Chapter 15: Acquiring the Cannon Serve

"Yes!"

Without hesitation, Ishikawa accepted the system's prompt.

Immediately after, Ōtori began explaining the intricacies of his Cannon Serve. Thanks to the mental enhancement from his secondary profession, *Go Master*, Ishikawa grasped the concepts with remarkable clarity. As Ōtori spoke, Ishikawa visualized himself on the court, executing the serve in slow motion, frame by frame.

"One... Ball... Soul!"

*Thud!*

As the ball hit the ground, Ishikawa snapped back to reality.

*Ding!*

**[Player has absorbed Chōtarō Ōtori's serve insights. Basic Serve Experience +50.]**

**[Basic Serve Level Up! Current Level: Lv3 (18/100)]**

**[Player has learned Advanced Technique: Cannon Serve Lv1 (0/40)]**

**[Cannon Serve Lv1: A powerful serve executed with a high toss and a forward-leaning motion, delivering a smash-like impact.]**

In an instant, Ishikawa felt the knowledge of the Cannon Serve solidify in his mind. His understanding of serving deepened significantly.

"Thank you for your guidance, senpai," Ishikawa said sincerely.

Ōtori waved his hand modestly. "No, I should be thanking you. With your method, my serve success rate will definitely improve."

This was Ōtori's genuine sentiment. Ishikawa's mini-game was a practical tool that simulated real match scenarios for repeated serves. In contrast, Ōtori didn't believe that simply explaining the Cannon Serve once would allow Ishikawa to master it. After all, this serve was his trump card, the reason he had become a regular at Iceberg. It wasn't something easily learned.

"Well, I won't disturb your training any longer," Ishikawa said, bidding farewell after completing his task. He then headed to another area of the court to find a suitable opponent for a practice match.

With the Cannon Serve now in his arsenal, Ishikawa's strength had undoubtedly risen to a new level. However, he had no intention of showing off in front of Ōtori or challenging him to a practice match. His philosophy remained the same: pick the right opponent to maximize gains.

After wandering around the training grounds for a while, Ishikawa found a third-year player from his training group. The upperclassman, surprised by the challenge, quickly grew curious and eager to test Ishikawa's skills. Confident in his ability to defeat a first-year, he accepted the challenge without hesitation.

The match began, and Ishikawa immediately stunned his opponent with four consecutive ace serves. As the game progressed, the third-year's initial confidence crumbled, leaving him flustered and disoriented. In the end, Ishikawa secured another 6-0 victory.

Under the wary and fearful gazes of the onlookers, Ishikawa left the court with a composed demeanor.

"That kid's interesting," murmured a boy with a brown mushroom-cut hairstyle, watching Ishikawa's retreating figure with a faint smile. "For a first-year to reach near metropolitan-level skill... He might actually make it to the regulars after this summer."

"Still," the boy added, his tone shifting, "at this level, he's no threat to me."

This boy was Hiyoshi Wakashi, the captain of Iceberg's second team and a second-year student. His gaze shifted from Ishikawa to another court, where Ōtori was practicing his serves under the guidance of Shishido, a third-year regular.

"Ōtori's too naive," Hiyoshi thought, his eyes narrowing as they settled on Shishido. "When the intra-school selection matches begin next week, I hope I get to face you... Shishido-senpai!"

Hiyoshi's ambitions were never modest. He didn't aim to surpass Ōtori or Kabaji; his goal was to defeat the third-year regulars and claim their spots. His confidence was high, though his current skill level hadn't yet caught up to his aspirations.

"Atobe-senpai," Hiyoshi muttered, glancing toward the other side of the court where Atobe was overseeing Jirō's training. "You can keep that captain's seat for a little longer."

Meanwhile, after completing his practice match, Ishikawa took a short break before starting his long-distance running routine. The previous night, he had studied a book on running techniques, focusing on stride and breathing control. Applying these methods, he found himself running faster and with less fatigue than before.

Encouraged, Ishikawa pushed himself to run an extra five laps after completing his usual twenty. Only when his stamina was nearly depleted did he stop, collapsing onto the ground to catch his breath.

*Huff... huff... huff...*

The intense workout left Ishikawa exhausted but exhilarated. Clenching his fists, he looked up at the setting sun, a confident smile spreading across his face.

"Feeling stronger is amazing!"

He loved this sense of steady progress, of growing stronger step by step. Today, he had accumulated an additional 6 experience points. Combined with the points from cleaning the tennis club, he had over 80 points—enough to level up once more.

While leveling up didn't seem to impose any direct advantages—after all, he had defeated the level 18 Shōhara while still at level 0—the skill points and secondary profession points from leveling up were invaluable. If he allocated all his skill points now, his strength would undoubtedly improve. But Ishikawa resisted the temptation. He knew these points were better saved for the intra-school selection matches starting next week.

That's right.

Ishikawa had no intention of waiting until the end of summer to compete for a regular spot. He planned to make his move during next week's reshuffling of Iceberg's regular lineup. By then, his foundational skills would be stronger, and with the added boost from skill points, he was confident he could take on even Kanto-level players.

In the evening, after cleaning the clubroom, Ishikawa left for dinner. After a hearty meal, he returned to the tennis club and jogged five laps around the field to aid digestion. Finding a well-lit spot on the empty court, he took out his racket and a ball, lost in thought.

Ōtori's Cannon Serve was undoubtedly powerful. In the original story, after being refined, it had even set a record for the fastest serve in the national tournament.

"However," Ishikawa mused, "this serve might not be the best fit for me."

He remained clear-headed, not letting the joy of acquiring an advanced technique cloud his judgment. Instead, he carefully considered the serve's value and how it could complement his playing style.

(End of Chapter)