Prince of Tennis: Shocking! Hyotei's Demon King is a Yukimura fangirl!

"15-0".

Before the referee's score announcement had even faded, it was drowned out by the Hyotei cheering squad's excited shouts for Atobe's "new signature move." Golden fans surged, and the name "Atobe" was shouted at the top of the lungs.

This amazing shot can be traced back to the beginning of the eighth game...

The whistle blew to signal the start of the match.

Tezuka stood behind the baseline and took a deep breath. He tossed the ball up, his left arm swing still precise, and only those very close could see the slight tremor in the muscles of his elbow as he exerted force.

"Bang."

The zero-style serve isn't the fastest, but it generates an extremely high spin.

Atobe stepped forward, hit the ball with his backhand, and sent it straight to the corner of his forehand side.

Tezuka shifted his feet slightly, unleashing his domain to pull the ball back in front of him. He returned the ball with a forehand, the ball imbued with the power of countless hammer blows, making it incredibly heavy.

Atobe sidestepped to clear the ball's path, then used the momentum to send the ball back.

A tug-of-war ensued instantly.

Both players' returns were incredibly fast, the yellow ball flashing like lightning across the net. Each shot whistled through the air and landed with a dull thud.

Atobe kept maneuvering Tezuka's forehand, spreading the ball's trajectory to the left and right, each angle more tricky than the last. Tezuka managed to cover the ball with his area of ​​effect, but the forehand's pull was indeed a bit weak, and he had to take an extra half step each time to receive it.

Sweat dripped down their jawlines and onto the scorching ground, disappearing instantly.

The wind carried the acrid smell of melting plastic, mixed with the salty taste of sweat, making one's chest feel tight.

The stands were completely silent. Everyone stared at the small ball bouncing back and forth, their necks swaying from side to side, not daring to even breathe loudly.

"That's too fast..." someone muttered softly, their voice trembling.

"Yeah, it feels even more exaggerated than the last game. I can't see the ball's trajectory at all now, I can only roughly determine its location by listening to the sound of the ball being hit..."

When the shot reached the sixtieth beat, Atobe suddenly changed direction.

With a flick of his wrist, the topspin ball suddenly turned into sidespin, flying just off the sideline at an absurd angle.

Tezuka stepped forward to save her, activating his domain at full power, and barely managed to deflect the attack with his Zero Style.

In previous games, Atobe would have opted for a conventional net-based counterattack.

But this time, no.

The moment the ball was hit, he immediately judged its height and landing point.

Jump, raise your arm, and slam dunk from the low post.

"A retreat into despair!"

He shouted the name of the move in a deep voice, and his wrist suddenly pressed down. The point of contact with the ball was above it, and he slammed it down hard.

The ball didn't bounce; instead, it slid sideways along the ground like a snake, heading straight for the corner of the sideline.

The ball didn't bounce upon landing; instead, it slid sideways along the ground at great speed, sending dirt flying.

The ball's trajectory, which glides along the ground, is impossible to reach with a conventional volley.

Seeing this, Tezuka quickly stepped forward to save the ball, his racket sweeping across the ground, but he was still a step too late.

The ball slid out of his defensive range and landed in bounds.

"15-0".

Amidst the cheers of the crowd, Atobe landed smoothly, flicked his wrist, looked up at the opposite side, and slightly raised his chin. His icy blue eyes gleamed, and his entire being exuded an arrogant, kingly aura.

Yes, it works very well.

He was mentally calculating the next shot as he retreated to the baseline.

Jiro hopped and jumped along the railing, his eyes sparkling. "A new trick! Atobe's got a new trick up his sleeve!"

Shinobu, racket in hand, was about to grab Lamb and Hiyoshi to warm up when he heard the cheers. He turned his head to look at the court. "This is... a derivative technique of the Annihilation Waltz specifically designed for short-ball defense. Looks like it's not quite there yet."

The spectators in the stands snapped out of their daze amidst the cheers and began chattering incessantly.

"What's that? Atobe's new trick?"

"Only a smash can make the ball slide so close to the ground; that ball control is incredible!"

……

Besides the excited audience, the press section was filled with cameras and microphones, constantly clicking away at the handsome and dashing young man on stage.

Inoue frowned, picked up his camera and took two pictures of the Hyotei Stadium halfway point. While writing something in his notebook, he muttered to himself:

"A retreat into despair... a derivative technique of the Waltz of Destruction. It seems that Atobe's techniques have formed a complete system. Tezuka will face a lot of defensive pressure from now on."

-

Tezuka looked at the ball on the ground, his expression unchanged, but he tightened his grip on the racket.

New move.

He took a deep breath, turned around and walked back to the service line, completely unaffected.

For the second serve, he again opted for a powerful attack with a zero-style serve, but this time he added more spin, making the ball more elliptical. Atobe was slightly slow to receive the serve, resulting in a high return.

Tezuka immediately moved to the net, wanting to hit a short ball again.

Atobe, however, had anticipated this and rushed to the net. The two clashed at the net, their racket faces almost touching.

After a few quick attacks, Tezuka deliberately sliced ​​a short ball.

Atobe used the same trick again, jumping and smashing, trying to use the escape move once more.

Just as he swung his racket, the ball was suddenly pulled by the pull of Tezuka's domain, and its trajectory was deviated by an inch.

Atobe's smash missed, the ball grazing the racket frame and flying away.

"15-15".

Cheers immediately erupted from the Seigaku stands.

Momoshiro clenched his fists and shouted hoarsely, "Fine! What escape song? It's useless! Hyotei spent so much time researching this new trick, and the captain just broke it so easily."

Fuji and Inui, standing beside him, both frowned and remained silent. They had clearly seen that Tezuka's left arm had visibly trembled during that last shot.

Ji landed on the ground, looked at his racket frame, and raised an eyebrow.

Ah, the second ball was interfered with by the field.

He wasn't discouraged at all; on the contrary, he found it even more interesting.

Okay, let's try another approach.

The two continued to pull at each other for several more shots.

Tezuka, relying on his enhanced abilities and domain defense, relentlessly attacked with powerful smashes, attempting to overwhelm Tezuka with sheer force. Atobe, however, defended steadily, moving nimbly and constantly changing his tactics, testing Tezuka's limits.

On the thirtieth shot, Atobe forced out another high ball.

This time, it was because Tezuka failed to control the angle well, and his return shot was too high and lacked power.

Atobe leaped again, higher and with more power. His back muscles taut into sharp lines as he raised his racket high overhead.

"Towards the Gigue of Lamentation!"

This smash was nearly twice as powerful as before, a specially enhanced version designed to counter high balls. The goal wasn't to score directly, but to knock the opponent's racket away and disrupt their rhythm.

The smash came crashing down with tremendous force, and Tezuka gritted his teeth and met it head-on with a sidehand smash.

"Bang!"

With a muffled thud, the moment Tezuka touched the ball, a tremendous force slammed into him through the racket handle, causing his left arm muscles to contract sharply. He staggered back two steps before regaining his balance, and the racket nearly slipped from his hand.

The second smash followed immediately, even more powerful than the first. The ball slammed heavily inside the baseline, bounced up, grazed the net post, and flew out, striking the net with a dull thud.

"30-15".

Tezuka stood in the center of the court, his left hand tingling with numbness. The stinging pain in his elbow from catching that spike was getting stronger and stronger, like it was on fire.

He flexed his wrist, seemingly feeling no pain, and prepared to continue the match.

The entire audience gasped in shock.

"Another new move! This one's even more powerful!"

"How many versions of 'The Dance of Destruction' are there? Is Atobe a monster?"

"Even if it's not quite there, it's not far off. The power didn't diminish at all during the nearly one-hour match; it's still terrifying!"

"Is Tezuka alright? He looks like he's in pain."

……

"This move has also been honed through countless trials," Liu Bijian quickly noted. "Concentrating all your strength into the arm that's striking doubles the power. If you try to block it head-on, it's easy to lose your grip. Tezuka's left arm is injured, so blocking it head-on is too risky."

Sanada looked at Atobe on the field, his gaze growing increasingly somber.

The power of each smash in this game was no less than his "wind". Moreover, he had never seen these moves before when he played training matches with Atobe.

Atobe Keigo... just how many trump cards does he still have up his sleeve?

Shinobu adjusted his glasses, listened to the gasps of surprise from the crowd, and looked at his own captain, who was beaming with pride on the field. His smile deepened.

This combo was an idea proposed by Mochizuki Ryo. Atobe practiced it for almost a month, and he himself was conscripted to be a sparring partner for half a month.

According to Atobe's original plan, he intended to use it during the final match against Yukimura in the Kanto Tournament, but he didn't expect to reveal it ahead of schedule today.

Good, let everyone see that Hyotei's King title is not just for show.

Wang Yueling sat on the coach's bench, her fingertips gently tapping her knees.

Tezuka's left arm is already starting to react. If he continues to take the blows like this, the injury will worsen.

He will probably adjust his strategy and stop trying to take the hit head-on.

……

Sure enough, Tezuka adjusted his strategy for the next ball. He abandoned the zero-hit shot and instead opted for a long baseline loop, using the spin of his own net to deflect the ball and guide it to a comfortable position before returning it.

One shot after another, the force increasing.

Atobe kept probing, trying to find an opportunity to lob the ball higher.

But Tezuka fought tenaciously. Even as his left arm grew heavier and each swing brought a sharp pain, he still managed to deflect Atobe's attacks time and time again thanks to his accurate predictions and the enhancement of his domain.

And he pressed down hard on the paddle, giving Atobe no chance to raise his paddle.

In the end, they managed to tie the score at 30-30 with a short ball.

Atobe's new move was completely blocked and he couldn't use it at all. He wasn't in a hurry and patiently pulled him along, wearing down his stamina and arm endurance.

He could see that after each slice, Tezuka paused his arm for longer and longer periods, and the landing points of all the balls became increasingly off-center.

Is this the end?

When Tezuka was forced to the backcourt sideline and attempted a backhand slice shot on the fifteenth shot of the four-ball game, his elbow suddenly throbbed with pain, and his return shot went a little too high.

Atobe seized that tiny opening.

His eyes narrowed, he pushed off the ground, and leaped into the air. This time he jumped higher than before, his knees bending in a beautiful arc, making him look like an eagle spreading its wings.

"The final symphony leading to annihilation!"

The first spike.

Tezuka quickly went online and blocked the attack with both hands holding the racket.

A second spike followed immediately.

Tezuka tried to retaliate in the same way, gripping his racket with both hands as he caught the ball. The enormous rebound force sent him staggering back several steps, causing a sharp pain in his wrists. He instinctively released his grip, and the racket flew away.

Just when everyone thought the ball was over, Atobe used the momentum from his fall to jump again, soaring even higher.

The third smash, carrying immense force, slammed into the corner of the opponent's baseline.

This move is specifically designed to target opponents who manage to lob the ball high. The speed and power of the third smash are at their peak, leaving them no time to react.

Tezuka's racket was knocked away, and he didn't have time to pick it up.

The ball slammed heavily onto the synthetic surface with a dull thud. It bounced up, grazed the net posts, and flew out with such force that it was instantly tangled in the wire of the netting.

"40-30".

Almost a minute has passed since the ball was scored, and the entire stadium remains completely silent.

Three smashes, a combo attack.

From short balls to high balls, from the net to the baseline, it covers everything.

This isn't a set of moves; it's a net!

Once the opponent hits the ball, there's no escaping this net.

After a long while, someone finally spoke in a trembling voice.

"Just how many different smash techniques did he practice?!"

"This is the third time! He scores a point every time he changes his smash style! Has he practiced every single variation?!"

"...How strong must his core strength be? Anyone else would have been exhausted long ago."

"The Dance of Destruction can be played like this? This is completely beyond the level of junior high school tennis. Even professional players' signature moves aren't this impressive!"

……

The cheers from Hyotei almost shook the entire sports park.

Irie whistled, smiled, and nodded, her voice filled with admiration, "Atobe's dance matrix system is really beautiful! No wonder he's a junior high school student that Coach Kurobe and Coach Saito are focusing on."

"He changed the wrist rotation angle again on his second jump. The first time it was a sidespin, this time he added extra backspin, so the ball bounced once after landing before sliding laterally. He changed the axis of rotation every time he changed the type of smash. This is beyond what talent can do."

"This is muscle memory developed through repeated practice."

Tokugawa, standing beside him, nodded slightly, a hint of approval flashing in his cold eyes. "To have mastered all three variants to the point where you can switch between them randomly during a match. You've truly honed your skills through countless trials."

Yukimura's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

The execution of this technique was even better than he had anticipated. Atobe Keigo is indeed a formidable opponent.

……

On the court, Tezuka stood behind the baseline, closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again. His left arm was numb, so the pain was somewhat dulled.

This is not a good thing.

Rather, it's because the nerves in the body have become numb from the pain.

But... we can't stop yet.

Tezuka took a deep breath, went all out, tossed the ball, and swung his racket.

He no longer conserved his strength, extending the spin to its maximum, unleashing the power honed through countless trials. Each shot was incredibly heavy, giving Atobe no chance to lob, and each return was low, skimming the net, making it difficult for Atobe to jump and smash.

Zero-style short ball, curveball, powerful forehand... one move after another, with a do-or-die spirit.

Tezuka tightened his defense, keeping Atobe's returns within his own defensive range. With the added power of his honed skills, his returns became increasingly forceful, forcing Atobe to only hit the ball from the baseline and unable to find an opportunity to go to the net.

The score was tied again after initially falling behind 40-30.

The two players once again found themselves in a long, drawn-out tug-of-war.

The ball came and went, the sound of hitting it was as dense as raindrops.

The entire audience was so excited that they stood up. No one spoke; only heavy breathing and the sound of the ball hitting the shuttlecock mingled together.

The air felt frozen, so stuffy it was hard to breathe.

After a long while, someone finally sighed.

"Tezuka is pushing himself too hard! To tie the game, his arm is just like Kawamura's in the last match—he's injured but he's still playing. Is he crazy?"

"Is this the pillar of Seigaku...? That's too ruthless."

Saori Shiba was so excited she almost cried, waving her fist and shouting, "Go Tezuka! Overtake him! Show Hyotei what's what!"

Inoue pursed his lips and didn't say anything, but just looked at Tezuka's red and purple arm, his hand gripping the pen tighter and tighter.

Tezuka is overworking his arm.

But... even if they win this game, what will Seigaku do next? This isn't the final of the national tournament, it's just the preliminary round of the Kanto tournament.

Without Tezuka, how far can Seigaku go?

……

The stalemate on the field continues.

Facing Tezuka's powerful attack.

Atobe used his Waltz technique time and time again, only to have it countered by Tezuka in various ways. Tezuka's Zero-Shiki short ball and Domain defense were also repeatedly exploited by Atobe.

Both players pulled out all the stops, giving their all for every ball.

Neither of them can defeat the other.

The audience was on the edge of their seats, some so nervous their palms were sweating so badly they could barely hold onto their drink bottles. The tension in the air grew ever stronger, as if it were about to explode at any moment.

When the game was over fifty shots, Tezuka seized the opportunity when Atobe's return was too high and rushed to the net.

He flipped his wrist, preparing to hit a short, zero-hit ball.

Just as the racket face made contact with the ball, a sharp, throbbing pain shot through his left elbow, like a knife twisting inside. His muscles and nerves twitched uncontrollably, and the racket face veered off course by a fraction of a millimeter.

The ball was hit, but it went a little higher than expected, grazing the net before falling.

A very soft "wipe the net".

The ball landed on the net and flipped outwards, landing right on the line.

Atobe had anticipated the landing point of the zero-style short ball and was already rushing towards it. But he hadn't expected the ball to glide across the net, landing ten centimeters closer than he had predicted. He reached out to grab it, but his fingertips missed by a hair's breadth, and the ball rolled past the racket frame.

The ball stopped on the sideline, rolled a few steps, and then came to a stop.

The entire room fell silent.

Everyone stared at the small ball, forgetting to even breathe.

Wipe the net.

Lucky ball.

But it was also a scoring opportunity.

Two seconds later, the referee's voice broke the silence.

"Game, Seigaku. The score is 5-3."

As soon as he finished speaking, a cheer erupted from the Seigaku stands, but it lacked conviction.

It's now clear to everyone that Tezuka Kunimitsu can't hold on any longer.

The boy still stood tall and straight, but his left hand hung limply, completely unable to be raised. His face was as white as paper, and his lips were devoid of any color.

Atobe stood in front of the net, looking at the person opposite him, his icy blue eyes filled with complex emotions.

I felt both admiration and感慨 (a sense of mixed emotions).

Is it worth it?

He risked his career for a qualifier he was destined to lose.

He didn't ask.

Everyone has the right to make their own choices.

He smirked, turned and walked back to the baseline, just in time to spot the yellow tennis ball resting on the sideline. He paused for a moment, then continued walking towards the baseline.

Luck is also part of strength.

But for the next ball, luck won't be on your side.

Wang Yueling leaned back in her chair, looking at the scoreboard on the field, where the number was 5-3.

He tapped the armrest lightly with his fingertips, without saying a word.

Sure enough, they won one game.

Willpower is a thing that can sometimes be quite absurd.

His azure eyes rested on Tezuka's hanging left arm, his gaze calm.

Time to end.

If they keep hitting him, the child's hand will really be lost.

He picked up a new bottle of electrolyte water, unscrewed the cap, and handed it to Atobe, who was walking back.

"Well played. Let's finish the next game!"

Atobe took the drink, took a sip, and nodded slightly without saying anything.

The boy's back was still as straight as a drawn sword.

Sharp, dazzling.