Entering Nationals and the Weakness Mask
Swish!
This was another serve by Ibu Shinji, and the high-flying tennis ball drew everyone's attention. 69ʂɧųҳ.ƈơɱ
"Side spin Cannon Serve!"
Bang!
After a loud bang, a golden beam of light pierced through the court, its complex spins and powerful impact refracting through the air and striking Hyotei Academy's backcourt.
"So fast!"
Oshitari's gaze sharpened; Shinji's shot had become even faster, but that wasn't the main point.
With his mind closed off, Oshitari easily noticed that something else was interfering with his reactions; otherwise, he wouldn't have been unable to react.
"So this is your Nightmare Interference? What an amazing ability! But once you've discovered it, it won't be able to affect me anymore!"
Oshitari's gaze sharpened, and his aura grew increasingly eerie. Then, a faint blue halo appeared around him.
Seeing this, Shinji perked up, knowing that the real competition was about to begin.
Bang!
Ibu Shinji leaped high into the air again, his arm twirling before slamming down heavily.
Boom!
The audience only felt a golden light flash before their eyes, and when it reappeared, it was already caught by the racket face in Oshitari's hand.
"Drink! Go back!"
At a deeper level of closing off his heart, as Oshitari in a state of self-imposed solitude, his five dimensions also experienced an enhancement.
The arm, which had been trembling before, now easily deflected Ibu Shinji's heavy cannon with just a little effort.
"If nightmares don't work, then let your hands become numb!"
Shinji strode forward, and using the momentum of his body after a rapid sprint, unleashed a whip-like strike.
The tennis ball, with its extremely high arc, whistled around the expected landing point and flew towards the baseline.
In a flash.
The incredibly calm Oshitari had already determined the direction in which the ball disappeared. With light steps, he instantly arrived at the position after the ball changed direction and was ready to receive it.
The biggest drawback of this type of high-arc variation shot is that it is slower than a smash or drop shot.
Once the trajectory is predicted, the opponent can easily counterattack, or even use their special skills specifically for that ball.
For example, Oshitari's actions right now have taken everyone at Fudomine by surprise.
"Could this action be...?"
Shinji, on the other side, couldn't believe it. The pose that Oshitari struck was exactly the same as when he used one of the various counterattacks during his previous match against Fuji.
The next moment, Oshitari countered Shinji's attack with a slice shot, and the tennis ball didn't bounce back up like Returning Swallow after landing.
Instead, the Topspin.
In this shot, Oshitari used his backhand to hit the ball with powerful spin, and the ball's trajectory was similar to a short-distance snake.
However, the shot has a small amplitude, lands close to the net, and spins quickly, resulting in a rapid landing. Usually, the opponent scores before they can even see the trajectory of the ball.
"15-15."
"A side spin approach shot can also be called a SSAS!"
He gave Shinji a cold look, and then uttered the name of the Oshitari.
With a focused gaze, Shinji served again.
"That's... the Shrinking Ground Technique from Higa Junior High?"
In the Hyotei Academy rest area, Mukahi Gakuto exclaimed in surprise after seeing Oshitari display another of his special techniques.
In his line of sight Oshitari stepped forward and arrived at the front court, intercepting the falling short ball with a horizontal swing of his racket.
It's clearly very similar to the technique Higa Junior High last year's National Tournament.
"Hmph! What 'Shrinking Ground Technique'? It's just a peculiar footwork and visual manipulation. As long as Oshitari grasps the principles, he can easily learn such a skill, right, Kabaji!"
Bang!
"Game, Oshitari Yushi of the Hyotei Academy scores, score 5-3."
With a cold and solemn expression, Oshitari scored again with a short ball. His Oshitari gaze swept over Fudomine without any fluctuation. He was going to win this match.
His gaze narrowed slightly, and the grayish-white light in his eyes began to tinge with purple. Illusory spiritual energy began to emanate around his body.
Shinji no longer attempts to use his mental power to fabricate the other person's fear, as he had done before.
Instead, they began to use the effects of fiction to their advantage, recording and concealing their own shortcomings or inability to react during the match against Oshitari.
It could be considered a weakness, except that this weakness belongs to Shinji himself.
Bang!
Ibu Shinji once again launched a flying smash, and the tennis ball, filled with a chilling aura and enveloped in spiritual energy, flew back into the Hyotei Academy's court.
Thump!
With utmost composure, Oshitari easily caught the ball, and with a backhand flick, a white light flew straight forward from beside his hand.
The next moment, the mental energy around Shinji began to fluctuate, and the weaknesses he had been recording and concealing allowed him to sense the trajectory of the ball in advance.
Previously, Shinji would not have had time to intercept it, but now he reacted and acted in advance, which meant that the original loophole was avoided.
Although it is still very immature, the results are remarkable.
Ibu Shinji strode swiftly to the ball's landing point, his racket sweeping across his side in a sharp arc.
Bang!
With a loud bang, a surge of air billowed out from beside Ibu Shinji's hand.
"What? They actually managed to get that ball back?"
Tap tap tap!
Although somewhat surprised, and almost breaking free from his closed-off state, Oshitari held back. He sprinted forward with swift steps, the cold, desolate aura around him growing ever deeper.
"A Thousand Ultimate Techniques: Explosive Ball Wild Dance!"
Bang!
Oshitari unleashed a counterattack that was very familiar to the members of Fudomine. Although it lacked the wildness and domineering power that Oshitari displayed when he was in harmony with Tachibana Kippei, Oshitari's move still had its merits.
The sky filled with countless tennis balls made it difficult for Shinji to move; for a moment, he couldn't tell which one was the real tennis ball.
30:15.
"So strong!"
Kamio Akira's gaze beneath his long, slanted bangs was extremely solemn. Hyotei Academy's Oshitari Yushi was indeed formidable; it seemed even Shinji couldn't contend with him.
"The Nation's Boundary"
The familiar feeling emanating from Oshitari, along with his strength that completely surpassed the Kanto level, stirred up memories in Muneyoshi's heart.
It reminded him of the time this group of people went to the training camp last year.
The junior high school students who had become brutal because of Muneyoshi, the "catfish," have undergone a silent transformation among the group that went to the training camp last year.
Whether it's Oshitari Yushi of the Hyotei Academy, Fuji of Seigaku, or Rin Hirakoba of Higa Junior High Hirakoba Rin...
These individuals, who hadn't yet achieved National Level during their junior high school years, have truly transformed.
This moment seemed to truly Fudomine them, forcing them to begin savoring the boomerang-like attacks launched by the enraged middle school students.
Oshitari crouched in the backfield. Although his cool and lonely aura was not conspicuous, it radiated a light that no one could ignore, making his presence impossible to overlook.
At this moment, he truly displayed the demeanor of the number two figure at the Hyotei Academy.
However, Shinji is clearly not someone who gives up so easily, and besides, Oshitari went to the training camp, so why didn't he go?
Ibu Shinji's gaze was deep and unsettling. If Hyotei Academy continued to score like this, the game would be over.
Thinking of this, he took a deep breath. Everyone's Mental Power Path is different. Minister Muneyoshi's breakthrough was a comprehensive five-dimensional transformation.
Atobe Keigo unlocked the Ice World, while Yukimura Seiichi could Annihilate Five Senses.
And what about yourself?
With this in mind, the various paths that Shinji had considered gradually disappeared, leaving only the one that was most suitable for him at this moment.
The spiritual energy permeating the surroundings began to recede, and to Oshitari, who was now in a state of profound stillness, Fukashi's previously Shinji or flawed movements began to "become perfect."
It seems that Ibu Shinji's strength has improved this time as well!
As his mental energy receded, Shinji felt as if he could see the lines on his palm, and he understood the direction he needed to improve.
At the same time, I understood my future path.
At this moment, Ibu Shinji barely crossed the threshold of the nation.
Bang!
Ibu Shinji raised his arm and quickly hit a cross-court smash. The speed of the ball was so fast that it forced Oshitari, who was preparing to move to the net, to stay rooted to the spot.
Bang!
"Fudomine Junior High, Ibu Shinji, 30:30."
"Hmm, Fudomine's Ibu Shinji isn't bad, but even if he can do this much, he still can't beat Oshitari. This level is no challenge for him."
Atobe's sharp eyes flashed with a cold light, then he chuckled. With his keen eyesight, how could he not see that Ibu Shinji had improved again and crossed that threshold?
But having Oshitari for three years, he also understood this lone wolf from Kansai very well.
Oshitari noticed it too, but he remained calm and composed. After seeing Shinji return the ball, he looked up, then leaped up with a quick tap of his foot.
"That's! The Minister's Jack Knife, the Center of Gravity Vertical Jump Style!"
Kamio Akira exclaimed in surprise. The members of Fudomine were all too familiar with this pose. It was Oshitari Yushi had learned when Saeki Muneyoshi first challenged Hyotei Academy.
Bang!
With a sweep of his racket from his waist, Oshitari sent the tennis ball flying like a cannonball, landing right at Shinji's feet.
"Don't even think about taking it! Drink it!"
Shinji gritted his teeth and roared, the bouncing ball causing the veins on his Shinji to bulge.
The next second, the mask of his own weakness began to change, and clusters of spiritual energy enveloped it, suddenly transforming into the figure of Saeki Muneyoshi in front of Oshitari.
Shinji hit the ball with a very familiar 90-degree slashing motion.
Boom!
In the blink of an eye, the tennis ball disappeared from Oshitari's sight.
When the tennis ball reappeared, it had already reached Hyotei Academy's half of the court.
The tennis ball flew past Oshitari and hurtled rapidly off the court.
"Fudomine Ibu Shinji, 40-30."
Oshitari's eyes flickered for a moment.
What's this?
Miniature version of the Chaotic Flower Burial?
Bang!
As soon as he unleashed his attack, Shinji sensed something was wrong; he felt as if all his strength and spirit had been drained.
Although he managed to win a round by taking advantage of Oshitari's mental fluctuations and allowing the Weakness Mask to create a nightmare in Oshitari's mind.
But he already felt more tired than if he had played two consecutive Game 7s.
"The match is over. Well done, Oshitari!"
On the sidelines, Sakaki Tarou, with his legs crossed, glanced at Shinji's current state, a hint of appreciation appearing in his usually cold eyes.
However, he also knew that he shouldn't have imitated Ibu Shinji Saeki Muneyoshi's hitting and returning style at that moment.
Although he didn't understand the specific principles, he knew that it must place high demands on the body.
Bang!
"In the singles match, Oshitari Yushi of the Hyotei Academy won 6-4."
P. S.: "Requesting monthly votes at the beginning of the month"
This is a long post. I drank too much yesterday and was too sleepy to write after I got back.
Furthermore, this should also be Oshitari's last appearance. He won't have any scenes in the National Tournament or the subsequent World Tournament, nor will he have any scenes with the Hyotei Academy.
Requesting some guaranteed monthly votes at the beginning of the month.