Boom!!!
Suddenly, a loud explosion echoed across the court. The spectators outside the court saw a terrifying shockwave erupt from the spot where Inoue was enveloped in a cloud of dust. As the dust settled, Inoue's figure became visible.
At that moment, his entire body was shrouded in a dark, ink-like aura, exuding an intimidating and fearsome presence that sent shivers down everyone's spine.
Sizzle...
The tennis ball spun rapidly on his racket.
"He caught it?!" The high schoolers from Court 3 widened their eyes in disbelief.
"The Path of Asura!" Tokugawa's gaze was fixed on Inoue. In that moment, he could vaguely see the shadow of a blue-faced, red-haired, and menacing Asura behind Inoue.
Now, Tokugawa understood how Inoue was able to unleash such a move. Clearly, Inoue had used Oni's image as a blueprint and simulated this form through some special ability. This power was truly awe-inspiring.
What surprised Tokugawa even more was that Inoue's opponent, the newcomer named Ishikawa, was able to match Inoue in this state. This newcomer had every reason to be proud of himself!
"But unfortunately," Tokugawa shook his head inwardly, "as a newcomer, you have no chance against the power of Asura—huh?!"
But in the next moment, as if sensing something, Tokugawa's expression changed abruptly.
Boom!!!
Almost instantly, a terrifying force surged through Inoue's racket and slammed into the wall behind him.
In the blink of an eye, the thick concrete wall caved in. Countless碎石飞溅,一道道手指粗细的裂纹迅速蔓延开来.
Whoosh!!
The shockwave from the explosion turned into a fierce gust of wind, causing Inoue's clothes to flutter wildly.
"This... this level of power?!" The high schoolers outside the court felt their scalps tingle.
But soon, Yamato and the others breathed a sigh of relief. After all, no matter what, Inoue had managed to block the attack.
Swish!
However, everything happened in the blink of an eye. Before they could even process what had happened, Inoue seemed to sense something and quickly tilted his head to the side.
Rip!
In the next moment, his racket was cleanly sliced in half, as if cut by some sharp weapon. The upper half flew into the deep crater left by the exploding tennis ball.
Inoue's body was also sent flying by the combined force of the impact and the gust of wind. With a loud thud, he fell to the ground unceremoniously.
"Game over!" The referee on the high chair sat up straight and announced solemnly, "Ishikawa Shin wins, 6-0!"
Whoosh!
As soon as the announcement was made, the crowd erupted in shock.
No one had expected that Ishikawa, who had defeated Tōjin with a score of 6-0, would once again defeat Inoue with the same score.
However, after the initial shock, any doubts in the spectators' minds were completely dispelled by the terrifying crater in the distance.
Let's be real! Among the Japanese U-17 team, only two high schoolers—Byōdōin and Oni—had ever demonstrated such destructive power. In comparison, the newcomer Ishikawa's talent seemed to surpass even theirs.
Under these circumstances, unless someone was completely out of their mind, no one would dare question the newcomer who had defeated Inoue with sheer strength.
"It's over," Yamato and Nakagauchi sighed outside the court.
Faced with reality, they had no choice but to accept it. Moreover, after witnessing Ishikawa's strength firsthand, they no longer had any doubts. On the contrary, everyone now felt a deep sense of awe toward Ishikawa.
"Ahem, ahem..."
At that moment, Kurobe's voice came through the nearby broadcast system: "Private matches are prohibited on the courts. Since this is the first offense for both Ishikawa Shin and Inoue Kyōta, only a verbal warning will be issued."
"Additionally," he paused before continuing in a serious tone, "since Inoue Kyōta has lost the match, his position as the leader of Court 3 will be taken over by Ishikawa Shin."
The leader of Court 3?
Upon hearing this, Marui and Genichirō exchanged glances, both seeing the surprise in each other's eyes.
[Ding!]
At the same time, a system notification sounded in Ishikawa's mind.
[Player has defeated boss-level opponent Inoue Kyōta. Reward: 7,800 experience points.]
[Player has obtained the advanced tennis skill dropped by Inoue Kyōta: Black Hole.]
[Black Hole Lv1: An advanced skill that creates an area of absolute stillness by cutting through space with a racket swing. (Note: This move places a heavy burden on the body. It is recommended to limit its usage during matches.)]
"Black Hole?"
Ishikawa ignored the experience points. What he cared more about was the skill dropped by Inoue.
In the original story, this move was a divine technique capable of stopping the world's top high schooler's ultimate move. If used properly, Black Hole could become a game-changing skill.
After all, Ishikawa wasn't Tokugawa. With the help of his system, he could quickly level up his skills. Once he reached a professional level, he was confident he could hold his own against even the top players from Germany.
However, being cautious and always aiming for maximum efficiency, Ishikawa decided not to upgrade the skill immediately. Instead, he planned to familiarize himself with it first, raise its level through practice, and then use skill points to enhance it further.
With this in mind, Ishikawa glanced at Inoue, who had gotten up from the ground, and walked toward the net.
Inoue's expression was grim, but his upbringing prevented him from fully displaying his frustration. After composing himself, he walked to the net and shook hands with Ishikawa.
"You're strong," Inoue said, his gaze sharp. "Your talent is the greatest I've ever seen."
"You flatter me, senpai," Ishikawa replied with a smile. "If you hadn't held back at the start, I might not have won so easily."
This was the truth. While the match ended with a 6-0 score in Ishikawa's favor, Inoue had been holding back the entire time, trying to create a dramatic comeback. However, Ishikawa had taken a commanding lead early on.
In a real match, Ishikawa was confident he could still defeat Inoue, but Inoue wouldn't have been shut out completely.
Of course, if Ishikawa went all out and unleashed his full power—combining his third-level sword intent and ability resonance—Inoue would still have suffered a crushing defeat.
"You're humble," Inoue observed Ishikawa closely, noticing the sincerity in his eyes. He nodded appreciatively. "That's a good mindset. But I must warn you, the waters here are much deeper than you think!"
After saying this, he studied Ishikawa's reaction. Normally, a loser giving advice to the winner would seem laughable. What right did the defeated have to lecture the victor?
However, Ishikawa remained calm.
"I know," he nodded slightly before replying, "This place is indeed not as simple as it seems. But my goals have never been limited to just this place."
"Huh?" Inoue was taken aback by Ishikawa's response.
"The U-17 is too small," Ishikawa shook his head with a smile. "Don't you think so too, senpai?"
With that, he glanced at Inoue.
Swish!
That glance was calm and devoid of any probing intent. Yet, its clarity and serenity caused Inoue's body to tremble involuntarily.
In that moment, Inoue felt as though he was standing at the foot of a towering mountain. The peak was so high that it seemed to pierce the clouds, inspiring awe and fear. Just taking a single step forward required immense courage.
But halfway up the mountain, there was a figure climbing steadily and resolutely. Upon closer inspection, it was Ishikawa!
Each step he took was firm and unwavering. Despite the mountain's overwhelming presence, Ishikawa showed no hesitation or doubt.
Though his figure appeared tiny against the vast mountain, Inoue felt an indescribable sense of awe.
"I understand," Inoue's expression shifted as if he had realized something. His gaze grew determined.
"Ishikawa," he looked at his opponent, a fiery fighting spirit burning in his eyes. "Next time... I won't lose to you!"
With that, he turned and walked away without looking back.
"Inoue (senpai)..."
Not far away, Oni and Tokugawa watched Inoue's retreating figure with complex expressions.
Then, their gazes shifted to the black-haired boy on the court.
Tokugawa's eyes were filled with wariness, while Oni's held a mix of surprise and admiration.
However, what surprised everyone was that Ishikawa, who had just won the match and become the leader of Court 3, didn't show any signs of arrogance. Instead, he calmly called over Marui and Genichirō and continued with his daily training.
"This kid is mature beyond his years," Tōzō remarked with a complicated expression as he watched the footage of the calm and composed boy training.
"Yeah," Saionji nodded in agreement. "Who would have thought that a middle schooler could master the Perfect Harmony of Pinnacle and Sword Intent, and possess near-professional-level strength?"
While they felt a mix of emotions, the coaches were mostly relieved. Having such a top-tier talent on their team, rather than in countries like Germany, France, or Spain, was a huge advantage for the upcoming Melbourne Tennis World Cup.
"Hmm," Kurobe looked at Ishikawa on the screen with a complicated expression.
He too felt that Ishikawa was far too mature, to the point where the coaches' roles seemed almost unnecessary.
"Let's revise the training plan," Kurobe said after a moment. "Increase our observation of Marui and Gen. Focus on recording Ishikawa's daily training and progress."
He knew that with a player like Ishikawa, whose abilities were constantly evolving, the coaches needed to keep a close eye on him to adjust his training and nutrition plans accordingly.
After all, if they couldn't contribute to his training, the least they could do was ensure his body kept up with his rapid growth. Otherwise, they'd be completely useless!
With the plan set, the coaches' room returned to its usual state. The sound of keyboards clacking filled the air as the three coaches immersed themselves in their respective tasks.
Time passed quickly.
Before long, the orange sun had half-disappeared behind the mountains.
Deep in the U-17 training camp's mountains, a brown-haired, bespectacled figure with a tennis bag slung over his back stood at the foot of a steep cliff, ready to take on the challenge!