*Thwack!*
A soft sound echoed across the court.
Under the stunned gazes of the spectators, Kaidoh Kentaro from Rokkaku Middle School had once again hit the ball into the net.
The sudden change left Akutsu, who was at the baseline, frozen in place. He hesitated, unsure whether to rush forward or give up, and ended up just standing there, dumbfounded.
"Game!"
"Rokkaku's Kaidoh leads 1-0! Change sides!"
"That's our Kentaro!"
"Woohoo! Kentaro, you're amazing!"
"Way to go! Show them what our Rokkaku captain can do!"
Outside the court, Rokkaku's supporters—a group of fifth and sixth graders—were enthusiastically waving their fists in excitement.
"Heh," Kentaro scratched his head with a sheepish grin. "I guess I got lucky this time."
Lucky?
At those words, reporters like Inoue and Shiba shook their heads. They could see clearly that this wasn't just luck. From the very first point, Kentaro had been consistently hitting net balls to score against Akutsu. If this was all luck, it would be way too unbelievable!
Moreover, when coincidences pile up, they stop being coincidences.
"This guy's pretty humble," one of the Hyotei players remarked. Seeing Kentaro's modest demeanor after scoring, they couldn't help but feel a bit of respect for him.
Mukahi thought for a moment and said, "Do you think he might have a talent similar to Jirou's?"
"Jirou-senpai?" Ootori paused, then nodded. "Yeah, if he has exceptional wrist flexibility, it would explain how he can consistently hit the net like that."
Jirou's magic volleys had a similar effect. However, compared to Jirou, this first-year captain from Rokkaku seemed to handle the pressure much better. Facing Akutsu's aggressive attacks, he maintained a steady baseline defense. If it were Jirou, he probably would've been overwhelmed by now.
*Thud!*
Akutsu served.
The serve was powerful, the ball shooting like a blazing bullet toward Kentaro's backhand.
*Tap tap!*
After serving, Akutsu surprised everyone by rushing to the net.
"Oh?" The Hyotei players were taken aback. They hadn't expected Akutsu to be pushed to this point. Even against Jirou and Hiyoshi, he had never resorted to such tactics.
"Coming to the net, huh?" Kentaro's eyes flickered with surprise, but then he smirked. He raised his racket and lofted the ball high into the air.
"A lob?"
The Hyotei team's expressions shifted. They hadn't expected Kentaro to attempt such a shot against Akutsu, who had incredible jumping ability.
But then they noticed something.
The lob was way too high.
"Isn't that going out?!" Mukahi and the others instinctively muttered.
"No," Oshitari narrowed his eyes. "That lob is aimed at the baseline."
*Thwack!*
As if to confirm his words, Kentaro's lob landed precisely on the baseline. The clear white mark left on the court left everyone in shock.
*Thud thud thud...*
The ball bounced, and Akutsu, who hadn't turned to chase it, failed to return it.
"Seriously?!"
Shishido and Ootori exchanged glances.
"That luck!" Mukahi shook his head. "If I were Akutsu, I'd be furious right now."
"Shh!" Ryoh, sitting next to him, quickly elbowed Mukahi and put a finger to his lips. "He's probably in a bad mood already. Don't provoke him."
"Uh, right," Mukahi quickly composed himself.
Although Akutsu had only joined Hyotei two weeks ago, everyone had already gotten a sense of his personality. He was a lone wolf, decisive and usually kept to himself. But if anyone dared to mock him or even mention him carelessly, this wild beast would explode.
In Hyotei, the only one who could keep Akutsu in check wasn't Coach Sakaki, nor was it Captain Atobe. It was Vice-Captain Ishikawa.
So, whenever anyone accidentally provoked Akutsu, they would immediately turn to Ishikawa for help.
"Heh," Ishikawa chuckled, breaking the tense silence. "Calling it luck isn't right. I think the opponent was aiming for the baseline."
"Aiming for the baseline?" Mukahi and Ryoh looked at him in surprise.
"Actually, it's not just this lob," Ishikawa continued, watching Kentaro prepare for the next serve. "Even the net balls earlier—he was aiming for the net."
"Aiming for the net?!" Ootori's eyes widened in disbelief.
Even Atobe and Ootori were surprised by Ishikawa's observation.
Aiming for the baseline was believable. After all, Oishi's Moon Volley from Seigaku was a technique that targeted the baseline. It wasn't surprising that Kentaro could do something similar.
But aiming for the net? That was on a whole different level!
No one could guarantee they could consistently hit net balls. One mistake, and the point would go to the opponent.
For most players, the risk far outweighed the reward. It was too dangerous and not worth it.
"But that's exactly what's happening," Ishikawa said with a smile. "This is Kentaro's style of tennis. He puts immense pressure on himself, convincing himself that if he doesn't achieve the desired result, something unacceptable will happen."
"Wait, what?!"
The Hyotei players were stunned.
"If he doesn't achieve the desired result, something unacceptable will happen? What kind of tennis is that?!" Mukahi couldn't help but exclaim.
"Not exactly," Oshitari interjected. "From a scientific perspective, when a person is under a certain amount of pressure, their observation, explosiveness, and even touch can improve."
"Exactly," Atobe agreed. "Many professional athletes put themselves in an excited state before a match. This first-year from Rokkaku is probably using a similar method to keep himself in peak condition."
"Peak condition?"
"Putting pressure on himself?"
"Looking at it that way, this Rokkaku first-year is really something!"
The Hyotei players nodded in agreement, their opinions of Kentaro shifting.
"Has he been figured out?" Rokkaku's vice-captain, Saeki, sighed as he overheard the Hyotei players, especially Ishikawa, dissecting Kentaro's strategy. "Their insight and information-gathering abilities are truly impressive."
"Yeah," Kurobane and Amane nodded in agreement.
If Hyotei hadn't been leading, Ishikawa would've likely pointed out Rokkaku's weaknesses during the break. It was a testament to how much a top-tier data player could elevate a team's overall strength.
"However," Saeki added, glancing at Kentaro on the court, "even if the opponent understands the principle behind Kentaro's ability, there's no way to counter it."
*Thud!*
Akutsu served again.
*Tap tap!*
After serving, he stubbornly rushed to the net once more.
"Again?" Kentaro sighed, shaking his head.
As he chased the ball and prepared to return it, he mentally pressured himself: *This lob has to land on the baseline. Otherwise, I'll never get a girlfriend in my life.*
*Swish!*
With that thought, Kentaro's adrenaline surged, and his blood seemed to flow faster.
*Thwack!*
He struck the ball, aiming for the baseline.
"It's coming!"
"Another lob!"
"Is he really aiming for the baseline?!"
The Hyotei players exclaimed in disbelief.
"Hmph!" Akutsu snorted, abruptly stopping and then sprinting toward the baseline.
*Thud!*
The ball landed, and Akutsu saw it clearly hit the baseline. His eyes narrowed, but he accelerated, chasing the ball and hitting it backward.
*Thwack!*
The ball slammed into the net.
"0-30!"
"Yay! Kentaro scores again!"
"That's it! Finish the match in one go!"
Rokkaku's supporters cheered enthusiastically.
"Shut up!"
Akutsu, already frustrated from losing consecutive points, grew even more irritated by the noise.
But just as he was about to step back onto the court, a voice rang out: "Hey, senpai. You're not just going to settle for this, are you?"
*Whoosh!*
The Hyotei team's expressions changed instantly. But when they saw it was Ishikawa who had spoken, they relaxed.
"Hmph."
Akutsu didn't explode. Besides the fact that it was Ishikawa speaking, he was also starting to seriously consider how to defeat Kentaro.
In a way, Kentaro's playing style was a perfect counter to Akutsu's.
Unlike Jirou, who excelled at volleys, Kentaro's net balls and lobs were like two gates, sealing off Akutsu's strategies at both the baseline and the net.
Trapped on both sides, it seemed like defeat was the only option left for Akutsu.
"Putting pressure on myself, huh?" Akutsu narrowed his eyes.
Though he was known for his brash and direct personality, Akutsu wasn't stupid. In fact, he was quite clever. It was just that his physical talents were so overwhelming that he had never felt the need to rely on strategy.
But as he faced more and more opponents with diverse playing styles, Akutsu's mindset began to change.
Relying solely on physical prowess was becoming less effective.
And this opponent was only at the Kanto level. Above him were national-level players like Atobe and Tachibana. And then there was Ishikawa, whose strength was on a completely different level.
So... he had to change.
With that thought, a glint of determination flashed in Akutsu's eyes.
*Thud!*
He served again, this time with even more power.
After serving, he quickly moved forward.
"Another serve-and-volley?"
"Hasn't he learned his lesson?"
"No, wait. He's not rushing to the net. He's positioning himself in the middle!"
The Rokkaku players initially mocked Akutsu, but Vice-Captain Saeki quickly realized that Akutsu had changed his strategy.
"That's it!"
Outside the court, Shiba exclaimed excitedly, "If he takes that position, he can cover both lobs and net balls with his speed!"
"Right," Inoue nodded.
Meanwhile, the Hyotei players' expressions grew strange.
Since when did Akutsu start playing like this? This wasn't the same Akutsu who relied on brute force and speed to overpower his opponents!
"Good."
Coach Sakaki, sitting on the sidelines, nodded in approval.
A player who only relied on physical talent was nothing more than a brute. But now, this once-in-a-decade tennis prodigy was finally stepping into the realm of a true tennis player.
"This guy..."
Seeing Akutsu holding his position in the middle of the court, Kentaro's expression shifted.
This change would significantly weaken the effectiveness of his shots.
But Kentaro wasn't one to back down.
Without hesitation, he lofted another high lob.
"It's no use," the Hyotei players shook their heads. "At this distance, Akutsu can easily chase it down."
*Tap tap!*
Sure enough, Akutsu turned and sprinted after the ball. But instead of accelerating past it, he positioned himself to hit the ball while facing away from the net.
"If I can't return this ball, what's the difference between me and trash?"
"If I can't even hit this shot, how can I expect to beat that guy? What a joke!"
"So... go!"
Countless thoughts raced through Akutsu's mind as he pressured himself. Then, with a fierce swing, he smashed the ball back.
*Bang!*
The ball shot over the net and landed sharply in the backcourt.
*Thud!*
Kentaro's eyes widened as he watched the ball land.
"15-30!"
The referee's call snapped the Hyotei players out of their shock.
"Hyotei!"
"Hyotei!"
"Hyotei!"
The supporters cheered enthusiastically.
"Hmm."
Atobe and Oshitari exchanged glances. For a moment, they had sensed an overwhelming aura emanating from Akutsu.
Though it was fleeting, they had both caught it.
"Oh?"
Ishikawa watched as Akutsu turned around, his eyes sharper and more intense than before. A smile crept onto Ishikawa's face. "So, the beast has finally awakened, huh?"
(End of Chapter)