Mental Assassination and Sleep State: A Perfect Match
On the court. 🎄🍓 ☮💢
Both sides have already set up their formations and are ready for battle.
"That guy on the Japan Team is really tall..."
Watching Ochi Gekko lightly tap the tennis ball in the backcourt, Evangelos, still a junior high school student, had a solemn expression.
"Gailos, concentrate and don't get distracted, that guy's serve is fast!"
In the first game, Evangelos was responsible for receiving serves, and Heracles, who was in the frontcourt, gave him a deep reminder.
Although the Japan Team is ranked much lower than their Greece Team, they have already fully demonstrated their strength in the last World Cup.
They were very aware of Ochi Gekko's powerful serve, in particular.
"Senior, I understand."
Evangelos took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "Besides, just call me Iver."
"Enough of that, his serve is coming, Garnett."
Snap!
Ochi Gekko gripped the tennis ball tightly as it bounced back. Beneath the one or two strands of dyed blue hair on his forehead were a pair of incredibly cold blue eyes.
At this moment, even the audience outside the arena gradually held their breath and fell silent, their eyes fixed intently on the young man on the field, filled with anticipation.
Ochi's Mach Serve was already renowned in the last world championship.
Especially after learning that the Japan Team would be playing against the Greece Team, reporters from all walks of life thoroughly investigated the strengths and tactics of the Japan Team.
Therefore, viewers know that Ochi has a serve that even professional players cannot match.
However.
Bang!
After a crisp explosion, many spectators looked bewildered.
They had been focused on Ochi Gekko's serve, but apart from hearing a loud bang, they hadn't seen anything else.
After everyone realized what was happening, they saw a mustard-yellow tennis ball resting quietly against the back wall of the two Greece Team.
For a moment, everyone gasped.
On the court, Evangelos, who was responsible for receiving the serve, froze in place, his body stiff. 🐠😳 🐸🐨
He and the audience slowly turned their heads to look at the tennis ball behind them, which had stopped rolling.
Although he had long heard of Ochi Gekko's Mach Serve and was already prepared to deal with Mach Serve.
But when faced with the real situation, he felt powerless and had no way to retaliate.
Mach Serve speed exceeds the reaction limits of the average human body.
Even Saeki Muneyoshi wasn't sure if he could actually receive that ball in the first few games; he could only adapt.
"Did you see that, Garros?"
Heracles asked calmly.
"We're doomed..."
Gallos playfully stuck out his tongue, indicating that he couldn't see anything.
"Gailos, don't be discouraged, he can't serve forever!"
Heracles came over, comforted the child briefly, and then they began to switch roles in receiving serves.
Bang!
Another gentle breeze swept by.
"So this is the fastest Mach Serve, it really catches you off guard..."
After exchanging passes, Heracles gave Ochi a deep look, his eyes filled with apprehension.
However, Ochi completely ignored him and walked towards the other half of the court's service area with a grim expression.
"No matter how many times I watch it, Ochi- senpai's serve is always so fast!"
Saeki Muneyoshi's lips curled up, and he suddenly wanted to have a real match with Ochi. With this thought, a sense of anticipation rose in his heart.
During his first year, aside from a few practice matches with Ochi, he had never actually competed against Ochi. Ochi's attempts to challenge him were halted by Ochi's repeated challenges.
Therefore, Muneyoshi never personally experienced the full power of Ochi Gekko's serve.
Ochi was unaware of Muneyoshi's thoughts at this moment, and his serve continued.
Swish!
Ochi raised his arm and tossed the ball, bending his knees. The racket, which had been hanging vertically behind him, suddenly fell down the moment he leaped into the air!
Thump!
Even Mouri, his teammate, didn't sense the tennis ball for a split second. 🏆♤ ☯♗
Bang!
"Game score: 1-0, Japan leads."
"Both sides change sides!"
As the referee's voice faded, the audience in the stands erupted in enthusiastic applause.
Although they couldn't see Ochi Gekko's serve at all because the tennis ball was too fast.
However, the Japan Team decisively scored with four serves, demonstrating their formidable strength.
"Gallos, don't be nervous."
During the changeover, Heracles patted his partner on the shoulder and comforted him, saying, "Don't compete with them. Just do your best. Leave the rest to me."
"Hmm... Senior Heracles..."
Looking at the kind and reliable bearded senior in front of him, a warm feeling flashed through Garros' heart, and the fear he had felt because of Ochi's powerful strength disappeared.
"Geros, let's begin our round. Remember to cooperate with me from now on!"
Heracles stroked his trembling beard; at that moment, he looked nothing like a tennis player but rather like an ancient Greece scholar.
"Yes! I will!"
Evangelos nodded solemnly.
After taking his position at the service line, Heracles tossed the tennis ball up, but instead of jumping, he held his racket behind his back.
Then, with a sudden downward swing of his arm, he struck the tennis ball with his racket.
"Naive Tail!"
Bang!
The tennis ball sped across the court and came right in front of Mori Juzaburo.
Mouri has already realized that this is a sidespin ball, and that it spins very fast.
Realizing this, Mouri quickly stepped forward to the point where the tennis ball would land, determined to keep it under his control.
His extensive experience told him that this would definitely result in a variety of ball trajectories, and he had to return the ball before its trajectory changed.
After all, no matter how powerful a changing ball is, it poses no threat if it is nipped in the bud before it changes.
Mouri swung his racket at the point where the tennis ball bounced.
However, there was no crisp sound of the ball hitting the ground; only the sound of the wind from the rapidly swinging racket.
"Naive Tail isn't so easy to retaliate against!" Heracles said calmly as he watched Mouri fail to catch the ball.
The tennis ball bounced up like an innocent sprite, drawing an unusual arc, avoiding Mouri's racket, and flying towards the backcourt.
Heracles scores, making it 15-0.
When Heracles responded with a direct serve and a point, the referee immediately announced the result.
The audience outside the venue was pleasantly surprised and gave them a round of enthusiastic applause.
Just like their history and statues, the moves used by their players are also dreamlike and beautiful.
However, this serve did not affect the Japan Team at all; both Mouri and Ochi remained calm.
Of course, compared to Mouri, who sometimes displays a lively personality, Ochi's expression is much more indifferent.
Bang!
The tennis ball is served again!
This time, Heracles' attention was mostly focused on Ochi Gekko had switched to receiving the serve.
Compared to the younger Mouri, Ochi Gekko put more pressure on him and felt more threatened.
As he expected, just as the tennis ball landed and was about to trace another irregular, wide arc...
Bang!
A tall figure appeared at the point where the tennis ball would land, and at the same time, a racket firmly wrapped around the ball as it was about to change direction.
Ochi exerted force with his arm, the tennis ball constantly rubbing against the racket, but his wrist didn't move at all. He pulled from bottom to top, bringing out a wide-angle corner ball.
During the Greece Team's halftime game, Gaelos felt a chill run down his spine. "This big guy can actually squat down to that extent, and he's instantly shed the Naive Tail of his predecessors."
However, Gaylos had no time to reflect. The tennis ball was already flying towards the bottom corner, and he sprinted towards it at high speed.
Just when everyone thought he was going to run to the baseline to catch the ball, he took two steps and then stomped hard, leaping directly into the air.
With a running start, Gaylos displayed astonishing jumping ability, his entire body seemingly enveloped in sunlight, while a massive shadow obscured his vision.
Bang!
With a loud bang, Garros leaped high into the air and intercepted the tennis ball in mid-air, smashing it into the backcourt of Mouri and Ochi Gekko.
"Greece Team scores, 30-0."
Gaius and Heracles high-fived in celebration.
Although it's a mentorship program between experienced and new recruits, their skills are still extraordinary.
"It seems I have no choice but to show my true strength. This opponent is completely different from those I encountered in junior high. Those methods just don't seem to be working at all!"
Mouri pondered a solution, then exchanged a glance with Ochi, understanding the meaning in the other's eyes.
Bang!
"Greece Team is leading, 40-15."
Bang!
"Game, Greece Team scores, score 1-1."
Possession then changed hands again, and it came to Mori Juzaburo's turn to serve.
After the initial probing attacks in the first two sets, the third set became much more intense.
The youngest player on the court, Gallos, displayed exceptional talent, particularly his athleticism and jumping ability, coupled with his agile counter-attacks.
To deal with Heracles's Naive Tail, Mouri also demonstrated his dislocation technique, breaking through its defenses.
After a tense and close battle, the Greece Team ultimately prevailed in the third set, breaking the serve of the Japan Team's Mouri first.
The score is 2-1, and the teams switch sides.
"Mouri, cheer up! Starting from the next game, remember to close your eyes!"
Before the scene changed, Ochi walked up to Mouri and whispered something.
"Oh? Is Ochi- senpai planning to make his move so soon? Since you're going to close your eyes, let's finish this round quickly!"
Having teamed up with Mouri several times before, Mori was very clear about Ochi's abilities, but he also had his own plans.
Mouri's ability allows him to compete even with his eyes closed and in Sleep State.
This aligns perfectly with Ochi Gekko's Mental Assassination.
He didn't have to step aside like Ochi's previous partners, nor did he have to have the opposite effect on him like Oishi Shuichiro.
Their two abilities were perfectly utilized at this moment, which is why Muneyoshi strongly encouraged them to team up.
P. S.: "Please vote with monthly tickets!"