Chapter 137: Imitation

Bang!

Ren Wang planted his feet lightly at the net, swung his racket from his side, and the tennis ball shot sharply toward the baseline.

At the instant of the strike.

Neicun Jingjie and Ji Le Jing Xing's figures crossed each other on the court.

"The primary attacker Neicun Jingjie and the primary defender Ji Le Jing Xing swapped positions in the formation!?"

Tap tap.

Ji Le Jing Xing took several strides forward to the net, shifted his weight onto his front foot, using his elbow as an axis to steady his shoulder.

Bang!

The tennis ball was briefly struck by the racket face, then shot out at unchanged speed, the court's sharp white flash reflecting the ball's cunning trajectory.

A clean, decisive volley at the net.

"Let me."

A cool voice came, Ren Wang stepped aside to let the incoming tennis ball pass, while Liu Sheng Bi Lu Shi was already positioned ahead of the ball's flight, showing no intention of halting his attack.

"Quite capable, huh?"

"But how did they actually manage it?

They were completely clueless at first, after all."

Ju Juping silently nodded in his heart.

Some angles are so tricky that only a few return paths are viable; otherwise the chance of sending the ball out of bounds rises dramatically.

Ji Le Jing Xing and Neicun Jingjie's pairing completely blocked Liu Sheng Bi Lu Shi's signature move.

Bang!

A laser beam traced a dazzling white line across the court, yet Neicun Jingjie unsurprisingly appeared at the tennis ball's inevitable spot.

The reason is actually simple.

From the start until now, Neicun and Jing Xing have deliberately avoided the common tactic of alternating fast and slow attacks, instead insisting on using fast balls to challenge, turning the match into a rapid tempo.

In the match, not being troubled by one or two powerful moves, they cooperate to discover possible counters and successfully implement them; this is the quality a Kanto‑level pairing should possess.

Obviously, Neicun Jingjie and Ji Le Jing Xing have already achieved this.

The referee announced the score; Liu Sheng Bi Lu Shi glanced sideways at the rolling tennis ball on the ground, then looked toward the re‑formed formation of Neicun Jingjie and Ji Le Jing Xing.

"Game, Budongfeng Middle School Neicun Jingjie, Ji Le Jing Xing, 2‑2!"

"Tsk, putting on a show."

Neicun Jingjie let out a low shout, stepped forward, twisted his torso to drive his arm and racket, channeling his whole body force to strike the tennis ball.

Why could he return it?

Bang!

Neicun Jingjie launched a relentless assault, the two trying to tear a crack in the opponents' coordinated defense.

Off the court, Qie Yuan Chi curled the corner of his mouth.

Bang!

"Budongfeng scores, 30‑15!"

Ji Le Jing Xing's opening attack limited Liu Sheng Bi Lu Shi's return angles, reducing the laser beam's possible rebound directions to a few.

His eyes suddenly widened.

"Caught it! They really have some skill."

And that's why Ji Le Jing Xing went to the net.

Off the court.

When the tennis ball bounced off the ground, the racket flashed sharply.

A cold white flash again pierced the court.

"What?!"

"Compared to what I imagined

it's slower!"

The racket swung decisively!

"Your prized move was countered; I don't believe you remain unmoved!"

The next second.

Of course.

Neicun thus arrived early at the landing spot to wait, and having already become accustomed to the tennis ball's speed, returning it was no longer difficult.

And the two focused fire on Liu Sheng Bi Lu Shi, launching a targeted two‑against‑one tactic.

"They finally adapted to a Kanto‑level match."

After all, even if he can see the tennis ball, he can't keep up with its speed, and Neicun likewise cannot counter the laser beam.

A black racket suddenly appeared behind the court, and the tennis ball abruptly stopped on its face.

"Laser beam."

If it's just that, it's still not enough.

Whenever Liu Sheng Bi Lu Shi makes a strike, he judges the ball's path at the net and gives a signal to alert his partner behind.

The purpose is to let Neicun's eyes pre‑adjust to fast balls, so that when facing the laser beam, he can acclimate to its speed in a shorter time.

The tennis ball skimmed past Ji Le Jing Xing's arm, yet he remained unexpectedly calm, his expression serene, as if everything were under his control.

Hearing the discussion at his ear, Ju Juping wore a bright smile, crossed his arms over his chest, watching the two below, his gaze full of admiration.

Bang!

The laser beam was reflected back again.

"Impressive, you guessed the ball's trajectory completely."

Liu Lian Er whispered, Budongfeng's two first-year students' coordination achieved victory over the stronger side, and the tactic made him praise it involuntarily.

"Just.

Sometimes even if you guess the ball's trajectory correctly and can see the ball, you may not necessarily be able to hit the tennis ball.

"Right, Liu Sheng."

Accompanied by Liu Lian Er's voice, it fell.

Rip!

The sound of the air tearing, a white flash suddenly appeared on the court, this stronger laser beam attacked, catching Neicun Jingjie off guard.

"Rikkaidai Affiliated Middle School scores, 30-15!"

A bead of cold sweat appeared on the forehead.

Just now, Neicun Jingjie completely failed to react.

If the previous laser beam was the light from a flashlight, then the laser beam just now is the laser from a laser pointer.

More focused! More pure!

But what made him feel even more terrified was

The person who fired this stronger laser beam was not Liu Sheng Bi Lü Shi.

But it was Ren Wang Ya Zhi!

"How could the laser beam be fired by Ren Wang!!?"

Not only was Neicun Jingjie dazed, but the spectators off the court were also startled.

"Liu Sheng Bi Lü Shi" suddenly raised a hand to cover his head, the other hand on his hip, laughing and saying:

"Genuine laser beam, the power level is indeed different, Liu Sheng."

"You should have had enough fun by now?"

"Ren Wang Ya Zhi" did not bother with the other's flattery, tone cold.

"Alright, the experiment is over."

Upon hearing that, "Liu Sheng Bi Lü Shi" shrugged and smiled, an invisible wave of mental energy dissipated, turning back into the original Ren Wang appearance.

"However, my imitation still falls short; even for you, who knows me best, the power of the ultimate technique still has a noticeable gap.

"I really don't know how that guy managed it."

Whoosh!

"There are two Ren Wang Ya Zhi on the court!!"

Gasps echoed throughout the venue.

And the genuine Liu Sheng Bi Lü Shi also took off the white wig on his head and put on glasses.

"Ren Wang senior is really terrifying; I didn't expect the senior called a gentleman, Liu Sheng senior, to also do such a thing."

"Could Liu Sheng senior have a weakness been exposed?"

Qie Yuan Chi Ye rubbed his nose, his thoughts wandering.

「Liu Sheng senior is the student council president; if I could know that, I wouldn't have to worry about being late anymore.

Hehe~」

「Renwang is Liu Sheng, and Liu Sheng is Renwang!!? 」

Watching this scene that could be called eerie, Shenwei Ming was astonished; of course, the other members of Budongfeng were no better.

After all, this is the first time Renwang's phantom has appeared, and its impact on people is enormous.

It is in no way inferior to Huadi Chonghong copying the opponent's ball skills, and Jiecheng Wu copying and strengthening Ren Zu You Shi's closed heart.

Meanwhile, Ju Juping was shocked inside, but his face still maintained the composure befitting a lion king.

He saw Jiecheng Wu's blazing gaze and thus asked:

「Jiecheng, you already knew, didn't you? 」

「They exchanged identities in the second game. 」

Jiecheng Wu did not deny it, but directly pointed his hand at Renwang and Liu Sheng Borushi.

「From that game onward, the weight-bearing wristband on Renwang's hand disappeared, while Liu Sheng Borushi's wrist gained a weight-bearing wristband. 」

He explained carefully, Renwang's phantom indeed surpasses common sense; upon first encounter, even Ju finds it hard to tell true from false.

Moreover, even I, who already knew this trick, feel surprised as well, right?

However, unlike others' surprise, his emotions are more filled with delight.

「As it turns out, Renwang's phantom is not like Huadi's innocent heart, nor like Huang Lai's learning talent. 」

but rather another kind, independent of the two, that can be learned.

a mental-type technique! 」

Boom!

Neicun Jingjie barely managed to block and send back a laser beam.

But the next instant.

Whoosh!

A faster laser beam shot forth immediately, passing through between the two without any obstruction.

「game, Stand Sea University Affiliated Middle School's Renwang Yaji and Liu Sheng Borushi, 3-2! 」

「Switch court~」

While the audience was still astonished by Renwang and Liu Sheng Borushi's imitation, Budongfeng had already quickly taken a game.

Neicun Jingjie and Ji Le Jing Xing, though they tried hard to organize a defensive counterattack.

But after each time they blocked a laser beam, another laser beam would pierce their defense.

They could stop one, but could not stop two.

Ritsui High's laser‑beam onslaught left their defenses riddled with holes.

For a moment.

The two, who had only just turned the tide, now truly felt a hopeless despair of being trapped with no way out.

"Laser beams mostly travel in straight lines across the court, so Neicun Jingjie, positioned at the baseline, can hardly get back in time; that's one reason this move wins."

"So I will guard the straight line on my side, then look for a chance to take the net!"

"No, even if I succeed in taking the net, the opponent still has another player who can exploit the empty straight‑line gap.

Without my signal, Neicun Jingjie also cannot reach the position in time to hit the ball."

With a cold expression, Ji Le Jing Xing's mind flashed with countless thoughts.

All the tactical systems he had studied and used in professional matches resurfaced—only to be quickly dismissed by him.

"It's not the tactics that are flawed; it's that my and Neicun Jingjie's abilities simply cannot execute a professional‑level formation.

The half‑baked attempt we cobbled together is nothing but a slaughter waiting to happen."

Boom!

Ji Le Jing Xing's foot halted, and the tennis ball zipped past his foot.

"Ritsui High scores, 0‑40!"

The umpire's professional call made Ji Le Jing Xing's heart sink.

"Budongfeng, go!"

"Budongfeng, go!"

Meanwhile, the cheerleaders' shouts from the stands stirred an inexplicable irritation in him; the tennis ball passed by, yet he did not move a muscle.

"Game, Ritsui High Ren Wang Yazi, Liu Sheng Bilushi, 4‑2!"

Ji Le Jing Xing wiped the sweat from his forehead, a look of disgust flashing in his eyes.

He looked up at the opposite side; after Ren Wang Yazi secured the point, he remained carefree, even with time to joke;

A stray glance swept the stands, where Shenwei Ming and the others wore anxious, worried expressions;

Finally, his gaze shifted to the sideline, where Ji Le Taizao sat steadily on the coach's chair, his face showing no ripple.

"Huh"

The racket hung down, sweat droplets falling to the floor, as Ji Le Jing Xing exhaled a long breath.

"I knew it would turn out like this; it should end now."

Only he did not know that within Ji Le Taizao's deep gaze lingered a hint of expectation.

Boom!

Liu Sheng Bilushi's backhand struck, sending the tennis ball toward the opposite baseline.

But when he received the ball, a trace of doubt flashed in his eyes.

Since earlier, that guy called Ji Le Jing Xing seemed to have a problem; his resistance level had dropped by a notch.

It wasn't just the speed and force of the tennis ball; even his mental will lacked any edge.

"Heh, this won't do, and that's all there is to it"

Tap tap.

"You think you can score like this? Dream on!"

Neicun Jingjie forced a breath, his legs scrambling along the baseline.

Boom!

Squeezing the little remaining strength in his body, he swung the racket at the tennis ball with force.

At the instant he made contact, his foot slipped and the racket veered.

The drive originally aimed at the left half of the court unexpectedly flew out of bounds, passing through the gap beneath the umpire's chair.

Swish!

Like a curved moon blade, Neicun Jingjie unexpectedly produced a looping shot around the post.

"There's a chance!"

At this spot, the two opponents couldn't arrive in time.

"How could this happen?"

Seeing that steep curve, Ren Wang showed a faint surprised expression, then his mouth curled slightly.

"But don't underestimate me!"

He quickened his pace, reached out forcefully; though strained, the tennis ball still cleared the net.

"Jing Xing, it's a chance ball!"

Neicun Jingjie shouted loudly; the ball's height was just right for Ji Le Jing Xing to smash it mid‑court and claim the point.

However.

Clack! Clack!

In his excited gaze, the tennis ball dropped from mid‑air, bounced, and fell again.

Ji Le Jing Xing at the front court remained motionless, a light breeze rustling his black collar, as the umpire's call rang out.

"Game, Ritsui High Ren Wang Yazi, Liu Sheng Bilushi, 5‑2!"

"Switch courts."

The tennis ball rolled to Neicun Jingjie's feet; he lifted his head stiffly, his face full of astonishment:

"Jing Xing,

You... what are you doing?"