Training with Oni
In addition to sixteen dedicated tennis courts, the U-17 training camp also has many tennis courts available for others to practice on.
The next day.
In a secluded stadium.
Bang!
The sound of tennis balls hitting the ground came from the woods.
The two figures running on the field were none other than Oni Jūjirō and Saeki Muneyoshi.
On the sidelines, Tanegashima, Irie, and Muneyoshi's roommates Ochi and Mitsuya were watching with great interest.
Several electronic Hawk Eye on the railing were also focused on the field.
In the monitoring room, the coaches watched the five-dimensional models of Saeki Muneyoshi, Oni Jūjirō, Byōdōin Hōō, and Irie Kanata flashing on the computer screen.
Although the models of Oni Jūjirō and Byōdōin Hōō could not be fully finalized, they were still very satisfied.
This complete Shuffle Match of the first First String has forced hidden talents to surface, while also making it impossible for the previously exposed senior high school students to hold on any longer.
Although there are still some data fluctuations, it is now very close to the actual situation.
On the court, Muneyoshi dared not be distracted at all, after all, his opponent was none other than the number First String before yesterday, Oni Jūjirō.
Bang!
Boom!
Oni Jūjirō's shots are powerful and heavy, possessing unparalleled strength.
Even now, Muneyoshi finds it somewhat difficult to retaliate.
Anyone with a modicum of knowledge can tell from the sheer force of the tennis balls hitting the air that they are using incredibly powerful shots in practice.
"Drink it!"
Muneyoshi returned another powerful shot.
On the sidelines.
"I didn't realize how strong Muneyoshi was when we played against him before. He can actually exchange so many balls with Oni-kun!"
Irie Kanata watched from the side and couldn't help but sigh.
"Irie, stop lamenting. Don't tell me you can't see that Muneyoshi's strength is far inferior to Oni's; he's just good at using technique to neutralize the force of tennis balls, just like me!"
Tanegashima lay sprawled on the platform, propping his head up with his arm, and said irritably.
"Haha, when it comes to using technique to neutralize force, who here can compare to you, Xiu Er-kun!"
Irie Kanata wasn't surprised by his friend's habitual sabotage; instead, he smiled and said...
Indeed.
Ochi Gekko and the newly joined Mitsuya, who were standing nearby, couldn't help but nod in agreement when they heard Irie say that.
They witnessed it yesterday when a third-year student, dissatisfied with Tanegashima Shūji occupying the fourth position despite being a first-year, challenged him.
Unfortunately, no matter how powerful the opponent's attacks were, they were all useless against Tanegashima Shūji.
Tanegashima Shūji, who can neutralize all force, spin, and technique, is the best counter to this type of conventional fighter.
It broadened their horizons, which is why they followed when they heard that Oni Jūjirō had invited Muneyoshi to spar.
It wasn't just because of Oni Jūjirō, the number one in the former First String, but also because of Tanegashima Shūji and Irie Kanata who were with him.
Because of this Shuffle Match of the First String, a large number of third-year students lost their badges, and anger began to spread, making a confrontation between the first-year students and the second and third-year students inevitable.
It hasn't erupted yet; it's just the calm before the storm.
In such dangerous situations, it's safer to stay with the group of ghosts.
"Let's continue, Saeki Muneyoshi. If you can't hold on, dodge! Great Folding Knife!"
Boom!
A dark red light enveloped the pale yellow tennis ball and hurtled towards Muneyoshi's half of the court, heading straight for him.
The incoming tennis ball carried immense power and an aura of destruction.
On the court, the wind pressure generated by the ghost's powerful swing stirred up dust all around.
When sparring with Oni Jūjirō, Muneyoshi dared not be distracted in the slightest.
Such power, if not carefully considered, could easily have killed him.
After all, the person who threw him was a monster capable of lifting a giant rock!
Whenever he thinks about this, Muneyoshi can't help but complain that such power is just too abnormal.
However, although Oni Jūjirō put a lot of pressure on him, he was not completely unable to fight back.
Clang!
A sound like a sword being drawn rang out, and in the blink of an eye, a curved and leaping Shadow Blade appeared on the court.
Muneyoshi slashed horizontally, the blade composed of shadows and flames striking continuously in the air.
The black and red tennis ball flying towards him was finally neutralized after Muneyoshi slashed it twice in a row.
The dark red flames, eroded by the shadows, transformed into streaks of black petals that drifted down...
Muneyoshi's lips curled slightly, and he raised his right racket slightly, suddenly smashing it against the tennis ball whose power had been reduced by seven-tenths.
Boom!
Even with his power reduced by seventy percent, Muneyoshi could still feel a tremendous impact, the force seemingly stirring up a cloud of dust behind him through his racket.
Muneyoshi maintained his swing posture, using the momentum of his body to twist his wrist and coordinate the muscles throughout his body to successfully return the ball.
Muneyoshi's strength was also considerable; the tennis ball flew like an arrow towards the back corner of the net.
"Very well, then I'll increase the intensity."
Seeing that Saeki Muneyoshi had caught up with him, Oni Jūjirō pulled out two more tennis balls.
Bang bang bang!
Three balls in a row.
"Kid, now it's time for real practice, don't let me down!"
Seeing this familiar scene, Muneyoshi smiled slightly.
"Senior Ghost, since you're already serious, I'll add a little more!"
Muneyoshi tossed two more pale yellow tennis balls into his hand.
Bang bang bang bang bang!
Five crisp, clear sounds of the ball hitting the court rang out instantly, echoing around the quiet course.
"Interesting, I didn't expect you to have mastered multi-ball consecutive shots!"
Seeing that Muneyoshi had easily kept up with his pace, Oni Jūjirō's slightly ferocious face revealed a smile:
"In that case, how about we add a little more heat?"
He then pulled out three more tennis balls from his left palm.
Eight balls in a row!
Under the deliberate control of the demon, Muneyoshi and he continued to practice on this secluded court.
Muneyoshi also began to truly adapt to the group's practice rhythm.
Bang bang bang bang - bang bang bang bang!
A series of hitting sounds rang out, and in an instant, all the tennis balls were returned.
After such a long back-and-forth, even Mitsuya Akito, who was most familiar with Muneyoshi, was surprised by Muneyoshi's growth.
How long has it been? The genius who came to challenge us before has already reached this point.
However, he had to admit that Saeki Muneyoshi had indeed surpassed him by a great deal.
The warm-up sparring session was nearing its end.
Even the usually serious Oni Jūjirō had a smile on his face as he praised Muneyoshi, "Not bad, kid!"
"Let me see your limits!"
As he spoke, Oni Jūjirō pulled out two more tennis balls.
Bang! Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang!
In an instant, ten sounds of hitting the ball rang out, and a powerful force, driven by the tennis ball, penetrated the ground through the racket, causing even more dust to rise from the ground.
"The Demon King is taking this way way too seriously!"
Irie Kanata looked at the scene with a serious expression, while Tanegashima Shūji also sat up from his lazy posture.
Achieving a perfect ten-ball run is both a threshold and a benchmark. Being able to perfectly execute a ten-ball run indicates that one's skill level is at least among the top ranks of the First String.
Especially when playing ten consecutive balls with Oni Jūjirō, the force of those continuous hits would be too much for an average person's wrist and arm to handle.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
A series of tennis balls pierced through the smoke and dust.
Like a comet weaving into a giant net, it swept over Muneyoshi in an overwhelming manner.
Thump!
When he received the first tennis ball, Muneyoshi felt the impact force that clearly hit his arm.
Sensing the astonishing power of the demon's attack, Muneyoshi made no attempt to conceal it.
A dense, eerie light instantly enveloped him.
Thump!
Muneyoshi slightly bent his knees and stomped his foot forward!
Sizzle!
A ball of purplish-black flame appeared in his palm. The moment the flame appeared, it collided with the intense airflow carried by the tennis ball, which was spread by Muneyoshi's mental power.
At the same time.
"Splash, splash..."
Muneyoshi flicked his wrist, and a large curtain of shadow spread out from behind Muneyoshi, continuously expanding outward like waves of the sea, one after another, rising higher and higher.
The racket, with its black and red colors interwoven, is enveloped in a dark, ethereal sheen, making it seem as if sparks are dancing on every thread of the racket face.
The black waves continued to erode the force of the incoming tennis balls, and Muneyoshi's racket slammed down on the ten tennis balls flying towards him.
Darkness enveloped everything, and the ten tennis balls flew back swiftly.
This series of movements is fluid, concise, and perfectly natural.
The Darkness Technique finally began to blossom in Muneyoshi's hands. He perfectly neutralized the immense force of Oni Jūjirō's tennis ball and delivered a perfect counterattack!
"Haha! Good lad!"
Oni Jūjirō watched the ten tennis balls flying towards him, but instead of returning them, he smiled broadly.
P. S.: There are only three chapters today. I made some revisions and cuts to the first chapter, and I'll make it up to you tomorrow. Please vote with your monthly tickets!