Chapter 124: National Tournament, Drawing Lots

Rikkai.

The drawing of lots for the National Tournament is being held in a school auditorium.

"Have you heard that Rikkai changed their Captain?"

"I know. The current Captain is actually just a first-year. I don't know what Sanada Genichiro is thinking, to actually tolerate a first-year stepping on his head."

"Could you tolerate something like this?"

"Of course not!"

"Sanada has been the Vice Captain for three years, and now that Yukimura Seiichi has finally fallen ill, he still didn't get the position of Captain. What a miserable life!"

"Hahaha!"

Two people wearing Rokurigaoka Junior High uniforms laughed out loud while talking.

"If you have the ability, say that to my face."

A low voice reached the ears of the two.

The two looked up and saw the very person they had just been mocking, Sanada Genichiro.

Seeing the person in question standing with his arms crossed and glaring at them fiercely, their momentum instantly weakened.

"Sanada really is a tolerant and magnanimous middle school student!"

"Don't talk nonsense!"

A voice came from the other side.

Sanada looked back, somewhat surprised.

It was actually Kite Eishiro.

Unexpectedly, the hegemon of the Kyushu region this year is Higa from Okinawa.

"Rikkai Dai Fuzoku Chugaku!"

"Will the representative from Rikkai Dai Fuzoku Chugaku please come to the stage to draw lots!"

The staff member's words echoed throughout the grand auditorium.

Sanada frowned.

Takahashi still hasn't arrived; this is too lax.

Just as Sanada was about to stand up.

"Sanada!"

A low and magnetic voice rang out.

Everyone turned their heads to look, and a handsome boy wearing a yellow and white team uniform was standing at the entrance, one hand holding the door handle, speaking with a relaxed and pleasant expression.

"This is the newly appointed Captain of Rikkai, Takahashi Yanichi."

"Is he the first-year who shut out Echizen Ryoma, the four-time consecutive champion of the American Junior Tournament, in the Kanto Tournament Finals?"

"Yes, that's him! He is now the veritable strongest first-year in the middle school world."

"It is said that he has even received attention from Japan U17."

With the appearance of Takahashi, the people below began to whisper and discuss.

Takahashi strode onto the podium and took a slip of paper from the drawing box.

At a seat on the other side, Oishi was introducing Takahashi to Tezuka.

"He's very strong! Echizen couldn't even return one of his balls."

"In the Kanto Tournament, we lost to them 3-0, without scoring a single point."

Tezuka looked at Takahashi standing on the podium with a serious gaze.

Takahashi returned to his seat and opened the slip of paper in his hand, which clearly read: Rokurigaoka (Aichi).

Sanada, who was at his side, said, "Too lax, you were almost late."

Takahashi said indifferently, "I arrived right on time, Sanada. You have to trust my ability to manage time."

Sanada stared fixedly at the slip of paper in Takahashi's hand and said, "Rokurigaoka from Aichi Prefecture?"

Looking at the black aura almost materializing on Sanada's face, Takahashi was puzzled, "Hm?"

The venue of the National Tournament.

Several people wearing yellow and white team uniforms were standing outside a match court; they were the team members of Rikkai.

"We don't have a match today, so why do we still have to watch other schools' matches?"

Kirihara voiced his confusion.

"Because this is a good opportunity to collect data. The school that qualified from the Kyushu region this year is actually Higa; this school hasn't made it into the National Tournament for nearly 26 years."

Yanagi said.

"But their opponent today is Seigaku, and it has nothing to do with us."

Kirihara was even more confused.

"Seigaku's Captain, Tezuka Kunimitsu, was scouted by Germany U17 while he was treating his arm in D Country, and they even invited him to join. His strength cannot be underestimated."

Sanada spoke up.

"Germany U17? Invited Tezuka Kunimitsu?"

Takahashi was somewhat surprised. They are inviting him already?

He remembered that in the original story, after the National Tournament, Tezuka stayed in Japan U17 for a period of time before going to D Country to pursue a path in professional tennis, and only after much tossing and turning did he join Germany U17.

Unexpectedly, this world has already changed, developing into Germany U17 taking the initiative to invite Tezuka?

Perhaps, ever since Japan U17 took the initiative to send him an invitation for the training camp, this world has changed.

"Yes, according to the data I have collected, it seems Tezuka was valued by a professional player from D Country, which is why he was invited by Germany U17."

"For the sake of Seigaku's National Tournament this time, Tezuka has specifically returned to the country. I heard that after the National Tournament ends, he will return to D Country once again."

Yanagi Renji explained.

"To think that going to D Country to treat an arm could lead to such a miraculous encounter!"

Kirihara exclaimed.

"But what does that have to do with us? Seigaku is a team we have already defeated."

Kirihara continued.

"Ever since Echizen Ryoma lost 0-6 to Captain Takahashi, he went to the US to participate in the US Open, while their Captain Tezuka Kunimitsu has been training in D Country. Their lineup for this National Tournament is even stronger than it was during the Kanto Tournament, so we must absolutely not let our guard down."

"Encountering a powerful opponent like Higa is a better way to collect data on Echizen and Tezuka."

Yanagi Renji explained.

"Kirihara, you are too lax! In the month or so since the Kanto Tournament ended, not only have we been improving, but every other team has been improving as well, so observing the matches of other schools is very necessary."

Sanada spoke up sternly.

"Oh."

Kirihara's momentum weakened.

"The weather is so nice, it's not bad to come out for a stroll."

Takahashi said.

The match currently taking place on the court is the final match, with Higa's Captain Kite Eishiro facing off against Seigaku's Tezuka Kunimitsu.

The first game is Kite's Serve game.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

The tennis ball transformed into a streak of yellow light, flying back and forth in the air.

Suddenly, Tezuka lightly raised his arm, and his swing speed dropped significantly.

"This should be the Zero-Shiki Drop Shot."

Kirihara said.

"Not bad, Kirihara, your observational skills are getting better and better."

Yanagi praised.

"After watching this move of Tezuka's several times, it is easy to observe that his posture is different from a normal Short Ball posture."

"It's not that hard either."

Kirihara was somewhat smug.

"Hmm?"

Sanada voiced.

On the court, Kite took a stride, and his entire body arrived at the net in an instant, hitting the tennis ball back before it could even land.

"It was actually broken so easily?"

Kirihara was somewhat surprised.

"That is how it is; the Zero-Shiki Drop Shot is that easy to break, especially since Tezuka's hitting posture is too obvious, clearly telling the opponent what kind of ball he is about to hit."

Takahashi said.

"But, how did the opponent get from the baseline to the net in an instant?"

Kirihara asked.

At this moment, the situation on the court changed once again.

The Short Ball was merely a lure by Tezuka; the real killing blow was the following Smash, and it was a Smash directed at the empty space on Kite's left.

"Tezuka's strategy is well-used."

Sanada said.

However, Kite took another stride, instantly arriving at the ball's landing spot, and hit the ball toward the other side of Tezuka.

"15-0!"

"Point for Kite!"

The referee announced loudly.