"Let me see it, Yukimura Seiichi!"
Kamikawa bounced the tennis ball against the ground a few times, then looked up at Yukimura standing across from him and took a deep breath.
He tossed the ball, raised his arm, and swung.
Thwack!!
This serve was still noticeably different from before. It skimmed the sideline, making it an extremely dangerous shot.
In an instant, an ethereal, elusive aura emerged.
Thwack!!
The bright yellow ball streaked past Kamikawa's feet, leaving a faint mark behind. He turned to glance at the mark on the court, a hint of surprise on his face.
"The Realm of Selflessness!"
At once, a vortex of air swirled around Yukimura, scattering the mist nearby. A faint red aura curled around him, its murky crimson blending into the milky-white vortex. Yukimura slowly raised his head, his jade-green eyes glinting faintly.
"0–15!"
The referee came to his senses and called the score.
"So fast!"
Shishido hadn't even reacted. His pupils shrank.
How could he be this fast? Had that match earlier still not shown his true strength?
"S-so strong!"
Mukahi murmured.
He'd scored on the return without even making contact!
The movement had been so fast, it was as if Yukimura had returned the serve and scored in an instant.
Their earlier rally had already been astonishing, but the moment that ethereal aura appeared, it completely changed Mukahi and Shishido's perceptions. Yukimura was even faster than before.
"So this is your aura?"
Seeing the Realm of Selflessness unique to Yukimura, Kamikawa froze for a moment. He watched Yukimura and said, "This isn't what I wanted to see."
Though the Realm of Selflessness was also a kind of aura, Kamikawa knew very well that it wasn't the path Sanada or Yukimura were committed to pursuing.
Yukimura said nothing. Holding his racket in one hand, he walked to the baseline.
"Interesting!"
When Yukimura didn't respond, Kamikawa's smile widened. "Let's see what kind of strength you can bring out now that you've entered the Realm of Selflessness."
Once again, he raised his hand, tossed the ball, and swung.
Thwack!!
Just like before, the serve was fast and accurate, landing at the corner of the service line.
"Step... step-step..."
Yukimura ran along the baseline and returned the powerful serve with a backhand.
Pop!
In the Realm of Selflessness, Yukimura's reflexes, speed, and strength had all improved significantly. He didn't need to think things through; his body reacted first.
Pop!!
Pop!!!
Yukimura stayed near the baseline. Each time he reached the ball, he struck it back, sending it cross-court and forcing Kamikawa to run from side to side. But Kamikawa didn't give an inch either. He chased the ball along the baseline, dragging the rally out.
Thwack!!
"30–15!"
Thwack!!
"30–30!"
The score kept seesawing back and forth.
Kamikawa lowered his racket. The ball skimmed across its face—another high-quality slice.
But this time, Yukimura darted forward and returned it with a volley the instant it bounced. Kamikawa quickly retreated and sent it back with a powerful drive.
Despite their prolonged rally, Yukimura wasn't gaining an advantage, even with the Realm of Selflessness activated.
"Something's off."
Watching the two rally back and forth, Shishido couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.
"What is it, Ryo?"
Mukahi was engrossed in the match when he heard Shishido sigh.
"Don't you think something's strange?"
The longer Shishido watched, the more certain he became that something was off. This game was taking unusually long.
Shots that Yukimura could have scored with earlier were now being returned mercilessly by Kamikawa.
"Yeah, something is a little strange."
Mukahi had noticed it too. He nodded quietly.
Thwack!!
Yukimura ran to the left corner of the baseline to hit the ball, his expression darkening.
This wasn't his first time using the power of the Realm of Selflessness. He'd already entered a deeper level of it and gained control of his own consciousness, allowing him to use the corresponding techniques at will.
Even Sanada hadn't entered the Realm of Selflessness yet, let alone learned to control his own consciousness.
Sanada was certainly a genius.
But compared with Tezuka and Yukimura, he still had some catching up to do. At just ten years old, Yukimura had swept through Kanagawa Prefecture, winning almost every match 6–0.
Tezuka, meanwhile, had dominated competitions of every size across Tokyo Metropolis with his overwhelming strength.
At this age, Tezuka could already use the Tezuka Zone with ease. He'd also opened one of the three gates within the Myriad Self Profound Mystery. In all of history, only that Samurai, Nanjirou, had ever displayed talent like this.
These two had only just graduated from elementary school and hadn't yet entered junior high, yet they were already this strong. For tennis players, especially those who'd played since childhood, twelve and fourteen were key ages for physical development.
Twelve was the age when a player had just entered their first year of junior high. Their physical abilities would grow rapidly over time. Echizen Ryoma was a prime example: at twelve, he was growing stronger at an astonishing pace.
Fourteen was the age when a player was in their third year of junior high and about to enter high school. At this age, their bodies would undergo a second growth spurt. As their bones grew, their strength and speed would increase, allowing them to handle more demanding training.
Either of the two players on the court could join a junior high tennis club and become a regular player right away. They might even sweep the Kanto region and take on the entire nation!
And with the Realm of Selflessness under his command, Yukimura had already stepped one foot into the national level.
What incredible talent.
"If these two ever attend the same school, that school will surely rule the nation."
Inoue lowered his camera and murmured, "If they go to different schools, they'll usher in a new golden age of tennis!"
Thwack!!
Thwack!!!
Their attacks grew fiercer still. Every shot landed precisely near the baseline.
Their astonishing control was on full display once more. The spectators at courtside struggled more and more to keep up; they'd completely lost track of the two players' pace.
After several rounds of attacking, both players searched for a weakness in the other.
Thwack!!
2–2!
Thwack!!
3–2!
Thwack!!
3–3!
The score stayed tight as both sides did their best to hold their serves. As long as neither lost a service game, the gap wouldn't widen.
The rally continued. Any brief mistake by either player was immediately seized upon and punished by the other, who scored at once.
"Haah, haah, haah..."
Despite being Yukimura's service game, his breathing had grown noticeably ragged, and he was sweating more than twice as much as usual. By comparison, Kamikawa had sweated much less during their exchange.
"You've probably figured it out by now..."
Kamikawa's words startled Yukimura. Smiling, he said, "You should understand the side effects of the Realm of Selflessness better than anyone."
"It consumes twice as much stamina as normal. It lets you use techniques unconsciously, but I haven't used a single smash since the match began. You know why, don't you?"
From the moment Yukimura entered the Realm of Selflessness, he'd tried hitting one or two high lobs to tempt Kamikawa into smashing. But Kamikawa had avoided them every time, preferring to score with a flat, penetrating shot that wasn't particularly fast rather than a far more powerful smash.
Besides, throughout their earlier rallies, Yukimura had probably barely seen any impressive techniques. Even if he had, he wouldn't have bothered using them.
And so, without meaning to, he'd also shut himself off from another ability of the Realm of Selflessness: using special moves he'd seen other tennis players perform.
Before you continue