**Chapter 159: The Decisive Battle, Ishikawa vs. Sanada (3rd Update)**  

In reality, Yanagi still had a trump card up his sleeve. 

For instance, his devastating technique, *Kamaitachi*, could deliver a lethal blow if used at the right moment. 

However, he was acutely aware that his weaknesses had been completely exposed by Atobe. Under these circumstances, his chances of winning were practically nonexistent. 

"Renji..." 

On the Seigaku side, Inui watched Yanagi's dejected expression and sighed softly. 

As he had mentioned earlier, even among national-level players, there were differences in strength. Compared to Atobe, Yanagi was undoubtedly a step behind. 

The Rikkai team, on the other hand, was growing increasingly anxious. 

Especially Kirihara, who couldn't accept that one of Rikkai's "Big Three," whom he regarded as monsters, was losing by such a wide margin. 

But alas, the outcome of a match isn't determined by the will of those outside the court. 

*Thud!* 

Finally, when Atobe unleashed his *World of Ice* and struck one of the ice pillars beside Yanagi, the referee's voice rang out: 

"Game over." 

"Atobe of Hyotei wins, 6-1." 

"Hyotei wins! Atobe is victorious!" 

"Hyotei wins! Atobe is victorious!" 

"Hyotei wins! Atobe is victorious!" 

Atobe's overwhelming victory sent Hyotei's supporters into a frenzy, their cheers echoing like a tidal wave across the court. 

"Is this the true strength of Hyotei?" 

Around the court, representatives from other Kanto region schools—Midoriyama, Ookuchi Minami, and Kyouyou—felt a shiver run down their spines as they witnessed the sheer dominance of Hyotei. 

Just imagining facing such a formidable team was enough to make them tremble. 

"Sanada, everyone... I'm sorry." 

After leaving the court, Yanagi addressed the Rikkai team with a somber expression. He closed his eyes, bracing himself for Sanada's infamous "Iron Fist" punishment, a consequence he had accepted after his defeat. 

"Hmm." 

Surprisingly, Sanada, who was known for his strict and no-nonsense attitude toward losing, simply nodded lightly. 

"Genichirou..." 

Yanagi opened his eyes and shook his head. "Go ahead. It's the rule. It shouldn't be broken." 

"I know." 

Sanada stood up but didn't raise his hand. Instead, he turned to the other Rikkai regulars and said, "It's getting late. You all go ahead. I'll handle things here." 

"Uh... okay." 

Yagyuu and the others exchanged glances and nodded. Even Yagyuu, who usually disregarded Sanada's orders, wore a serious expression this time. 

"Yanagi." 

Sanada turned to him. "Take them away. Make sure to tell Yukimura to focus on his surgery." 

"Understood." 

Yanagi didn't press further. 

Soon after, he led Kirihara and the others away from the court. 

"What's going on?" 

"Why are Rikkai's players leaving?" 

"Isn't the match still ongoing? Are they giving up because they think they can't win?" 

"Idiot, that's Sanada! The Emperor of Tennis!" 

"Exactly! Even if we don't know why they're leaving in such a hurry, Sanada's strength is unmatched. No one on the court can defeat him!" 

The spectators were buzzing with curiosity about Rikkai's sudden departure. However, most still believed that Sanada's prowess would secure the championship for Rikkai. 

"Finally... the last match!" 

On the steps, Inoue glanced at Yanagi's retreating figure before turning his attention to Sanada, who had removed his jacket and was now sitting in the coach's seat. Then, his gaze shifted to Hyotei's side. 

"I never expected it would come down to these two!" 

As he spoke, Inoue's eyes locked onto Ishikawa. 

Compared to when he first saw Ishikawa at the Tokyo Metropolitan Tournament over a month ago, Inoue now regarded him as being on par with third-year players like Tezuka and Atobe, thanks to his astonishing track record. 

Ishikawa Shin. 

First-year vice-captain of Hyotei's tennis club. 

A player with extraordinary talent and unparalleled composure. Since the Metropolitan Tournament, he had defeated numerous top players from various schools, even taking down a powerhouse like Tezuka. 

Inoue and his colleague, Shi, had practically witnessed the birth of a middle school tennis legend. 

And now, in this match against Rikkai, Ishikawa, playing as the singles 1, was about to face Sanada, the Emperor of Tennis. This was the moment to see if his legendary streak would continue. 

"If he defeats Sanada too..." 

As Ishikawa tied his shoelaces and picked up his racket to step onto the court, Inoue's hands trembled slightly as he held his camera. 

It was as if he was witnessing the reemergence of an invincible figure from the past! 

"Next up, the singles 1 match." 

"Sanada Genichirou of Rikkai Dai Fuzoku versus Ishikawa Shin of Hyotei Academy." 

"Both players, please prepare." 

As the announcement ended, the crowd's attention shifted to the two players. 

At the net, Sanada, wearing his signature black cap and exuding an oppressive aura, spoke calmly, "I've heard about you. Even Tezuka lost to you. Hyotei is lucky to have a newcomer like you." 

Sanada held a deep respect for Ishikawa. He didn't see him as just a first-year. After all, this was the player who had defeated his rival, Tezuka. 

Moreover, Sanada knew Atobe's personality well. The fact that Atobe had willingly given up the singles 1 position meant only one thing: Ishikawa had earned it through sheer skill and determination. 

Taking all this into account, Sanada realized that Ishikawa was no ordinary player. 

He had strength, strategy, and courage. 

Sanada had seen similar figures before. 

Two years ago, when he and Yukimura joined Rikkai, they had taken control from the arrogant seniors and led the team to a national championship. Yukimura had been that kind of person. 

In a way, Ishikawa was like Yukimura back then—perhaps even more formidable. 

As Rikkai's vice-captain, Sanada felt it was his duty to crush Hyotei's rising momentum. 

"I can tell," Ishikawa replied with a smile, unfazed by Sanada's sharp gaze. "Otherwise, you wouldn't have said what you did to Atobe when you left the park last week." 

"Hmm?" 

Sanada's expression shifted slightly. 

He quickly connected the dots, realizing that Ishikawa had seen through his and Yanagi's plan. 

In the end, the situation had turned out worse than they had anticipated. 

"You're impressive," Sanada admitted. "Hyotei and Atobe are indeed fortunate. But your luck ends here." 

"Is that so?" Ishikawa chuckled. "I'm more interested in stopping your Kanto winning streak and your quest for a third consecutive national title." 

At these words, Sanada's eyes flashed with a cold light. 

"Senior," Ishikawa continued with a smile, "let's have a good match. Now, let's spin the racket to decide the serve, shall we?" 

He casually spun his racket. 

Sanada's eyebrow twitched, but there was nothing he could do. 

"As expected of him," Atobe remarked with a grin as he watched Ishikawa interact with Sanada without a hint of intimidation. 

"Yeah," Mukahi agreed. "Sanada must be feeling the pressure too." 

After all, the court wasn't a place where age mattered. And Ishikawa's track record was undeniably impressive. 

"Everything is going according to his plan," Coach Sakaki said with a hint of admiration. "To outmaneuver a team like Rikkai... only he could pull that off." 

Other teams, including Seigaku, Rokkaku, and Yamabuki, watched the scene unfold in silence. 

"I never thought it would come down to these two," a voice suddenly rang out from behind the Fudomine team. 

"Who's there?" Kamio and the others turned around to see a stranger in a loose floral shirt and wooden sandals. 

The Fudomine team immediately went on alert. 

"Chitose?" 

But their captain, Tachibana, broke his usual calm demeanor, his face filled with surprise. 

"Long time no see, Kippei!" 

The newcomer was Chitose, who had come from Kansai to gather intel. He had arrived during the singles 3 match and had been watching from the sidelines. After seeing Tachibana, he decided to approach. 

"Wait, is this guy...?" Kamio and the others quickly realized who he was. 

Chitose Senri. 

The former ace of Kyushu's Shitenhouji Middle School, one half of the "Kyushu Duo" alongside Tachibana. 

What was he doing in Tokyo? Wasn't he supposed to be in Kumamoto for the Kyushu tournament? 

"Long time no see," Tachibana greeted with a nod. 

Seeing his old friend, even the usually composed Tachibana couldn't hide his excitement. 

After calming down, he asked, "You're here to scout Rikkai, aren't you?" 

"Exactly," Chitose replied with a smile. "They're the national champions, after all. With Yukimura hospitalized, I wanted to see how much of their strength they could maintain without him." 

"Rikkai is strong," Tachibana said seriously. "Even without Yukimura, their lineup is terrifying. But this year, Hyotei is also incredibly powerful." 

"Hyotei, huh?" Chitose raised an eyebrow, his gaze shifting to the court where Ishikawa was spinning his racket. "They are indeed strong." 

Among those present, aside from Tachibana, Chitose was perhaps the only one who truly understood the weight of those words. 

During their match earlier, Chitose had been completely outplayed by Ishikawa. Even after tapping into the *Muga no Kyouchi* and unlocking the doors to its deeper secrets, he had been no match for him. 

If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn't have believed that such a monstrous newcomer had emerged in the Kanto region this year. 

"Rikkai is unlucky," Chitose mused. "With Yanagi's data tennis, if they had arranged the match order correctly, this competition might already be over." 

"Not necessarily," Tachibana countered. "When it comes to data tennis, Yanagi might not even be on Ishikawa's level." 

"Oh?" Chitose looked surprised. "He's skilled in data tennis too? And better than Yanagi?" 

This revelation made him think back to their earlier match. 

No wonder Ishikawa had been so well-informed about his identity. 

"Wait a minute!!" 

Suddenly, as if realizing something, Chitose's pupils contracted. 

It hit him that during their entire match, Ishikawa hadn't once targeted his right eye's blind spot! 

(End of Chapter) 

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