115. Everyday Chapter: Since you have sincerely and wholeheartedly asked, I shall graciously grant your wish.

“I never thought Matsubara could play such dazzling badminton, and yet you wouldn’t guess he’s actually a tennis player,” Yuna Iwamura whispered softly, captivated by the boy’s elegant backhand shots and the explosive power behind his right-hand smashes.

“After all, Matsubara has played badminton before. Considering the strength he can exert in tennis, it’s like a long-distance runner shedding leg weights—he can hit shots with minimal effort that rival the power of Nobita Taylor’s smashes,” Ryo Shishido said with a smile.

“As expected of Matsubara, he’s truly remarkable...” Fuyuka Oda was equally amazed by the boy’s badminton skills, which were no less impressive than his tennis prowess. Just as she marveled, the boy suddenly tensed his right arm.

“A smash! This is a perfect opportunity!” Fuyuka clenched her fists tightly, her voice filled with tension.

“Heh.” Matsubara Mei’s wrist subtly shifted as he prepared to lift the shuttlecock high. On closer inspection, his wrist motion mirrored Nobita Taylor’s smashing stance flawlessly, with the force flowing seamlessly from arm to forearm to wrist as if in a fluid dance.

“That’s the skateboard smash... no, it’s a feint followed by a lift!” Sadaharu Inui almost simultaneously noticed the change in the boy’s movement. Yet, when Matsubara Mei gently tapped the shuttlecock, he expressed surprise.

The shuttlecock drifted diagonally from Matsubara’s left court to Nobita Taylor’s left court, descending just over the net as if slicing through the air. Even as Nobita rushed forward, he couldn’t reach the delicate drop shot.

“2-1!”

“See, badminton isn’t about who’s stronger,” Matsubara Mei smiled, watching Nobita fail to return the lift.

“Tch... that short little guy can play drop shots, and they’re so hard to return...” Nobita Taylor grumbled in frustration.

“That move is called the skateboard lift. It’s an intermediate-level drop shot that requires mastering two elements: a convincing feint and agile wrist control,” explained Kojiro Gota.

“That lift looked like it just slid off the racket,” Fuji squinted with a smile.

“Yes, that’s the essence of the skateboard technique—the wrist’s nimbleness guides the racket so the shot glides smoothly, like a skateboard. If Nobita’s skateboard smash is beginner level, then Matsubara’s skateboard lift is intermediate,” Gota said with an unreadable expression.

“Senior Gota, is this skateboard lift really that effective? It looks so effortless,” Kumakiri Shibayama gestured with her hands, curious.

“Of course. Like I said, to master the skateboard lift, you must perfect the feint so well that your opponent can’t tell it’s a fake. Just like Inui said—he expected a smash, but got a lift instead. If he were Matsubara’s opponent, he’d have been completely fooled,” Gota smiled, glancing at Inui’s chest where the character for ‘Inui’ was printed on his pale blue shirt.

“Also, don’t think the feint is easy to practice. Since both the racket and shuttlecock are light, delivering a delicate attack demands precise control of every detail. The wrist must be flexible; if it’s stiff, your movement looks like you’re just raising your arm with your wrist glued on, making the feint obvious. When you finally choose to lift, that clumsiness betrays you because your arm slows down as it descends,” Gota continued, raising a finger.

“I never realized badminton and tennis differ so much...” the two girls murmured, as if seeing an entirely new world.

“Indeed, although badminton may lack the visual spectacle of tennis, its technical demands are no less rigorous,” Gota said with a smile, his eyes narrowing.

“Watch Matsubara’s wrist,” he added.

The spectators focused on the boy’s wrist as he skillfully manipulated the shuttlecock, executing various tricky and precise drop shots.

“Wow, such exquisite technique! The wrist’s flexibility makes every shot look gentle, though he often uses drop shots to control the pace, disguising his true intention of a powerful return,” Reni Yanagi commented approvingly.

“Nobita Taylor relies only on brute force. Drop shots don’t require much strength, and Matsubara’s skill in using his opponent’s power makes him almost like a cat playing with a mouse,” Gota said, feeling the match grow more intriguing. The score quickly climbed to 8-1 thanks to Matsubara’s frequent drop shots.

“That Nobita Taylor is big and plays basketball. His athleticism should be good, right? Why do short shots just a step or two away hit him so hard?” Fuyuka asked quietly.

“Because he doesn’t use footwork like Matsubara. Basketball and tennis running is similar—you just need to sprint fast while maintaining rhythm and frequency to keep up with the ball or the player. But badminton is different. The court is smaller and the shuttlecock moves faster. Running too fast means stepping out of bounds; running too slow means you’ll never catch the shuttle. That’s why, once Matsubara mastered the gliding and jumping steps, he wasn’t caught off guard by Nobita’s smashes,” Gota explained professionally.

“I see... I noticed Matsubara using a sideways shuffle like a crab earlier. What’s that?” Fuyuka recalled the scene.

“That’s also basic badminton footwork called the cross-step. It helps players maintain balance and easily generate power from the hips to execute tricky downward diagonal shots. When Matsubara used his forehand and backhand lifts, the cross-step was crucial. If not lifting, he’d finish with smashes or regular smashes. Essentially, the cross-step serves the same purpose as other footwork techniques—helping players get into position more effectively.”

Fuyuka smiled sheepishly at Gota’s patient explanations. “Thank you, senior, for your detailed teaching.”

“No problem. I’m happy to explain the sport to anyone who watches attentively,” Gota waved off the thanks.

Matsubara Mei twisted his wrist again, slicing the shuttlecock’s round base from above as it tumbled midair, then just grazed the net before dropping.

“11-1! Time for a break!”

“That move should be the badminton equivalent of a zero-style slice,” Sadaharu Inui said calmly.

“He’s already blending tennis techniques into badminton?” Reni Yanagi added.

“You brat, if you’ve got the guts, face me head-on! What sort of skill is just using drop shots?!” Nobita Taylor, out of breath and chest heaving, snapped at Matsubara Mei.

“Oh? Since you sincerely asked, I’ll graciously grant your wish,” the boy drinking water on the bench raised an eyebrow, then, seeing Nobita’s increasingly flustered expression, set down his bottle and stood with a light laugh.