Do you still think we're rookies now?

"15-0!"

"I didn't expect this move not only to work, but to have an extra effect!" Myoji Baha watched Akutsu and Shishido's embarrassing performance across the court, gloating with laughter.

"As I suspected, their impressive individual skills create a wide defensive range. Although they use some so-called doubles tricks to make outsiders believe they're unbeatable, when faced with unpredictable shots, they lose their coordination and crash into each other."

Hayato Matsui sneered, though he hadn't anticipated the two would start fighting. It seemed their doubles partnership was far from solid.

"Myoji, keep up with the same tactic!"

"Ok!"

"We've been played, haven't we..." Shishido's smile faded, and Akutsu, no fool himself, saw through Myoji Baha and Hayato Matsui's scheme. He immediately said, "Hey, I'll take the left side, you cover the right."

"What about the front and back?" Shishido asked quickly.

"No, I mean we each take responsibility for our respective halves of the court."

As Akutsu spoke, Shishido suddenly grinned. In his mind, the entire court split sharply into red and blue halves!

"So that's how it is—no wonder it's you!"

"What are they up to? I have a bad feeling," Myoji Baha said, uneasy as he watched Shishido's excitement.

"Whatever they're plotting, there's no way they can build the same level of coordination as us in such a short time," Matsui insisted, then served!

As the pair rushed to the net again, Akutsu and Shishido showed no sign of panic. Akutsu stretched out his arm and lobbed a high ball.

"What?!"

Myoji hadn't expected Akutsu to opt for the back court, and as he retreated and swung, he looked forward to see Shishido suddenly appear at the diagonal net, startling Matsui.

"Such... such speed!"

A sharp slap—the action was lightning fast. By the time Myoji Baha and Matsui reacted, the umpire had already called the score.

"15-15!"

"Ultra-fast volley," Shishido said, the corners of his mouth curving upward.

"A new technique?" Sadaharu Inui scribbled down 'ultra-fast volley' in his notebook, muttering to himself.

"A very quick volley," Yanagi Renji murmured.

"It's at least a beat to a beat and a half faster than ordinary volleys," Fuji opened his blue eyes. Inui, beside him, asked, "Fuji, do you often see volley play?"

"Not really. My younger brother Yuta loves to volley—his volleys are both fast and precise. But Shishido's are even quicker, not only in hitting speed but also in movement..."

Fuji shifted his gaze from Inui back to Shishido, marveling.

"Fuji's brother is still in elementary school, isn't he?" Yanagi continued.

"Yes, I had hoped he'd join Seigaku after graduating next year, but now, it seems I'll have to find him another school," Fuji smiled.

"Ultra-fast volley..." Akutsu was also stunned by Shishido's speed. He hadn't expected Shishido to have such a move; no wonder he had planned to dash from the backcourt to the net to receive.

"Impossible... the ball hadn't reached its peak and he managed to volley it back?" Myoji Baha was incredulous, and Matsui clenched his teeth, saying, "That must have been a fluke—no one can volley at that height!"

"Is that so? Then let me show you properly!" Shishido turned, his high ponytail bouncing with lively energy, raising his racket and pointing at them.

"30-15!"

"40-15!"

"Evergreen Akutsu, Shishido leads! 3-0!"

Because Akutsu and Shishido each guarded half the court, whether it was a net shot or a backcourt shot, both could use their strengths to resolve any challenge with ease.

So-called doubles was nothing more than singles added together. This concept emerged for Shishido after Akutsu's suggestion: applying singles strategies to doubles meant they no longer had to worry about who should handle net shots. Like the previous collision—Shishido could have taken the shot. The facts proved, once they managed their own halves, Akutsu and Shishido surged ahead, taking 3-0 and then 4-0!

"If rushing the net isn't working, let's keep targeting the middle, Myoji!" Matsui's face was grim as he called out.

"Heh, if you hit the middle..." Shishido and Akutsu exchanged glances, their hands on their rackets flipping inward and outward.

Boom!

This time Akutsu vanished, and after Shishido returned the shot, Matsui hurriedly called out, "Down low! Myoji!"

"Of course!" Myoji understood their usual style, but when he looked down, Akutsu was nowhere to be seen.

"What's going on?!"

Myoji Baha looked around in confusion, while someone outside the court pointed upward. "Above!"

!

Myoji Baha saw Akutsu ascending, limbs dangling, and quickly prepared a response. Matsui, failing to notice, returned Shishido's shot right into Akutsu's reach!

"Damn!" Matsui cried, but it was too late. Akutsu, face half-hidden as he looked up, darkened his expression and extended his right arm.

Thud!

The tennis ball slammed near the baseline, bouncing out. The umpire raised his hand, "15-0!"

Two games later.

"Match over! Evergreen Academy wins! 6-0!"

"Amazing, they didn't let their opponents score a single point!" Saori Shiba exclaimed.

"They did well, those two," Fuji smiled, supporting his chin.

"After all, I chose them." Mei Matsubara, hands on hips, was basking in self-satisfaction, a touch of Pinocchio to her demeanor.

"What's wrong, Tezuka? Not in the best mood?" Fuji noticed Tezuka's expression was even more serious than usual and asked with concern.

"No, it's nothing," Tezuka replied.

"Really, you got the better of us. We tried so many ways to limit you, but nothing worked," Matsui said, looking at Akutsu and Shishido standing at the net, conceding defeat.

"My earlier words were too harsh—I'm truly sorry," Myoji Baha, equally humbled, scratched his head and lowered it.

"It's nothing. I don't mind that sort of thing. But, do you still think we're just first-year rookies?" Shishido remembered Myoji's disparaging remarks, shrugged indifferently.

"Honestly... you make it seem like you really don't care," Matsui sighed, and Myoji wore the same expression.

"Well, anyway, thanks for the match, seniors," Shishido extended his hand to Myoji, and Akutsu, albeit reluctantly, shook Matsui's hand.

As the pair returned to the sidelines, Shishido was just about to boast about their shutout victory when Tezuka spoke in a low voice, "You two, run ten laps around the court."

"What?!" Akutsu and Shishido responded in perfect sync. Shishido, baffled, asked, "Seriously, captain? We won the match."

"You fought on the court. As players, you broke a rule that should never be broken. We represent the entire Evergreen Academy boys' tennis club," Tezuka declared solemnly.

"It was just normal communication..."

"Twenty laps," Tezuka interrupted as Akutsu tried to explain.

"Let's go, Akutsu..." Shishido dared not argue further, got into starting position and left the tennis court, followed by Akutsu trotting behind.