Chapter 76: Kanto Tournament, Drawing Lots

Oshitari listened to Takahashi's words seriously and nodded.

Suddenly, he was stunned.

He understood all at once, realizing the key point in it.

Takahashi warned Atobe not to return the ball, otherwise he would lose his sense of touch, sight, hearing, smell, and pain.

Although this sounded absurd and ridiculous.

It was, however, actually true.

Atobe's subsequent state verified one by one that Takahashi's words were correct.

It was not baseless.

This showed that Takahashi was not a person who spoke nonsense or lied through his teeth.

Oshitari turned to look at the sign on the other court.

The sign that had already been half-dismantled by him and Mukahi.

The sign that had "Shocking Shot" written on it.

Then.

This matter, perhaps, was also true!

It really existed!

Although Oshitari felt that this matter was also absurd and ridiculous enough.

But what happened to Atobe was even more ridiculous and absurd.

And it was not happening right before his, Oshitari's, eyes.

After this contact, Oshitari did not think Takahashi was the type of person to spout nonsense.

On the contrary, he was very mysterious!

His strength was quite formidable! Monstrously strong!

A person with such great strength would not deign to brag or talk nonsense.

Perhaps because the gap between Takahashi's strength and theirs was several levels, what Takahashi considered a matter of course, they considered a fantasy.

Although he did not want to admit it, Oshitari felt that in front of Takahashi.

He was just a frog in a well looking at the sky!

Not knowing how high the sky was or how thick the earth was!

Thinking about how he, Mukahi, and Atobe had directly concluded that this pit was a show and a brag.

And dismantled someone's sign without rhyme or reason.

This matter was not done honorably!

It was too dishonorable!

Now facing the person himself, Oshitari felt a bit embarrassed.

This matter could only show that they were short-sighted and narrow-minded.

Thinking of this, Oshitari said to Takahashi, "The matter with that sign was our fault."

"After Atobe recovers, I will tell him to build a new, more magnificent and impressive sign."

The topic suddenly shifted to the sign, and Takahashi was a bit confused.

He followed Oshitari's gaze toward the pit on the other court.

Next to the pit stood a crooked sign that had been half-dismantled by someone.

Thinking of this, Takahashi felt a sense of speechlessness.

What kind of situation was this!

"That kind of thing doesn't matter at all."

"Don't take it to heart!"

Takahashi said helplessly.

Oshitari immediately felt even more embarrassed.

The three of them had dismantled someone's sign and insisted on playing a match against them.

After all three lost, the other party not only did not hold them accountable for dismantling the sign but also persuaded them not to take it to heart.

This magnanimity.

This level of character.

It made them admire him!

It turned out that there were such strong and noble people at the Street Tennis Court as well.

Before, they were ignorant and rigid.

……

Takahashi walked alone on the streets of Tokyo.

He recalled the match with Atobe.

Although the gap in strength between the two sides was huge, it made him feel bored at the beginning.

But he also successfully used that move of Yukimura Seiichi—Metsu Gokan.

Sure enough, the facts were just as he had thought.

Only when one's basic strength completely crushes the opponent, and one can return any ball the opponent hits.

When causing the opponent to feel immense psychological pressure that they cannot win.

Metsu Gokan will take effect.

Sequentially depriving the opponent of their sense of touch, sight, hearing, smell, and pain.

Halfway through his match against Atobe, Takahashi could already sense that Atobe's mentality was beginning to crumble.

Therefore, even though the decision to use Metsu Gokan was made on the spur of the moment, Takahashi still succeeded, and it did not take much time.

Only when actually using it could one deeply feel the terror and horror of Spirit Power.

That feeling of completely suppressing an opponent's Spirit Power was also something Takahashi felt for the first time.

Moreover, Takahashi had an even deeper realization.

That was that he seemed capable of thoroughly controlling the opponent's spirit; not only could he destroy their Five Senses, he could even...

On the eve of the Kanto Tournament.

Evening.

While Takahashi was playing a game, he suddenly received a call from Sanada.

"Captain, please make sure not to be late tomorrow; it concerns the Kanto Tournament draw, which is very important."

"Also, tomorrow we have to play a friendly match against several players from the OB National Team."

"And there are reporters from Tennis Monthly who want to interview us."

"Captain, you had better leave 10 minutes early!"

Takahashi brushed Sanada off while continuing to play his game.

It was only after the call ended that Takahashi realized what had happened.

The draw?

Did such a trivial matter require him to show up in person?

And he had to leave 10 minutes early?

Which meant, waking up 10 minutes earlier?

Just for this!

Impossible, absolutely impossible!

However, it was the Kanto Tournament after all, so he would give Sanada a little face.

Thus, Takahashi dialed Kirihara's number...

The next day.

Rikkai Dai Fuzoku Chugaku.

As the champions of the previous Kanto Tournament, the venue for this year's Kanto Tournament draw was at Rikkai.

Sanada was standing at the entrance of the main gate, watching the people coming and going.

He just didn't see his own Captain.

To show the importance he placed on the Kanto Tournament, he had specifically arrived 20 minutes early.

Just in case, he had even specifically called Takahashi last night to tell him to arrive 10 minutes early.

Now, Sanada looked at the time and saw there were only eight minutes left.

The brow hidden under his black cap brim furrowed tightly.

"Isn't this Sanada from Rikkai?"

"Why are you here all by yourself?"

A low voice rang out.

Sanada looked over, and it was indeed Atobe and Oshitari from Hyotei Academy.

"Waiting for someone!"

Sanada said, sparing no words.

"The Kanto Tournament has begun, and the championship this time will undoubtedly be ours."

"We Hyotei will not lose to you like we did last year."

Atobe began to spout wild talk.

"The victory of our Rikkai is without any blind spots."

Sanada said confidently.

In last year's Kanto Tournament, Rikkai was the champion, and Hyotei was the runner-up.

Old rivals meeting, their eyes were particularly red with hostility.

Seeing the atmosphere between the two becoming increasingly tense, Oshitari hurriedly pulled Atobe inside.

Sanada was still waiting.

He saw people from Ginka Middle School, saw schools he didn't recognize, and also saw Tezuka Kunimitsu and Oishi Shuichiro from Seigaku.

Upon seeing Tezuka Kunimitsu, Sanada's expression gradually darkened.

He thought back to when he was in elementary school and had competed against Tezuka Kunimitsu, having lost to him once.

After joining Rikkai, Sanada had always wanted to wash away that shame.

However, Seigaku's overall strength was very limited, and they were always eliminated early.

In the Kanto Tournament, Sanada had actually never crossed paths with Tezuka again.

At this moment, seeing his old rival.

And feeling anxious from waiting, Sanada lost his usual calm and took the initiative to say: "Captain Tezuka, I hope we can have a chance to face each other in this year's Kanto Tournament."

Tezuka was stunned for a moment, instantly understanding what Sanada meant.

Sanada was hinting at last year's Kanto Tournament, where because Seigaku's overall strength was insufficient, Seigaku had already lost before Sanada could even take the court.

Tezuka was very surprised that the usually mature and steady Sanada would actually say such a thing.

"Our goal this year is the Kanto Tournament championship."

Tezuka responded coldly.