*Boom!*
*Boom!*
*Boom!*
On the court, two figures darted back and forth.
With every swing of their rackets, a faint yellow streak flashed across the court. Their speed was so overwhelming that many spectators struggled to process one shot before the next one was already in motion.
As a result, most of the audience couldn't keep up with the pace of the match. They could only watch in awe as the two players seemed to engage in a godlike battle.
"Indeed," Chitose muttered, barely able to follow the action. "The only one who can stand against Yukimura is Ryoma, and the only one who can stop Ryoma is Yukimura."
Beside him, Tachibana nodded in agreement.
Yukimura had been the undisputed strongest player in the nation since his first year, leading Rikkai to dominate every opponent and creating a myth in middle school tennis.
As for Ryoma, he had swept through every powerhouse since the metropolitan tournaments. From Tachibana, one of the "Two Kings of Kyushu," to Seigaku's Fuji, Yamabuki's Akutagawa, and even national-level players like Tezuka and Sanada—none of them had been able to stop him.
In a way, Ryoma was like Yukimura from years past, carving out his own legend with an unstoppable streak.
And now, at the intersection of two eras, the strongest players of their respective generations had finally clashed.
On the court, as the two exchanged blows, Chitose, Tachibana, and others witnessed an intense battle of power, speed, technique, and reflexes.
Who would win?
This was no longer something they could determine. The level these two were playing at was far beyond their reach.
*Boom!*
As Ryoma returned another shot, Yukimura's brow furrowed slightly. "His power and spin are perfectly combined. It's nearly impossible to deal with either aspect separately."
After thirty or forty exchanges, neither player had gained the upper hand, and neither showed any signs of faltering.
But the prolonged rally allowed Yukimura to further appreciate the complexity of Ryoma's shots. His balls couldn't be judged by power or spin alone. They were fundamentally different from those of other national-level players.
"His technique is incredibly refined. His mastery of both strength and skill is at an extraordinary level!"
Though they had only just begun, Yukimura knew that his opponent's skill was unfathomable.
Moreover, having thoroughly researched Ryoma's track record, Yukimura was well aware that despite being a first-year, Ryoma's stamina was exceptional. If the match dragged on, it would only put Yukimura at a greater disadvantage.
*Swish!*
With this in mind, Yukimura's gaze sharpened as he looked at his opponent.
*Tap tap!*
He quickly chased down the ball, lifting his racket and slicing it with precision. With a twist of his wrist, he applied his signature spin technique.
*Whoosh!*
The ball spiraled through the air, curving sharply before landing perfectly at the baseline.
"Wow..."
The crowd gasped at the shot.
Players like Chitose and Ōshitari, who had a deep understanding of technique, were particularly impressed. To them, Yukimura's shot was like a work of art—utterly unpredictable.
*Tap tap!*
But then, a gray figure appeared near the ball's landing spot. It was Ryoma.
"This guy!!!"
The Rikkai team's expressions darkened. "His reaction time... it's way too fast!"
"No, it's not just reaction time," Yanagi corrected. "He used his exceptional insight to predict Yukimura's shot and positioned himself accordingly."
The two abilities might produce similar results, but the processes were entirely different. One relied on instinct, the other on intelligence.
For Yukimura, players with exceptional instincts were easy to handle. But someone with Ryoma's level of insight? That was a different story.
"Getting serious, are we?"
Seeing Yukimura's precise return, Ryoma's eyes gleamed with amusement. "In that case, I'll show you a bit more of what I can do."
*Swish!*
He swiftly pushed his racket forward.
The speed of his swing was so fast that the silver edge of his racket seemed to blur with the ball, magnifying in the spectators' vision.
*Hum!*
As the ball flew, a blinding white light erupted, obscuring everyone's vision.
**Shot Technique: Dawn Break!**
A high-speed, sharply angled topspin shot with extreme spin. The rapid swing caused an overexposure effect, temporarily blinding the opponent.
In an instant, Yukimura's vision was completely obscured.
"Not bad," Yukimura chuckled, unfazed.
As a player who had transcended the national level, his experience was second to none. Losing his vision, he simply closed his eyes and focused on the sounds around him, reconstructing the court in his mind.
*Tap!*
The ball landed, and Yukimura's racket rose to meet it. With a crisp *boom*, he returned Ryoma's technique.
"Beautiful!!!"
Though the Rikkai team couldn't see clearly, the sound alone told them their captain had countered the opponent's move.
"As expected of Yukimura."
Ryoma wasn't surprised. In the original story, Yukimura had effortlessly countered Ryoma's deep-level "Muga no Kyouchi" techniques while wearing his jacket.
*Swish!*
Meanwhile, Ryoma's racket, positioned low to the left, had already completed its setup. "Let's see if you can return this one."
*Whoosh!*
With a flick of his wrist, a sharp white light burst forth.
*Boom!*
The ball shot forward at an incredible speed, too fast for most to follow.
As the ball rapidly approached, Yukimura felt an odd sensation—as if he wasn't watching the ball come toward him, but rather his body was moving toward the ball.
"It's that technique again!"
Yukimura quickly realized that the earlier **Dawn Break** had left him with lingering visual distortion.
But instead of panicking, he calmly assessed the situation.
*Whoosh!*
Using his hearing to pinpoint the ball's trajectory, he swung his racket with precision.
"Did he see through it?!"
The Hyotei team's expressions shifted. They hadn't expected Ryoma's consecutive techniques to be countered so easily.
Yukimura's strength... was truly terrifying.
*Swish!*
But the next moment, as Yukimura's racket swung through the air, he felt no impact. His expression changed.
*Boom!*
The sound of the ball hitting the ground echoed from a distance.
"What?!"
This time, it was Rikkai's turn to be shocked.
They stared in disbelief at the clear mark left by the ball on the far side of the court.
"No way..."
Kaidō muttered, his jaw dropping. "Captain Yukimura... misjudged the shot?!"
"15-0!"
The referee's voice broke the silence.
The crowd, as if gasping for air after nearly drowning, finally caught their breath.
"Incredible technique!"
Yagyū and Niō exchanged glances. Whether it was the blinding **Dawn Break**, the follow-up **Mind Shift**, or the final shot that scored against Yukimura, Ryoma's skills were a masterclass in technique.
Even Sanada's **Rai** had been instantly countered by Yukimura.
But now, the so-called "Child of God" had finally met someone who could match—and even surpass—him in skill.
"Ryoma Shin..."
Yukimura stared at his opponent, his gaze flickering.
He was still processing the sensation of that last shot. He had clearly locked onto the ball's trajectory, but when he swung, it felt like hitting air.
"Has his technique reached the level of blending reality and illusion?"
Yukimura was inwardly shocked.
*Swish!*
Under the stunned gazes of his teammates, Yukimura spread his feet and assumed a defensive stance.
*Boom!*
Ryoma's serve came next.
The ultra-fast serve was beyond what most could see, but Yukimura's keen insight allowed him to track its path.
*Boom!*
He returned the shot and prepared to defend.
"Yukimura..."
Sanada's expression darkened. This was the first time he had seen Yukimura take a defensive stance. Even against his **Rai**, Yukimura had countered it with a single glance.
"Come on, Ryoma!"
Yukimura looked up, his eyes burning with determination. "Show me that technique again!"
He refused to believe there was a technique he couldn't see through.
*Boom!*
But then, Ryoma unleashed another shot.
*Whoosh!*
In an instant, the ball split into countless afterimages.
"Is that... Tachibana's **Wild Ball Dance**?!"
The Fudomine team's eyes widened.
"That guy..."
Tachibana's expression shifted. In his eyes, Ryoma's version of the technique far surpassed his own.
It was almost unbelievable.
As the original creator of the move, Tachibana's mastery paled in comparison to Ryoma's casual execution.
"Hmm."
On the court, Yukimura's expression changed as the swarm of afterimages closed in.
There were too many!
The number of afterimages far exceeded what even the original user or someone using "Muga no Kyouchi" could produce.
What frustrated Yukimura most was that each afterimage was indistinguishable from the real ball.
To discern the real one, he had to focus intently.
Even with his exceptional insight, it took a significant amount of mental energy to identify the true ball.
*Boom.*
As a result, his return was slightly rushed, lacking his usual composure.
*Tap!*
On the other side, Ryoma smiled and gently sliced his racket. The ball floated softly over the net.
"That drop shot?!"
The Rikkai team's eyes widened.
Even Sanada and Yanagi lost their composure. The drop shot was executed with such precision and finesse that it was textbook perfect.
*Tap tap!*
But Yukimura, at the baseline, charged forward without hesitation.
He could feel the immense pressure Ryoma was exerting. Yukimura knew that if he gave up on this point, the match would be lost.
With this determination, he accelerated. His footwork was impeccable, befitting someone who stood above the rest of the middle school tennis world.
"He... he actually caught up?!"
The spectators' eyes widened as Yukimura closed in on the ball.
In him, they saw an unyielding will and an ironclad resolve.
The top players from other teams felt it most acutely. Yukimura's skills, power, technique, insight, and mental fortitude were all at the pinnacle.
Seeing Yukimura charge forward, those who had thought he was being dominated realized their mistake.
"Someone like him... how could he ever be dominated?!"
*Rustle...*
The next moment, as the ball landed and spun back toward the net, the crowd's hearts skipped a beat.
"Zero-Shiki Drop Shot?!"
Yanagi's voice trembled as he recognized the technique.
"Gulp."
The rest of the Rikkai team swallowed hard. They looked at their captain, frozen on the court, and a thought crept into their minds.
Their captain, the so-called "Child of God," Yukimura Seiichi...
Was being completely and utterly dominated by another middle schooler.
belamy20