**Chapter 198: The Challenge of the Superpowered Boy, The Realm of Ancient Martial Arts (Part 3)**
"Kintarou..."
The members of Shitenhouji fell silent as they looked at the young boy before them.
Especially their captain, Shiraishi.
Facing the innocent boy, a trace of guilt and reluctance flashed in Shiraishi's eyes. If he hadn't lost the singles match, Kintarou might have had the chance to play in the singles 1 match.
Although, in the end, Kintarou might not have been able to defeat Ishikawa.
But at least, the boy wouldn't have come to the national tournament for nothing.
Now, however, Shitenhouji had already lost.
According to the rules, Kintarou no longer had the opportunity to play.
"I'm sorry," Shiraishi said helplessly. "Kintarou, we've lost, so..."
"I don't want to hear it!"
Kintarou shook his head vigorously, like a rattle drum.
Seeing this, Doubara, the coach, spoke in a stern voice, "Kintarou, listen to me."
"I don't want to, I don't want to!!"
Kintarou shook his head even more fiercely.
The other members of Shitenhouji felt even more guilty. They knew Kintarou's personality—he wasn't the type to throw a tantrum for no reason. His reaction was simply because he couldn't play.
Unfortunately, reality was cruel.
Having lost the match, Shitenhouji's season had come to an end. They would have to try again next year.
"Kintarou!"
Coach Doubara's tone grew even more serious.
He knew this wasn't the time for arguments. Hyotei's next opponent was the reigning champions, Rikkai Dai.
If Kintarou's actions affected the upcoming match, they would bear a responsibility they couldn't afford!
"Kintarou," Doubara said firmly, "we've already lost. We can't interfere with the next match..."
"Excuse me, Coach Doubara?"
At that moment, a gentle voice interrupted.
*Swish!*
The Shitenhouji team turned their heads in unison to see Ishikawa looking at them with a smile. "Actually, I'd really like to play a match with Kintarou."
"Huh?"
The Shitenhouji team was stunned.
"Yay!!!"
Meanwhile, Kintarou jumped up excitedly, as if he'd just won the lottery.
"Ishikawa-kun," Doubara said, not immediately agreeing. He shook his head. "You should know that matches aren't child's play. Tomorrow, you'll be facing Rikkai Dai. I don't want your condition to be affected by playing against Kintarou!"
This was his sincere concern.
But Ishikawa simply smiled and said, "It's fine. This won't affect my match tomorrow."
His tone was calm, his expression serene.
Standing at 1.7 meters tall, Ishikawa's composed demeanor contrasted sharply with Kintarou's lively personality.
Doubara sighed inwardly, feeling a pang of envy for Hyotei's coach. Then, he glanced toward the man in the suit sitting on the bench opposite them. "Even if you don't mind, but..."
"It's fine."
At that moment, Coach Tōru Mizuki spoke up. He nodded with a smile and said, "As long as Ishikawa agrees, I have no objections."
His words shocked Doubara, Shiraishi, and even the reporters outside the court.
They knew Ishikawa held a high position in Hyotei, but they hadn't expected the coach to value him to this extent.
This was giving Ishikawa the highest degree of autonomy!
"Yay yay!!"
Being able to play instantly revitalized Kintarou.
"Kintarou-kun," Ishikawa said, glancing at the cloudless sky. His tone suddenly grew serious. "Since this isn't an official match, how about we play a single game?"
"A single game?"
Kintarou blinked, then nodded. "Sure! As long as I can play against you, even one point is fine!"
"Alright, let's start then."
Ishikawa smiled, picked up his racket, and walked onto the court.
"Strange."
On the Shitenhouji side, Yuushi frowned. "He seems to have noticed something, but the weather is perfect right now."
Hearing this, the others looked up. The sky was clear, without a single cloud.
"Well, maybe it's because the weather is too good," Zaizen said, squinting. "In such hot weather, playing against Kintarou could easily turn into a long, drawn-out match. Since Ishikawa is a data tennis player, he's probably worried about that."
As Shitenhouji's self-proclaimed genius, Zaizen prided himself on being clever and believed he had seen through Ishikawa's intentions.
"Hmm, is that so?"
However, Shiraishi frowned slightly.
He had a good impression of Ishikawa and didn't think the boy was the type to propose a match and then change the rules midway.
Such behavior didn't align with the image of Hyotei's "Demon King."
"He must have noticed something," Chitose said. "Something is bound to happen during his match with Kintarou."
Among the Shitenhouji members, no one understood Ishikawa's terror better than Chitose.
He had personally experienced Ishikawa's overwhelming strength.
He had also witnessed Ishikawa's dominant victory over Sanada, which secured Hyotei's position as the top team in the Kanto region.
Before that, Chitose had been certain that Kintarou was the strongest first-year. But after that match, his perspective changed.
In Chitose's eyes, Ishikawa wasn't just strong—he had transcended the framework of middle school tennis, surpassing what was considered the ceiling!
However, despite Ishikawa's overwhelming strength, Chitose wasn't worried about Kintarou. On the contrary, he believed this match would accelerate Kintarou's growth, allowing him to touch the realm Chitose had speculated about!
"Hey hey."
At the net, the red-haired boy grinned excitedly. "Chitose told me you beat Sanada, that big gorilla. So, you're Hyotei's strongest player, right?"
His words caused a stir.
Many people instinctively glanced toward the Hyotei team.
Surprisingly, neither Atobe nor Akutsu reacted.
The others remained silent as well, as if Kintarou's words were an undeniable truth.
"Let's start," Ishikawa said with a smile. "You serve first. I want to see how you defeated Hiyoshi-senpai."
"Hiyoshi? That guy with the weird moves?"
Kintarou's gaze shifted to the boy with the mushroom haircut and a bandaged right hand standing outside the court.
"Uh."
Hiyoshi twitched, unable to stop himself from muttering, "This kid... *you're* the one with the weird moves!"
But despite his internal吐槽, Hiyoshi's expression turned serious as he watched Ishikawa and Kintarou retreat to their respective baselines. He was eager to see how Ishikawa would handle this formidable boy!
"Alright, here I go!"
On his side of the court, Kintarou tossed the ball into the air with a grin. Then, to everyone's astonishment, he leaped high into the air and, with an exaggerated motion, smashed the ball down with tremendous force.
*Boom!*
The serve shot out like a cannonball.
"What kind of serve is that?!"
The Hyotei team was stunned.
Meanwhile, Zaizen, Koharu, and Hiroshi of Shitenhouji clenched their fists in excitement.
"This is Kintarou's signature serve," Koharu, the bespectacled data specialist of Shitenhouji, said with a smile. "Most players would have their rackets knocked out of their hands if they tried to return it."
"Exactly," Zaizen added. "Even power players would struggle if they weren't prepared."
As he spoke, his eyes gleamed with anticipation, ready to see Ishikawa humiliated.
*Thud!*
Kintarou's serve landed with a heavy thud, the impact alone demonstrating its incredible power.
*Tap tap!*
Ishikawa appeared at the landing spot, glanced at the ball's trajectory, and calmly swung his racket.
"He caught up?!"
"So fast!"
"Wait, is he planning to return it with one hand?"
Seeing Ishikawa's swift reaction, the Shitenhouji team was shocked. But when they noticed he was using only one hand, Zaizen and the others smirked.
"This guy's in trouble..."
*Boom!*
However, as soon as that thought crossed their minds, Ishikawa effortlessly returned Kintarou's powerful serve with a single-handed swing.
Moreover, the ball landed close to the sideline, making it nearly impossible for Kintarou, who was still in mid-air, to return.
*Tap!*
But to everyone's surprise, Kintarou landed and immediately pushed off the ground, curling into a ball and rolling rapidly toward the ball's landing spot.
"What the..."
The Hyotei team was dumbfounded.
No one had expected the Shitenhouji first-year to move in such an unconventional way.
"Here it comes."
Seeing Kintarou's posture, Hiyoshi's eyes narrowed. "This chaotic, unpredictable style always allows him to catch up to the ball before it lands. His speed and explosiveness are insane!"
*Whoosh!*
Kintarou reached the ball, uncurled, and, after steadying himself, swung his racket with full force.
*Boom!*
The ball shot toward Ishikawa like a bullet.
"Not bad."
Ishikawa nodded slightly, impressed by Kintarou's reflexes.
If there was anyone in middle school tennis who could rival Akutsu in raw physical talent, it was this red-haired boy.
Kintarou Toyama.
Like Akutsu, he was a natural.
His stamina, explosiveness, and raw strength were terrifying. Despite his small frame, he possessed monstrous power.
Coupled with his innate sense of the game, Kintarou could instinctively adapt to any situation.
Without formal training, relying solely on his instincts, he had already reached the level of a top national player.
*Boom!*
Ishikawa swung his racket, intercepting Kintarou's shot with a horizontal block.
*Sizzle!*
The ball pressed against the racket, as if trying to tear it apart.
But Ishikawa's racket was like an unbreakable cage, firmly containing the ball.
*Whoosh!*
With a flick of his wrist, Ishikawa sent the ball toward Kintarou's backhand.
"Hiss..."
Seeing Ishikawa return the ball with one hand again, Zaizen and the others were stunned.
"No way..."
Zaizen stared in disbelief.
He couldn't imagine the amount of force Ishikawa's wrist had to withstand to return such a powerful shot.
Yet, from receiving to returning, Ishikawa's wrist hadn't so much as twitched.
This was unbelievable!
*Boom!*
Kintarou attacked again.
His style was similar to Akutsu's early play—relying purely on brute force and explosiveness.
While his shots were powerful, to Ishikawa, who possessed considerable strength and skills far beyond the middle school level, Kintarou's attacks were like a child swinging an axe—dangerous in appearance but lacking real threat.
However, Ishikawa had no intention of defeating Kintarou with technique alone.
He assumed a martial arts stance, using precise shots to keep Kintarou running from side to side.
In the first few exchanges, Kintarou moved like the wind, his speed astonishing.
But as time passed, Ishikawa continued his relentless assault, and Kintarou's speed noticeably slowed.
"Kintarou-kun," Ishikawa said with a smile, noticing the boy's fatigue. "If you rely solely on brute force and don't use your brain, you'll fall far behind."
"Hmph!!"
Hearing this, Kintarou couldn't help but snort.
He was an optimistic and carefree boy, but he also had a strong sense of pride. His motto was "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."
Hearing Ishikawa's words, Kintarou increased his speed.
*Tap tap!*
He dashed across the court like a cheetah.
Catching up to the ball, he mustered all his strength and swung his racket with full force.
*Whoosh!*
The ball shot forward with incredible speed and power, as if the friction with the air had generated enough heat to turn it into a fireball.
"Whoa!"
Seeing this, the Hyotei team was stunned.
Especially Hiyoshi. From his perspective, Kintarou's shot, executed without any special technique, was on par with Sanada's *Aggressive Fire*!
*Swish!*
Hiyoshi turned to Ishikawa, curious to see how he would handle this.
"Hmm?"
To his surprise, Ishikawa maintained his martial arts stance. His right hand pulled the racket back, and his body assumed a posture reminiscent of an archer's lunge.
At that moment, Ishikawa's expression was calm, but his eyes shone with intensity. This reminded Hiyoshi of the concept of *Shin-Gi-Tai* (Mind, Technique, Body) in ancient martial arts.
Ishikawa's movements were precise, demonstrating a mastery of technique. His calm demeanor reflected a focused mind.
As for the body...
In Hiyoshi's eyes, Ishikawa had perfectly integrated mind and technique, achieving a state of balance that was both high-level and harmonious.
*Boom!*
Ishikawa swung his racket.
There was no special technique, just a straightforward, linear shot.
*Thud!*
The ball landed on Kintarou's side with the force of a stone, cracking the ground slightly.
The ball shot off with such speed that Kintarou, despite his best efforts, couldn't catch up.
*Tap tap tap...*
When the ball hit the fence, its force seemed to dissipate completely, leaving no damage. It then rolled gently to the ground.
"Is this...?"
Hiyoshi's pupils contracted as he realized something. "Could this be the ancient martial arts realm of... *Juuyoukei* (Heavy as Light)?"
(End of Chapter)
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