The Prince of Tennis: The Quincy of Rikkai University

Chapter 221: Another battle with Shuji Tanejima, a top showdown for junior high school students (4k)

"Eh……"

“Eh?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

The moment they saw Maya Yuuki's figure overlap with the first army's team, the junior high school students' team suddenly became noisy.

"This is fake, right? How can Yuuki be a member of the First Army?"

"But didn't everyone come here together? When did he become an army?"

"Even if Yuki is indeed very powerful, this change of identity is too sudden, isn't it?!"

"No wonder he was not on the coaching staff's roster yesterday, so that's why!"

"..."

When Yuuki Maya's NO2 identity was exposed, the other junior high school students who were slow to realize it gradually recalled some of the unnatural things that happened before.

And now, it all seems to make sense.

"Renji, what is going on?" Inui Sadaharu came over and asked his best friend immediately.

"The thing about Yuki is actually like this..."

Until this moment, several people from Rikkai University briefly mentioned that Maya Yuuki had been here last year, but they also omitted some details.

In fact, Yukimura and others had just learned of the news, but because they knew more inside information than others, they had a more "so that's why" mentality in their minds.

On the contrary, the fact that Yuuki Maya Market is NO2 is not particularly difficult to accept. It is even better to say that this is what Yuuki would do.

At this time, Tokugawa Kazuya briefly talked about what Maya Yuuki did in the training camp last year and how he became the No. 2.

It was not until this moment that the junior high school students realized that they had never seen the full potential of Maya Yuuki from the beginning to the end.

Echizen Ryoma was staring at Yuuki Maya in the crowd. In fact, after what happened last night, he had already begun to doubt Yuuki's true strength.

Last night, when the Byodoin Phoenix attacked him with a light ball, after seeing the familiar golden light, Echizen Ryoma associated this ball with the same ball that Yuuki Maya hit at the national conference.

Later, in a conversation with his brother Ryuga Echizen, he learned that light hitting represents the proficiency in the sweet spot technique, and only those who master the sweet spot technique can go to the world.

Now, based on the information provided by Tokugawa Kazuya, Echizen Ryoma made a deduction in his mind that the guy in front of him had already reached world-class tennis level a year ago, or even earlier.

"So, I was facing such an opponent at that time. No wonder..."

Ryoma Echizen's mind flashed back to the time after the national conference when his father told him in a rare serious manner that the guy who defeated him was not someone he could deal with at this stage.

However, the more such an opponent he is, the more he wants to defeat him.

A fiery fighting spirit burned in Echizen Ryoma's eyes. Not only Yuuki Maya, but also Byodoin Phoenix who had injured Tokugawa Kazuya yesterday was now his target of revenge.

Looking at the Byodoin Phoenix sitting there again, Echizen Ryoma thought for a moment and decided that what he wanted to do now was to avenge the loss to Tokugawa Kazuya.

As for the match with Maya Yuuki, he could wait until later.

On the other side, in the coach's office.

The three coaches stood together in front of the surveillance screen, their eyes focused.

"What do you think the second army has a chance of winning?"

Saito Shigeki asked, his tone not directed at anyone in particular, but Kurobe Yukifu responded immediately as if they had a tacit understanding.

"Based on the data we have collected so far about the Second Army, I'm afraid their chance of winning is less than 30%."

Kurobe Yukifu spoke matter-of-factly, and was obviously not optimistic about the performance of the Second Army today.

The reason is simple: these junior high school students are given too little time to develop.

Although the potential of this group of junior high school students has been unanimously recognized by the coaching staff, it is not the right time to shake their position in the top ten of the team, at least not now.

"Even if they only use 60% of their strength?" Takushi Ryuji asked back suddenly.

"Yes, even if it's only 60% of its strength, it will be difficult for the Second Army to cross this barrier." Kurobe said without hesitation.

"It seems that you and I have similar ideas, but maybe there will be a miracle..."

Saito Shigeto did not say anything definite. He looked at the surveillance footage of the Second Army with a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

……

In the central stadium, just as the junior high school students here have not yet completely digested the news of Yuuki Maya's identity change, Byodoin Phoenix reminded: "Okay everyone, the time is almost up..."

As soon as he finished speaking, a sound began to be heard over the broadcast in the center court.

"Now, the first match between the U17 team and the second-tier reserve team will begin!"

When the broadcast reached the Second Army's reserve, everyone's expressions immediately became serious. They knew that a fierce battle was about to begin.

"The first player sent by the U17 team is No. 2 Yuuki Maya!"

The moment the broadcast stopped, the originally quiet stadium was suddenly in an uproar again.

"What?! That army leader did it on purpose!"

"Sending Yuki in the first match was definitely premeditated!"

"Are you trying to intimidate us?!"

The middle school students had no idea that they had just digested the news that Yuuki Mayuichi was the No. 2 in the army, and now they would immediately become enemies with him.

Panic, surprise, confusion...

Fighting against teammates who were once on the same front as them made them feel even more depressed.

In fact, Maya of Nexus Castle was also surprised. He turned to look at the Phoenix of Byodoin and said, "Could this be something you deliberately arranged?"

"Just think so. Although I have learned a lot from Mifune, I still want to see your strength with my own eyes."

Byodoin Phoenix made no secret of his purpose and he did not bother to lie.

"I see."

After getting the answer, Yuuki Maya looked at the other party deeply and said no more.

He could sense the uprightness in the other party's tone, which was indeed the style of Byodoin Phoenix.

After walking into the court with a racket in hand, Yuuki Maya glanced at the people in the Second Army and asked calmly, "So, who do you want to send?"

The order in which the first army goes into battle is arranged by Byodoin, but the second army's response is decided by themselves, which is also the rule of this competition.

The junior high school students in the second army looked at each other. At this moment, none of them wanted to engage in combat with Maya Yuuki, who was also a junior high school student.

"Let me go."

Tanejima Shuji walked out of the Second Army and said lazily, "It just so happens... I also want to take back the position that originally belonged to me."

He walked a few steps into the stadium, and his originally leisurely expression gradually became serious.

"Yuki, it's time for the badge that you have to return to my hands." Looking at Shuji Tanejima standing opposite her, Maya Yuki was not surprised.

"The badge is right here, come and get it if you have the ability."

He casually pointed to the badge on his collar and said calmly, "It just so happens that I also want to see, after a year, whether Senior Taneshima's strength has improved to a level that I can't imagine."

The words from both sides seemed to be spoken in a relaxed tone like a chat between two good friends, but everyone seemed to be able to sense the tit-for-tat hidden beneath this conversation.

"Open your eyes and watch carefully, junior high school students. In the next match, you will know what a contest between world-class masters is like."

Tokugawa Kazuya spoke seriously to the junior high school students of the Second Army beside him. Even though he was not the one playing in the next match, his expression was still solemn.

Because this game is equivalent to a civil war between the top 5 players in the training camp, it is generally unlikely to be seen in public.

The junior high school students who were instructed held their breath and looked focused.

How could they not pay full attention to the game that even Tokugawa Kazuya, whom they regarded as having unpredictable strength, took seriously?

"Mayo, I finally get to see your full strength. Let me see with my own eyes how far you have come on the path of tennis."

Yukimura Seiichi's eyes moved. He had imagined Yuuki Maya's full strength in his mind more than once, and now might be the best opportunity.

There are many people who have the same idea as Yukimura, including Genichirō Sanada, Ryoma Echizen, Shusuke Fuji, Yoshihei Tachibana, and so on.

These junior high school students who had once lost to Maya Yuuki, at this moment, focused all their attention on the next game.

"The one sent by the Second Army Reserve is Shuji Tanejima."

"Okay, now let's officially start the first match of the Shuffle Tournament, Yuuki Maya versus Tanejima Shuji."

"The three-set match will start with Yuuki serving."

The referee spoke very quickly, without a hint of hesitation.

At the same time, Yuuki Maya and Tanejima Shuji had already retreated to their respective positions.

Holding a tennis ball in his palm, Yuuki Maya smiled and said, "This isn't the first time we've fought, so let's forget about testing each other."

"You're right." Shuji Tanejima smiled and did not deny what the other party said.

The last time both sides fought until they had almost no strength left, so there was really no need to make any futile attempts this time.

"Then, here I come."

Blue lines instantly appeared all over the body, and in a breath, Yuuki Maya activated the full-power blood armor mode.

Then he raised his hand and threw the tennis ball. In a flash of black and white light, the tennis ball had landed at Shuji Tanejima's feet.

Blue Arrow of Destruction
Just as Yuuki Maya said, he had no intention of testing anyone from the beginning.

"This move of yours doesn't work as well on me as it did last time."

Taking a step forward, Shuji Tanejima quickly adjusted the angle of the racket in his hand and swung the racket at a suitable hitting point.

砰

The sound of the racket and the tennis ball colliding was heard, and the tennis ball was intercepted directly at lightning speed.

The tennis ball flew back to Maya Yuuki's half of the court at a high speed and hit him diagonally.

"It seems that Senior Tanedashima has put a lot of thought into breaking my playing skills."

Even though his serve was broken, Yuuki Maya remained calm and did not feel surprised at all.

Last year, this tactic had little effect by the third set. Now that a year has passed, it is naturally impossible for it to have any miraculous effect.

With a tap of his toes, his body turned into a shadow, and the next moment he had already rushed to the back of the ball's landing point.
He pulled the racket in his hand backhand, and the tennis ball turned into a dark virtual bullet and hit the opponent's half of the court again.

砰

砰

砰

The rapid hitting of the ball was as violent as heavy rain hitting the car windows, and the two sides started a fierce battle in the first game.

15 is better than 0
15 is better than 15
30 is better than 15
30 is better than 30
40 is better than 30
……

The situation on the court was extremely tense. Both Yuuki Maya and Tanejima Shuji refused to give up an inch on every return of the ball.

The score was so close that it was impossible to tell who would win until the last moment.

"This... is amazing!"

"This is the showdown between the current No. 2 and the former No. 2! Incomprehensible strength!"

The exciting confrontation attracted the attention of everyone present, even the Byodoin Phoenix.

It was not until this moment that he believed that Shuji Tanejima's defeat last year was definitely not the result of negligence, but was really a fair defeat by the opponent as Mifune said.

In the second team, the middle school students were so shocked by the extreme confrontation between the two sides on the court that they had lost control of their facial expressions.

The current level of confrontation is completely on a different level from theirs.

"Is this Yuki's true attitude? It turns out that I still have a long way to go." Genichirō Sanada stared at the situation on the court intently, feeling filled with emotion in his heart.

He clenched his fists tightly and made up his mind.

Yukimura Seiichi's eyes flickered. After seeing the strength displayed by Yuki, he couldn't help but remember what Yuki said to him after the fight between the two sides that day.

"Yuuki, no wonder you wanted me to see the scenery of this world. This scenery is indeed fascinating..."

Echizen Ryoma was silent for a long time at this moment. He was completely immersed in this game.

Not to mention the other junior high school students, they have only now truly realized that no matter how hard they had worked in the past, it was all in vain and unnecessary in the face of such strength.

Before we knew it, nearly twenty minutes had passed in the game.

The current score is 1-1. Maya Yuuki and Shuji Tanejima each managed to hold their own serves and were not broken by the opponent.

And now, the third round is already underway.

"Tanejima-senpai is indeed as troublesome as I imagined."

Maya Yuuki caught up with the tennis ball at the speed of wind, swung her racket to hit it back, and spoke her praises.

On the other side, Shuji Tanejima quickly chased to the landing point of the return ball without any delay, and hit the return ball to offset the strong rotational force on the ball.

"Thank you for the compliment, but it just feels a bit awkward when you say it." Shuji Tanejima replied ungratefully, and his swing of the racket became a little heavier.

"Really? Then let you taste the taste of defeat again."

A pure white light instantly burst out of the body without any warning. As Yuuki Maya swung her racket to return the ball, the light of restraint covered her entire body in an instant.

(End of this chapter)