NOVEL WEB Chapter 63 Teenagers from the West Coast of the United States
Although the list of participants is now out, the specific order of the battles will not be made public until before the game.
……
On the day of the Open, the weather was clear and the sun was shining brightly.
The huge stadium was also buzzing with people. Before the game started, Baker Richard of the US team invited some girl idols to perform. At the entrance of the venue, there are many gifts for girl idols and posters of the Griffith Brothers, the American team. In this regard, some teenagers who were not selected for the Kanto representative team who came to watch the game felt that something was wrong, but they still went to their favorite girl idols to get autographs.
Inoue, a reporter from Professional Tennis Monthly who was sitting nearby, also felt that even though it was an international goodwill competition, it was only a competition between junior high school students. It would be a bit exaggerated to make it like this.
When the teenagers sitting around reporter Inoue saw him, they curiously asked him about the lineup. Unfortunately, perhaps in order to cooperate with the hype of the American team, both parties concealed this information and released words to express these You'll only know when you play.
……
After a while, the teams from both sides entered the field in an orderly manner. When the members of the U.S. team appeared on the stage, the cheers from the audience couldn't help but make people think that they were in the wrong place. This was not the location of a tennis match but a fan meeting held by a certain star!
However, most of the spectators cheering for the members of the American team are indeed their fans, even if they are just some fans.
……
The first game is a doubles match
The Kanto representative team is represented by Genichiro Sanada, who is wearing a red and white short-sleeved shirt, and Keigo Atobe, who is wearing a red long-sleeved jacket.
When the two walked out of the tunnel, the field was filled with enthusiastic cheers as Atobe raised his hand.
At this time, Mike Leigh and Billy Cassidy of the US West Coast team also slowly walked out of the channel.
"I didn't expect that I would play doubles with you~ It looks like it would be fun, right? Sanada~" Atobe walked up to Sanada and stood shoulder to shoulder.
"Whether it's singles or doubles, and no matter who my partner is, I will still give my best." Sanada frowned as he looked at the calm Atobe on his face.
"Of course!" Atobe turned his head and looked at Sanada, "If you relax just because your partner is me, that's not okay~"
"What kind of fighting formation should be used?" Sanada had learned about doubles under the suppression of Amamiya Arashi and Liu, and he also played doubles during the school practice match. Although the results were hard to describe, he later had a special Trained.
"I think we won't be able to use this method, right? Uh-huh~"
"That's right. After all, we are just temporary partners. Some things should be adjusted during the game."
……
While Atobe was talking to Sanada, Mike and Billy from the American West Coast team on the other side were also receiving lectures from their boss.
"Of course the more exaggerated the performance, the better" Baker Richard said excitedly, "This is also to please all the sponsors."
"Of course~" Billy agreed with Baker's words, "The game would be boring if it ended too soon."
Mike asked cautiously: "What kind of player is the opponent?"
"Hmph," Baker said disdainfully, "The opponent is a player from Country R. You just need to remember this!"
……
After a while, the game started, with Atobe, the Kanto representative team, starting.
Looking at Mike and Billy opposite, Atobe said, "I don't know who you are as representatives of the West Sea of the United States, but so what?"
Then there was a "bang——"
"15-0"
Atobe directly served to score, but the two players from the U.S. West Coast team did not receive Atobe's serve.
Next, Atobe still served, but they successfully hit back the ball. Unfortunately, the ball they hit back was hit back by Sanada.
"30-0"
……
The tennis players in the audience started talking a lot when they saw this scene. They thought that the members of the US team might be planning to wait and watch a few games in anticipation of the follow-up.
Atobe, who was participating in the game on the field, also guessed this. He lowered his head and chuckled, "Since the opponent has this idea, then I can't live up to their good intentions. I should score more points in one go."
As Atobe finished speaking, the back-and-forth fight between the two sides became more intense.
Sanada then scored another ball, and when Aobe was about to score another ball, Sanada suddenly blocked in front of Atobe and snatched the ball from Atobe, but he also won this ball. The score between the two sides came to 1-0.
Seeing this scene, Atobe took a deep breath and walked to Sanada, "Sanada, don't come in my way!"
"Hmph" Sanada, who thought he was right, said coldly: "You are the one!"
In the second game, the American team served. Starting from the serve, Billy and Mike slowly began to show their true level. But unfortunately, this game was still won by Sanada and Atobe, and the score came to 2-0.
The sponsors who saw this scene on the field felt dissatisfied with the American team.
"Although the score is ahead, the two sides are evenly matched in terms of content." Among the Kanto representative team, Fuji Shusuke, who has not yet played, looked at the game on the court worriedly.
Ninzu Yushi on the side also looked at Atobe worriedly.
At the same time, Sanada seized the opportunity and scored another goal with an 'invisible swing', bringing the score to 3-0.
"So that's all the people on the U.S. team are capable of, right Sanada?" Atobe looked at Sanada, but saw that the other person was just wiping his sweat with a towel silently, and then he let out a 'cut~' sound.
Although Billy and Mike wanted to start fighting back now, they decided to wait and see one more game at the request of Baker Richard.
……
Under the deliberate temptation of the two, Atobe lived up to their expectations and used his usual move "Waltz to Destruction" to successfully knock off Billy's racket and score another point. At this point, the representative of Kanto The team has scored four points.
At this time, Baker Richard, who was sitting in the coaching bench, shouted to the two of them: "Now, you can start performing."
After getting permission, Mike seized the opportunity and successfully scored a goal. Then he said to Billy: "I have roughly grasped their strength. Then cheer up and work hard, Billy!"
"Okay, okay" Billy said helplessly, "Why are you still so serious?"
……
“It seems they are really serious about it.”
"Hmph~ Wouldn't it be fun if it wasn't like this~"
Sanada and Atobe, who saw the change in the two's status from the opposite side, also had a brief discussion.
……
The situation on the court began to reverse. Atobe noticed that the guy named Billy on the opposite side made a strange posture: the hand holding the racket was raised vertically, as if he was about to throw something out.
Seeing Billy's evil smile, the corners of Atobe's mouth curled up slightly. He quickly ran forward and jumped high, planning to use the 'Waltz of Destruction'
However, what was different from the previous result was that Billy rushed up as soon as the ball passed the net and volleyed it back in a weird posture.
The yellow ball landed on Atobe's half at an incredible speed. The tennis ball that fell on the court emitted white smoke and made a shallow crater.
"Tsk, I really hate this kind of carelessness." Sanada stood up and glanced at Nioh in the Kanto representative team area.
Nioh, who felt inexplicably being stared at:...
I obviously didn't do anything! What happened to Sanada? ! Next time, I’ll do some more phantoms~ Phew.
……
Billy looked at the surprised eyes around him and very proudly said the name of the move that resulted in the smash - 'shotgun volley'.
The audience watched the slow motion replayed on the big screen and felt that the move was just as its name suggests.
……
Billy, who decided to go all out, showed his true strength in the next game. He successively used another move "cattle rope serve" to win one ball from Sanada and Atobe respectively. Later, when facing the ball from Sanada and Atobe, Billy used a 'shotgun interception' to fight back.
Slowly, they pulled back two points.
When he saw the score became four to two, Kikumaru Eiji, who was sitting in the spectator seats, sighed helplessly and told the rest of Seigaku that he thought Atobe and Sanada might not be able to win.
Hearing this, Echizen looked at Kikumaru suspiciously. After all, Atobe and Sanada were among the best in the country.
Kikumaru told Echizen that he didn't see the slightest tacit understanding and cooperation between Sanada and Atobe. If they couldn't unite as one, they would definitely not be able to win the doubles.
Inoue on the side also had the same view. He believed that if it was an ordinary opponent, Atobe and Sanada might be able to turn things around based on their personal strength, but Mike and Billy on the American team were not easy guys to deal with.
……
"There is no dignity in your play" When the venue was changed, the taciturn Mike suddenly said something to Atobe.
When Aobe turned to look at him, he turned his back to Aobe and left quickly.
Seeing Atobe with a strange expression on his face, Sanada came over and asked him what happened.
Atobe told Sanada expressionlessly: "That guy said that my skills are too cheap."
Sanada sighed and advised Atobe to be calmer in a stiff tone. Atobe might have been angry with Mike, and before he calmed down, he stabbed Sanada directly, "Who wants to listen to you!"
The two of them broke up unhappily and walked to where they were supposed to stand.
When it was Atobe's turn to serve, he directly used the new trick 'Tannhäuser Serve', and Billy and Mike on the opposite side did not receive the ball as he wished. Although Atobe spent a lot of energy, he successfully won the game and dragged the score to 5-4.
When he saw that he was still one game away from winning and that Atobe looked like he had exhausted a lot of energy, Sanada walked aside silently and took off the weights on his body.
The muffled sound of the landing spread throughout the stadium through the loudspeaker.
"No way! Sanada is still carrying a load! How many times bigger than your Tachikai?" Yushi Ninzu looked at Amamiya Arashi in surprise.
"Listening to the sound, it's probably twice as much." Amamiya Lan can roughly guess the weight based on the sound. Rachikai's main selection wears weights in almost every game, but the multiples are different for each person.
In the perception of other people in the Rikkai Tennis Club, Yukimura, who is in good physical condition, such as Amamiya Arashi and Sanada, and before he got sick, is generally about twice as much, Yanagi is 1.5 times, and the other main picks are generally one. times. In fact, Amangong Lan's body can complete a formal game with three times the weight.
……
The sound of Sanada taking off his weights also reached the United States. Baker Richard, who was sitting on the coaching bench, suddenly felt a little foreboding. Although he likes to play counterattack scripts, he doesn't like others to play! He really didn't expect that the other side was actually playing!
Wearing weights to play games, who are you looking down on! Baker Richard cursed in his mind.
Billy and Mike's expressions instantly turned ugly.
After taking off the weights, Sanada looked at the opponent with an unkind expression. Since the opponent planned to play counterattack, he also planned to play with the opponent.
……
"boom--"
"15-0"
With the removal of the weight, Sanada's strength was also released, and his 'Invasion Like Fire' became even more powerful.
Seeing the powerful Sanada, Billy and Mike on the opposite side gritted their teeth and planned to go up and catch him head-on. But it's a pity that the next "quick as the wind" ball was too fast, and they didn't see the ball at all.
……
In the end, Sanada and Atobe successfully won the first game, and the doubles match ended with a score of 6 to 4.
Mike and Billy who lost the game were not scolded by Baker Richard. He just sighed and said: "Forget it if we lose, but I think the games in the future will be more interesting."
On the way back to the lounge, Mike, who was saying that he was not strong enough, saw Billy's goddess, Stephanie, leaning against the door of the lounge.
Billy was stunned when he saw Stephanie. He heard the girl look at him tenderly and said that the game moved her and asked him if he would be willing to be her instructor in learning tennis.
Billy was knocked unconscious by the 'big cake' falling from the sky. It took him a while to recover, and he excitedly picked up Stephanie and spun her around a few times.
……
When Billy was overjoyed, the doubles lineup was being announced in the stadium.
The U.S. West Coast team represented in this game was Tom Griffey and Terry Griffey.
As for the Kanto youth team, Yukimura Seiichi, who is known as the "Son of God" from Rikkai University, and "Magician" Amamiya Arashi will appear.
……
In the lounge
"Let's go, it's our turn." Tom whispered.
Another long-haired young man who looked somewhat similar to him stood up.
Everything they have is given by Baker, and they will make every effort to seize this opportunity while enjoying tennis to the fullest under the restrictions given by Baker. This is the way for the two brothers to survive.
……
the other side
"Do you want to save some face for them or give them a clean sheet?" Amamiya Lan smiled and put his arm on Yukimura's shoulder.
"There's no need to show mercy to these guys who like acting~"
"Okay~"
Amamiya Arashi and Yukimura talked while walking.
As they walked onto the field, the Griffith brothers came out too.
……
"Ahhhhh!!!" When they saw the Griffith brothers, a deafening scream broke out from one side of the audience.
"...Are these two people celebrities?" Ryoma blinked in confusion.
"Maybe he is really a star." Inui Sadaharu said, "I heard that the merchandise related to the US team that was taken out before the game was the best-selling merchandise of these two brothers. And they seem to have a special fan club. , someone even chartered a plane to come here from abroad for today’s game..."
"Is it so exaggerated?!" Everyone around was shocked.