The Same Old Trick Again
"Hmm? Yushi, not bad!" Atobe said arrogantly after finishing his Oshitari -up, watching Oshitari win the match.
Oshitari pushed up his glasses and muttered, "You better not lose!"
"Don't worry, I'll bring victory back to the Hyotei Academy."
"Next up is the singles match between Seigaku and Hyotei Academy."
"Seigaku Akutsu Jin VS Hyotei Academy Atobe Keigo"
The referee's voice rang out across the field, urging the players from both sides to enter.
Upon hearing this news, the onlookers gasped in surprise once again.
"Haha, Hyotei Academy's singles third player is actually their captain again, against Seigaku!"
Hyotei Academy is actually trying to pull the same trick again!
Upon seeing the lineup, Tezuka clenched his fist slightly, once again feeling Sakaki Tarou's insight into and prediction of his thoughts.
At this moment, he missed Coach Ryuzaki a little. Although her ability wasn't great, her years of experience at least gave her a strong sense of foresight when it came to matchups.
Tezuka knew that the Kanto Tournament was over.
Although Akutsu is quite strong and has grown rapidly, he is probably still no match for Atobe.
The crushing defeat in the Metropolitan Tournament already proves this point.
Atobe is a true National Level athlete, while Akutsu has not been training for long enough and his body is still developing, so he doesn't have the foundation for a transformation.
However, Tezuka didn't say anything to Akutsu. Having spent so much time together, he naturally knew Akutsu's personality.
Moreover, Akutsu's excitement reached unprecedented levels after learning that his opponent was Atobe of the Hyotei Academy.
Akutsu, consumed by revenge, is not going to listen to any other advice.
"It's up to you, Akutsu! Let them see your improved strength!"
Tezuka could only harbor a few hopes in his heart.
"Akutsu, I hope your skills have become even more dazzling after that defeat..."
Atobe, his eyes also gleaming with the look of someone who had caught their prey, stood still in front of the net.
Ignoring the anger and excitement in Akutsu's eyes, Atobe's sharp gaze swept over Akutsu's entire body from head to toe.
"Tch, you arrogant brat, I'll beat you to a pulp this time!"
Upon hearing this, Akutsu's imposing aura remained undiminished. He slung his racket over his shoulder and stood still, staring intently at Atobe.
After his Metropolitan Tournament, he was thinking about revenge. Unexpectedly, it seemed that God heard his thoughts and made the match come so soon.
Akutsu found it quite pleasant to encounter Atobe again in the singles third match of the Kanto Tournament.
"Not bad eye. I hope your skills will satisfy this old man!"
Sensing Akutsu's desire for revenge, Atobe remained unperturbed, extended his hand, shook hands with her, and then returned to their respective baselines.
The entire stadium erupted in cheers and applause, a testament to the Metropolitan Tournament -standing rivalry between the two teams and the reenactment of classic moments.
When the Hyotei Academy cheerleaders saw Atobe enter the arena, their usual roars were inevitable.
"Hyotei Academy has won! Atobe has won! Hyotei Academy has won! Atobe!"
Hearing the cheers around him and seeing Akutsu's increasingly gloomy expression, Atobe blinked and smiled.
Then.
"Smack!"
Atobe walked to the center of the court and snapped his fingers.
The cheerleaders immediately fell silent. Atobe tossed his jacket into the air and looked at Akutsu with unwavering confidence.
"The victor... will be me!"
Akutsu was slightly taken aback by this deliberate gesture, which was followed by a surge of anger.
"Heh heh, I'm going to beat you to a pulp!"
Akutsu's tone was extremely sinister.
Except for Saeki Muneyoshi.
This even more arrogant captain of the Hyotei Academy is the person he hates the most right now.
Hyotei Academy's rest area.
Oshitari, Shishido Ryo, and Mukahi Gakuto stood together, waiting for the match to begin.
"Yushi, how long do you think it will take Atobe to win this time?"
Mukahi Gakuto stared intently at the two people on the field, without turning his head, and subconsciously asked a question.
Half an hour.
Anahira Ryo his arms, his tone calm but very confident.
Knowing perfectly well the extent of Atobe's power after his evolution, he had a mysterious confidence in Atobe's strength.
Furthermore, during their detailed research on Seigaku, they learned that Akutsu Jin was a complete novice in tennis, having only been systematically learning the sport for less than six months.
Despite his current strength, everything he does tells the world how powerful his talent is.
However, experience is something that truly takes time to accumulate.
Leaving aside the various techniques involved in tennis matches, the tactics employed in a single match are also a profound subject of study.
In the original work, Akutsu's loss to Echizen Ryoma is a typical example.
"Atobe's improvement is too fast. Even though we spar with him every day, we still don't know exactly how far he has progressed."
After glancing at Shishido Ryo, Oshitari also offered his opinion.
After his battle with Muneyoshi, his horizons broadened considerably, and his strength improved significantly.
Even now, he still has no chance of winning against Atobe.
The gap between the National Level and below cannot be easily bridged.
Moreover, it's a formidable barrier with a total of twenty points across five dimensions.
It's worth noting that generally, if the sum of the five dimensions reaches eighteen points, one can be touted as having National Level.
Unfortunately Oshitari is now accepting Saeki Muneyoshi's definition of Atobe; otherwise, according to the original storyline, he would be a National Level master by now.
On the other side, in the Seigaku rest area, a similar exchange was taking place.
Although they had confidence in Akutsu's potential, the other party was, after all, Atobe Keigo of the Hyotei Academy.
On the field.
Akutsu's eyes were burning with desire; after meeting Muneyoshi, he suffered several consecutive major setbacks.
However, his tennis skills improved rapidly under Tezuka's tutelage and through practice with the Seigaku Regular.
He constantly thinks about winning back those who have defeated him.
Now, he has finally encountered someone who once defeated him, Akutsu appears incredibly dangerous in the face of his target for revenge.
This made the aura emanating from his entire body even more intense.
Across from him, Atobe gently brushed back his slightly upturned hair, a hint of surprise also appearing in his eyes. As expected of Coach Sakaki, even with the same old trick, he could still find Seigaku's weakness.
Although he also secretly wanted to compete with Tezuka.
But Hyotei Academy's victory is more important; if they win, Hyotei Academy will advance to the finals.
Of course, Atobe had no doubt that he could win; Akutsu was destined to once again revel in the glory of his master, Atobe.
"The match begins, with Akutsu Jin serving!"
After the coin toss, Akutsu was the first to serve.
"Shh..."
In the backcourt area, Akutsu gripped the tennis ball tightly, feeling every muscle in his body throbbing with excitement.
It wasn't just the excitement of playing against Atobe, but also the immense mental pressure Atobe exerted on the entire court as the referee's voice faded.
"That's the feeling!"
Akutsu felt a slight tremor in his heart as he once again experienced a level of mental pressure similar to that of Saeki Muneyoshi.
Having experienced it once before, Akutsu knew very well that this pressure was weaker than that of Muneyoshi and Tezuka, but stronger than his own.
However, the gap wasn't so large that it couldn't be closed. Realizing this, his aura began to stir.
"Another step forward, the opportunity for a breakthrough!"
Snap... Snap... Snap...
After pressing the tennis ball lightly a few times, Akutsu's sharp eyes narrowed, and he tossed the ball upwards.
Bang!
A powerful, diagonal serve.
The tennis ball traced a golden arc through the air, heading at a tricky angle towards the bottom corner of the receiving area.
Upon seeing Atobe, Atobe raised his eyebrows slightly, his astonishing eyesight instantly revealing the secret of the ball.
That's why I felt surprised.
It was somewhat Atobe to see such an advanced technique as the curve serve coming from a beginner like Akutsu.
"Good serve, but unfortunately it wasn't effective."
With a confident belief in Akutsu's shot, Atobe quickly moved forward, running towards the landing point of the tennis ball.
"Akutsu, while your skills haven't completely shaken off the beginner's mindset, they've certainly shown some promise, befitting your status as a player facing off against me."
"However, I saw through your shot at a glance."
Bang!
With a proud remark, Atobe stretched out his arm, swayed his body, and swung his racket at his feet.
They directly returned the ball.
After the tennis ball travels a short distance on the racket face, it is given a considerable downward spin.
The ball's trajectory over the middle of the net is very low, and it drops rapidly downwards after clearing the net.
A short drive to the net!
Fuji's eyes flickered slightly, his expression becoming somewhat grave. They had already formed a preliminary assessment of the Hyotei Academy's captain Atobe Keigo's, strength.
"Unfortunately, this move won't work on Akutsu!"
"Hmph... This road is blocked!"
As Fuji, just as the tennis ball flew over the net, Atobe was greeted by a pair of pale yellow eyes, and Akutsu's body appeared in the front court like a ghost.
The moment Akutsu raised his arm, his eyes swept over Atobe as he was about to move towards the opposite baseline.
"Oh!"
A smug smirk appeared on his lips, and his body, which had been in a fixed position, suddenly shifted to the side, his arm driving the racket to smash the tennis ball down.
Bang!
He was supposed to hit a cross-court shot, but instead hit a high-pressure straight shot.
Akutsu's physical gifts were on full display at this moment.
"Akutsu, did you think your feint just now could escape my eyes?!"
The expected look of surprise from Atobe did not appear; instead, his calm yet confident voice echoed throughout the stadium.
Atobe, who had been running, landed on one foot and then quickly tapped his right foot, turning in mid-air as if he had been charging towards the left half of the court all along.
At that moment, a chill swept through the entire venue.
"Your weaknesses have already been clearly exposed in my eyes!"
Swipe!
Extend your arm and swing it forward.
Bang!
At the moment the racket volleys the tennis ball, Atobe generates power from his forearm and executes a backhand topspin.
To Akutsu's astonishment, the tennis ball deflected backwards and landed on his left baseline.
15-0.
"That was..."
Basic single-leg shuffling steps.
Tezuka and Fuji both gave their answers in their hearts at the same time.
Even though it's just one of many practical tennis techniques, the combined power in Atobe's hands is astonishing.
Akutsu's prized physical gifts did not give him any advantage in this round.
"Akutsu, don't get too caught up in my dazzling skills."
Atobe smiled, looking at Akutsu with a light and aloof gaze, his tone full of arrogance (and utterly irritating).
Akutsu frowned, her pale yellow eyes once again giving Atobe, who was putting on Atobe show, a cold glare.
He then walked solemnly to his service line.
Atobe's constant provocations and arrogant attitude had at this moment made him one of the people he hated most, besides Saeki Muneyoshi.
"I'll beat you to a pulp!"
The violent energy in his heart grew stronger, Akutsu squeezed the tennis ball tightly, and then tossed it upwards.
With a twist of the elbow, the arm swung downwards with great force.
Whoosh!
A blood-gray light suddenly burst out of his body and appeared on the tennis ball.
At the same time, a terrifying and ferocious aura enveloped the stadium.
Not only Atobe, but also the Seigaku and Hyotei Academy players who were watching the game from the sidelines at this moment.
They all felt as if their bodies were under heavy pressure, and their steps became heavier.
"What's this?"
What did Akutsu do?
"You actually did it, Akutsu!" Unlike the others' surprise and doubt, Tezuka's face remained calm and composed.
He was the first person, besides Saeki Muneyoshi, to learn that Akutsu had embarked on this path.
Previously, under Muneyoshi's suppression, the series of crushing defeats had given him the key.
This was the first time he had truly mastered it.
Compared to when he first met Muneyoshi, his strength was now vastly different.
"The Path of Breath!"
"I never imagined Akutsu would go down this path, Seigaku..."
On the coach's bench, Sakaki Tarou felt the pressure on his shoulders and closed his eyes in deep thought.
Given the strength Seigaku has displayed, he can be certain that they will be one of their biggest rivals in the future.
Akutsu appears to be a nascent master of ki, but Sakaki Tarou sees potential in him.
"It seems my assessment of focusing on Seigaku was correct; they truly are a formidable enemy!"
Back on the court.
"Is this the oppressive power of aura?"
Atobe carefully sensed this invisible suppression, his eyes flashing with a cold glint.
Furthermore, Atobe also sensed the abilities displayed by this path, which was completely different from his own.
Under such overwhelming pressure, strength will ebb and flow, Akutsu will only grow stronger with each battle.
As Akutsu's strength increases, this suppression will become even greater.
"He's really a dangerous guy."
Atobe's tone was somewhat admiring, but he didn't stop walking, chasing after the tennis ball despite the pressure.
The two fought a protracted battle, with Atobe deliberately letting them have their way.
Bang!
Hiss hiss hiss...
The moment the racket touches the ball, a powerful force vibrates the net.
Atobe could clearly sense that Akutsu's power had increased.
Even so, he remained calm, without the slightest fluctuation.
However, it's time to get started.
Atobe held the racket horizontally behind his back with his right hand, and used the long fingers of his left hand to cover half of his handsome face.
The pair of deep eyes beside the beauty mark were gazing at Akutsu across from her, a dangerous glint in their eyes.
After passing Mount Sumeru, Atobe's aura changed, and compared to when he first started, he seemed to have been sublimated.
He gazed at Akutsu's still cold and dangerous face across from him, a meaningful smile appearing on his own.
"Akutsu, you are a formidable opponent, but my evolution predates yours and is far more significant. I can now clearly see your weaknesses."
Listening to Atobe's words, he felt nothing except for Akutsu, his rival.
The others, the Regular of Seigaku, wore increasingly heavy expressions of worry.
Meanwhile, the members of the Hyotei Academy looked intently at the confident Atobe on the court, anticipating Atobe next move.
On the court, Akutsu listened to Atobe's words, though he appeared disdainful.
Having fought Atobe before, he was already on high alert, his eyes fixed on the gray-haired boy opposite him, not letting Atobe make a single move.
His crushing defeat in the Metropolitan Tournament and the strength his opponent displayed in their recent encounter had already taught him a lesson.
Although Atobe Keigo may seem arrogant, his words are certainly not unfounded.
If he relaxes even slightly, he will once again be the loser in this match.
Seeing Akutsu's serious expression, Atobe chuckled and walked towards the service area.
Looking at Akutsu, who was preparing to serve again, he chuckled and said, "Akutsu, don't be intimidated by my magnificent skills."
As soon as he finished speaking, the tennis ball in Atobe's hand flew into the air. He then bent his knees and jumped, raising his body high and swinging his racket vertically down.
Swish...
The tennis ball flew off the racket; this serve, resembling a smash, perfectly showcased power and speed.
Atobe executed the entire set of movements flawlessly, without the slightest deviation, the whole process flowing smoothly and effortlessly.
Bang...
A crisp sound rang out, and a golden streak of light flashed across the field, heading straight for the bottom corner of Akutsu's half of the court.
"You arrogant fool, if you think you can score like that, you're seriously underestimating me Akutsu Jin."
Akutsu spoke in a deep voice, his entire body darting out like a cheetah, arriving in front of the tennis ball just as it was about to fly out of bounds.
He then raised his right racket high, aimed at the tennis ball, and swung his hand in a blur.
Thud...
The tennis ball flew towards Atobe the court in an instant, its speed almost matching the speed of his previous serve.
Faced with Akutsu's counterattack, Atobe simply lowered his body and carefully observed the trajectory of the tennis ball.
His improved eyesight allowed him to see the ball's landing point immediately.
Then a cold glint flashed from Atobe's eyes, and an ice shard, invisible to ordinary people, rose from Akutsu's half of the court.
A chill immediately filled the stadium.
Atobe then strode forward and quickly ran towards an empty spot.
Bang...
After slightly reducing the force on his wrist, the pale yellow tennis ball streaked across the net and struck a spot on the icicle.
That was a place that Atobe considered a blind spot for Akutsu.
Akutsu sneered, having already gained experience, he assumed a fighting stance, ready to retaliate.
Although his body felt a surge of resistance.
But Akutsu twisted his body forcefully, and the shot, which was originally in a dead angle, was neutralized by his strange posture.
Then, he suddenly raised his arm and delivered another powerful smash, while simultaneously rushing towards the net at high speed.
"What a powerful body!"
"However, I already knew the limits of your body's endurance, but your blind spots are more than just this!"
Atobe, with perfect insight, was not surprised by Akutsu's avoidance of blind spots. He continued moving his feet and hands without stopping, and began to aim at other blind spots with icicles.
Bang!
It was another attack aimed at a blind spot.
The ice spike breaks, Atobe scores directly.
What followed was a recurring scenario, much like this ball was played out repeatedly.
As the ice shards shattered, Atobe's scoring became increasingly easier.
Akutsu's inescapable weakness was the foundation for Atobe's victory.
"Game, Atobe Keigo, score 5-3, switch sides."
"Are you kidding me?!"
Tap tap!
Three steps count as two. Akutsu leaped forward, tilting his racket downwards, and forcefully smacked the bouncing tennis ball.
Bang!
With a crisp sound, the tennis ball flew over Atobe's head and headed towards his backcourt baseline.
"A trapped beast struggling."
Although he outwardly expressed disdain, Atobe still greatly admired Akutsu's unwavering attitude.
Furthermore, as the match progressed, Atobe discovered that after adapting to the rhythm, Akutsu had evolved once again, becoming increasingly difficult to deal with.
That unparalleled talent, along with his beast-like intuition and ever-growing skills, was almost visible to the naked eye.
However, Akutsu's attitude towards Atobe was similar at this time.
He originally thought that as he trained hard and improved his strength, the gap between him and these ministers would become smaller and smaller.
However, this match taught him that Atobe was far superior to him in terms of eyesight, speed, and strength.
As the match progressed, he suddenly realized that he had no way to deal with Atobe at this point.
Is this my limit?
Akutsu was filled with rage, and he could almost hear Muneyoshi's mockery echoing in his ears again.
Sizzle...
With a sudden stop, Akutsu quickly turned his body and rushed to save the tennis ball that was about to hit the ground behind him.
"Don't even think about scoring!"
Swish.
He lunged forward, his arms outstretched to their limit.
Bang!
With a leaping save, the racket finally made contact with the tennis ball, which was about to hit the ground a second time.
But this was the most desperate beginning.
"Haha... Akutsu, you're really not flashy now, are you? Just revel in my amazing skills!"
With a soft laugh, the figure opposite leaped into the air.
Bang!
A gust of air crashed down from mid-air, and the tennis ball was smashed back by Atobe.
This time, the smash didn't hit the racket; instead, after landing, the tennis ball left a pale yellow afterimage along the ground.
It swept straight past Akutsu's gaze.
"Atobe Keigo is in the lead, score 40-15."
A song of escape towards destruction!
Atobe's arrogant display of skill left Akutsu speechless.
"Looks like we'll have to wait until the National Tournament."
At some point, Fuji walked up to Tezuka, glanced at the disheveled Akutsu in the arena, and said calmly.
"Furthermore, Hyotei Academy's captain, Atobe Keigo, has improved so significantly since the Metropolitan Tournament; he's become even stronger..."
Seeing Akutsu in this state, the Seigaku members also felt bad.
However, it will be difficult for Akutsu to win another game against Atobe now.
Moreover, the game had already reached the final point.
Tezuka was well aware of this.
His exceptional vision and formidable strength clearly demonstrated that Atobe had not merely broken through to the National Level.
Instead, they have found their own tennis system, just like him.
At this time, Akutsu was still learning the basics and relying on his talent to play.
Against Atobe, whose tennis system is already well-established, Akutsu's chances of winning are indeed very slim.
"Akutsu hasn't grown enough yet; he needs more training."
Tezuka had already made up his mind that he would train hard with Akutsu when he got back.
On the field.
Seeing Akutsu still displaying a high level of fighting spirit and reactivating his imperfect aura, Atobe's eyes lit up, and he smiled gently.
"I acknowledge that kind of will."
Snap... Snap!
"It's the last ball, Akutsu. Take a good look at the gap between us, and then keep growing!"
With a gentle pull of his hand, he retracted the bouncing tennis ball, and the cold glint in Atobe's eyes became incredibly piercing.
In an instant, a massive cold wave swept across the entire stadium, even directly shattering Akutsu's weak and scattered aura.
"Let's freeze it here!"
Bang!
With a cold shout from Atobe, a golden light streaked across the entire court, instantly splashing up countless tiny ice crystals.
The eccentric genius, still not fully grown, perished in this icy world.
"Game, Atobe Keigo, 6-4."
"Match over! Hyotei Academy's Atobe Keigo wins!"
"The Semifinals of the xxxxth Kanto Tournament: Hyotei Academy vs. Seigaku, with a total score of 3-0, Hyotei Academy emerges victorious."
Meanwhile, on the other side of the venue, Rikkai Dai Affiliated Middle School also easily defeated Yamabuki Middle School to advance to the finals.
"Tezuka, it's a pity I couldn't play against you this time. Let's have another chance to compete during the National Tournament!"
Atobe's face didn't show much of the arrogance of a victor, but his smile was always full of confidence, and concealed a deep sense of apprehension.
Although it seems that Seigaku lost to them in Metropolitan Tournament and the Kanto Tournament.
However, only by competing in person can one know Seigaku's current potential, and he also believes that the Seigaku team members will not be defeated by this defeat.
"Akutsu, I'm waiting for your revenge!"
After taking one last look at Akutsu, Atobe Keigo turned and left, followed by the Regular and support team of the Hyotei Academy.
Meanwhile, the Seigaku team also left the arena. As they left, they took a deep look at the Hyotei Academy's team, etching this defeat into their minds.
"Let's go, Jin. The Kanto Tournament may be over, but this isn't the final ending; it's a new beginning."
Hyotei Academy, under Sakaki Tarou's arrangement, repeated their old tricks, recreating the situation from the Metropolitan Tournament, and once again defeated Seigaku in a swift three-game match.
On the other side, Rikkai Dai also defeated Yamabuki without much effort.
The teams for the Kanto Tournament finals have now been determined.
Hyotei Academy VS Rikkai Dai High School.
This was not the first time the two schools had clashed in the Kanto Tournament, but it was the first time Atobe and Yukimura Sanada had faced off.
Although both teams made it all the way to the finals, their performances differed.
Rikkai Dai has not lost a single game, and in previous matches they have used a variety of different lineup combinations.
Make it so that none of your opponents can find their weaknesses.
Yukimura Seiichi, Sanada Genichirou, Mitsuya Akito, Niou Masaharu, Marui Bunta Jack Sanohara, Yanagi Renji...
And then there's Mori Juzaburo, who transferred here not long before the Kanto Tournament.
This phenomenal group left other schools feeling hopeless.
They have remained undefeated since the preliminary rounds.
However, Hyotei Academy's performance was not bad either.
Apart from the initial matches, there was a clear tendency to use the games for training, but they were all played with confidence and preparedness.
Furthermore, they shut out Seigaku in the Semifinals.
This led many to believe that Hyotei Academy and Rikkai Dai were a cut above other schools.
Therefore, many sources before the match believed that, given the competitiveness shown by both teams this year, it should be a thrilling clash of titans.
However, the game did not proceed as people expected.
Rikkai Dai will once again demonstrate their superior strength to the Tokyo Metropolis area.
However, none of this has much to do with Saeki Muneyoshi.
Under Byōdōin's almost friendly guidance, Muneyoshi experienced firsthand what it meant to be completely outmatched, and what it meant for tennis to be just beginning.
Deeply affected by this setback, Muneyoshi realized his limitations and shortcomings, left Chiba, and returned to Tokyo.
His original plan was to return to watch the final of the Kanto Tournament.
But now he has lost much interest in it, and his listless state after returning to Tokyo has greatly worried his mother, Kannai.
So, while Muneyoshi was resting, she called her husband, who was away on a business trip.
Chapter Two was delivered.
Chapter Two (7600 words), please subscribe and vote with monthly tickets.
P. S.: "As an aside, according to the original work, 18 points is the definition of National Level. Therefore, the dividing line between National Level masters is Kaidou Kaoru (in his white-haired demon form). There are too many people at that level, so for Danyang, 20 points is the threshold, and very few can reach it."