Ryo Shishido’s Two Consecutive Defeats

“Sigh, this is just too difficult... going up against Matsubara...” Ryo Shishido lamented his less-than-ideal luck. Still, even if he lost to Matsubara, he would need to lose one more match before being removed from the regular lineup. Bad luck couldn’t possibly cling to him forever!

“What am I thinking? Even if Matsubara is strong, I don’t consider myself some fish on the chopping block, waiting to be carved up. Besides... what sense is there in boosting my opponent’s morale before the match even begins?” Shishido brushed his ponytail and gave a wry smile.

“I can’t afford to lose either. If I lose one more match, I’ll definitely drop out of the regulars...” Kuma Kiri Shibayama silently encouraged himself.

The school’s internal elimination tournament spanned two days. On the first day, three regulars were decided: Jin Akutsu, Sadaharu Inui, and Syusuke Fuji. With three spots claimed, today’s morning and afternoon matches would determine the remaining five regulars.

The match between Mei Matsubara and Ryo Shishido began early in the morning. At first, Matsubara didn’t use any tricks; faced with Shishido’s relentless speed and barrage of lightning-fast half-volleys, Matsubara was quickly down 2-0!

But from Matsubara’s next service game, the tide began to turn. With spinless serves and powerful shots, Matsubara smoothly took a game back.

That victory was just the beginning—Matsubara seized the momentum and finally overwhelmed Shishido with a resounding 6-2 win!

“As expected of Matsubara... I knew those first two games came too easily,” Shishido muttered, sweat streaming down his face as he panted lightly.

“Letting the first two games go, then taking six straight... That kind of pressure, both physical and mental, is a heavy blow for Shishido,” Saori Shiba said in a daze.

“After his match with Sengoku, he’s learned to suppress first and then surprise, using psychological tactics to catch his opponents off guard. What a frightening young player,” Mamoru Inoue remarked with satisfaction.

“With this, Matsubara is now three wins and zero losses—the fourth regular is decided!” Saori exclaimed excitedly.

“That was an impressive match, Matsubara. Still, with my single victory, I’ve also advanced despite this loss,” Shishido said as he shook hands with Matsubara at the net, seemingly unfazed by his defeat.

“Oh? You seem happier losing than winning,” Matsubara teased with a smile.

“Well, Akutsu dominated Katagiri, so my one win was assured. Facing you wasn’t just about victory or defeat—it gave me a chance to play an exhilarating match,” Shishido replied, his cheeks flushed but utterly satisfied.

“Keep it up. I’d hate for you to be one of the regulars who gets eliminated!” Matsubara laughed.

“Don’t worry about me,” Shishido replied confidently.

Next up was the match between Shinya Yanagisawa and Kuma Kiri Shibayama—an anticipated bout. Not for the spectacle of their play, but because Shibayama’s unpredictable power shots quickly knocked Yanagisawa down 3-0. During this time, Yanagisawa’s relentless banter and taunts also seriously disrupted Shibayama’s concentration, and soon the score had closed to 5-4.

“Yanagisawa may look carefree, but beneath that clownish mask is a sharp mind and athletic prowess. His verbal jabs are just a way to throw his opponent off. It’s not fear or panic from being behind,” Yoshirou Akazawa, watching from the stands, understood his teammate well. Shibayama’s defeat was inevitable.

“Yanagisawa wins, 6-4!”

With that, the morning matches ended. Matsubara, Akazawa, and Yanagisawa joined the ranks of the regulars. Along with Fuji, Akutsu, and Inui, only two spots remained. In the afternoon, Shishido would face Renji Yanagi, while Kunimitsu Tezuka would play a nondescript transfer student from Midoriyama.

In the afternoon, Tezuka’s match with Kamiki Ikeda, the former Midoriyama tennis club player, began first. No matter what shots Ikeda sent his way, Tezuka calmly returned each one. In just thirteen and a half minutes, Tezuka swept the match 6-0 without dropping a single point.

“Hurry, hurry! Shishido’s match with Yanagi is about to begin!”

“The last eliminated regular will be decided between those two!”

“I think Shishido won’t lose. If he hadn’t run into that unreasonable Matsubara, he’d already be one of the regulars.”

“Don’t be so sure. Don’t forget, Yanagi, like Inui, plays data tennis. Plus, he was one of Rikkaidai’s former three giants. I don’t see Shishido standing a chance.”

Many Evergreen students, after witnessing Tezuka’s match, hurried to Court B to watch Shishido and Yanagi face off.

“I won’t go easy on you just because I’m undefeated, Shishido,” Yanagi said calmly from across the court.

“Be glad you didn’t face us in the group stage yesterday, Yanagi. I won’t hold back just because you’re a teammate!” Shishido declared, brimming with fighting spirit.

As the match began, Shishido threw himself into the contest, his relentless spirit and lightning-fast half-volleys breaking Yanagi’s serve and winning the first game!

“Impressive, Shishido. He took a game in just two minutes,” Fuji commented with a slight smile.

“Shishido excels at fast-paced attacks, and he gives his all no matter what comes his way. In a sense, he’s practically an all-round attacker,” Matsubara noted, having just played him. If not for his own special skills, he might have needed a tiebreak to edge out Shishido—few could withstand such relentless aggression.

But after Shishido took the second game, Yanagi seemed to transform. No matter how Shishido chased every ball, he couldn’t return a single one of Yanagi’s shots. Soon, Yanagi claimed five games in a row, and Shishido’s confidence began to crumble.

“Yanagi’s data tennis is even more formidable than mine. Shishido’s chances of winning have dropped from 42% to 4.5%,” Inui said calmly, adjusting his reflective glasses.

“Incredible. I never imagined the Evergreen regulars would have such fierce internal battles...” Saori marveled as Yanagi swiftly reversed the match.

“Game, set, and match—Yanagi wins, 6-2!”

Shishido stood motionless, as if the life had drained out of him. The surrounding noise faded into nothing—he... he had actually lost.

Dragging himself to the net, Shishido looked utterly dejected, while Yanagi remained as composed as ever, extending his hand.

After a moment, Shishido slowly raised his head, shook Yanagi’s hand, and turned away from the court without a word.

“Shishido...” Shibayama, who had also been eliminated, called from the sidelines, but Shishido didn’t look back. Fuji and the others saw his reaction, and their expressions grew heavy.