**Chapter 3: A Stunning Shot**

In the anime, one of the most criticized aspects of Seigaku is its rule about picking up balls. Many people, including Ishikawa himself, attribute Seigaku's lack of success in the first two years to the tennis club's rookie rules after watching the anime.

Take Tezuka, for example. When he first entered middle school, his raw talent was undoubtedly enough to dominate Seigaku—even the captain, Yamato, was no match for him. Yet, despite this, he didn't receive any special treatment. As for Fuji, he didn't become a regular until his second year of middle school.

Because of this, there's a theory that Fuji could have achieved even greater heights, but his potential was stifled at Seigaku.

However, judging by the current situation, it seems things aren't quite as Ishikawa had imagined. It appears that even Hyotei isn't immune to such practices!

"Hey!" Just as Ishikawa was deep in thought, the middle schooler named Shohara Saburo's expression darkened further, his tone growing sharper. "Kid, I'm talking to you! Are you deaf?!"

Huh? The commotion quickly drew the attention of others nearby.

"Isn't that Shohara?"

"If I remember correctly, he performed well last week and earned a spot in the practice matches. Is he playing now?"

"Looks like he's asking that kid to pick up the ball, but the kid's ignoring him."

"Huh? Is that kid serious? He just joined the club and he's already picking a fight with a senior?"

"He's in trouble now. Shohara's known for his temper. He even disciplined a few first-years at the end of last semester."

"Tsk, tsk. Poor guy. But rookies should know their place. Would it kill him to just listen to his seniors? Now he's done for."

A group of second- and third-year middle schoolers stood outside the court, gossiping. Hearing their words, the new members who had just joined the club grew visibly nervous and uneasy.

At the same time, they glanced at Ishikawa with a mix of pity and sympathy. But that was as far as it went—no one dared to step forward and speak up for him. Most were just there to watch the drama unfold.

Many were already anticipating that this rookie was about to be taught a harsh lesson.

"Pick up the ball?" Hearing Shohara's words, Ishikawa chuckled. He hadn't expected to find himself in this kind of situation. Judging by the scene before him, it seemed he was about to be made an example of.

Unfortunately for them, he wasn't someone who could be easily pushed around. His previous 5-point overall ability might not have been impressive in the U-17 or even the regional tournaments, but this was just an internal match at Hyotei, and his opponent was nothing more than a background character.

Moreover, he had mastered kendo, which not only added 3 points to his overall ability but also granted him top-tier talent. Originally, Ishikawa had planned to keep a low profile and develop his skills quietly, but it seemed circumstances wouldn't allow that.

"In that case…" With a shift in his thoughts, Ishikawa bent down to pick up the ball under the watchful eyes of the crowd. To onlookers, it seemed like he had been intimidated by Shohara's words.

However, to everyone's surprise, after picking up the ball, he casually grabbed a racket leaning against the wire fence. Then, slowly raising his head, he looked directly at Shohara.

"What's going on?" The crowd was puzzled.

But soon, someone realized what was happening. "Is this guy planning to hit the ball back?"

"Is he crazy?"

"This idiot has no idea he's only going to make Shohara angrier."

"This is bad. Someone needs to call the regulars over…"

Ishikawa's actions caused a stir among the spectators. Some shook their heads, thinking he was being naive. Others watched coldly, convinced this rookie was digging his own grave. A few, sensing trouble, quickly ran off to fetch the regulars.

All of this was observed by Ishikawa, but he paid it no mind. Instead, he turned his gaze to Shohara and said, "Senior, here's your ball."

Whoosh! With that, he tossed the ball into the air, much to the shock of those watching.

"Is he really going through with it?"

"This is interesting. It's been a while since we've seen a rookie with this much guts."

"Too bad this fool picked a fight with Shohara. This is going to be fun to watch."

Once again, the court buzzed with chatter.

Meanwhile, Shohara's face darkened even further. This rookie was far too arrogant! What he couldn't tolerate most was the fact that this first-year had the audacity to defy him in front of so many people. If he didn't teach this kid a lesson, how could he maintain his reputation at Hyotei?

Swish! At that moment, Ishikawa moved.

He swiftly swung his racket, leaning forward as he struck the ball with a powerful motion.

Thwack! A crisp sound echoed through the air.

To the disbelief of everyone present, the ball shot forward like an arrow, flying over the net in the blink of an eye. Its speed was so fast that no one could track its trajectory.

As for Shohara, the moment he heard the sound of the racket hitting the ball, a small yellow dot rapidly expanded in his vision. In an instant, the dot transformed into a tennis ball the size of a fist!

"How is this possible?!" Shohara's pupils contracted sharply.

It was too fast! How could a serve be this fast? But before he could react, the ball had already whizzed past his cheek. The gust of wind generated by its high speed stung his face.

Clang! The ball slammed into the wire fence, embedding itself firmly into the mesh.

In an instant, the entire court fell into an eerie silence.

The players who had been ready to watch the drama unfold now stared at Ishikawa as if they'd seen a ghost.

Was that serve really from a rookie who had just joined the tennis club?! 

(End of Chapter)