**Chapter 103: Shattered Pride, the Elusive Ishikawa (Part 1)**

"Ishikawa Shin!"

From the coach's seat, Hanamura stared at him as if he were some kind of monster.

She knew all too well that Shinjou's "Phantom Style" was a technique she had specifically designed for him, leveraging his extraordinary sense of balance. Outside of Seigaku, even the team captain, Kajimoto, couldn't pull it off. Yet, here was this guy, returning the favor with the exact same move in just a few shots.

Did Ishikawa already know a similar technique? Or... had he just copied it on the spot? If it was the former, then his talent was truly exceptional. But if it was the latter... that was downright terrifying!

*Thud! Thud! Thud!*

On the court, Ishikawa lightly tapped the tennis ball with his racket. His gaze fell on Shinjou, who looked like he was facing a life-or-death situation. With a smirk, Ishikawa said, "What's wrong? Nervous facing your own move?"

"Tch."

Shinjou's expression darkened, but he quickly regained his composure, his eyes sharpening. If Ishikawa was going to provoke him like this, then he'd just have to break through the "Phantom Style" and show him what he was made of.

*Whoosh!*

Ishikawa tossed the ball into the air, and Shinjou's eyes followed every movement—from the toss to the swing, from the swing to the impact. He scrutinized every detail.

"Got it!" Shinjou's eyes flashed with determination. "This is a topspin shot, deep and heavy. He's trying to knock my racket out of my hand again!"

Realizing this, a cold glint appeared in his eyes. This first-year from Hyotei was really going out of his way to humiliate him. "Well, if that's how it's going to be, I won't hold back either."

With that thought, Shinjou sprinted toward the ball. As he caught up to it, he raised his racket and prepared to strike.

*Thwack!*

But the moment the ball made contact with his racket, Shinjou knew he'd made a mistake. His prediction couldn't have been more wrong. The ball wasn't heavy at all—it was incredibly light. What was supposed to be a topspin shot had transformed into a backspin after bouncing.

*Plop!*

Shinjou's shot hit the net.

"40-0!" the referee announced.

Shinjou's face darkened, his expression almost dripping with frustration. "Damn it, this brat is toying with me," he muttered through clenched teeth, his cheek twitching uncontrollably.

*Thud! Thud! Thud!*

Ishikawa continued to tap the ball lightly, his rhythm slow and relaxed. His calm demeanor and easy smile stood in stark contrast to Shinjou's tense, almost furious expression.

"He's... he's so strong!" The Seigaku team members looked at Ishikawa with a mix of awe and fear. In their recent exchanges, Shinjou hadn't scored a single point. Instead, he'd been completely dominated.

"Hmm."

Kajimoto, the team captain, furrowed his brow. Yes, Seigaku was losing, and the score was looking grim. But as the captain, he didn't want the team to walk away without a single win. Shinjou was their best hope, but now it seemed even their ace didn't stand a chance.

Of course, it wasn't entirely hopeless. Shinjou hadn't yet revealed his true abilities—the ones Hanamura had strictly forbidden him from using. Even Kajimoto himself didn't want to see that power unleashed.

"Hey," Ishikawa called out, holding the ball in his hand. "If you're supposed to be Coach Hanamura's 'perfect masterpiece,' surely you've got more than this up your sleeve. Or is this so-called 'perfection' just something she made up?"

*Whoosh!*

At those words, Shinjou's expression changed instantly. His sharp gaze turned fierce, almost predatory, as if he were a wild beast ready to pounce.

"Oh?" Inui, watching from the sidelines, raised an eyebrow in surprise. "It looks like Shinjou really does have some hidden technique he hasn't shown yet."

"Hard to say," Yanagi replied with a shrug. Despite being a top-tier data analyst, he had very little information on Shinjou's matches. The "Phantom Style" was already a mystery, let alone any deeper, hidden techniques.

"Still," Yanagi added, narrowing his eyes, "this first-year from Hyotei might be in for a rough time."

He could tell that Ishikawa was deliberately provoking Shinjou, perhaps to gather information or simply out of sheer mischief. But whatever the reason, Shinjou's reaction made it clear that he was furious. Whatever happened next, Yanagi felt it would be anything but ordinary.

In fact, he had a feeling that this Hyotei freshman might soon regret his taunts.

"Tch."

Inui shook his head slightly but didn't argue. In his mind, no matter what happened next, there was no way Ishikawa would be the one suffering. After all, this was the same player who had completely dominated a serious Fuji!

*Thwack!*

Ishikawa served the ball.

*Whoosh!*

On the other side of the court, Shinjou, standing at the baseline, suddenly crossed his arms in front of his face.

"W-what is that?!"

Before anyone else could react, the Seigaku team members' faces turned pale, as if they'd seen something horrifying.

"Shinjou!!!" Hanamura shouted.

But Shinjou, consumed by rage, didn't listen. His eyes gleamed as he tracked the ball's trajectory. Adjusting his stance, he swung his racket with full force.

*Boom!*

A deafening crack echoed through the court as the ball shot forward like a bullet, leaving a faint yellow streak in its wake.

*Thud!*

The ball landed right in front of Ishikawa, spinning violently like a wild beast baring its fangs. In an instant, it rebounded at a sharp angle, aiming straight for Ishikawa's face.

"So that's how it is," Ishikawa murmured, his eyes narrowing as he analyzed the ball's spin. "A faster, more aggressive twist on the twist serve. Combined with his 'Phantom Style,' it's no wonder most players can't handle it."

In the original series (an anime-only arc), Shinjou had used this move to overwhelm the protagonist, Ryoma, leaving him battered and bruised. But now, Shinjou was facing Ishikawa.

With just one glance, Ishikawa had deciphered the entire technique.

"This kid's done for," one of the Seigaku twins sneered from the sidelines. To them, Ishikawa had no idea what he was up against. This move was so dangerous that even Hanamura had banned it during practice matches.

"Ishikawa Shin..."

From her seat, Hanamura frowned slightly. She had expected Ishikawa to at least sense the danger and dodge, even if he couldn't return the shot. But instead, he seemed completely unfazed.

"Did I overestimate you?" she wondered, her thoughts conflicted. On one hand, she admired Ishikawa's talent and wanted to recruit him, molding him into an even more perfect player than Shinjou. On the other hand, his apparent carelessness only highlighted Shinjou's superiority, further proving her coaching prowess.

*Whoosh!*

As Hanamura's mind raced, the ball shot toward Ishikawa's head at breakneck speed. It was so fast that most of the Hyotei team hadn't even processed what was happening. To Shinjou and the Seigaku players, it was a sure hit.

But Ishikawa simply smiled.

As the ball hurtled toward his face, he adjusted his grip on the racket, feeling the tension in the strings. With a subtle twist of his wrist, he tilted the racket slightly...

With a loud *thud*, the incredibly powerful shot unleashed by Shishido was effortlessly blocked.

"What?!"

The entire Seigaku team was stunned, including Shishido himself. He had considered many possibilities, even the chance that his opponent might dodge his "Deep Impulse" shot. But he never imagined that his strongest move would be so easily neutralized.

*Thud!*

The ball slipped right between Shishido's legs before he could even react.

"Game! Hyotei's Ishikawa leads, 3-0!"

"That guy is terrifying!" murmured Yanagi from behind the fence, his eyes filled with unease as he watched Ishikawa dismantle Shishido's signature move with such ease. "His insight, technique, and wrist strength are all top-notch. And his ability to read his opponent's mind is downright frightening!"

If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, Yanagi wouldn't have believed that a first-year could be this formidable. Even Seiichi, who had joined Rikkai's tennis club two years ago, paled in comparison.

"No... this can't be happening!" Shishido muttered, visibly shaken.

After switching sides and regaining serve, he let out a low growl, crossed his arms in front of him, and unleashed his "Deep Impulse" once again.

*Thud!*

Ishikawa simply smirked. "Seems like you enjoy turning tennis into a weapon. Coincidentally, I happen to have some experience in that area."

With quick, precise steps, he closed in on the ball and swung his racket like a sword, executing a clean, sharp strike.

"Draw Slash: Mind Shift!"

*Thud!*

Shishido couldn't even see the ball's trajectory before it struck his arm. The sharp spin of the ball tore through his sleeve, leaving a stinging cut on his shoulder. He winced, sucking in a sharp breath.

"That... that was so fast!" The Seigaku team exchanged uneasy glances.

Coach Hanamura clenched her fists tightly, while Yanagi's eyes narrowed with concern. The speed of Ishikawa's swing was almost impossible to track. "His racket speed might even rival Yukimura's," Yanagi thought to himself.

"Again!" Shishido roared, charging forward despite his injury.

But his "Deep Impulse" was no match for Ishikawa, who countered with his "Draw Slash: Mind Shift" at half strength, repeatedly hitting Shishido with pinpoint accuracy. The sharp spins tore through Shishido's clothes, leaving red marks on his skin.

The more Shishido's frustration grew, the more relentless Ishikawa's counterattacks became.

*Thud!*

Finally, twelve minutes into the match, Ishikawa's twist serve tore through Shishido's racket and struck him squarely in the stomach.

*Thud!*

Shishido collapsed to his knees, gasping for air, his face pale.

"Game, set, match! Hyotei's Ishikawa wins, 6-0!"

"Hyotei! Hyotei! Hyotei!"

"Ishikawa! Ishikawa! Ishikawa!"

The crowd erupted in cheers, chanting Ishikawa's name with admiration and excitement.

"Is this guy really a first-year at Hyotei?" Yanagi wondered, his mind racing. The level of respect Ishikawa commanded was something only Atobe had achieved before. How had this first-year gained such support in just three and a half months?

Moreover, Ishikawa's skill was undeniably at a national level, which made Yanagi feel a pang of anxiety.

"Reiji," Coach Hanamura called out, rising from her seat and heading toward Shishido on the court.

"Don't... don't come near me!" Shishido suddenly screamed, his voice filled with panic. "I'm not perfect... I'm flawed... I'm not a perfect creation! Aahhh!"

With that, Shishido bolted off the court, leaving everyone in shock.

"Reiji..." Hanamura's face fell. She turned to the remaining three players. "Yohei, take over as the interim coach. I need to go find Reiji."

"Understood," Tanaka Yohei nodded firmly.

"Go ahead, Coach," Captain Kajiomoto added, determination in his eyes. "I won't let Seigaku down in the final match."

With that, he removed his jacket and prepared to step onto the court.

"Thank you, everyone," Hanamura said before hurrying off after Shishido.

"Coach, Atobe," Ishikawa said, glancing at the time as he left the court. "I have some other matters to attend to, so I'll be taking my leave now."

With that, he slung his tennis bag over his shoulder and walked away.

"Huh?" The rest of the Hyotei team exchanged confused looks. Why was Ishikawa leaving now? Didn't he realize his departure would only add to the confusion?

Only Coach Sakaki and Atobe remained calm. Ishikawa had informed them beforehand about his plans to leave after the match. They knew this wasn't about Seigaku's players.

Atobe narrowed his eyes. Something told him that Ishikawa was hiding something more.

(End of Chapter)