*Thud!*
Atobe returned the shot.
The tennis ball landed precisely at Tezuka's backhand side.
Seizing the opportunity, Atobe decisively rushed toward the net.
"Too reckless!"
Seeing this, St. Rudolph's Mizuki couldn't help but comment, "His opponent is Tezuka, after all. Charging forward without securing an advantage is just asking for trouble."
*Thud!*
Sure enough.
Tezuka's return was calm and calculated.
The ball, which had been flying from left to right, suddenly dipped in height and dropped near Atobe's left ankle.
"The ball's speed changed!"
The spectators outside the court were stunned.
No one expected Tezuka to pull off such a (speed-changing shot). If it had been a fast-paced exchange, Atobe, who was already moving forward, might have had the upper hand.
But now, the rhythm of the match had shifted.
For Atobe, there were only two options left: either slow down to return the ball or attempt to hit it while maintaining his high-speed approach.
Generally, slowing down and matching the pace would be the safer choice.
After all, at such high speeds, it's difficult to seize the fleeting moment to strike. However, even if Atobe chose to slow down, Tezuka's shot was aimed at his ankle, making it hard to handle.
"Exactly."
Sensing Atobe's predicament, St. Rudolph's captain, Akazawa, shook his head. "This is the price of being too impulsive against an opponent of the same caliber."
*Thud!*
But the next moment, a crisp sound echoed.
Atobe, without even looking at the ball, swung his racket and effortlessly returned the shot.
"What?!"
Mizuki and Akazawa were both taken aback.
Then, as if realizing something, they exchanged glances and smiled wryly.
It was at this moment that they truly understood the gap between themselves and the top-tier players.
In the same situation, they could only think of switching to defense. But Atobe's decision-making and execution were clearly on a whole different level!
*Thud!*
Another shot slammed into Tezuka's backhand side. Taking advantage of Tezuka's return, Atobe, now close to the net, smashed the ball down.
*Bang!*
The ball hit the ground and then shot out, leaving the Seigaku team in awe.
"15-0!"
"This kind of offense… it's too strong!"
Momoshiro clenched his fist unconsciously. Atobe's offensive was overwhelming. Even Tezuka was being pushed back.
"Atobe Keigo."
From the coach's seat, Ryuzaki looked up, her gaze serious as she watched Atobe. "Is this the confidence you had when you gave up the serve-off?"
At this moment, the captain of Hyotei was like a sharp spear, thrusting toward Seigaku's strongest shield.
*Thud!*
Atobe served.
In Ryuzaki's eyes, the ultra-fast serve landed, and when Tezuka returned it, the shield visibly shook.
*Thud! Thud! Thud!*
With Atobe's relentless attacks, Tezuka's shield began to tremble violently, on the verge of being pierced.
"Tezuka!"
Atobe stepped forward, a sharp glint in his eyes. "I've seen through your blind spot!"
*Whoosh!*
In an instant, countless晶莹剔透 (crystal-clear) ice pillars descended from the sky, embedding themselves around Tezuka.
"Wait a minute!"
In the stands, Saito seemed to realize something and exclaimed in surprise, "This Atobe… he's seen through his opponent's blind spot?"
"That's right."
Beside him, Inui nodded. "This is Atobe's ultimate move—the 'World of Ice,' which allows him to see through his opponent's weaknesses!"
Next to them, Shiba looked over in astonishment.
She was surprised that this unfamiliar man had immediately recognized Atobe's ability to see through his opponent's blind spots!
*Thud!*
Atobe swung his racket.
The ball shot toward one of the ice pillars.
*Bang!*
But the next moment, just as the ball was about to shatter the pillar, it suddenly exploded into a shower of碎片 (fragments).
"The blind spot… disappeared?!"
On Hyotei's side, Hiyoshi and Mukahi were stunned. Then, as if realizing something, Hiyoshi blurted out, "It's the 'Domain'!"
*Whoosh!*
The ball curved in a stunning arc, heading toward Tezuka's backhand side.
"The ball's being pulled in?"
Some spectators who had never seen the "Domain" before widened their eyes in shock.
Saito, too, was visibly shaken.
He hadn't expected these two middle schoolers to be so formidable. One had the ability to see through his opponent's blind spots, while the other could use spin to pull the ball toward him!
Especially the latter.
This ability, known as the "Domain," was no different from the "Divine Domain" used by the manager of Court 2 at the U-17 training camp!
"Are middle schoolers this year… this strong?"
Saito's heart raced.
He had underestimated these two. At the same time, his intuition told him that this match would be even more intense than he had imagined.
*Thud!*
Tezuka returned the shot.
Using the Domain to counter the World of Ice, he hit a backhand shot toward the baseline behind Atobe.
"15-15!"
"The Tezuka Zone, huh?"
On the court, Atobe's expression shifted.
His opponent's move countered his ability. The situation was becoming unfavorable for him.
However, after a moment of thought, Atobe launched another attack. Using fast shots and baseline rallies, he tried to pressure Tezuka technically.
But he was mistaken.
When it came to technique, Tezuka was no less skilled. In fact, his drop shots were so exquisite that they drew applause!
The two were locked in a stalemate, and Atobe, unable to secure a quick victory, found himself at a disadvantage.
"Atobe's being too presumptuous."
At the spot where Rikkai Dai was seated, Sanada, wearing a cap, crossed his arms and sneered. "He underestimated Tezuka, thinking he was on the same level as Shiraishi, the captain of Shitenhoji."
"That's right."
Next to him, Yanagi nodded. "Tezuka's fundamentals are even better than Shiraishi's. Especially when it comes to ball control and handling, Tezuka is undoubtedly at the top level."
*Thud!*
As soon as he finished speaking, Tezuka hit another spin shot, forcing Atobe to run to the left.
*Tap!*
When Atobe returned the shot, Tezuka lowered his racket and gently sliced the ball.
*Swoosh…*
The ball landed with a textbook-perfect drop shot, rolling irregularly backward.
"15-30!"
"The Zero-Shiki Drop Shot?!"
Atobe's expression darkened.
Losing two points in a row was embarrassing for him. Unable to break through, he was now being scored on, which was nothing short of humiliating.
"Again!"
Frustrated, Atobe growled and sent the ball back.
However, this time, he didn't go for a strong shot or a blind rally. Instead, he used the opportunity to carefully analyze the spin on Tezuka's returns.
Yes, Atobe's goal was simple.
He wanted to use反向旋转 (reverse spin) to neutralize the Domain's spin. Once he broke the Domain, he could dominate with the World of Ice.
*Whoosh!*
But to his surprise, the ball he hit didn't get pulled toward Tezuka. Instead, as if an invisible force was at play, it was pushed out of bounds.
*Tap!*
The ball landed, still inside the court but outside the singles sideline.
"15-40!"
The referee's call left Hyotei's team in shock.
Then, realizing what had happened, Hiyoshi said gravely, "It's the 'Tezuka Phantom'!"
Hearing this, the others were stunned.
The Zero-Shiki, the Domain, the Phantom… Seigaku's captain had already used multiple ultimate moves early in the match.
"This is bad!"
As if realizing something, Oshitari's expression changed. "He's trying to break Atobe's serve!"
The score was 1-1. If Tezuka broke Atobe's serve and then used the Zero-Shiki Serve in the following four service games, he could win the match.
A small misstep can lead to a huge mistake!
Atobe's seemingly insignificant actions had now become a critical factor affecting the match's outcome.
*Whoosh!*
With this in mind, Atobe tossed the ball up, leaned back, and positioned his racket at a 90-degree angle to the ground.
"The Tannhäuser Serve?"
Seeing this, Inui exclaimed, "So it's come down to a serve battle after all?"
Nanjiro and Saito shook their heads.
Although Atobe still had this move as a trump card, matches are about momentum. Strike while the iron is hot—once the momentum is lost, it's hard to regain.
Atobe had clearly chosen the wrong time to act. While it seemed like a serve battle, the effect was entirely different.
*Thud!*
Atobe served.
*Swoosh…*
The ball landed and skimmed the ground, sliding rapidly. But just as everyone thought Atobe could save his serve with this move, Tezuka moved.
*Swish!*
He quickly stepped forward, lowering his racket until it was less than a centimeter from the ground.
This made the margin for error extremely small.
But Tezuka, being the top player he was, precisely seized the fleeting moment to strike.
*Thud!*
The ball spun back fiercely.
"He broke it?!"
Hyotei's team was in shock.
They never expected Atobe's Tannhäuser Serve to be broken at such a critical moment.
"What a terrifying player."
Oshitari looked at Tezuka, his eyes filled with apprehension. "He broke Atobe's Tannhäuser Serve in the first game but saved the return for this crucial moment."
"That's Tezuka for you."
Next to him, Ishikawa nodded. "He's like a shrewd, experienced hunter, knowing exactly when to deliver the致命一击 (fatal blow)."
Without a doubt, breaking the Tannhäuser Serve meant Tezuka had firmly grasped the chance to win this game.
*Buzz!*
Realizing he had messed up, Atobe's body radiated a golden aura. He sped up, chasing the ball, and hit a brilliant backhand shot.
*Bang!*
The ball flew out, curving beautifully before heading toward the baseline.
*Whoosh!*
But unexpectedly, the ball that should have landed on the baseline was pushed aside, landing just outside.
"Out!"
"Game!"
"Seigaku Tezuka leads 2-1! Change sides!"
*Gasp!*
Seeing the score change, the spectators were wide-eyed.
"Atobe… he actually…"
Mukahi and Hiyoshi were speechless.
They couldn't believe that Atobe's serve had been broken so easily.
"He overplayed his hand."
Nanjiro couldn't help but laugh. "Having confidence is good, but he underestimated his opponent."
"True."
Saito also nodded. "Losing this crucial game means unless he can break Tezuka's serve, the match is as good as over."
*Thud!*
Tezuka served with the Zero-Shiki.
The ball landed and spun back, skimming the ground.
"15-0!"
"Atobe's in trouble."
Inui couldn't help but sigh. "Compared to the Tannhäuser Serve, Tezuka's Zero-Shiki is far more difficult to handle!"
*Buzz!*
But just as Tezuka prepared to serve again, Atobe's golden aura flared up once more.
The aura of an emperor!
Determined to break Tezuka's serve, Atobe's gaze turned icy, his aura reaching its peak.
He was ready to do whatever it took to break his opponent's serve!