The tiebreaker.
It's an extra thirteenth game that takes place when the match reaches a 6-6 tie.
Since it's only one game, to ensure fairness, the rules state that the player who serves first at the start of the match will serve the first point. The opponent will then serve the next two points.
After that.
Both players alternate serving two points each.
This continues until one player reaches 7 points and maintains a lead of at least 2 points, securing the win for that game.
Otherwise.
The match will continue indefinitely.
"The tiebreaker begins."
After a moment, the referee announced loudly, "Keigo Atobe of Hyotei will serve first."
*Tap!*
*Tap!*
*Tap!*
At the baseline.
Keigo, holding a tennis ball, began tapping it lightly.
*Drip!*
*Drip!*
Sweat dripped from his forehead. He looked utterly exhausted.
Outside the court, Mukahi couldn't believe it. "Is Keigo's stamina already at its limit?"
Even he.
After undergoing rigorous training with Ishikawa, had seen a dramatic improvement in his physical condition.
At the very least, he could still hold his own in a tiebreaker without running out of steam.
Yet.
Keigo, who used to have better stamina than him, was now struggling so much.
"Could it be because he sleeps too much?" Ootori frowned. "I read in a book that if you sleep too much, your body gets used to it. Your mind becomes lazier, and you feel sleepier than others."
"That must be it," Shishido shook his head. "Well, Keigo's finally reaping the consequences of his laziness."
However.
The Hyotei team wasn't too worried.
Instead, they were discussing how Keigo would be scolded by Coach Sakaki. As for whether Hyotei would advance, with their three pillars of strength, there was no doubt they would succeed.
*Thud!*
Keigo served the ball.
Then, he rushed to the net again.
"Still has the energy to come to the net, huh?" Kai sneered internally. But instead of going all out, he played conservatively, saving his own stamina while draining Keigo's.
As for Keigo.
He seemed to be enjoying himself.
Completely unaware that his stamina was nearly depleted.
*Thud!*
*Thud!*
The two continued their duel.
With each holding their serve.
The score remained tight.
But when the score reached 3-4, with Higa Chuu in the lead, Kai finally made his move.
*Bang!*
He struck suddenly.
Using a sharp topspin return, he pinned Keigo to the baseline.
"Oh no."
Seeing this, some Hyotei members frowned. "He's trying to trap Keigo at the baseline."
At this point.
The downside of Keigo's exhaustion became evident. He couldn't rush to the net as quickly, and Kai exploited this by hitting deep returns to keep him pinned.
"This guy…"
Hiyoshi looked at Kai with a serious expression. "He's known how to counter Keigo's magic volley all along. He's been holding back until now… What a terrifying opponent!"
Kai's strategy was well-executed, and his patience paid off. Now, he was finally revealing his fangs.
This sudden attack caught Keigo off guard.
Already drowsy, his reactions slowed. After a dozen exchanges, Kai scored, widening the gap.
*Thud!*
"5-3, Higa Chuu leads!"
*Thud!*
"6-3, Higa Chuu's Kai leads!"
Kai won two consecutive points off Keigo's serve. Now, just one more point, and he would win this singles match.
"Keigo-senpai!"
Ootori shouted, "Snap out of it! You can't lose now!"
Among all the Hyotei regulars, no one understood Keigo's hard work better than Ootori. Especially during the later stages, when Keigo pushed himself to the limit every day just to secure a spot in the starting lineup.
Losing here felt unbearably unfair to Ootori.
"Hyotei!"
"Hyotei!"
"Hyotei!"
The Hyotei supporters chanted in unison, cheering loudly for Keigo.
The overwhelming support startled Higa Chuu.
"Damn it!"
Kai, holding the tennis ball, frowned. "Could there still be a twist at this point?"
*Thud!*
But then, something unexpected happened. Just as everyone was cheering for Keigo, he suddenly collapsed onto the court.
"Keigo-senpai (Keigo)?!"
The Hyotei team panicked, ready to rush onto the court.
"Stay calm."
Coach Sakaki said firmly, "The match isn't over yet. As Hyotei players, you need to stay composed."
"But Coach, Keigo-senpai…"
Ootori tried to explain, worried that Keigo might be hurt.
*Breath…*
*Breath…*
But then.
Keigo, lying on the court, began breathing rhythmically, as if he had fallen asleep.
Huh?
Instantly.
Everyone on and off the court—Hyotei, Higa Chuu, and even the spectators—was stunned.
"He… fell asleep?"
Kai's嘴角 twitched, a few veins popping on his forehead.
"Referee!"
He immediately frowned and said, "This should count as my win, right?"
"Well…"
The referee hesitated. Keigo's condition wasn't a complete inability to continue. If forced to wake up, he could still finish the match.
"Hey, hey!"
Seeing the referee's hesitation, Kai snapped, "I can't wait for him to wake up before I serve, can I?"
He was anxious.
Afraid that if Keigo really slept for a few minutes and regained his stamina, all his efforts would be wasted.
"It's fine."
At that moment, Ishikawa from Hyotei smiled and said, "Higa Chuu's senpai, you can serve whenever you're ready."
"Wait, Ishikawa, you…"
The other regulars tried to intervene.
"Enough."
Coach Sakaki cut in, "Let him serve. It's better to end this match quickly."
"Uh, okay."
With the coach's approval, the referee nodded. "Higa Chuu's Kai, you may serve."
"Hmph."
Kai snorted, still annoyed.
Glancing at Keigo, who was now snoring lightly, he sneered, "Even if you have some hidden trick up your sleeve, it's useless now."
*Whoosh!*
He tossed the ball into the air.
Then, with confidence, he swung his racket and hit the ball. "This match is over. Higa Chuu's comeback starts with me!"
*Thud!*
The ball flew.
Kai, smiling, put his racket away.
In his mind, the match was already over. There was no need to watch any further.
*Bang!*
But the next moment.
As he lowered his racket, a faint yellow light suddenly flashed at his feet.
"Uh… 4-6, Higa Chuu leads."
The referee hesitated before announcing the score.
"What just happened?!"
Everyone turned to the other side of the court, where Keigo was now standing, racket in hand.
"Damn it!"
Kai's face darkened. "This guy tricked me!!!"
He thought Keigo had pretended to sleep, luring him into lowering his guard before striking.
"Hmph!"
Kai sneered, "You can only pull that trick once."
*Thud!*
Filled with anger, he served again.
*Bang!*
Keigo, eyes still closed, quickly returned the ball.
Then.
He dashed toward the net.
"He's coming to the net?!"
The Higa Chuu team was shocked.
Kai, with a grim expression, moved to intercept, trying to pin Keigo back with deep returns.
*Bang!*
But when his racket met the ball, Kai's expression changed.
"So heavy!"
He couldn't believe how much heavier Keigo's shots had become.
Gritting his teeth, he returned the ball.
*Step! Step!*
Meanwhile.
Taking advantage of Kai's struggle, Keigo broke free from the baseline. Crossing the midcourt, he swung his racket.
*Snap!*
A beautiful volley flew over the net.
"It's the magic volley!"
The Hyotei team cheered.
"Wait."
But Shishido frowned. "This shot wasn't placed well. It's going straight at Kai."
*Swish!*
Sure enough.
Kai used his "Shukuchi" technique to close in on the ball. He raised his racket, ready to strike.
*Whoosh…*
But then.
To everyone's shock.
The ball Keigo had hit vanished from sight.
*Tap… Tap… Tap…*
A moment later.
The ball reappeared on the other side of the court, diagonally opposite Kai, rolling to a stop.
"5-6, Higa Chuu leads!"
"H-how…?"
Kai was stunned.
He couldn't understand how Keigo's volley had suddenly appeared on the other side.
It was unbelievable!
*Thud!*
Keigo served again, then rushed to the net.
Facing Kai's return, he flicked his wrist and struck the ball.
*Snap!*
As Keigo hit the ball, it trembled upon contact with the racket. Then, it split into two illusions, flying in opposite directions.
"Oh?"
Coach Sakaki, sitting on the bench, widened his eyes in surprise. "Is this… the Phantom Magic Volley?"
The rest of the Hyotei team was equally shocked.
No one had expected Keigo to pull off such a move, creating two illusions with a single shot.
"Is it because of his natural wrist flexibility?"
Oshitari mused. "By using the friction between the racket and the ball, combined with Keigo's innate talent, he's created this unique variation?"
"Ugh!"
On the court.
Kai was forced to make a split-second decision.
Which ball was real?
Left or right?
Seeing the ball heading diagonally, he gritted his teeth and turned, changing his angle to intercept.
This way.
He could still reach the ball in one step, though it wouldn't look as impressive as his usual "Shukuchi."
"Got it!"
Using his Okinawan martial arts techniques, Kai caught up to the ball just before it landed.
*Whoosh…*
But before he could swing.
The ball vanished again.
"6-6, deuce!"
"Woohoo!!!"
The Hyotei team erupted in cheers as the score tied.
Meanwhile, Kai, who had been in a commanding position, was now struggling to keep up.
*Drip!*
*Drip!*
The pressure was getting to him. Sweat poured down his forehead as he gripped his racket tightly, only to find his palms were also drenched.
Keigo, still with his eyes closed, had shed his usual goofy demeanor. Now, he exuded an icy, intimidating aura.
"What… what is this?"
Outside the court, Shishido couldn't believe it. "How can someone play like this while asleep?"
"It's possible."
Ishikawa explained, "For example, the 'Muga no Kyouchi' state allows players to rely on instinct when they lose consciousness. But Keigo's state is unique."
Unlike "Muga no Kyouchi," Keigo wasn't just playing on instinct. His entire personality seemed to have shifted. The usually cheerful, easygoing guy was now serious and intense. Even with his eyes closed, he radiated a sharp, overwhelming presence.
"Keigo-senpai… what's going on?"
Hiyoshi and Ootori were both confused and curious.
"It's his subconscious reacting."
Atobe chimed in. "Lately, he's been training with Ishikawa until he's completely exhausted. His body has memorized the feeling of battling a strong opponent. Now, he's channeling that same intensity."
"So…"
Oshitari pondered, "In this state, Keigo sees Kai as Ishikawa?"
"Exactly."
Ishikawa smiled. "You could say that all the improvements Keigo made during training are now ingrained in his body. His mind and consciousness just can't keep up."
In other words.
This was the true Keigo, honed through relentless training.
Cold.
Sharp.
Exuding an overwhelming aura!
"Ugh…"
On the other side.
Feeling the pressure, Kai's expression shifted. He flipped his racket, holding it like a pirate's cutlass.
"This is…"
Seeing Kai's unusual grip, the Hyotei team grew tense.
*Thud!*
Keigo served.
Kai charged forward, returning the ball and rushing to the net.
Coming from a small school like Higa Chuu, Kai knew better than anyone that in moments like these, hesitation was fatal.
Victory favored the bold!
As the vice-captain, carrying Higa Chuu's hopes, he unleashed his full power.
*Thud!*
But his defenses were shattered by Keigo's relentless returns. Watching the ball streak past him, Kai's eyes widened.
"7-6, Hyotei leads!"
The score had flipped.
Hyotei's victory was within reach.
Desperate, Kai served and rushed to the net. Facing Keigo's fierce return, he unleashed his ultimate move—[Pirate's Horn]!
*Whoosh!*
The ball curved sharply, heading in the opposite direction.
*Step! Step!*
But Keigo, in his sleep state, moved with incredible speed, leaving afterimages in his wake.
His speed, power, and reflexes were all heightened beyond his normal capabilities.
*Thud!*
Finally.
Kai's ultimate move was intercepted. Keigo's magic volley split into three illusions.
"Uh…"
Kai, who had prepared to give it his all, froze.
*Tap… Tap… Tap…*
The middle illusion landed, rolling gently to a stop at Kai's feet.
"Game over."
The referee announced, "Hyotei Gakuen's Keigo Atobe wins, 7-6!"
"Woohoo!!!"
With three straight wins, Hyotei secured their spot in the national top eight.
(End of Chapter)
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