King of Tennis (POT)

At this point, Seigaku was down with one win and two losses. Their chances of victory seemed almost nonexistent. 

"This year's Hyotei is terrifying!" 

Representatives from various schools looked at Hyotei with awe and respect. Compared to other schools, including Rikkai, Hyotei was in a league of their own—truly the top team in the nation. 

"It's not just Ishikawa. Even Akutsu has surpassed the level of a typical middle schooler. Sigh..." 

Watching Fuji retreat from the court, Mitsui couldn't help but sigh. "Seigaku didn't lose unjustly." 

"That's only natural," Akazawa, standing beside him, shook his head. "That position should belong to the strongest in the nation. If Hyotei hadn't won, it would have been surprising!" 

By now, almost no one doubted that Hyotei would claim the national championship this year. Except for two figures... 

"Oishi." 

"Yeah." 

On Seigaku's side, Kikumaru, spinning his racket in his hand, stepped onto the court with a serious expression. Behind him was Oishi, equally focused. With one win and two losses, Seigaku had no room to retreat. For the Golden Pair, the only way to seize even a sliver of hope was to go all out without hesitation. 

"Not bad," Nanjiro, watching from the stands, nodded. "At least these two from Seigaku understand that in desperate times, the brave prevail." 

"Agreed," Saito also nodded in approval. 

Having watched three matches so far, he had seen the performances of eight players from both sides. The most outstanding were undoubtedly Tezuka, Akutsu, and Atobe. Of course, Fuji and Shishido were also exceptional players, but compared to the top three, the gap was significant. 

Because of this, Saito was even more eager to see just how strong that Hyotei player, ranked number one among middle schoolers and holding an unshakable position, truly was. So, deep down, he hoped Seigaku could secure this crucial win. 

"Next up, the Doubles 1 match will begin," the announcer's voice echoed. "Hyotei Gakuen's Oshitari Yuushi and Mukahi Gakuto pair versus Seigaku's Oishi Shuuichirou and Kikumaru Eiji pair!" 

With that, Mukahi, hands in his pockets and racket tucked under his arm, walked onto the court with a smile. "Yuushi, let's finish these two off in one go!" 

"Mm," Oshitari nodded. 

This was the finals. Even though Hyotei was already in an unbeatable position thanks to Ishikawa, Oshitari didn't want to forfeit this match like he had in the semifinals. It was simple: Ishikawa had already proven his strength by defeating Rikkai's undefeated "Child of God." There was no need to prove anything by defeating a first-year in the national finals. 

Moreover, this national final was also his last official match as a middle schooler. While Ishikawa's contributions to Hyotei were irreplaceable, the previous generation of Hyotei players, represented by Atobe and himself, couldn't rely solely on him. 

"So, let's use this match to bring closure to our middle school era!" 

With that thought, a sharp glint flashed in Oshitari's eyes. 

Soon, both teams approached the net. As old rivals, they knew each other well. After a brief exchange, they decided the serve and retreated to their respective baselines. 

"The match begins, one set to decide the winner!" 

The referee, observing both sides, confirmed their readiness and declared, "Seigaku's Oishi to serve, first game!" 

Thud! Thud! Thud! 

The audience's eyes focused on Oishi at the baseline. 

"Huh? What's this formation?" 

Someone noticed something unusual and exclaimed, looking at the two players standing in a straight line on the court. 

"The Australian Formation?" 

Senju was surprised. "I didn't expect Seigaku to pull this out right from the start!" 

"But hasn't Hyotei already figured out how to counter this?" 

Nearby, Saeki from Rokkaku rubbed his chin and shook his head. "With Oshitari's insight and Hyotei's intelligence, they must have already identified the weaknesses of the Australian Formation." 

Others nodded in agreement. 

The Australian Formation sounded impressive, but judging from Oishi and Kikumaru's track record, it only worked against average pairs. Any decent duo could easily counter it. 

Thwack! 

Oishi served the ball. 

Tap! Tap! 

Immediately, the two split, running to opposite sides of the court. 

"So, it is the Australian Formation," Oshitari, standing at the baseline, watched the incoming ball with a cold glint in his eyes. "Too bad its flaws are too obvious." 

Thwack! 

He aimed the ball straight at the tiny gap between the two players—a gap so small it was almost invisible. But Oshitari had spotted it instantly. Without a doubt, this shot would score! 

Tap. 

But suddenly, Kikumaru, who had been running to the left, abruptly changed direction. His sharp dynamic vision had caught the subtle change in Oshitari's movement. Realizing where the ball was headed, he dashed back. 

Tap! Tap! 

With his incredible speed, Kikumaru left behind a series of afterimages. 

"His short-distance burst is this strong?" 

Many Hyotei players' expressions changed. 

Thwack! 

With a crisp sound, Kikumaru returned the ball just before it flew past him. 

Swish! 

But on the other side, a gray figure flashed—Mukahi. Seeing Kikumaru's move, he also dashed forward with incredible speed. Thanks to his enhanced footwork, he didn't even need to use his dance-like tennis techniques to return the ball. 

Thwack! 

Kikumaru, however, nimbly turned to counter. 

Thwack! 

Mukahi retaliated with a backhand. 

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! 

In an instant, the two engaged in a rapid exchange of nearly ten shots. As the ball sped up, their movements became too fast for the spectators to follow. 

Swish! 

During the rally, Mukahi suddenly accelerated. This caught the Seigaku players off guard. No one had expected Mukahi's burst speed to reach such a level. 

Thwack! 

With a crisp sound, the ball landed at Kikumaru's backhand. 

"This is bad!" Momoshiro's face paled. "At this distance, even Kikumaru's speed won't be enough to react!" 

"Heh heh!" Mukahi, having executed the shot, couldn't help but smirk. "Kikumaru, this match is mine!" 

He was extremely satisfied with this shot. 

But the next moment, the "Kikumaru" in Mukahi's line of sight suddenly vanished. 

"Wait, was that an afterimage?!" 

Mukahi's pupils contracted in shock. 

"Kikumaru... Rocket!" 

Whoosh! 

Suddenly, a sharp sound came from his left. 

Thwack! 

The ball landed near the sideline and shot out of bounds. 

"15-0!" 

"H-how is this possible?" 

Hiyoshi, watching from outside the court, was stunned. "How did he suddenly appear there?" 

"Speed," Ishikawa calmly explained. "His speed is so fast that his instantaneous burst creates an afterimage." 

"An... afterimage?" 

Hiyoshi looked up in disbelief. He couldn't fathom how Kikumaru, without any special techniques like the "Shukuchihou," could achieve such terrifying speed. 

"Seigaku's players are quite talented too," Marui and Jackal from Rikkai raised their eyebrows slightly. 

Especially Jackal, who was known for his incredible stamina and speed on the baseline. But even he couldn't achieve the level of speed Kikumaru had just displayed. 

"The frontcourt is Seigaku's absolute advantage," Yanagi, with his eyes lightly closed, focused on Kikumaru. 

He knew that compared to Mukahi, Kikumaru had one undeniable advantage—his dynamic vision. This alone ensured that in a high-speed net exchange, Kikumaru would remain unbeatable. 

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! 

As expected, Kikumaru dominated the net exchanges, and Seigaku secured the game. 

But when it was Oshitari's turn to serve, Hyotei quickly leveled the score. 

1-1. 

In the third game, Seigaku held their serve, leading 2-1. 

By the fourth game, Kikumaru and Oishi adjusted their positions—Oishi moved to the net while Kikumaru stayed back. Using the "Oishi Zone," they managed to suppress their opponents. 

Thwack! 

"Game! Seigaku, 3-1!" 

"Woohoo!!" 

As the Oishi Zone proved effective and the Golden Pair broke their opponents' serve, the Seigaku players erupted in excitement. 

"We did it!" 

Even the usually calm Inui couldn't help but nod. "Just like we planned—avoid Oshitari and target Mukahi!" 

This was their pre-match strategy: use Kikumaru to exhaust Mukahi, turning him into Oshitari's weak point. Then, focus on Mukahi to create an opening. If they could maintain their serve advantage, Seigaku would have a solid chance at winning the Doubles 1 match. 

This strategy, similar to the one used in Doubles 2, was part of Inui's plan to secure Seigaku's victory. After all, no matter how confident they were, they couldn't expect Echizen to pull off a miracle in Singles 1. 

"Too bad we lost one doubles match," Inui sighed inwardly. Seigaku was so close to the championship—if only they had won that doubles match. Now, he could only console himself with the thought that losing 2-3 was better than losing 1-3. 

"Damn it!" 

On the court, realizing he had become the target again, Mukahi cursed under his breath. 

"Calm down, Gakuto," Oshitari walked over and patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, I'm here. And don't let them get to you—play like you usually do." 

"Right, I got it," Mukahi nodded firmly. 

He wasn't upset; he knew his role in the pair. He was Oshitari's support, handling emergencies while Oshitari took charge in critical moments. 

Swoosh! 

On the court, the ball skidded low, tracing an unpredictable path. 

"Game! 

"Hyotei, 2-3, change sides!" 

"That kind of shot is impossible to reach." 

On the Seigaku side, Horio and the others tensed up again. 

Because Renji had started to take things seriously. As one of the top singles players in the country, his skills were on a completely different level. Once he got serious, the Golden Pair had no way to counter his techniques. 

Buzz! 

After breaking serve, Renji entered his most composed state—Shadow Moon Mode. With his calm analysis and exceptional skills, he immediately overwhelmed his opponents. 

Thud! 

"Game!" 

"Hyotei, 3-3!" 

"This is bad." 

Seeing Oishi and Kikumaru completely suppressed, Inui's expression darkened. "Ishikawa has already told Renji all about Oishi and Kikumaru's weaknesses. If they don't change their strategy, they're probably..." 

His words sent a chill through the Seigaku team. 

Even though the score was tied, it was clear to everyone that Hyotei had the upper hand. 

"Data, huh?" 

On the court, Oishi and Kikumaru exchanged a glance and nodded at each other. 

They knew they were backed into a corner. As Inui said, if they didn't change their approach, they had no chance of winning. 

But if they changed, there was still a glimmer of hope! 

So, they switched tactics. 

They adopted a double net-play strategy and started targeting positions they wouldn't normally attack. 

During this time, both sides were adjusting their playstyles to adapt to their partners while also trying to understand and anticipate each other's moves. 

Buzz! 

As Seigaku changed their approach, a fiery red aura began to emanate from Renji. 

Daylight Mode! 

In this state, Renji's individual abilities were significantly enhanced. 

He launched an aggressive offense, trying to counter Seigaku's new strategy. However, as Oishi and Kikumaru's synergy improved, Renji started to struggle. 

"No choice." 

A cold glint flashed in his eyes as he unleashed his full power. A mysterious aura of black and white energy surrounded him. 

Fusion of Sun and Moon—Yin-Yang State! 

Renji's aura surged, rivaling that of a top-tier singles player. Against Seigaku, he was fully capable of taking on two players at once. 

Thud! 

"Game!" 

"Hyotei, 4-3!" 

Thud! 

"Game!" 

"Hyotei, 5-3!" 

In the blink of an eye, Hyotei had taken a crucial lead. 

By the ninth game, during Seigaku's serve, Renji showed no mercy, aiming to end the match in one fell swoop. 

Thud! 

"0-15!" 

Thud! 

"0-30!" 

Thud! 

"0-40!" 

In no time, Hyotei had reached match point. 

The Seigaku team sighed, some closing their eyes or looking away, unable to watch any longer. 

But on the court, Oishi and Kikumaru's expressions grew calmer. 

At this critical moment, the pressure of the match no longer affected them. 

In fact, facing such immense pressure only intensified their desire to win. 

"Eiji, do you remember our promise?" 

"Of course." 

Hearing Oishi's words from behind, Kikumaru smiled. "To become the number one doubles pair in the country!" 

"So..." 

Oishi, holding the tennis ball, nodded firmly. Almost simultaneously, they both declared: 

"Let's show them the infinite possibilities of doubles!" 

Buzz! 

As soon as the words left their mouths, a mysterious milky-white aura began to swirl around them, connecting the two as one.