**Chapter 171: The Shukuchi Technique – Shishido’s Defeat, Ishikawa Steps In (3rd Update)**  

"Oh?" 

Seeing someone step onto the court, the boy in the beach hat—Kai Yuujirou, the vice-captain of Higa Middle School—couldn't help but brighten up. He had already prepared himself for a day of reduced earnings, but now, his eyes sparkled with interest. 

"Heh heh." 

Not far away, the other Higa team members, who were acting as ball boys, also perked up. 

"Another 'lamb' has arrived," they thought to themselves, feeling quite pleased. After all, this likely meant another day of good profits. 

"Hello," Kai greeted the challenger with a smile. "Our beach tennis has two different modes of play." 

"The first is the 'practice mode.' Our players can play with you for 10 minutes, and you'll need to pay 5,000 yen." 

"The second is the 'challenge mode.' You can choose any one of us as your opponent. The match is one set, winner takes all. If you win, you get 5,000 yen. But if you lose, you'll have to pay 5,000 yen." 

"Of course," Kai added with a grin, "if you don't have cash, we offer an alternative challenge—the bitter melon challenge!" 

He pointed to a pile of green, oblong vegetables being guarded by a chubby guy not far away. 

"If you can eat a whole bitter melon or drink a glass of freshly squeezed bitter melon juice within one minute, you can skip the fee." 

"Bitter melon?" Shishido raised an eyebrow. 

He had zero interest in such a pungent, bitter food. Besides, coming from a family wealthy enough to send him to the prestigious Hyotei Academy, 5,000 yen in pocket money was nothing to him. 

"I'll take the challenge mode," Shishido nodded. 

From the looks of it, these guys weren't just here to make money. At least they offered a second option for those who couldn't pay. 

Plus, bitter melon was known to be cooling and refreshing—perfect for this scorching weather. Of course, that was only if you could stomach its awful taste. 

"Alright," Kai said, pleased with the challenger's decisiveness. "Please choose your opponent." 

Around the court, the tanned, sharp-eyed boys of Higa Middle School puffed out their chests, eager to be chosen. 

"I'll pick him," Shishido pointed at Hirakoba, the blond boy across the court. 

He didn't know much about the others, but this golden-haired kid definitely stood out. 

"No problem," Kai nodded, then signaled to the skinny, gray-haired boy with a streak of yellow sitting on the high chair. 

"Match start!" the boy announced. "Challenger serves first. One set, winner takes all!" 

Kai handed Shishido a racket and a tennis ball. 

Shishido glanced at his opponent's position, tossed the ball into the air, and swiftly swung his racket, sending the ball flying. 

*Thwack!* 

The ball shot straight across the court. 

"Oh?" Hirakoba raised an eyebrow, impressed by the speed of the serve. "Not bad." 

*Tap tap!* 

He quickly moved to intercept the ball, returning it with a standard shot. 

Shishido wasn't too concerned. Knowing his opponent was holding back, he dashed forward, his eyes narrowing as he analyzed the situation. 

The sandy court was completely different from the hard courts he was used to. On hard courts, the ball bounced higher and at a sharper angle. But here, the sand, though firmer than the shoreline, was still made up of countless tiny grains. The ball bounced lower than usual. 

Even though Shishido had watched several matches from the sidelines, he didn't dare let his guard down now that he was on the court. 

*Thwack!* 

After the ball bounced, Shishido returned it with a sharp shot aimed at Hirakoba's backhand. 

"Oh?" Kai, watching from the sidelines, was surprised. "This new challenger has some skills!" 

But he had full confidence in Hirakoba's abilities. After all, Hirakoba was second only to their captain, Kite, and could even give Kai a run for his money. 

*Thwack! Thwack!* 

The two quickly fell into a baseline rally. 

"He's good!" 

"This guy can actually keep up with the blond kid!" 

"He must be a pro. No wonder he showed up now!" 

The spectators buzzed with excitement, impressed by Shishido's skills. 

"The atmosphere's just right," Kai thought, a sly smile creeping onto his face. He gave Hirakoba a subtle nod. 

"Got it." 

On the court, Hirakoba, who had been glancing at Kai, suddenly sharpened his focus. 

"Sorry, but my time's too valuable to waste on a stalemate," Hirakoba thought. 

With a swift motion, he accelerated his swing, sending the ball flying at an incredible speed. 

*Thwack!* 

The ball shot across the court, much faster than before, catching everyone off guard. 

"So fast!!!" the crowd gasped. 

The Higa team members grinned, certain that this shot would score. 

*Tap tap!* 

But to their surprise, Shishido appeared at the ball's landing spot in a flash. 

"What?!" Kai was shocked. "When did he get there?!" 

This challenger's reflexes were unnaturally quick. 

*Tap!* 

As the ball bounced, Shishido, without a moment's hesitation, swung his racket and sent it back. 

*Thwack!* 

The ball landed sharply at Hirakoba's backhand, near the baseline, and shot out of reach. 

"Uh…" The referee paused for a moment before announcing, "15-0!" 

"Whoa!!!" 

The crowd erupted in cheers, thoroughly impressed by Shishido's play. His speed and that sharp return were simply stunning. 

"A half-volley?" Hirakoba frowned, giving his opponent a deep look. "So, we've got a tough one here, huh?" 

After a brief moment of surprise, he regained his composure. After all, they'd faced strong opponents before, like that challenger named Uehara. 

Losing one point wasn't a big deal. 

*Thwack!* 

But when Shishido served again, he immediately rushed toward the net. 

"Serve and volley?!" The Higa team was shocked. 

*Tap tap!* 

As Shishido closed in on the net, Hirakoba, without hesitation, sent the ball straight at him. 

*Whoosh!* 

The ball came fast. Given Shishido's speed, it seemed impossible for him to adjust his stance in time. In fact, if he didn't slow down, he might even get hit by the ball. 

So, everyone expected Shishido to slow down. 

But to their surprise, he didn't. Instead, as the ball bounced, he swung his racket and sent it back with a sharp half-volley. 

*Thwack!* 

The ball landed, catching Hirakoba off guard. He couldn't react in time, and the point was lost. 

"30-0." 

"This is bad." 

Losing two points in a row finally made Kai and the others realize they were up against a real pro. From the serve to the net rush to the crisp half-volley, Shishido's moves were too polished. It was clear he had hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of experience. 

"A pro, huh?" Hirakoba raised an eyebrow. 

He did feel some pressure from his opponent, but it wasn't overwhelming. He glanced at Kai, who gave him a confirming nod. 

With that, Hirakoba bent his knees, spread his feet, and got into a serious stance. 

"Finally getting serious, are we?" Shishido's eyes gleamed with determination. 

*Thwack!* 

He served again, then rushed toward the net as before. 

"Again!" 

"This guy's net game is insane!" 

"He's so young but so skilled. He must be from some elite tennis club!" 

*Thwack!* 

On the court, facing Shishido's aggressive net play, Hirakoba tried to lure him out with a sharp angle shot. But Shishido reacted quickly, sidestepping and returning the ball before closing in on the net again. 

"This guy's reflexes… are ridiculous." 

Feeling the pressure, Hirakoba decided it was time to pull out his signature move. He raised his racket and swung with precision. 

*Thwack!* 

The ball shot out, curving unpredictably mid-air. 

"A snake shot?" Shishido was surprised, reminded of Kaidoh's technique from Seigaku. 

But something felt off. 

The ball didn't just curve once—it twisted again, changing direction multiple times. 

*Swish, swish, swish!* 

The ball weaved like a cobra, slipping past Shishido and landing inside the baseline. 

"30-15!" 

"Whoa!" 

The crowd gasped in awe. 

"What kind of shot was that?!" 

"That's Hirakoba's 'Cobra'!" the Higa team members cheered. 

As one of their top three players, Hirakoba's skills were nothing to scoff at. 

"The Cobra, huh?" Shishido's eyes narrowed. 

He replayed the shot in his mind, noting its unpredictable angles and spins. It was far more advanced than Kaidoh's snake shot. 

But Shishido stayed calm. Now more composed than ever, he decided to observe and analyze his opponent's moves rather than rushing in. 

*Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!* 

As the match continued, Hirakoba used his Cobra to score several points. 

Soon, the score was 30-40, with Hirakoba in the lead. 

"He's too strong!" 

"Yeah, I didn't expect him to have such a powerful move." 

"Looks like the guy in the blue cap is going to lose." 

The spectators were convinced Hirakoba had the match in the bag. 

*Thwack!* 

But Shishido remained unfazed. After serving, he took a few steps forward, positioning himself strategically. 

"Trying to defend now?" Hirakoba smirked. "Too late!" 

*Thwack!* 

He unleashed another Cobra, the ball twisting and turning unpredictably. 

*Whoosh!* 

The ball flew across the court, its path impossible to predict. 

"This match is over," the Higa team thought, certain Shishido couldn't return such a shot. 

*Tap!* 

But to their shock, Shishido's eyes flashed with determination. After two rounds of observing the Cobra, he had adapted. With a burst of speed, he chased down the ball and swung his racket. 

*Thwack!* 

"What?!" The Higa team was stunned. "He returned it?!" 

"This guy…" Hirakoba's expression turned serious. 

Shishido's reflexes were too fast, and his speed was astonishing. 

Meanwhile, Shishido, having returned the Cobra, calmly moved closer to the net. 

"Hmm." Sensing Shishido's plan, Hirakoba's face tightened. If Shishido reached the net, he'd be in complete control. 

*Tap tap!* 

But Shishido was too quick. Before Hirakoba could react, he was already at the net. 

"This point is mine," Shishido thought, preparing to smash the ball. 

But instead of a powerful shot, he gently tapped the ball, sending it just over the net. 

"A drop shot?!" Everyone was stunned. 

No one expected Shishido to fake a smash and play such a clever drop shot. 

"Nice one, Shishido-senpai!" Ootori clenched his fist. "The momentum is shifting—wait, what?!" 

But then, his eyes widened in shock. 

*Swish!* 

Hirakoba, seemingly out of nowhere, appeared at the net and returned the drop shot with a sharp passing shot. 

*Thwack!* 

"Game over," the referee announced without hesitation. "Hirakoba wins!" 

"What?" Shishido was stunned. 

He couldn't believe Hirakoba had reached the ball. "How did he do that?" 

Seeing Hirakoba's smug smile, Shishido frowned and said firmly, "I'll challenge him again." 

"Well," Kai interjected with a smile, "you'll need to pay for the last challenge first. Also, the fee for a second challenge is doubled." 

"No problem," Shishido said, unfazed by the cost. 

"That's enough." 

But just as Shishido was about to pay, a familiar voice spoke up behind him. 

"Huh?" Shishido and Ootori turned to see Ishikawa, dressed in casual gray shorts and a T-shirt, walking toward them. 

"Shishido-senpai," Ishikawa said with a smile, "with your current skills, you can't beat his 'Shukuchi' technique." 

*Gasp!* 

Kai and the others, who had thought another 'lamb' had arrived, were shocked. 

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**(End of Chapter)**