Thud!
Thud!
Thud!
At the baseline, Sanada lightly tapped the tennis ball with his racket. As he did so, the intimidating aura around him suddenly receded.
Whoosh!
Then, under the watchful eyes of the spectators, he tossed the ball into the air. With a gentle hop, he leaned forward, extending his body, and leaped into the air, swinging his racket with force.
Hum!
In an instant, Sanada's aura erupted, causing his swing speed to skyrocket. In the blink of an eye, everyone felt their vision blur, losing track of his racket entirely.
Bang!
With a flash of blue, the tennis ball shot forward like a gust of wind. The sheer force of the shot even kicked up a few blades of grass from the ground.
In a split second, the ball landed on the right side of Akutsu's service line.
Thump!
As the ball hit the ground, the impact sent a cloud of dust into the air, obscuring the ball's trajectory and making it even harder for the spectators to follow.
Swish!
But at that moment, Akutsu swung his racket.
Crack!
Sanada's wind-like serve was met with precision. With a powerful return from Akutsu, the ball shot back with nearly the same speed as Sanada's serve.
"Incredible reflexes!" remarked Ryoma from the Rikkai Dai side, his tone heavy with concern. "He managed to track Sanada's serve in an instant."
"Indeed," nodded Yukimura, sitting on the bench. "His reactions are as sharp as a wild animal's. In some ways, he's not just relying on his vision to judge the ball's movement."
"True," added Yanagi. "Akutsu's athleticism is exceptional. His reflexes, muscle flexibility, balance, and explosive power are all top-notch."
It was clear that if Akutsu had started playing tennis earlier, Hyotei would have been an even more formidable team this year.
Tap! Tap!
On the court, Sanada quickly closed in on the ball. Once he reached it, he swung his racket with a motion reminiscent of kendo. The sheer strength of his wrist sent the racket flying at an astonishing speed. Before anyone could even see his move, a loud crack echoed as the ball shot back.
"Hmm," murmured Chitose and Tachibana, their expressions shifting slightly.
Sanada's "Wind" technique wasn't just limited to serves. When applied to groundstrokes, it was equally devastating. Even the slightest delay in reaction would cost you the perfect timing to return the shot.
Tap! Tap!
However, on Hyotei's side, a figure darted forward like a cheetah, intercepting the ball's path. It was Akutsu.
"Incredible speed!" exclaimed Kintarou and Kamio, their faces showing surprise. Akutsu's speed was flawless, leaving no room for criticism.
Crack!
Sanada's "Wind" was sent back with equal force.
"Hey, Sanada," Akutsu said with a frown after returning the shot, "stop holding back and show me your real moves. I'm not here to play kids' games."
The representatives from various schools were taken aback. This Hyotei player was way too arrogant! How could he dismiss Sanada's "Wind" as child's play?
Swish!
At that moment, Sanada adjusted his stance, strengthening his lower body. His racket moved as if stirring flames, incorporating even more advanced kendo techniques. He aimed at the incoming ball and swung with full force.
Boom!
A deafening explosion echoed as the ball shot forward, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. The heat radiating from the shot made the nearby spectators shudder. The sheer power of the shot was overwhelming! Many were sweating just watching it. If they were on the receiving end, their rackets would have been sent flying.
Crack!
But Akutsu returned Sanada's fiery shot once again.
"Not bad," Akutsu said with a smirk, his tone dripping with disdain. "But if this is all the so-called 'Emperor of Tennis' has to offer, it's pretty laughable!"
Whoosh!
With that, Akutsu sent Sanada's "Fire" technique back with ease.
"He actually countered the vice-captain's 'Fire' so effortlessly?" Chitose's eyes widened in disbelief.
While Sanada's techniques had been countered before, it was always by players like Yukimura or Atobe—players who stood at the pinnacle of middle school tennis. Who did Akutsu think he was, talking like that?
But now, Chitose was stunned. Akutsu's performance was indeed on par with Yukimura and Atobe.
"No," Yanagi interjected, shaking his head. "That 'Fire' was a decoy. Sanada's real move is coming next."
Tap!
As Yanagi spoke, Sanada gently pushed the ball with his racket, using a slicing motion. To everyone's astonishment, the heavy ball floated forward like a falling autumn leaf.
Tap... Tap... Tap...
The ball landed softly.
"15-0!" the umpire announced.
"It's 'Xu Ru [Lin]'!" muttered Oshitari from Hyotei's side. "The most terrifying of Sanada's four techniques: Wind, Forest, Fire, and Mountain."
While "Wind" and "Fire" could be countered with Akutsu's physical prowess, and "Mountain" was a defensive move that signaled Sanada was on the back foot, "Forest" was a different story. Its finesse was something even Oshitari found challenging to deal with.
Any spin or power applied to the ball would be neutralized under the effect of "Forest." It was as if this technique was tailor-made to counter players like Akutsu, who relied on raw strength and physical dominance.
"A technique, huh?" Akutsu's eyes flashed with irritation.
He preferred straightforward, power-based tennis. No matter the situation, one powerful shot was all it took to settle things. But now, facing this cap-wearing opponent, he felt a sense of helplessness.
Spin, technique—these were elements Akutsu had always ignored. But now, they were staring him in the face.
"Tennis is so boring," Akutsu muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing. He stopped overthinking and retreated to the baseline, ready to receive the next serve.
Boom!
Sanada's "Wind" shot forward again.
Akutsu handled it with ease. When it came to pure speed or power, he could rely on his physical abilities to overpower the shot.
But then, as the match intensified, Sanada unleashed his slicing technique once more. With a single "Forest," all of Akutsu's previous efforts were nullified.
"30-0!"
"Akutsu's in trouble," muttered the Hyotei team, their expressions grim.
As Oshitari pointed out, unless Akutsu adjusted his strategy to counter "Forest," he was going to struggle.
Boom!
"40-0!"
Boom!
"Game! Rikkai Dai's Sanada leads 1-0. Change sides!"
Just as Oshitari predicted, Akutsu lost the first game. Facing Sanada's seemingly unstoppable "Forest," he was stuck in a loop, unable to break free.
"This guy is just... ugh!" Oshitari wanted to curse but held back. He didn't want to provoke Akutsu. Still, watching Akutsu stubbornly refuse to adapt was frustrating.
Why not adjust your playstyle? Why not approach the net to limit Sanada's short shots? Instead, Akutsu seemed determined to stick to his usual approach, ignoring the match's outcome.
"Vice-captain," Nioh turned to the black-haired boy beside him. "Aren't you going to say something to him?"
"Why should I?" Atobe chuckled. "No matter how sound the advice, he'll just ignore it. Only when he realizes the problem himself will he truly change."
"But what if he never changes?" Nioh pressed.
"Don't worry," Atobe replied with a smile. "I believe Akutsu would rather change his playstyle than lose to Sanada."
After all the trash talk before the match, losing now would be a massive blow to Akutsu's pride. His ego wouldn't allow him to lose to a second player in tennis.
Boom!
"0-15!"
Boom!
"0-30!"
Boom!
"0-40!"
Boom!
"Game! Rikkai Dai's Sanada leads 2-0!"
In no time, Sanada secured another game, extending his lead.
Meanwhile, Akutsu continued to unleash his raw power, attacking like a wild beast. But against Sanada's "Forest," it was like punching cotton—completely ineffective.
"Damn it!" Akutsu's face darkened as he lost his service game. During the brief break while switching sides, he overheard the taunts from the Rikkai Dai team.
"Tsk, tsk," Chitose said with a smirk. "Akutsu, do you even understand the basics of spin? If you keep playing like this, you're going to lose."
Though it sounded like advice, the mockery in his tone was unmistakable.
"This kid really has no filter," Tachibana from Fudomine shook his head. "But then again, even if Akutsu tried spin, it probably wouldn't work against 'Forest.'"
"True," Chitose agreed.
As someone well-versed in the "Muga no Kyouchi" (State of Self-Actualization), Chitose understood the mechanics of "Forest." The technique relied on dissipating force. Unless Akutsu's skill and power far surpassed Sanada's, any technique he used would be neutralized.
Still, they didn't think Akutsu was doomed. After all, he had his "Beast Mode," a technique similar to the "Muga no Kyouchi." Once activated, it enhanced his physical abilities, allowing him to overpower Sanada's "Forest" through sheer strength and explosiveness.
Boom!
But to everyone's surprise, Akutsu didn't activate "Beast Mode." Instead, he relied on his speed to chase down the ball.
"He's too stubborn," many thought, shaking their heads. This Hyotei player was utterly unreasonable. Faced with such a disadvantage, he still refused to adapt. It made those who had thought Hyotei's singles strength could rival Rikkai Dai's reconsider.
In the end, Akutsu was like a nouveau riche—brimming with raw talent but lacking the finesse to handle top-tier players like Sanada. Against lower-tier opponents like Ryoma or Chitose, he could dominate. But against someone like Sanada, his shortcomings were glaring.
Boom!
Sanada's next shot came flying.
Tap! Tap!
Akutsu sprinted to intercept it. As he reached the ball, a thought crossed his mind: "Pure strength can't break his technique, and pure spin won't work either."
Akutsu was well aware of his technical limitations. But then, he recalled the moves Atobe had practiced during training. He also remembered the intense rallies they had shared, where Atobe's shots were neither purely spin-based nor purely power-based.
"Could it be...?" A glint of realization flashed in Akutsu's eyes.
Swish!
With that, he adjusted his racket and sent the ball flying with a powerful stroke.
"It's no use," Sanada thought, confident in his position. With his superior footwork, he quickly reached the ball and prepared to slice it again.
"Akutsu, if you don't use that move of yours, you're headed straight for defeat... Huh?!"
Crack!
But the moment Sanada made contact with Akutsu's shot, his eyes widened in shock.