Game 9 – QP's Serve
The ball, previously bouncing rhythmically against the court, was suddenly caught mid-air by QP. He lifted his gaze toward his opponent.
"Your psychological tempo… You're an exceptional strategist. It's been a while since I faced someone like you."
His icy tone made Inui tighten his grip on his racket.
He hadn't expected QP to notice.
Normally, once a rhythm shift was detected, the tactic became useless.
But for Inui—
With his "Battle Master" talent, the longer he controlled the tempo, the harder it became for his opponent to break free.
When Inui didn't respond, QP continued calmly, "I used to be like you—studying strategies to overcome opponents I couldn't beat with raw strength. But then I realized something..."
A pause. His frigid eyes locked onto Inui, sending a chill down the latter's spine.
"Strategy is meaningless against an overwhelming power gap."
BOOM—!
A dark aura erupted around QP, the temperature on the court plummeting.
"This feeling—!"
Inui's expression shifted.
THWACK! THUD!
Two sharp sounds echoed across the court.
QP had already completed his serve and was walking to the opposite service box.
On the other side, Inui stood frozen, racket trembling in his hand.
He turned slowly—only to see the ball rolling against the back fence.
"Only two sounds…?"
Inui exhaled sharply, his gaze hardening. "The impact and the first bounce merged into one."
"QP scores! 15-0!"
The umpire announced the point—though even he hadn't seen the ball. The fresh black mark on Inui's court was proof enough. No need for Hawk-Eye.
"WHAAAA—?!"
The crowd erupted.
"When did he even serve?!"
"I only noticed the ball after the call!"
"That speed is insane!"
QP paused, turning to the umpire. "Control the crowd. I can't play in this noise."
A brief announcement later, silence fell.
QP served again—same result.
This time, the two sounds were even closer together. Faster.
Inui tried predicting the trajectory using psychological cues, but his swing met only air.
"QP scores! 30-0!"
---
Four serves. Four points.
Inui couldn't return a single one.
No tricks, no special techniques—just pure, unanswerable fundamentals.
The black marks on the court weren't just from speed. The power behind each shot was monstrous. Even if he could react, returning it was another matter.
Data didn't lie: QP's strength far surpassed his physique.
"Incredible…"
Shiraishi exhaled sharply from the sidelines.
Even with his superhuman reflexes, he could barely track the ball's afterimage—let alone return it.
Seeing a blur didn't mean his body could move fast enough.
Only by pushing his senses to the limit could he even attempt to counter QP's speed.
---
Seigaku's Bench
Yoru smirked. "Wrap it up. Kaidō, Imashi—go warm up."
By stats and performance, Inui stood no chance against QP in this state.
Truthfully, QP could've ended the match earlier. He'd prolonged it to refine his "Perfect Tennis" through rhythm manipulation.
Otherwise, Inui wouldn't have scored at all.
With Yamato's buffs, QP had crossed from 9 to 10 stars—nearly a two-rank gap.
How could Inui win?
"Yes, Captain!"
The two nodded, stripping off their jackets to warm up.
QP noticed and spoke flatly, "My captain is signaling me. This was a good match. Thank you."
THWACK! THWACK! THWACK! THWACK!
Four returns. Four instant points.
Inui couldn't react.
QP's counters weren't as fast as his serves—but they were deadlier, leaving even less time to respond.
Final score: 6-4. QP wins.
---
"I lost…?"
Inui slumped, drenched in sweat, gasping for air—genuinely exhausted for the first time.
The Miyako team fell silent.
This was their first time seeing Inui lose—and his first time looking this defeated.
Normally, his "struggles" were just acting.
Today? Total domination. His unbeaten streak—shattered.
"Handshake."
QP extended his hand at the net.
Inui forced himself up, gripping his racket for support. "You're even stronger than I thought. Well fought."
A nod. QP walked off.
---
Seigaku's Side
QP removed his jacket, revealing a sweat-soaked shirt.
Yoru chuckled. "Not as easy as it looked, huh?"
"He was strong."
QP didn't downplay it.
Though the ending was one-sided, Inui had pressured him more than anyone since Oni Juujirou and Ralph.
---
"WE DID IT!!"
"3-0! WE'RE IN THE FINALS!"
"HISTORY MADE!"
The crowd—especially the Seigaku supporters—erupted in cheers.
For the first time in school history, they'd reached the national finals. Every step from here would be legendary.
Ryūzaki Sumire grinned. "Don't celebrate yet. Two matches left!"
(Though internally, she was thrilled. If they won it all before her retirement, she'd have no regrets.)
---
Doubles 1 began.
Just like Doubles 2, the match was prearranged—Seigaku deliberately conceded games.
Final score: 6-2.
"WE DIDN'T GET SHUT OUT!"
"MIRACLE!"
The Miyako pair celebrated their "victory" so enthusiastically that Kaidō and Imashi wondered if they were the ones who'd lost.
Total match score: 4-0.
Inui sighed, watching the tally.
He'd told himself winning didn't matter—but this level of defeat stung.
Then a murmur spread through the crowd:
"Yoru Echizen is entering the court!"
---
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