Prince of Tennis: A new Hextech Crafting System is refreshed every week.

[Hextech system is now bound...]

Please select your own enhancement runes...

......

Osaka, Nishi Ward - Shino Park.

Sixteen blue hard courts are neatly arranged in a row, separated by green wire mesh.

"First-years, shout louder! Let them see the spirit of Yamabuki!" Second-year regular member, Dongfang Yamei, shouted to the crowd.

"yes!!"

"The mountain blows will win!"... "The mountain blows will win!"...

Kitahara Akira's head was throbbing with pain, and he subconsciously joined the others in waving his arms, chanting, "Yamabuki will win... Yamabuki... will win..."

"...By the way, what is Yamabuki?"

Looking at the crowd around him, waving flags, clenching their fists, and shouting almost fanatically, Kitahara Akira suddenly awoke. A flood of memories rushed into his brain, making everything seem both strange and familiar.

They are participating in the national competition!

After competing in the regional preliminaries, the Metropolitan Tournament, and the Kanto Tournament, the Yamabuki Tennis Club finally won third place in the Kanto Tournament, securing the last spot to represent the country this year. They traveled all the way to Osaka to participate in the competition.

"But what does this have to do with me...?"

My head is spinning.

Kitahara Akira lowered his raised arm and looked down at his own situation.

He was dressed like everyone else, in a dark green short-sleeved T-shirt with two yellow stripes that started from his shoulders, folded at the chest, and extended to his armpits. The zipper at the neckline was pulled up to the top, and the white stand-up collar stood up high.

It exudes a unique youthful energy, along with a touch of silliness...

"That's so cringeworthy..."

Kitahara Akira unzipped his jacket and smoothed out his collar.

However, looking at his slender, fair hands, he felt completely unfamiliar with them.

"My hands have gotten smaller."

Kitahara Akira stared blankly into space, seemingly isolated from the surrounding noise and shouts.

He clearly remembered that just ten minutes ago, he was playing Shovel with his roommate on an emulator at an internet cafe. Oh right, that was the Lucky Stars game!

Started with Fortune Glyph Golem, 1-2 Blue serve yielded Annie, 1-3 Free Fortune Tahm Kench Chosen, 2-1 Colored Hextech Fortune Crown, got Fortune Emblem and Darius, 2-2 Six Fortune, one win, got Golden Spatula, combined into Fortune Emblem, 2-3 Leveled up to level six, did a small reroll, got Katarina and Double Blade Turkey, eight Fortune were in place, 2-4 Eight Fortune rewarded Lunar New Year Ambassador, Sejuani came from the shop, 2-5 Leveled up to level seven, ten Fortune.

A screen full of red envelopes rained down. Under his control, the little hero ran around wildly, but then he got dizzy and everything changed.

He inexplicably switched bodies and found himself at a tennis match, looking much younger.

After a brief period of shock, doubt, disbelief, and other overwhelming emotions, Kitahara Akira began to accept reality.

At this point, the various pieces of information and memories in his mind had almost been integrated, which was all the memories of the other Kitahara Akira who had lived for twelve years.

Although many parts become somewhat blurred due to the human body's forgetting mechanism, a lot of useful information can still be obtained from them.

For example, one's surname is Bei and given name is Yuanming.

The other person's surname is Kitahara, given name Akira, and he was born in Yamabuki-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo.

Twelve years old this year, a first-year student in Group B at Yamabuki Middle School, and a member of the Yamabuki Tennis Club, he is currently cheering on his seniors who have made it to the national tournament.

Thud! ...Thud! ...

A series of rapid explosions rang in my ears.

Akira Kitahara is no stranger to tennis.

During his freshman year, he was forced to take tennis because he couldn't get a badminton racket. He picked it up quickly and was recruited to the school team by the coach after just a few classes.

After three years of training and playing in numerous matches, I've been recognized as having a 4.0 level of skill (though on Douyin, I certainly wouldn't be rated 3.0). In the amateur circle, I'm considered a mid-level expert, and I've also watched quite a few professional matches live.

But it turned out like this...

Kitahara Akira had never seen it before!

on the field.

Suddenly, a boy with orange-red hair wearing the Yamabuki Junior High school team uniform leaped into the air, his feet almost high enough to stand on, and slammed his racket down from behind in an exaggerated manner.

Bang!

A heart-stopping sound erupted.

The tennis ball hurtled down from the sky like a cannonball.

The speed was too fast for the naked eye to perceive, and the terrifying power to pierce through the air completely exceeded normal standards. Faced with this cannonball-like tennis ball, the opponent couldn't even react.

"Game, Yamabuki Middle School Sengoku Seijun, 6-3!"

The referee on the high chair shouted out the score, and the green wave of Yamabuki Junior High School immediately surged. Looking at Sengoku Kiyosumi walking off the field, everyone's eyes were like those of a triumphant hero.

Only Kitahara Akira stood there, dumbfounded.

"What the hell is this?!"

Looking at the clear indentation of the ball on the court, Kitahara Akira screamed inwardly, a stark contrast to his calm expression.

This kind of force.

And that inhumanly high jump height just now.

"Seriously? Doesn't anyone think this is abnormal? Jordan only jumps 1.2 meters, this guy's almost 1.8 meters!"

Kitahara Akira turned his head left and right.

Everyone was excited, crowding around Sengoku Kiyosumi and cheering, completely ignoring the extraordinary smash from before.

Or rather, these people have long since become accustomed to it.

He pinched his thigh hard, and a sharp, clear pain quickly followed.

"I'm not dreaming, it's not a hallucination."

Take a deep breath, let your chest rise and fall.

Kitahara Akira tried to calm himself down and think things through.

If time travel has already occurred, it seems quite normal for other abnormal things to appear as well.

......

Not long after the first singles match ended, the doubles players from both sides quickly took to the court.

"Kentaro Minami and Masami Higashikata from Tokyo Yamabuki Junior High School will face off against Rokurigaoka in Aichi..."

The referee's voice quickly spread throughout the stadium via the loudspeaker.

Looking at the large loudspeaker on the pillar, Kitahara Akira frowned slightly. The national tournament should be of a high standard, yet they were using such simple facilities.

But after briefly reviewing the game footage in his mind, he couldn't find anything wrong; the announcements from all the game venues were the same.

I didn't dwell on it any longer.

The players are taking the stage.

According to memory, the doubles pair that Yamabuki played with were two second-year regulars, Kentaro Minami and Masami Higashikata. Although they were second-years, they were regarded as Yamabuki's number one doubles pair from an early age and were also known as the Simple Duo.

Generally speaking, those with special titles are either incredibly strong or ridiculously weak, truly a case of two extremes.

And it is quite obvious.

Being able to reach the national competition, this "simple duo" naturally belongs to the former category.

Both parties shook hands politely according to procedure.

Guess first.

Kentaro Minami correctly guessed the direction the racket fell, and Yamabuki served first, while Rokurigao chose his half of the court.

Bang!

A deep, resounding bang signaled the start of the competition.

Watching the two sides clash on the court, Kitahara Akira fell silent once again.

Although there wasn't the extraordinary scene like in the previous match with Sengoku Kiyosumi, what exactly is going on with this match?

The serve is accurate, fast, and has a tricky trajectory.

Every serve he makes reaches a speed of around 180 kilometers per hour, and it's incredibly consistent. He almost always succeeds on the first serve, rarely needing a second serve.

This success rate is comparable to Federer's!

"These are middle school students?!...This world!"

Kitahara Akira's heart pounded, but he was quickly drawn back to the action on the field.

No verbal communication is needed; the tactic to be used is determined by the hand gestures before the serve. After the serve, the players make decisive runs and return the ball with clear lines. The return of the ball by the player in front creates opportunities for the attack of the player behind, and the player behind covers the gaps in the space left by the player in front.

It's so smooth, so fast.

With his amateur level of understanding, he couldn't find a single flaw!

The doubles match between these two was very monotonous, but without any flaws. It was like a work of art, stronger than any professional doubles match Kitahara Akira had ever seen in his previous life.

That's how well they understand each other.

They could totally go pilot mechs in Pacific Rim!

However, facing opponents of this caliber, the Rokurigaoka group was still able to organize a counterattack, which made Kitahara Akira's eyes jump repeatedly.

The two sides fought for twenty-five minutes.

Kentaro Minami executed an extreme reverse change of direction, breaking through Rokurigao's gap and securing the final point.

"Game, Yamabuki Middle School Kentaro Minami, Masami Higashikata, 6-2!"

"The mountain blows will win!"... "The mountain blows will win!"...

With two consecutive wins at the start, the Yamabuki fans cheered enthusiastically, but Kitahara Akira, watching the two walk off the court, remained immersed in this doubles match that could be described as an art.

but.

Just when everyone thought that Yamabuki would press on with his momentum and continue his winning streak, the situation on the field suddenly took a sharp turn for the worse.

"Sengoku Kiyosumi, the simple duo have both entered the fray, so your Yamabuki days are numbered!"

Singles number two, the captain of the Liuliqiu Tennis Club is on the field.

In just fifteen minutes, Rokurigaoka's captain defeated Yamabuki's singles player 6-0, demonstrating a skill level comparable to, and perhaps even superior to, Sengoku Kiyosumi's. Kitahara Akira was once again taken aback.

There's more than one of these oversized creatures!?

Kitahara Akira's gaze slowly swept across each face, a strange sense of familiarity rising within him.

He initially thought this sense of familiarity was caused by memories of his past life, but as time went by, he discovered that this familiarity seemed to originate from himself.

"Yamabuki Junior High...and Sengoku Kiyosumi...I feel like I've heard of them somewhere before."

A strange thought flashed through his mind, and Kitahara Akira's attention returned to the doubles match number one on the court.

Judging from their several encounters, Yamabuki's doubles pair number one is a bit weaker than the previous simple duo, while Rokurigaoka's doubles pair is a bit stronger than before.

With one side gaining strength and the other losing strength, the two sides were very evenly matched, making the match extremely intense.

More than half an hour later.

The doubles match number one, on which the Yamabuki team had placed all their hopes, has ended.

Despite the Yamabuki team's two third-year regulars giving their all, even managing to reverse the score and drag the match into a tiebreaker, they ultimately lost the game 6-7.

The two schools were tied 2-2, and the morale of the Yamabuki team plummeted.

Singles is Yamabuki's biggest weakness.

From the beginning, Yamabuki tacitly gave up the singles matches 2 and 1, and devoted all her efforts to winning the singles match 3 and two doubles matches, earning three points and advancing to the next round.

And at this moment, the number one doubles player has lost...

Twenty minutes later.

Yamabuki No. 1 lost 1-6.

Rokurigao defeated Yamabuki 3-2 to advance, thus ending Yamabuki Junior High's journey to the national championships this year.

In the afternoon, Rokurigaoka lost to Makinofuji Junior High School in Hyogo Prefecture, ending their run in the round of 16. Both schools ended their national journey on the first day of the tournament.

Kitahara Akira was unable to comment on this.

That's just too bizarre and absurd.

In my previous life, these would have been two fully professional teams. The captains of Sengoku Kiyosumi and Rokurigao could have turned the "Big Three" into "Big Five" or even "Big Two".

They were all so strong, yet they all fell on the first day of a competition for junior high school students.

"..."

Kitahara Akira's mind was in a mess.

By evening, he and the others boarded a bus to Tokyo, led by Vice-Captain Kentaro Minami, while the remaining Yamabuki mains stayed in Osaka with their coach, Banro, intending to watch the remaining three days of matches.

The journey from Osaka to Tokyo takes about ten hours by car.

Perhaps due to the long time involved, or perhaps to ease the somber mood of their defeat in the competition, they did not rush back to Tokyo overnight. Instead, they took the opportunity to organize a club activity and relax.

So, at 8:30 p.m.

The group got off at the Hamanako service area in western Shizuoka Prefecture.

The highway stretched along the lake, and they gazed at the great lake on the Tokaido, enjoying the view of the lake under the summer moonlight. They also tasted the local specialty, eel rice.

The group played and joked around for a long time before returning to the car at Minami Kentaro's urging, where they leaned back in their seats and fell asleep.

The bus continued its journey.

Kitahara Akira leaned against the window, gazing at the coastline outside the glass, lost in thought. The sea shimmered under the moonlight, exceptionally tranquil.

Seabirds circled above the sea.

After flying for a long time, it found its way home and returned.

......

The next morning.

The bus stopped at the Ashigara service area, where the view was expansive and the majestic Mount Fuji was clearly visible. At noon, we arrived in Shinjuku Ward, found a famous yakiniku (grilled meat) restaurant, and went to an arcade in the afternoon. It wasn't until evening that the group returned to Yamabuki.

Before disbanding, Kentaro Minami informed everyone that a special competition for first-year students would be held in the Kanto region next semester—the Autumn Newcomer Tournament.

He briefly introduced the details of the competition and reminded everyone, "Don't slack off in the remaining two weeks. Make the most of your time practicing. After the start of the semester, the tennis club will select participants through a freshman ranking tournament!"

"yes!!"

Everyone readily agreed, but as soon as they dispersed, groups of friends gathered together to discuss going to the nearest arcade to continue the game that hadn't been decided that afternoon.

Morimura Yamichi: "Kitahara, wanna come along? It's such a shame you didn't go out this afternoon, King of Fighters is already up to '98!"

Kitahara Akira shook his head: "No, you go ahead! I'm going straight home, I'm not feeling well."

After saying that, Kitahara Akira went to the parking spot and pushed his bicycle out.

Lift your foot and get on the bus.

In one go, I rode towards the direction of my home, the direction I remembered.

Kitahara Akira's family is a typical working-class family.

In the past two years, his father, Hiroshi Kitahara, was sent to the United States. It is said that he will have a good chance of promotion after returning to Japan. Meanwhile, his mother, Misae Kitahara (Misae Oi), stayed in Tokyo to take care of the family and look after Akira Kitahara. She was very worried about her predecessor's studies.

In her words.

"Even though it's so close to Waseda University, I haven't been exposed to any cultural atmosphere at all!"

However, for Kitahara Akira now, this kind of trouble should no longer exist. In his previous life, he worked hard to get into a top-tier university. He could not compare to those academic geniuses, but the junior high school curriculum was really nothing to him.

Kitahara family.

"I'm back."

"So early?" Kitahara Misae peeked out from the kitchen when she heard the voice. "I thought you'd be home later. Dinner will be a little late. You can watch some TV first."

"I'm not eating anymore. I just ate out with my classmates. I'm going back to my room now!" (This is a lie)

Kitahara Akira changed his shoes, gave a perfunctory reply, and headed straight for his bedroom on the second floor.

Then, he threw himself onto the bed, closed his eyes, gasped for breath, and processed the bizarre events of his time travel.

Two hours later.

On a sweltering summer night, the cicadas' chirping is deafening and disturbing.

There was an old, lush tree in the courtyard, its branches and leaves dappled with moonlight.

The clock on the wall showed the hour hand just past eight.

Kitahara Akira sat up. Although the story of his transmigration was very bizarre and absurd, fortunately, he had a strong ability to accept things. After resting and thinking for a while, and integrating his memories with those of his predecessor, he roughly understood where he had ended up.

To verify his hypothesis, he immediately went to his desk, turned on his old CRT computer, clicked on Internet Explorer, and quickly searched for two keywords.

"Seishun Academy!"

"Echizen Nanjiro!"

Looking at the familiar blue and white team uniforms on the school's introduction, and seeing the sports news headline from ten years ago that read "The Legendary Samurai," and then recalling the completely abnormal tennis match I witnessed today.

"There's no escaping it!"

"I've... wandered into the world of Prince of Tennis!"