Though this was merely a Kanto Tournament final, the attention surrounding the clash between Yamabuki and Rikkaidai rivaled that of a national championship match. The hype wasn't entirely unwarranted.
Ever since Byōdōin Hōō had led his teammates to continue their studies in Kansai, Makinofuji had fallen dramatically from their position as two-time national champions. While they could still qualify for national competition, their competitive edge had completely dulled.
The Kanto region had always been home to powerhouse schools, and teams advancing from this tournament typically achieved strong results at nationals. Last year, Rikkaidai had claimed the championship with overwhelming dominance, steamrolling every opponent in their path.
This year's Yamabuki, following their roster transformation, had displayed similar crushing superiority throughout their tournament run. What had once been a moderately regarded school had evolved into a legitimate championship contender, earning recognition through Mamoru Inoue's feature articles and their string of decisive victories.
Most importantly, like Rikkaidai, this new Yamabuki possessed no exploitable weaknesses. Even Eiji and Oishi, after their humbling defeat against Hyōtei, had elevated their play to national level under Coach Banji's guidance. The team now boasted elite-tier capability in both singles and doubles competition.
A matchup between two flawless lineups had led many observers to declare this Kanto final a preview of the upcoming national championship. The tournament organizers weren't about to waste such promotional gold.
Through aggressive marketing, the "finals preview" narrative spread throughout Japan's tennis community, attracting unprecedented attention for a regional tournament. To accommodate the massive crowd, the match was relocated to Saitama Super Arena—a massive indoor facility capable of housing 37,000 spectators, reconfigured for this event to seat approximately 22,000 fans.
The venue change meant ticketed admission rather than free entry, though Yamabuki received a allocation of complimentary seats for family and friends. Gustave, unsatisfied with the quality of those locations, had purchased premium front-row tickets for the entire Bamboo Staff delegation while giving away the free passes to relatives.
Despite the prestigious venue and high-profile matchup, the tickets remained reasonably priced—this was still middle school competition, not professional sport. Though if the "finals preview" proved prophetic and these teams met again next year, pricing would likely reflect their elevated status.
Surrounded by the bustling crowd, Himeya Jun found himself momentarily disoriented. How long had it been since he'd witnessed such a scene? Yesterday he'd been fighting for his life on alien battlefields; today felt like a return to normal human society.
"Brother Jun? Brother Jun?"
Gustave's voice cut through his reverie as ticket checking began. He waved a hand in front of Jun's unfocused eyes.
"Sorry, I was just thinking about something," Jun replied apologetically.
"No problem. Let's get in line for entry."
While waiting among the cheerful crowd, watching genuine smiles and excitement on countless faces, something fundamental shifted within Himeya Jun. A warmth spread through his chest as understanding dawned.
"Sera," he whispered to the sky, "I understand now. This power was never punishment for me—it exists to ensure scenes like this can continue forever."
The revelation struck with crystalline clarity. "Nexus's power is meant to protect, not to punish!"
For years, guilt over Sera's death had twisted his perception of his abilities. But witnessing this pure human joy—people gathering to celebrate competition and friendship—finally broke the chains of his self-imposed prison.
"Congratulations on finding your way out of the darkness!"
"Thank you for recording the most beautiful moments of my life."
As enlightenment flooded through him, Jun heard familiar laughter carried on the wind. Looking skyward, he could almost see Sera's radiant smile as she waved farewell to his pain.
"Sera!" he called back with his own genuine smile.
"Brother Jun, did you just hear a girl laughing?" Gustave turned with curious concern. Something ethereal had touched the edge of his perception.
"With so many people here today, probably just someone enjoying themselves," Jun replied, his expression transformed by inner peace.
"You're right—plenty of kids around for this tournament," Gustave agreed, though his intuition suggested something more significant. The timing, combined with Jun's obvious emotional breakthrough, hinted at spiritual closure he chose not to probe further.
"Hey, Eiji! You better not lose like last time!"
The familiar voice belonged to Conan, who had arrived with Ai despite not being part of the original invitation. When Tezuka had extended the invitation to the Bamboo Staff crew, the young detectives had been absent, but Eiji's insistence on including his "little guy" had prompted Gustave to make a special trip to their world.
"Just watch me demolish the opposition this time!" Eiji called back from his warm-up routine, his competitive fire blazing.
Despite Yamabuki's overall victory in the Metropolitan finals, Eiji and Oishi remained the only pair to lose their match. Whenever Eiji used his annoying nickname, Conan inevitably brought up that defeat for retaliation. Today, Eiji was determined to prove his worth and silence his diminutive critic once and for all.
Across the court, the Rikkaidai players had overheard Eiji's bold declaration, sparking immediate commentary in their rest area.
"That Yamabuki guy just said he's going to crush us."
"Which one? Pretty arrogant."
"The one with the weird haircut—Eiji Kikumaru, I think."
"Eiji Kikumaru? Singles or doubles?"
"Doubles with some guy named Oishi Shuichiro. They call themselves the 'Golden Pair.'"
"Golden Pair? How pretentious!"
"Will the haircut guy play doubles one or doubles two?"
"Hard to say. Previously it was doubles two, but Coach Banji is famous for tactical surprises. He might switch things up."
"Doesn't matter where he plays—Rikkaidai will win regardless."
"Quiet!"
Genichirō Sanada's sharp command instantly silenced the chatter, his stern authority brooking no defiance. The rest area fell into respectful silence.
The quiet lasted exactly thirty seconds before Niō Masaharu appeared, draping a casual arm around Sanada's shoulders with characteristic irreverence.
"Sanada, smile a little! The match is about to start—don't make the atmosphere so tense!"
"You..." Sanada's eye twitched with familiar irritation.
Despite holding nearly absolute authority within Rikkaidai's tennis club, two individuals consistently challenged Sanada's control. The first was third-year Mori Jusaburo—perpetually lazy and prone to napping during practices, immune to Sanada's lectures through sheer senior status and stubborn indifference.
The second was Masaharu Niō, currently violating his personal space. The self-proclaimed "Trickster" possessed supernatural mimicry abilities, regularly impersonating Sanada to deceive the gullible Kirihara Akaya. Even Sanada himself had fallen victim to Niō's deceptions on multiple occasions.
Both players represented major headaches in Sanada's otherwise disciplined domain.
"The match is starting soon—be serious!" Sanada growled with barely contained frustration.
"Okay, okay, I get it, Sanada," Niō replied with exaggerated compliance, finally releasing his grip and sauntering away with obvious amusement.
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