The Prince of Tennis: From Data-Driven Tennis to the Pinnacle of His Career

Chapter 18 Winning the Championship

"The second match begins. Please bring on Yamabuki Doubles Team 1 and Izumimori Doubles Team 1."

With the referee's verdict, all eyes were once again on the game.

"Let's go, Ishimaru, it's our turn."

Gu Jimin stood up from the lounge chair, slowly picked up his racket, his eyes calm as still water.

"Tch, finally it's our turn. We're so tired from sitting here, our bones are practically rusting."

Ishimaru Kanto carried his racket, a smug smile playing on his lips.

He didn't even glance at his opponent, who had already started warming up, and walked straight onto the court.

If the first match was a thrilling back-and-forth battle, then this one was a textbook example of a crushing defeat.

"Bang!"

"15-0!"

……

"30-0!"

……

"40-0!"

……

"Game, Taniyoshi/Ishimaru, 1-0!"

……

"Game, Taniyoshi/Ishimaru, 2-0!"

Ishimaru Kanto's spikes rained down on the opponent's half of the court like a storm.

Gu Jimin's baseline defense was like an impregnable fortress, giving his opponents a sense of despair that no matter where they hit, their shots would be bounced back.

"Game, Taniyoshi/Ishimaru, 3-0!"

……

"Game, Taniyoshi/Ishimaru, 4-0!"

……

"Game, Taniyoshi/Ishimaru, 5-0!"

……

"Game, Taniyoshi/Ishimaru, 6-0!"

……

"The second match is over, 6-0, Taniyoshi/Ishimaru win!"

The entire match lasted less than ten minutes.

The Izumimori Academy's top doubles team was as fragile as a paper shield against the national-level Yamabuki doubles pair.

"You two seniors, you play really fast."

Kagura Ichijin handed over the prepared towel, but inwardly sighed with admiration.

This is the foundation of Yamabuki Middle School. As long as these two "pillars of strength" remain, Yamabuki will always be a force to be reckoned with by any strong school.

"Kagura, hurry up and finish the game later. Lunch was awful. We're looking forward to a good celebration banquet after we win the championship."

Ishimaru Kanto casually wiped his face, and Kagura raised an eyebrow at him.

"No problem, I'll get it over with quickly."

Kagura Ichijin nodded with a smile.

This was his first championship after joining Yamabuki. Although it wasn't particularly prestigious, it was a milestone.

"Kagura, it's best to be careful. They're clearly targeting you first-year students."

Gu Jimu patted Kagura Yiren on the shoulder, his gaze lingering on the people from Izumimori Academy.

"I understand, senior."

Kagura Ichijin's eyes sharpened. He picked up the racket with the Jr. tournament logo printed on the handle and began warming up.

"The third match begins. Yamabuki and Izumimori will play their third singles matches."

Upon reaching the referee, Kagura Ichijin met a pair of calculating eyes—those of Yamaguchi Ryosuke, the captain of Izumimori Academy.

After the coin toss, Kagura Ijiin failed to get the serve, but he remained calm and walked to the baseline defense area.

"A single game to decide the winner, Yamaguchi serves!"

"Kid, you didn't expect to run into me in singles match three, did you?"

As Yamaguchi Ryosuke dribbled the ball, a confident smile spread across his face.

From the start of the regional qualifiers, he sent people to gather intelligence on Yamabuki, which gave him an advantage in troop deployment.

"I really didn't expect that."

Kagura Ichijin responded calmly.

"But you don't seem surprised at all."

Ryosuke Yamaguchi frowned; Kagura Ichijin's overly composed attitude inexplicably irritated him.

"It doesn't matter who the opponent is to me, because the result won't change anyway."

Kagura Ichijin gripped the racket handle tightly, his eyes blazing.

"What an arrogant brat!"

With a roar, Ryosuke Yamaguchi tossed the ball high into the air, leaping into the air and using his height advantage to deliver a powerful serve!

"Bang!"

The ball was extremely fast, heading straight for Kagura Ijin's backhand.

However, Kagura Ikjin was faster.

He turned to the side, and the racket bounced back perfectly the instant it made contact with the ball.

"0-15!"

Before Ryosuke Yamaguchi could even get his footing after landing, the tennis ball had already whizzed past him and slammed heavily onto the baseline.

"What?"

Ryosuke Yamaguchi's smile froze on his face, and cold sweat instantly poured down his face.

He didn't even see how Kagura Yiren retaliated.

"Is this all you've got as a minister at Izumimori? You're incredibly disappointing!"

Kagura Ichijin's voice was unusually calm, yet it felt like a slap across Yamaguchi Ryosuke's face.

"Damn it...it's not over yet!"

Ryosuke Yamaguchi gritted his teeth and served again.

This time he applied topspin.

"Bang!"

Kagura Ichijin easily retaliated once again.

The ball served by Ryosuke Yamaguchi had too little spin.

"0-30!"

"I don't believe you can return a serve like that."

Ryosuke Yamaguchi tossed the ball high into the air, then bent over at the waist, and in the instant he stood up, he quickly swung his racket to hit the ball.

"Bang!"

Kagura Ichijin returned the ball to him once again.

A serve that travels at less than 185 km/h poses no threat to him.

"0-40!"

"..."

For the next point, Ryosuke Yamaguchi even resorted to a highly dangerous and forceful serve.

"Bang!"

Kagura Ijin seized the opportunity and hit a short cross-court shot with his backhand, which landed precisely in the corner on the other side.

"lie!"

Ryosuke Yamaguchi tried desperately to save the ball, but his racket slipped out of his hand the instant it touched the ball.

"Game, Yamaguchi Ryosuke, 0-1!"

"How could this happen..."

Ryosuke Yamaguchi stared blankly at his trembling hands.

His four types of serves, which he was so proud of, couldn't even score a single point against Kagura Ichijin.

"Imitating other people's serves is pointless. Your miscellaneous and ineffective serving techniques might work against ordinary people, but they are nothing against me."

Kagura Ichijin picked up the ball, stood on the service line, and his eyes turned cold.

"boom!"

Kagura Ijin tossed the ball, jumped, and swung his racket in one fluid motion.

The tennis ball transformed into a streak of yellow light, instantly piercing through Ryosuke Yamaguchi's defense.

"15-0!"

……

"30-0!"

……

"40-0!"

……

"Game, Yamaguchi Ryosuke, 0-2!"

After successfully holding his serve, Kagura Ichijin silently recited the system's commands.