Smack!
Atobe raised his racket, unleashing another high-quality "Thanhäuser Serve." Sanada, who had already seen through its secrets, effortlessly returned it with a "Half Volley." Neither of them rushed to the net, opting instead for a back-and-forth rally from the baseline. Even with Atobe's serve, Sanada stood firm like a mountain, returning every single shot Atobe sent his way.
Smack!
Suddenly, Sanada lowered his racket face, and the powerful spin vanished in an instant. "Swift as Forest!" Another excellent drop shot landed perfectly just over the net. Seeing this, Atobe swiftly moved forward, getting low as the ball landed, and forcefully returned the drop shot.
Stomp... stomp-stomp...
Whoosh!
Sanada leaped into the air, powerfully smashing the ball down. It was a beautiful smash, but Atobe had also noticed Sanada's movement. He, too, leaped, gripping his racket with both hands in a backhand grip, and the ball landed precisely on his racket face. The ball spun violently on the strings, making a buzzing sound.
Bang!!
Sanada extended his racket, and the ball whizzed past it, just ten centimeters away, landing perfectly on the baseline. "Game, Atobe, 1-0!"
He took the first game?! Everyone finally realized that Atobe had actually taken the first game. The members of the Rikkai Dai Tennis Club present wore expressions of disbelief. After all, he was facing Sanada, the Emperor of Rikkai Dai Junior High.
"That's a Jackknife!" Mukahi couldn't help but nod. "Atobe's movements today are exceptionally fluid, aren't they?"
"They are!" Oshitari, standing beside him, also nodded in agreement. "He's full of fighting spirit today; it seems he's found a worthy opponent." From his foundational skills to his intuition and judgment, the strength of that player named Genichiro Sanada was no less than Atobe's. It was unexpected that Rikkai Dai's vice-captain possessed such skill. Oshitari couldn't help but clench his fist, sensing that he was still a long way from reaching the level of these two.
"Sanada, it's time to get serious," Yukimura said with a slight smile from the sidelines, standing behind Sanada, who was sitting on the coach's bench. He knew Sanada's strength well. Even though the boy named Atobe displayed impressive skill, he still lacked a bit of power compared to Sanada. However, such an opponent was enough for Sanada to get some practice in. This invitation to the Hyotei Tennis Club members for a practice match seemed to have been a good decision. Hyotei was stronger than the rumors suggested.
"Understood, Yukimura!" Through observing the first game, Sanada had generally figured out Atobe's ball placement. His control was excellent, and his technique was impressive, but he lacked a bit in speed and power. Additionally, he seemed to have a remarkable eye, seemingly able to pierce through Sanada's weaknesses, and thus, overcome his "Mountain!"
Sanada slowly rose from the coach's bench, took a tennis ball from the ball boy, and walked towards the baseline. Standing at the baseline, he lightly tapped the tennis ball. His "Immovable as Mountain" and "Swift as Forest" had both been unleashed, but they hadn't yielded substantial results, which indirectly proved Atobe's considerable strength. Since that was the case, Sanada would no longer hold back.
Smack!
With that thought, Sanada gripped the tennis ball. With a sharp gaze, he tossed the ball up. Looking up, his eyes fixed on the ball in mid-air, he bent his knees. As the ball reached its highest point, he powerfully pushed off with his legs, leaping into the air, racket extended backward, and powerfully smashed down on the ball in mid-air.
Bang!!
A loud explosion. The tennis ball, like a cannonball, plummeted into Atobe's court. Atobe quickly stepped forward, and as the ball bounced, he hit a brilliant half-volley. The faster the serve, the faster the return half-volley would be. Both players once again engaged in a rally from the baseline. And Sanada, holding the serve, also held the initiative in the match. It was almost a one-sided attack from him, while Atobe could only be strung along back and forth at the baseline.
Even so, Atobe, relying on his footwork, showed no mistakes in the rallies. As their movements continued to speed up, Sanada finally couldn't hold back.
Smack!!
Sanada pulled back, hitting a beautiful reverse diagonal drive shot. Seeing this, Atobe quickly moved forward, barely returning the ball. Sanada suddenly turned, spun sharply, and leaped into the air, like a blazing fire.
"What was that?" Oshitari's pupils constricted slightly. Beside him, Tezuka's face also showed a hint of surprise: "Is that smash... his 'Form'?!"
"Aggressive as Fire!!"
Bang!!
The tennis ball, rising like a flame, instantly plummeted onto Atobe's court. Atobe instinctively swung his racket, and the moment it connected with the ball, he felt an unusual force. The racket was directly shaken out of his hand, and Atobe glanced at where the ball had landed. There was a clear indentation.
"15-0!"
"So... such a powerful smash," Mukahi's voice trembled slightly. "That guy named Sanada, the strength he's showing is completely different from the previous JR tournament." In just half a year, Sanada had undergone such a huge transformation. It was hard to believe that Sanada had been bageled by Tezuka in the JR tournament half a year ago. That smash's power, Mukahi vaguely felt, was similar to the strength of Kamikawa's "Wind Blade Drive."
"Mental energy." "Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain, they are all manifestations of mental energy." Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain, that is, Sanada's unique path. Later, there will be "Lightning" for Tezuka's "Zone" and "Yin" for "Talent Unleashed to the Extreme." It seems all of Sanada's techniques were created for Tezuka.
"'Fire'! Sanada finally chose to use 'Fire'!" On the sidelines,柳蓮二 (Yanagi Renji) looked at Atobe, then at Sanada, and a wave of emotion surged within him. He had once challenged Sanada in a school team ranking match. When Sanada used 'Forest,' his "Kamaitachi" lost its inherent power. As for Sanada's 'Fire,' it had always been an insurmountable obstacle for him. Yanagi Renji was skilled at analyzing opponents through data, but once an opponent possessed strength beyond his own, data collection would become meaningless.
That first-year named Atobe was also no simple character. That "Thanhäuser Serve" was deeply etched in Yanagi Renji's mind.
Bang!
"30-0!"
On the court, Sanada, relying on the power of 'Fire,' frequently scored points against Atobe.
Bang!!
"40-0!"
Bang!!
"Game, Sanada, 1-1."
The second game was taken by Sanada. And the situation seemed to have reversed. Sanada could easily break Atobe's "Thanhäuser Serve," but Atobe couldn't overcome Sanada's net volley. With "Aggressive as Fire," once Sanada stood at the net, he could unleash this move without any hesitation.
However, Atobe wasn't such a simple character. Since 'Fire' was formed through smashes and net volleys, he would firmly confine Sanada to the baseline through prolonged rallies, wearing down his stamina and mental energy!
Bang!!
"Game, Atobe, 2-1!"
Bang!!
"Game, Sanada, 2-2!"
Both players tried their best to hold their service games, avoiding mistakes that could cost them the entire match. In Sanada's service game, he could serve and volley indiscriminately, scoring continuously with 'Fire.' However, in Atobe's service game, Atobe could only rely on constant observation and inducing Sanada to make mistakes. In this state, Atobe's service game would eventually be broken by Sanada.
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