"The cross racket is broken!"
In the coaches' room, Takuzo's spirits lifted.
"It was expected," said Saito, crossing his arms and shaking his head. "Oni-kun must have anticipated this too."
Oni had claimed he wouldn't warm up.
But by bringing out the cross racket, he was clearly testing Ishikawa.
However, this wasn't entirely Oni's fault. His strength was simply too overwhelming. If he hadn't tested Ishikawa first and gone all out from the start, Ishikawa might not have been able to handle it.
As it turned out, Ishikawa's abilities were well above average in every aspect.
In front of the screen, Kurobe, with his fingers interlocked and resting on his chin, watched as Oni switched rackets. Calmly, he remarked, "The real battle is just beginning."
"You're not bad."
On the court, Oni glanced at Ishikawa after changing his racket and nodded. "Since you passed the test of my cross racket, I won't hold back anymore!"
His words carried a hint of arrogance.
But neither the U-17 high schoolers nor newcomers like Marui and Genichiro had any objections to his confidence.
"Alright," Ishikawa nodded in response. "Then let me see what your tennis is really made of, senpai."
Thud!
Suddenly, Oni served the ball.
The serve was incredibly heavy. Before the ball even touched the ground, the sheer force of it sent a powerful gust of wind, blowing away the dust on the court.
In an instant, Ishikawa was shrouded in a cloud of dust.
Bang!
However, with a crisp sound of the ball being struck, Oni's serve was sent flying back. Upon landing, it generated a swirling gust of wind, lifting the dust from the ground once more.
"This…"
The spectators outside the court tensed up.
This scene was eerily similar to the one from Ishikawa's match against Inui not long ago.
Clearly, the match had entered a realm that was beyond the comprehension of most onlookers.
The difference was that in Ishikawa's match against Inui, such intensity had only emerged in the later stages. Here, it was only the second point of the first game.
This was a clear indication that this match was far from ordinary!
Swish!
Suddenly, Ishikawa made his move.
A lightning-fast Shinten Battoujutsu sliced through the dust in front of Oni.
Thud!
But Oni blocked it effortlessly.
"Good speed, but the power is lacking," Oni said calmly, holding his racket with one hand. For someone who could lift a one-ton boulder, this level of power was nothing more than a tickle.
Whoosh!
Immediately, Oni swung his racket with force, sending the ball hurtling back.
Hum!
On the other side, a red aura began to emanate from Ishikawa's body.
"Huh?"
Marui, Genichiro, and the others were visibly surprised. "What's this?"
As far as they remembered, Ishikawa's signature move was the razor-sharp Kendo Shingi. What was this overwhelming aura?
Step!
Ishikawa took a step forward, raising his racket as if drawing a bow. He struck the ball with the center of the racket, sending it flying like an arrow.
Bang!
The ball shot forward at an incredible speed, its friction with the air causing it to gleam under the sunlight.
"A Lightning Strike?!"
For a moment, many mistook it for the powerful light ball that Inui had used in their previous match.
"This isn't a light ball."
On the other side, Oni calmly swung his racket, focusing on a single point. His right arm suddenly exerted force.
Boom!
The ball and racket collided.
The immense force contained within the ball surged into Oni's racket.
"This level of power?"
Oni, who had initially been indifferent, showed a flicker of surprise. "Interesting. Using advanced techniques to concentrate power within the ball, causing it to explode upon impact. If the opponent's strength isn't sufficient, their racket would be sent flying!"
This move was Ishikawa's Four Gods Martial Arts: White Tiger, a technique that combined his strength and skill.
Even against a prodigy like Akutsu, this move had been overwhelming. But against Oni, it only managed to create a slight ripple.
Swish!
With a flick of his wrist, Oni sent the ball flying back.
"As expected of the strongest power player in U-17!"
Ishikawa's expression grew serious. His eyes gleamed with determination as he channeled his martial arts techniques into his swing, striking the ball with full force.
Boom!
This time, the ball shot forward like a cannonball, trailing a blue streak of light.
"Oh?"
Oni's eyes showed a hint of surprise.
He hadn't expected his opponent to have such mastery over power and explosive force.
"In that case!"
Oni leaped into the air, his arm muscles bulging as he swung his racket with full force.
Boom!
The sound of an explosion echoed.
The power behind Ishikawa's shot was instantly crushed by Oni's overwhelming strength. A dark glow flickered for a moment.
"Is he getting serious?"
In the coaches' room, the three coaches exchanged glances.
This level of play was far beyond the earlier exchanges. A single misstep could result in a shattered racket, or even a broken arm.
"Bring it on."
However, faced with Oni's overwhelming power, Ishikawa simply smiled. He swiftly swung his racket, and upon making contact with the ball, he spun around, using the momentum to send the ball flying back.
Whoosh!
In the blink of an eye, Ishikawa had rotated 180 degrees and sent the ball hurtling toward Oni.
Boom!
The next second, the ball, moving at an incredible speed, slammed into the ground beside Oni, leaving a web of cracks.
"0-30!"
"Using my own force against me?"
Oni raised an eyebrow.
He looked at his opponent with newfound interest. Ishikawa was only the second player in the camp who could counter his strength.
At this moment, Oni recalled the information he had on Ishikawa.
Above-average physical abilities.
A calm demeanor.
A versatile playstyle.
A player who defied conventional expectations.
"It seems I'll need to take this seriously."
With that thought, Oni's body began to emit a dark aura.
"This pressure…"
The high schoolers around the court instinctively felt a heavy weight pressing down on them.
"Is this the true form of Oni Juujirou, the 5th court's leader?"
Marui and Genichiro were stunned.
This meant that earlier, Oni had been holding back, relying solely on his physical abilities to counter Ishikawa's moves.
"Well," Marui couldn't help but mutter, "It's only natural that he has the upper hand in raw physical strength."
"Of course," Genichiro nodded. "There's a two-year age gap. Oni-senpai definitely has the advantage!"
Two years?
Marui shook his head internally.
If it were just a two-year difference, he wouldn't be so worried.
Thud!
Oni served again.
The powerful serve slammed into the ground, sending a cloud of dust into the air.
Ishikawa returned the shot, stirring up dust around Oni and once again shrouding the court in a thick haze.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The two continued their fierce exchange.
Within the dust cloud, Ishikawa's expression grew more serious.
Oni's shots were becoming increasingly powerful. Under the influence of that dark aura, each strike carried more weight than the last.
"Is this the strength of the former U-17 champion?"
Ishikawa activated the second stage of his red martial aura, pushing his abilities to their limit.
Boom!
With a loud crash, the ball shot forward like a blue streak of light. This was Ishikawa's ultimate technique—Four Gods Martial Arts: Azure Dragon.
"Hmph."
On the other side, Oni remained unfazed. He swung his racket with precision.
Bang!
The dust around him was blown away by the shockwave, but Oni himself didn't budge an inch.
"Not bad," Oni said calmly, a glint of interest in his eyes. "But this level of power is still far from enough."
Sizzle!
A dark glow emanated from Oni's racket.
In an instant, the ball shot forward, enveloping Ishikawa in a sense of being locked in place, unable to move or dodge.
Boom!
The next moment, a massive ball of energy, larger than the one Inui had used, came crashing down toward Ishikawa.
At the same time, a blue-green light flickered, casting an eerie glow on Ishikawa's face.
Pop.
But suddenly, the overwhelming force of the shot seemed to vanish, as if it had been swallowed by an invisible void.
Hum!
In reality, as the dust around Ishikawa was blown away by the shockwave, the spectators saw a black mark on the court.
Oni's shot had come to a complete stop right on top of it.
"Is that… Black Hole?!"
The high schoolers around the court stared in disbelief, their eyes wide with shock.
"Black Hole?"
The three coaches, Tokugawa outside the court, and even Oni himself were equally stunned.
Especially Oni.
He never expected his opponent to have mastered this technique.
Bang!
Ishikawa swung his racket, and the ball landed precisely on the line.
"0-40!"
"Hmm."
Oni narrowed his eyes.
He studied Ishikawa closely, his sharp gaze seemingly trying to pierce through him.
At this moment, Oni's perception of Ishikawa had shifted once again.
In less than a week since his match with Inui, Ishikawa had already mastered this technique. Such talent was nothing short of terrifying.
In fact, it was possible that Ishikawa had learned it even earlier.
"Ishikawa Shin…"
Oni muttered his opponent's name, his expression growing more serious.
He now saw Ishikawa as an equal.
"It's been a while since I've faced an opponent who could truly make me go all out."
Oni looked directly at Ishikawa.
"Hmm."
In that instant, Ishikawa felt an overwhelming pressure, as if a towering presence was watching him from above.
For anyone else, this pressure would have been crushing.
But Ishikawa's gaze only sharpened. He looked back at Oni, his own aura flaring up—a sharp, cutting presence that sent chills down the spines of those watching.
Crackle!
The clash of their auras created a visible tension in the air, as if sparks were flying.
The atmosphere grew even more intense, and the spectators could feel the mounting pressure.
Tokugawa, with his keen intuition, sensed that a storm was about to break.
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