"Huh?!"
Standing on the walkway above the court, Inoue was visibly shocked. "That Kite… he couldn't even react?"
"Well, that's normal."
Shiba, on the other hand, blinked her eyes and said, "Given Ishikawa's skill, it would be strange if he *couldn't* break through Kite's *Shukuchi* technique."
"Uh…"
Inoue was momentarily stunned, not expecting to be schooled by his junior. But then, he nodded with a wry smile. "You're right."
Ishikawa was strong—his skill had already surpassed the average national-level player. This had become a consensus after he decisively defeated Sanada in the Kanto finals. Kite, while formidable with his aggressive style and ruthless personality, was no match for Akutsu in terms of ferocity or Sanada in terms of precision. And both of them had already fallen to Ishikawa.
After thinking it through, Inoue shook his head. "Looking at it this way, there's no suspense left in this match."
*Thud! Thud! Thud!*
Just as Inoue had predicted, the match continued with Kite completely suppressed, unable to fight back. His *Shukuchi* technique was utterly neutralized by Ishikawa's terrifying shot speed. Even if Kite could see the ball, he couldn't move fast enough to reach it.
*Thud!*
"Game!"
"Ice Emperor, Ishikawa, 1-0. Change sides."
"W-what?!"
The Higa Chuu players, who had been eagerly cheering for their captain, were dumbfounded. They never expected their captain to be so thoroughly dominated.
"It's over."
Kai and Hirakoba shook their heads in resignation. In their eyes, Kite had no chance of turning this match around.
"Tch."
Higa Chuu's coach, Saotome, sneered. "I thought he had some skill, but it turns out he's just being crushed by a first-year."
"Kite!"
As they switched sides, Saotome coldly said, "You haven't actually reformed and started playing proper tennis, have you?"
"Hmph."
Kite's brow twitched, but he didn't argue. Instead, he found some truth in Saotome's words. On the tennis court, strength alone wasn't enough.
*Whoosh!*
Kite looked up, his eyes locking onto Ishikawa's with a cold glint.
*Thud!*
The second game began with Ishikawa serving.
*Step! Step!*
After returning the serve, Kite quickly moved to the net. As Ishikawa returned the ball, Kite redirected it to the opposite side of the court.
"Oh?"
Mukahi, watching from the sidelines, was surprised. "Is he trying to use his speed to keep Ishikawa on the move?"
"To some extent, yes."
Oshitari stroked his chin and nodded. "That sword-like fast return requires a lot of backswing. If the opponent can control the rhythm, it's possible to counter it."
Kendo-style shots were incredibly fast, but as Oshitari pointed out, they required a wind-up, much like drawing a bow. Kite, being a national-level player, quickly identified this weakness and began to take the initiative.
*Thud! Thud! Thud!*
The two exchanged rapid shots.
*Tap!*
Suddenly, Kite played a drop shot.
"This drop shot… huh?"
Inoue, watching from outside the court, was puzzled. "Ishikawa isn't that far from the net. More importantly, doing this will disrupt the fast-paced rhythm Kite just built up."
In Inoue's eyes, Kite's move made no sense.
"Hmm."
Shiba thought for a moment and said, "Could it be that he's trying to use Ishikawa's own move against him?"
"A lob?"
Inoue frowned. While the idea had some merit, something about it felt off.
*Step! Step!*
At that moment, Ishikawa appeared at the net and smoothly returned the ball.
*Swoosh!*
Kite, however, lowered his racket and dragged it along the ground, creating a trail of sparks.
"Moon Volley?!"
Inoue and Shiba's minds immediately went to the same thought. "So, is it really a lob?"
*Whoosh!*
But to everyone's surprise, Kite wasn't going for a lob. Instead, he was using the dust and a small pebble he had noticed earlier to launch an attack on Ishikawa.
*Whoosh!*
In an instant, dust filled the air, and a sharp pebble, glinting dangerously, shot toward Ishikawa's face.
"Kid!"
Kite's eyes flashed with cold determination. "Don't blame me. On the tennis court, no one plays fair…"
*Swoosh!*
But in the next moment, a faint yellow light suddenly expanded in Kite's vision. His pupils contracted as he instinctively turned his head to avoid the incoming threat.
*Whoosh!*
However, a sharp, cold light moved faster than his reflexes. It grazed Kite's cheek, leaving a searing pain and a warm trickle of blood.
*Thud!*
Ishikawa's return shot landed precisely on the baseline.
Despite the dust obscuring his vision, Ishikawa's control was flawless.
*Drip… Drip…*
It was only then that everyone noticed the blood dripping from Kite's cheek.
"H-how…?"
Kai and Hirakoba were stunned. No one had expected Kite's surefire attack to backfire so spectacularly, leaving him injured instead.
"Mitsuyoshi!"
Kai quickly said, "Should I get a bandage—"
"No need."
Kite wiped the blood from his face with his shoulder, his voice cold. "I'm not that fragile."
With that, he repositioned himself, ready to continue the match.
"This guy is ruthless!"
Many spectators were shocked by Kite's determination. Clearly, he was a tough opponent. But Ishikawa, who had turned the tables on Kite's dirty tactics, was even more impressive.
"He's too naive."
Shishido shook his head with a laugh. "Did he really think Ishikawa was some naive, kind-hearted first-year?"
Hearing this, the rest of the Ice Emperor team chuckled. Even Coach Sakaki wore a faint smile.
Kite had not only underestimated Ishikawa's tennis skills but also his match experience. In all of Ice Emperor, including Atobe, no one could match Ishikawa in this regard. Kite's attempt to outwit him had clearly backfired.
*Thud! Thud! Thud!*
From there, Ishikawa showed no mercy. Every shot he made landed in a spot where Kite could reach but couldn't effectively return. Kite grew increasingly frustrated but dared not stop.
Even so, the gap between them widened visibly.
*Thud!*
"Game!"
"Ice Emperor, Ishikawa, 2-0!"
*Thud!*
"Game!"
"Ice Emperor, Ishikawa, 3-0!"
*Thud!*
"Game!"
"Ice Emperor, Ishikawa, 4-0!"
In the blink of an eye, Ishikawa had taken four games. Kite, on the other hand, hadn't won a single point, let alone a game. The man known as the "Assassin," Higa Chuu's captain, was now disheveled and humiliated. Even his teammates couldn't bear to watch, turning their heads away.
"This is pathetic!"
Coach Saotome barked coldly.
"Ugh."
Kite, drenched in sweat, felt the salt from his perspiration sting the wound on his cheek, causing his veins to bulge in pain. But this pain kept him focused.
"He's too strong."
Having experienced Ishikawa's skill firsthand, Kite had no doubts about his opponent's strength. Under normal circumstances, his chances of winning were practically zero. Most people would have given up by now.
But not Kite.
He stared intently at Ishikawa, his mind racing for a way to turn the tide. "If this continues, I'll lose for sure. I need to disrupt his focus, make him lose his cool…"
Kite had already tried small tricks like using pebbles and dust, but they had backfired, leaving him injured instead. So, he decided not to target Ishikawa directly but instead turned his attention to the Ice Emperor coach.
"If I take out their coach, it'll definitely provoke him… No, that won't work!"
But Kite quickly dismissed the idea. Not only would Ishikawa be on guard, but the rest of the Ice Emperor team wouldn't stand idly by. The odds of success were too low.
However, Kite couldn't think of any other way to provoke Ishikawa.
"Wait!!"
Just as Kite was growing desperate, he caught sight of an elderly man in a red shirt, hunched over, standing above the court.
Instantly, a spark of inspiration lit up in Kite's eyes.
*Thud!*
He hit the ball, maintaining the rhythm of the match while secretly plotting his next move. As he continued to lose points, Kite calculated how to strike at the old man.
*Thud! Thud! Thud!*
Kite fought desperately, engaging in a grueling rally with Ishikawa.
*Tap!*
Suddenly, he played another drop shot, identical to his previous one.
"This guy… he's really asking for it!"
Shishido sneered. "Does he really think Ishikawa has no temper?"
Hearing this, Hiyoshi, Mukahi, and even Akutsu in the corner all smirked. If Kite thought he could bully Ice Emperor's rookie captain, he was sorely mistaken.
*Step! Step!*
Despite the possibility of another dirty trick, Ishikawa quickly moved to the net and returned the ball.
"Now!"
Seizing the opportunity, Kite suddenly swung his racket, sending the ball spinning wildly into the air.
*Whoosh!*
The ball arced high, spinning unpredictably.
"A lob?"
"Or a spinning shot?"
"Did Kite have this kind of move up his sleeve?"
Everyone was caught off guard by Kite's sudden change in strategy.
"Wait… no!"
Above the court, Saeki, who had been watching, suddenly realized something. His face paled as he saw the trajectory of the ball.
"Old man, watch out!!"
Saeki rushed forward, trying to shield the elderly man, but Kite's shot was too fast and too precise. Saeki couldn't react in time, and the ball hurtled toward the old man's face.
"It's too late…"
The Rokkaku players and the surrounding spectators held their breath.
*Snap!*
But then, something unexpected happened.
Just as the ball was about to hit the old man, he swiftly reached out with his left hand and caught the ball mid-air.
"Huh?!"
Everyone was stunned.
Kite looked at the frail, hunched old man as if he'd seen a ghost.
"Young man."
The old man opened his eyes and spoke calmly. "Once is a mistake, twice is a pattern. Tennis… is not a weapon."
"Hmph."
Kite dismissed the old man's advice, brushing it off as mere preaching. What bothered him more was the old man's incredible reflexes. Despite the distance, the force behind Kite's shot should have been impossible for an old man to handle.
"This old guy… he's hiding something!"
Kite cursed under his breath and turned back to the match.
"Hmm?"
But as he pondered his next move, Kite suddenly felt an overwhelming, oppressive aura.
*Whoosh!*
He looked up and met Ishikawa's icy gaze.
In that instant, the temperature around him seemed to drop to freezing. An indescribable chill spread through Kite's body, and his instincts screamed danger.
*Buzz!*
A sharp, piercing aura erupted from Ishikawa, filling the court.
"Gulp…"
Feeling this terrifying pressure, Kite's heart sank. His years of martial arts training had honed his instincts, and now they were screaming at him. He sensed something incredibly dangerous—something that made his body tremble uncontrollably.
It was the aura of death.
---
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