The Prelude to Evolution
"This guy really is a genius, just like Muneyoshi said. He did a really good job!"
Lin Xiu looked at the two Seigaku opposite him, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.
The other person's boundless creativity was indeed something he didn't possess.
"However, such tactics are not without countermeasures if one pays attention. Let me break all your tricks, Fuji Shusuke!"
"Akan, the other side is about to show their true strength. This match is going to be tough."
Fuji's azure eyes flashed with a sharp light as he looked at the two people opposite him, Fudomine, his expression becoming slightly serious.
As his opponent, he was naturally the one who could best sense the change in Lin Xiu's mentality.
In the players' rest area, the other players remained silent, all staring intently at the court with serious expressions.
Bang!
On the court, Inui Sadaharu's serve was returned by Lin Xiu in the opposite backcourt.
Lin Xiu's return shot went directly to the edge of the backcourt baseline, and as the tennis ball landed, Fuji's figure appeared in front of it at the same time.
He then raised his racket and slashed down forcefully.
Bang!
Fuji sliced the tennis ball across the forecourt, delivering a perfectly executed short drop shot.
However, Lin Xiu once again unleashed his powerful speed, and even from the backcourt, his defensive zone could cover the entire field.
Before the tennis ball even hit the ground, Lin Xiu had already sprinted to the net and gently flicked it towards the ground.
Return a short ball after a drop shot.
A very clever approach.
If Lin Xiu had used the momentum of his sprint, he could have hit the tennis ball directly to the backcourt, and the power and speed would have been even greater.
Fuji was also prepared to deal with such a response.
However, Lin Xiu immediately discerned the other party's intentions.
The best option for him at this moment is to drop a short ball in the attacking third.
His ability to maintain precise ball control even when changing the direction of his shot gave him the upper hand once again in this duel.
Even the audience outside the arena cheered for him, something that even Inui Sadaharu hadn't anticipated.
However, Fuji's reaction speed was extremely fast. Although Lin Xiu's counterattack was very exquisite, the extremely focused Fuji still reacted instantly.
He still managed to run quickly and catch up, flicking the ball over before it hit the ground.
Bang...
Lob.
"Chance!!"
Lin Xiu leaped high, just as Fuji Inui Sadaharu thought they were about to receive a smash.
Just as Fuji thought his plan had succeeded and was preparing to execute Bear Drop counterattack and smash,
Lin Xiu twisted his wrist again.
Thump!
The tennis ball rolled slightly on the other side of Fuji's feet, and Lin Xiu placed a short ball.
"At 15:30, the Lin Xiu and Sakurai Masaya duo from Fudomine Academy scored."
"This is?!"
Seeing the tennis ball roll to his feet, Fuji was interrupted as he was about to execute one of the Three Types of Return Shots. The detail of Lin Xiu changing his stance just now flashed in his eyes.
"Did he see through my intentions, or...?"
Fuji's mind raced as he pondered this question.
However, Lin Xiu didn't mince words with him, but said directly, "I think you probably want to use your return shot to counter a smash, right?"
"That was indeed a brilliant idea, but I'm sorry, once your motives were exposed, your brilliant return was useless..."
"Useless? I don't believe it!"
He gave Inui Sadaharu a wink, Inui Sadaharu served again. Fuji used the same trick as before, and Lin Xiu's lips curled into a smile as he once again dropped a short ball.
Just like the previous shot, Fuji once again launched Lob.
Bang!
But this time, Lin Xiu changed his hitting method again. He originally intended to gently lob the ball over the net, but he suddenly swung his racket, and the tennis ball was hit directly towards Fuji Shusuke's backcourt.
Sizzle...
"This is?!"
Fuji suddenly stopped, turned around, and quickly moved to save the person behind him.
Puff!
Fuji lunged forward, saving the ball from the backcourt before it hit the ground.
The next moment.
Bang!
A thunderous roar exploded in front of him.
Lin Xiu leaped high once more and forcefully slammed down the mustard-yellow tennis ball that had just flown back.
"Fudomine scores, 30-30."
"The same old trick? You may be a genius, but you've underestimated me!"
Lin Xiu glanced coldly at the somewhat disheveled Fuji Shusuke, then walked back to the backstage area with a stern expression.
Fuji stood up, lightly brushed the dust off his clothes, and stared at Lin Xiu's back, his hand gripping the racket tightly.
As Lin Xiu became more familiar with Fuji Shusuke, he began to unleash his full power, continuously demonstrating his strength.
Inui Sadaharu quickly gained the upper hand in his serve, and after a fierce battle of two points, Lin Xiu broke Seigaku's serve.
Bang...
"Game score: 2-1, Fudomine in the lead."
The two sides switched sides, and the game continued with Sakurai Masaya serving.
Bang!
This time it was Fuji Shusuke's turn to take action, because Sakurai Masaya's ball control was not strong, so his serves had many weaknesses.
Fuji seized the opportunity to counterattack, unleashing a triple return and breaking Fudomine's serve in just a few points.
The score is tied at 2-2.
The serve once again came to Fuji's hands.
On the field.
Fuji's mind was in turmoil as he kept recalling the previous few rounds of combat. The strength Lin Xiu had displayed, as well as his familiarity with him, was definitely not accidental.
The opponent must have come prepared, even though Seigaku exploited this weakness in Fudomine's lineup.
However, Saeki Muneyoshi and Hanamura Aoi were not entirely unprepared.
Muneyoshi had already anticipated the opponents Lin Xiu might encounter and had given Lin Xiu special training tailored to their characteristics.
That's why he was able to be so familiar with Fuji's various returns and countermeasures in their first encounter.
Although Muneyoshi didn't have the ability to cheat for his teammates, he was very familiar with the supporting information and various tactics of these opponents.
Moreover, it wasn't just in theory; Muneyoshi and the others had all fought against each other personally.
This was the only extra help he could offer his teammates.
Snap... Snap...
After bouncing the tennis ball twice towards the ground, Fuji tossed the ball and began to prepare to swing.
Bang!
With a swing of his racket, Fuji let out a clear shout, and the tennis ball traced a straight yellow line in the air, precisely landing at the angle of the receiving area.
Have you changed your approach?
Watching this ordinary flat serve, Lin Xiu felt no emotion whatsoever.
Swish!
Lin Xiu's body sped up once again, creating a rustling breeze, and the streamlined muscle lines hidden beneath the black uniform of the Fudomine team were faintly visible.
As before, Lin Xiu quickly rushed to the landing point of the tennis ball.
However, Fuji's original serve changed slightly after landing.
The tennis ball, which initially had only a slight side spin, began to spin rapidly and intensely after landing.
Sizzle... sizzle... sizzle...
After making contact with the hard court, the tennis ball bounced at a deflected angle and flew directly toward Lin Xiu's backhand.
"It turns out it's not just a simple serve; there are other variations."
Lin Xiu's heart tightened. The influence Muneyoshi had given him, as well as the feeling of their recent exchange, had made Lin Xiu's impression of Fuji more three-dimensional.
This is the kind of guy who, once he makes a move, definitely has a backup plan.
Lin Xiu was very vigilant, but his footwork allowed him to catch up with the drastically changed serve once again.
The intense running gave Lin Xiu a strong momentum, but he used his right foot as a fulcrum, quickly pulled his upper body to the side, and slashed the racket at an angle with a backhand.
Bang!
The tennis ball couldn't escape his racket's grasp; just as it was about to fly out of bounds, Lin Xiu hit it back.
"What a pity, just a little short!"
In the rest area of Seigaku, the bright light in Vice-Captain Oishi's eyes dimmed.
Seeing that even the mighty Fuji was being suppressed by his opponent, their hearts were in their throats. They finally saw Fuji change his move, but his opponent caught up again.
"No, you Fuji. He anticipated this. Just look at his actions!"
Just as Oishi Kikumaru and Momoshiro Kaidoh were feeling quite dejected, Akutsu said confidently.
Tezuka, who had remained silent until now, also had a look of anticipation in his eyes.
"Is it finally starting? Is it finally time to show your brilliance, Fuji!"
P. S.: "Three chapters today, please vote with monthly tickets~"