Chapter 84: Singles 3, Akutagawa vs. Echizen (Part 1)
Two straight wins.
Hyotei's morale was soaring.
In contrast, Seigaku was shrouded in a heavy, disheartened atmosphere after the Golden Pair's defeat.
"Hyotei!"
"Hyotei!"
"Hyotei!"
Hyotei's cheering squad roared at the top of their lungs.
"Hey, Jiro," Tezuka said, glancing at the orange-haired boy dozing on the bench nearby. His voice was firm: "Time to wake up!"
"Huh?"
Jiro Akutagawa, who'd been happily napping, yawned and stood up. Rubbing his sleepy eyes, he blinked around in confusion.
"Both doubles matches are already over?"
As he spoke, he shuffled toward the court, looking completely out of place compared to everyone else.
"That's Hyotei's Singles 3 player?" St. Rudolph's Yuta Fuji said, stunned. "With Coach Sakaki and Tezuka's strict personalities, they actually tolerate someone like *that*?"
"Jiro Akutagawa," Mizuki said, twirling a strand of hair. "Third-year regular at Hyotei Academy. He's crazy strong. He once faced off against Rikkai's Marui in a match and got some serious praise!"
"Rikkai?"
At the mention of that school, Yuta and Akazawa's faces darkened instantly.
A name carries weight, like a tree casts a shadow.
Rikkai, the team that's dominated the National Tournament with overwhelming control, was on a whole other level compared to Tokyo's schools.
"And Seigaku…" Yuta's gaze shifted, landing on the boy stepping out from Seigaku's lineup. His expression changed. "Ryoma Echizen!"
Last week's match.
Yuta had lost to him.
For someone nicknamed the "Lefty Killer," that defeat had shaken his confidence to the core.
And now, with Echizen playing Singles 3 for Seigaku, did that mean his older brother was slotted for Singles 2?
Yuta's eyes darted toward Fuji. "If Echizen wins, the next match will be Aniki against that Hyotei rookie!"
His chest tightened at the thought.
"Relax," Mizuki said, noticing his tension. He shook his head. "Fuji's strength is way beyond what you think. Plus, it's not even certain that Seigaku's first-year will win this one!"
As a data-driven player, Mizuki was wary of players like Akutagawa, who had almost no match records. They were unpredictable.
And the fact that both Coach Sakaki and Tezuka vouched for him? That meant his tennis was at least Kanto-level!
"Next up, Singles 3!"
"Hyotei Academy's Jiro Akutagawa versus Seishun Academy's Ryoma Echizen. Both players, please prepare!"
"Finally… Ryoma's turn," Inoue said excitedly from the sidelines.
He couldn't help it. His idol was standing right beside him, and on the court was a genius carrying the blood of a samurai. As a diehard fan, Inoue was dying to hear Nanjiro's take.
"That kid," Nanjiro said, glancing at Echizen with a hint of disappointment. "I was hoping he'd face that Hyotei rookie in Singles 3."
With Ishikawa?
Inoue and Shiba exchanged a shocked look.
In Nanjiro's eyes, Echizen could actually hold his own against Hyotei's national-level player?
"Heh," Nanjiro chuckled, catching their reactions.
At his level, the distinction between "national" and "Kanto" was meaningless. National-level? It just meant they'd gone a bit farther, that's all.
Besides, even if Echizen lost, it wouldn't matter.
In fact, it might light a fire under him, unlocking his physical potential. That could kickstart Nanjiro's original plan ahead of schedule.
"Seigaku's first-year?"
On the court's edge, Akutagawa eyed the cap-wearing boy walking out, surprised. "Isn't he just a shrimp? Ishikawa's a first-year too, but he's way taller."
"Uh…"
Echizen's face darkened at the comment, though he tugged his cap lower to hide it.
Over in Seigaku's camp, Momoshiro scratched his head. "This Hyotei *senpai*… why does he seem kinda off?"
"Jiro Akutagawa," Inui said, flipping open his notebook. "Before Ishikawa showed up, he was Hyotei's second-best singles player after Tezuka. Rumor has it he loves sleeping and skips training a lot, so there's barely any useful data on him."
He paused, his voice turning serious. "But if Coach Sakaki and Tezuka both back him, his strength… it's definitely not that simple."
"No worries!" Horio, from Seigaku's trio outside the fence, puffed out his chest. "Echizen's gonna wipe the floor with this guy!"
"Maybe," Inui said noncommittally.
Tezuka, Fuji, and the others stayed silent, their eyes locked on the two players on the court.
At the net, Akutagawa and Echizen shook hands.
"*Senpai*," Echizen said, tilting his head to glance up at Akutagawa. "I heard you used to be Hyotei's second singles player?"
"Huh? Oh, sorry, I don't really keep track of that stuff," Akutagawa said, scratching his head with a goofy grin. He looked completely out of sync with Hyotei's disciplined team vibe.
"Let's get started," he added cheerfully, ignoring Echizen's exasperated look. "I wanna finish this match so I can go back to napping."
"Uh… sure," Echizen muttered, pulling his cap down to mask his emotions.
Despite Akutagawa's quirky demeanor, which didn't scream "elite player" at all, Hyotei's reputation made Echizen wary. He wasn't about to underestimate him.
After a coin toss, Echizen won the serve.
Both players stepped back, and the referee, confirming they were ready, looked at Echizen. "Match start! One set to decide the winner. Seigaku's Echizen to serve. Game on!"
*Pat! Pat! Pat!*
Echizen pulled out a tennis ball, bounced it a couple of times, then gripped it tightly. He tossed it high, leaped, and swung his racket in a fluid arc.
"That's…"
Seigaku's trio, noticing Echizen was using his right hand, lit up. "Echizen's killer move… the Twist Serve!"
*Wham!*
The ball rocketed out, tracing a perfect parabolic arc through the air. It slammed down near the service line on Akutagawa's right with a *thud*.
"Oh?"
Sensing the serve's speed and angle were sharper than expected, Akutagawa's sleepy eyes cleared up a bit.
*Skrrrr!*
The ball hit the ground, spinning furiously.
*Whoosh!*
Just as Akutagawa readied his return, the ball suddenly veered sharply to his left.
"What?!"
Akutagawa's face froze. The ball, with its wicked spin, shot toward his face. He instinctively jerked his head aside.
*Clang!*
The ball sailed past, smacking into the fence.
"15-0!"
"Whoa…"
Spectators seeing Echizen's Twist Serve for the first time were floored.
"Seigaku's first-year is *that* good?"
"I heard he and Hyotei's Ishikawa were Tokyo's top rookies, but I didn't believe it. He's legit!"
"The Twist Serve? A middle schooler can pull that off?"
The crowd buzzed with awe.
"Tch," Yuta muttered from St. Rudolph's side, annoyed. "That guy's showing off again."
Mizuki smirked. "He's a bit cocky, sure, but his skill's the real deal. Still, Hyotei's guy will probably figure out that move soon enough."
Meanwhile, on the court, Akutagawa's eyes were wide, all traces of sleepiness gone. That serve had jolted him awake.
"Whoa, did you guys see that?"
To everyone's shock, he ran off the court, waving excitedly at Tezuka, Ishikawa, and Ninomiya. "That serve was insane! Seigaku's first-year is *so* cool! He's seriously strong!"
Bouncing around like a kid, he looked nothing like the rest of Hyotei's disciplined squad. The crowd stared, baffled.
Is *this* really a Hyotei regular?
"Uh, excuse me…" Even the referee, perched on the high chair, looked awkward. "Hyotei's Akutagawa, please return to the court."
"Got it!" Akutagawa nodded eagerly and jogged back.
"This guy…"
Echizen studied his opponent, a flicker of doubt in his eyes. Akutagawa's behavior didn't seem fake.
But why would he act like this on purpose? To trick Echizen into thinking he was a "clown"? That was too obvious to fall for.
*Wham!*
Echizen fired another Twist Serve.
"Here it comes!" Akutagawa's face lit up with excitement.
*Skrrrr!*
The ball hit, spinning wildly.
But this time, Akutagawa's grin faded slightly. As the ball veered left, he sidestepped quickly, his racket snapping out to return it.
"He caught it?!"
Seigaku's trio gasped.
Inui and the others, though, stayed calm. If Hyotei's Singles 3 couldn't handle a Twist Serve, *that* would've been the real surprise.
*Step! Step!*
Then, to everyone's shock, Akutagawa charged the net.
"He's going up?"
Echizen's eyes narrowed. He swung his racket, aiming precisely at a spot near Akutagawa's feet, and drilled the ball.
*Wham!*
The ball rocketed toward Akutagawa's shoes.
"That control?!"
Hyotei's Ootori and Hiyoshi exchanged stunned looks.
They'd thought Seigaku's first-year was just hyped for his Twist Serve, but his pinpoint accuracy was unreal.
"Not bad," Tezuka said, nodding. But he shook his head. "Too bad. That shot's meaningless against Jiro."
*Smack!*
Sure enough, Akutagawa swung his racket in an awkward, almost clumsy motion, sending the ball back.
*Thud!*
But in the process, he lost his balance and faceplanted on the court.
*Tap, tap…*
The ball he'd returned, though, sailed perfectly over the net, landing softly and rolling to a stop.
"15-15!"
"What?!"
Seigaku's team gaped.
Momoshiro blurted, "This guy's luck is insane!"
A volley like that was tough even under normal conditions.
"Tch."
Echizen, feeling like *he* was the unlucky one, tugged his cap and switched sides.
*Wham!*
He launched another serve.
*Wham!*
Like before, Akutagawa returned it and rushed the net again. Echizen, thinking his opponent was getting cocky, aimed for his feet once more.
"Hmph!" Horio smirked. "Let's see if you're *that* lucky again."
*Wham!*
Akutagawa's racket connected, and—*thud*—he ate dirt again.
*Tap, tap…*
But the ball? It rolled across the net to the other side, just like before.
"This…"
Inoue stared, dumbfounded. "Akutagawa's luck is unreal!"
"Luck?"
Nanjiro shook his head, chuckling. "That's not luck. It's that kid's natural talent."
"What do you mean?" Shiba asked, confused.
At this point, she had zero doubts about Nanjiro's tennis insight, despite his… questionable personality.
"Ever heard of John McEnroe?" Nanjiro asked, glancing at Inoue.
Inoue nodded rapidly. "The American pro, nicknamed the 'King of Tennis.' Are you saying Akutagawa has the same kind of talent as *that* legend?"
"Exactly," Nanjiro said, pleased. "McEnroe had a genius-level feel for the ball. His wrists were insanely flexible, letting him return from any position. Plus, he could adjust his racket angle mid-swing for unreal shots."
He paused, eyeing Akutagawa with admiration. "Get this guy near the net, and his volleys are untouchable."
"That's *that* crazy?"
Inoue and Shiba exchanged stunned looks.
*Wham!*
"15-40!"
*Wham!*
"Game!"
"Hyotei's Akutagawa, 1-0. Change courts!"
In a flash, Akutagawa's magical volleys racked up points against Echizen.
"Jiro's trick volleys are just unstoppable," Yue sighed. "That Seigaku first-year's probably never dealt with anything like this."
"Yeah," Taki nodded. "If nothing changes, Singles 3 might end this match."
Their eyes lingered on Akutagawa, mixed with complicated feelings.
As fellow third-years, they trained their butts off, yet they couldn't touch Akutagawa, who slept through practice. Talent like his was a brutal reminder of how much it mattered in tennis.
"End at Singles 3?"
Ishikawa's gaze drifted to Seigaku's side, landing on the calm first-year. "He's probably already figured out how to crack those trick volleys."
---
*Author's Note:* The fever's gone, but my head's still pounding, and my body's aching.
*(Chapter End)*