Chapter 250: The Puppet on the Court

"How could this happen?"

Outside the court, the other high school students from Court 3 were visibly shocked. No one had expected that Tsunobu, known for his calm demeanor and meticulous thinking, would be "headshot" right at the start of the match! It was brutal, but it also made everyone even more wary of Ishikawa's strength.

"His serve is already at a top-tier level," murmured Genichiro Sanada, narrowing his eyes. He wasn't familiar with Tsunobu's playing style, so he could only judge based on the surface-level performance, not the psychological battle between the two players. "After taking that hit, I wonder if his opponent can even stand up again."

"Cough, cough…"

At that moment, Tsunobu, who had fallen to the ground, struggled to his feet despite the pain in his head. He gripped his racket tightly with one hand while covering the injured area with the other. "Good, very good!" he said, his one exposed eye locking onto Ishikawa like a venomous snake. "Kid, you're going to pay for this!"

After his menacing words, Tsunobu turned and retreated to the baseline. Ishikawa simply smiled faintly, unfazed.

"As expected of a U17 player," said Mouri, watching Tsunobu's back. "Even after taking a hit like that, he can still continue the match."

"The main reason is that it didn't hit a vital spot," Genichiro shook his head. Although the speed of the tennis ball decreases after it bounces due to the ground absorbing some of its force, it's still dangerous. If it had hit a vulnerable area, Tsunobu would likely have been carried off the court by now.

"But that's fine," Genichiro added, turning his gaze back to Ishikawa on the court, deep in thought. "It's during the opponent's serve that we'll see his true tennis skills." Compared to the serve, he was more interested in Ishikawa's fundamental abilities.

"Second game, Tsunobu from Court 3 to serve, one game all!"

A moment later, the referee's voice rang out. Without hesitation, Tsunobu raised his racket and sent the ball flying. A bullet-like serve shot straight toward Ishikawa's backhand side.

Thud!

However, Ishikawa effortlessly returned the ball.

"The real match is just beginning," Tsunobu's eyes flashed coldly as he aimed his next shot at Ishikawa's backhand again. When Ishikawa returned it, Tsunobu redirected the ball to the opposite side.

Thud!

The ball landed precisely on the sideline.

"Incredible control!" Genichiro's expression shifted slightly. "Maintaining baseline shots with such precision, and the spin and speed are terrifying. Is this the true strength of Court 3?"

Compared to Washio and Suzuki, Tsunobu's skills were clearly on a different level.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Despite Tsunobu's aggressive attacks, Ishikawa remained composed, effortlessly countering every move. The intense back-and-forth left the high school students outside the court in stunned silence. Tsunobu's attacks were fierce and precise, but Ishikawa's defense was flawless, leaving no openings.

"This year's newcomers are really strong," remarked Yamato Yuudai, the former captain of Seigaku Middle School's tennis team, with his signature orange curly hair. "This newcomer isn't just good at serving; his rallies show no weaknesses either."

"True," nodded Nakagauchi, a stern-looking, buzz-cut player with sunglasses. "Tsunobu's technique is well above average. For this newcomer to hold his own, he's definitely something to be proud of."

After all, Tsunobu was one of the top players among the third-year students, second only to the U17 representatives and a few elite court leaders. Yet, this newcomer named Ishikawa was going toe-to-toe with him. Even if Ishikawa lost this match, the coaching staff would surely allocate significant resources to train him.

Thud!

At that moment, Tsunobu launched another attack, the ball landing perfectly on the baseline. After bouncing, it suddenly accelerated.

Bang!

Ishikawa intercepted the ball with his racket. The impact caused the racket's surface to dent inward, but the ball couldn't break through. Ishikawa's wrist and shoulders remained steady, showing no signs of strain.

"This kid's got some strength," Tsunobu thought, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. But his expression quickly turned cold again as he rallied himself for another attack.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The match turned into a grueling battle of endurance. Tsunobu grew more serious, forgetting the gap between himself and his opponent, treating this as a high-stakes match against an equal. At first, he felt exhilarated, but as time passed and his anger subsided, his rationality returned, and his expression darkened.

"How is this guy so tough?!" Tsunobu's confidence began to waver. His focus and control were slipping, while his opponent seemed as calm as ever, as if this were just a warm-up.

"No! He's just a newcomer. His stamina can't possibly match mine!" Tsunobu quickly reassured himself. His physical abilities, except for speed, were all above average, especially his stamina, which was strong even among the U17 representatives. There was no way a newcomer could outlast him.

With that in mind, Tsunobu concluded that Ishikawa must be bluffing, trying to tough it out.

Bang!

Suddenly, Tsunobu unleashed another powerful shot. "Let's see how long you can keep this up!"

Thud!

But once again, Ishikawa effortlessly blocked the ball.

"Damn it!" Tsunobu's face darkened as he gritted his teeth and launched a series of fierce attacks.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three consecutive shots, each as precise as the last, all landing on the baseline.

"Whoa…" The Court 3 players couldn't help but gasp. "Is Tsunobu really this strong?" They had no idea he had been holding back so much.

"This guy's incredible," Matsudaira muttered, his expression serious. Tsunobu had always been intimidating, but now, seeing him unleash his full power, even Matsudaira felt a chill down his spine. It was clear that Tsunobu had his sights set on joining the U17 representatives for their overseas matches.

Yamato couldn't help but comment, "I always thought Tsunobu was just cold and calculating, but I never expected him to be this formidable!"

"Hmph!" On the court, Tsunobu noticed the change in the crowd's reaction and couldn't help but smirk inwardly. "You're only realizing this now?" he thought as he aimed another shot at the corner of the court. "I've been holding back for a long time, just waiting for this moment!"

Thud!

The ball and racket collided with a loud crack.

"Wait… this power?!" But in the next moment, Tsunobu's expression changed. The force behind the ball was far beyond what he had anticipated. He immediately realized something was wrong, but it was too late to do anything about it. He could only brace himself for the inevitable.

Thud!

However, when the ball landed, the high school students outside the court gasped in shock. "Whoa! That's insane! It landed right on the baseline again!"

What?!

Tsunobu opened his eyes in disbelief, looking across the court. The ball had left a faint mark exactly on the baseline.

"Wait… that shot wasn't a fluke?" Tsunobu felt a wave of confusion, but then he remembered something the coach had once said about reaching a higher level of tennis, where players could break through their limits and play with complete freedom.

"So… have I reached that elite level?" he wondered, a sharp glint appearing in his eyes. He glanced at Ishikawa with a hint of pity. "Sorry, but the game's over."

Tap tap!

With quick steps, Tsunobu chased after the ball and swung his racket without hesitation.

Thud!

The ball landed, once again hugging the baseline with pinpoint accuracy, leaving the spectators in awe.

"This level of control?" Inui and Tokugawa raised their eyebrows slightly. In some ways, Tsunobu's skills were now on par with the lower-ranked U17 representatives. Even they might not be able to consistently land every shot on the baseline like this.

"No, something's off," they quickly realized.

Thud!

At that moment, Tsunobu swung his racket again. The ball flew along the same trajectory, landing in the exact same spot as before.

"Huh?" Tsunobu's expression changed as he noticed something strange. He knew he was strong, but he wasn't this precise. Something felt off, almost unnatural.

Thud!

Meanwhile, Ishikawa returned the ball with a swift shot. For Tsunobu, who was slightly slower to react, even a momentary lapse was fatal. But he didn't give up, chasing after the ball and stretching to hit it at an extreme angle.

Whoosh!

However, when the ball flew back, both Tsunobu and the other high school students' expressions turned odd. It wasn't because the shot was bad—on the contrary, the trajectory was perfect. Even with such a difficult angle, the ball still landed on the baseline, in the exact same spot.

"This…" By now, even the slowest among them had realized something was wrong. No matter how strong Tsunobu was, this level of consistency was impossible.

Swish!

At that moment, everyone's eyes turned to Ishikawa.

Thud!

With a casual swing, Ishikawa sent the ball flying. In Tsunobu's distracted state, the ball bounced and headed straight for his racket.

Whoosh!

The ball, deflected by Tsunobu's racket, followed the same trajectory and landed in the same spot once again.

"Whoa!"

The entire court erupted in gasps. The high school students looked at Ishikawa as if he were a monster. As for Tsunobu, he was completely lost. After all that, he realized his supposed breakthrough was just an illusion. The intense back-and-forth, the grueling match—it had all been orchestrated by Ishikawa. The confident, controlling player he thought he was had been reduced to a mere puppet.

And so, Tsunobu broke.

He wandered aimlessly on the court, his spirit crushed.

Thud!

Five minutes later, when Ishikawa's final shot slipped between Tsunobu's legs, the referee's voice rang out. "Game over! Ishikawa Shintaro from Court 16 wins, 6-0!"

Thud!

Tsunobu collapsed to his knees, his eyes blank as he stared ahead. This match had completely shattered his fighting spirit, leaving him as the court's biggest joke.

"Tsunobu's done for," Yamato said, shaking his head outside the court. "After a loss like this, it'll take him at least a month or two to recover."

"Yeah," Nakagauchi agreed. "Anyone would be crushed in that situation. To have every move, every action, completely controlled by your opponent… That kind of tennis is terrifying."

Washio and Suzuki nodded in agreement, feeling relieved they hadn't been paired against the newcomer. Otherwise, they would have been the ones humiliated.

Upstairs, in the coaches' room, Saito glanced at the monitor showing the calm, black-haired boy. "Well?" he asked.

"Surprisingly strong," Kurobe nodded slightly, his right hand on the mouse and his left tapping the desk. "His serve is top-tier, and his speed, power, and technique show no obvious weaknesses. Based on the data we have, his strength could easily place him in the top 10 of the U17 representatives."

Top 10?

Hearing this, Taketora's pupils contracted. While it was rare for a newcomer to achieve such a high ranking, it wasn't unheard of. What shocked him was that this newcomer wasn't a first-year high school student—he was a first-year middle schooler! That meant he was three years younger! For a top-tier player, three years of growth could lead to unimaginable improvements.

"For now, set their training plans based on Court 3's standards," Kurobe said. "Also, after this morning's matches, have them undergo a thorough physical assessment."

He paused before adding, "There's no need for immediate ranking matches. Focus on training for now. As for matches… we'll wait until those guys return."

Swish!

At those words, Saito and Taketora's expressions changed.

'Those guys'?!

They immediately picked up on the significance of Kurobe's wording. Taketora frowned, thinking Kurobe was being too aggressive. But Saito, after a brief moment of surprise, couldn't help but feel a spark of excitement.

This guy… was actually looking forward to the future ranking matches! A first-year middle schooler in the U17 ranking matches? Just the thought of it was enough to get his blood pumping!