ball connected with his racket, a tremendous force surged through his arm.
"What?!" Kurokawa's expression changed drastically.
If it weren't for the intense training he'd undergone recently under Ishikawa's guidance, his racket might have flown out of his hand.
"Since when did this guy have such strength?!"
Suppressing his shock, Kurokawa awkwardly returned the ball.
*Thud!*
But Sakurai, who had been waiting, intercepted with a sharp volley, scoring the point.
"0-15!" the referee announced.
The crowd erupted.
"W-what?!"
"Hyotei lost the first point?!"
"It must be a mistake!"
The spectators buzzed with disbelief.
Most assumed it was just a careless error by Hyotei. But Atobe, Shishido, and Ishikawa, leaning against the wall, knew better. Kurokawa's strength had been completely overpowered by the second-year from Fudomine with the white headband.
Sure enough, as the match progressed, Ishida dominated Kurokawa, nearly breaking his spirit.
Fortunately, this was doubles, and Hayata stepped in to share the pressure. After a fierce battle, Hyotei managed to hold their serve.
1-0, Hyotei led.
But Kurokawa and Hayata's expressions were grim.
They knew their opponents were strong—far stronger than the average second-years.
In the second game, Fudomine held their serve.
1-1.
Both sides held their serves, maintaining a tense balance.
Over the next eight games, both teams gave their all. The score remained tight, reaching 5-5.
*Huff, huff…*
On the court, both teams were gasping for breath.
Fudomine's Ishida and Sakurai acknowledged that even Hyotei's second-string players were formidable.
Meanwhile, Kurokawa and Hayata were equally shaken.
They knew that without Ishikawa's recent intensive training, they wouldn't have lasted this long.
But even so, their stamina was nearly spent.
Though Fudomine was also exhausted, Ishida and Sakurai's determination gave them the edge.
*Bang!*
Finally, in the decisive moment, Ishida unleashed his full power, delivering a devastating Wave Shot that sent both Kurokawa and Hayata's rackets flying.
"Game over!"
"Fudomine's Ishida and Sakurai win, 7-5!"
*Gasps!*
The court erupted in shock.
Hyotei's cheering section, once the loudest, fell silent. No one had expected the defending champions to suffer such an upset in the quarterfinals!
(End of Chapter)