Chapter 42: Different Matches

Swish~

The tennis ball spun and slowly fell from Bu Er's hand.

Bang!

The racket sliced upward with a sharp cut, a yellow curved trajectory plainly appearing on the court.

"Underhand serve?" Yiwu Shen Si, off the court, furrowed his brows, wondering what this Seigaku guy was planning.

Seemingly to answer his doubt, Bu Er said softly.

"This ball, however, will disappear."

A cold, faint light flashed briefly in his deep blue eyes, and a clear voice rang in the ears of those at Budongfeng.

Ssshh.

The tennis ball bounced off the ground at an angle, the pale yellow trail clearly visible.

But in an instant, the flying tennis ball suddenly shook violently and irregularly, several blurry ball images flickering continuously.

Spectators outside the court rubbed their eyes in disbelief.

The tennis ball—actually vanished!

"Ha, Bu Er, that trick can't fool me."

Jiecheng Wu's body left an afterimage, his racket pressed down, delivering a sharp diagonal swing toward a blank spot.

Boom!

A crisp crack rang suddenly, the tennis ball pressed on Bu Er's baseline, tearing the air, strands of electric light leaving scorch marks on the white baseline.

"0-15."

"Saw through it at a glance."

It was just one ball, yet a heavy pressure came from the opposite side.

Thump. Thump.

Bu Er seemed forced onto a mountain of cold, gleaming blades, yet he felt no fear; his heart burned passionately, surging blood rushing through his veins to his whole body.

Shouzu before his injury should have been this strong!

Whoosh!

Another irregularly trembling tennis ball was sliced out by him.

Buzz~

Jiecheng Wu had no intention of showing mercy.

Thunder Triple Concerto·Remnant Play·Lightning Flash!

A blue bolt of electricity flashed and vanished, as floating dust in the air was stirred by the tennis ball, raising a spray of fragmented, sparkling light.

Tap tap tap.

Bu Er twisted sideways, pulling; his left hand pointed into the void at the flickering electric spark, his right knee bent slightly, the racket rose upward with his slight body dip, his calm eyes straining to locate the ball's shadow.

"Seen."

His gaze suddenly focused on a point.

Clap!

A midair strike, the racket hitting the tennis ball like a kitchen knife cutting a power line.

The moment he contacted the ball, a violent shock traveled from the racket, a numbing sensation instantly engulfing his entire palm.

Bu Er instantly rotated his wrist slightly, altering the racket's angle, turning the strike into a slice in the flash of lightning.

He perfectly distributed this force across the racket face, each string rubbing the ball, a brilliant technique born from a flash of inspiration.

Swoosh!

A golden crescent moon appeared on the court, like a swift swallow skimming the ground.

"Again with that move!"

Shenwei Ming felt his whole body tremble; he had suffered from this technique in the regional tournament.

Meanwhile, Yiwu Shen Si's gaze grew increasingly solemn; that Bu Er could counter his senior's move in this way showed him a different perspective.

But at the same time he understood one thing: on the path of technique, Bu Er Zhou Zhu was far ahead of him.

Only

A cold flash suddenly appeared, Jiecheng Wu's figure instantly materialized on the ball's path, his racket slamming the ground and swinging hard.

Boom!

The near‑grounded racket head struck, blasting the curved ball outward!

"0-30!"

"Countering with a returning swallow is indeed clever, but it's really over‑ambitious."

Just like the match half a year ago, one person stood at a higher viewpoint, commenting on the other's style.

Only then Bu Er was the one in the higher position, whereas now the two's standings have turned a full 180 degrees.

Bu Er's eyes flickered slightly; he did not feel resentful that a former opponent who was weaker than him had become stronger.

A cool evening breeze brushed the court, the dividing net gently trembling, shadows rippling on the ground.

His hair lifted slightly in the breeze, revealing Bu Er's stubborn expression.

Why come to Budongfeng? He himself couldn't explain.

It might be Jiecheng Wu's overwhelming strength displayed in the match, or the scene when Jiecheng Wu and the Budongfeng members shouted about topping the nation together.

But whatever the reason, at this moment, in his eyes, Jiecheng Wu's figure was gradually turning into someone else.

It was a boy wearing gold‑rimmed glasses, his tea‑brown short hair split three‑seven, his indifferent face with ever‑steady eyes, a faintly pursed mouth hiding inner emotions.

The instant the silhouette fully overlapped with Jiecheng Wu, Bu Er's expression flickered with a slight startle.

Shouzu

Bu Er is a person who knows his own heart clearly; his tennis has two inner knots.

He lacks the competitive spirit that others have.

In matches, he more desires to push the opponent to the limit, to savor the thrill of that momentary crisis, rather than pursue ultimate victory.

And the second knot is Tezuka Kunimitsu.

He has been determined to surpass that person, but since Shouzu was injured, he has never found a chance to face him fairly.

However, the Shouzu before him now has sparked Bu Er's fighting spirit completely.

"In your eyes, it seems I have become someone's substitute?"

Jiecheng Wu sensed the subtle change in Bu Er's gaze and murmured softly.

The surrounding air dropped a few degrees instantly.

Near Seigaku, a tennis court beneath the overpass.

Bu Er competes against the imagined Shouzu at Budongfeng.

On this desolate court, Qing Tian Bang Nan is playing against the real Shouzu.

Boom!

A crisp, cold light pierced past Qing Tian Bang Nan's feet, and the tennis ball, spinning fiercely, left a clear imprint on the ground.

Swish~

After the ball cleared the net, it plummeted, and the instant it touched the ground it didn't bounce but rolled backward.

Whoosh!

The airborne ball traced a curved arc and returned to Shouzu's feet.

Boom!

A milky aura gathered at Shouzu's left hand; with a crack, a sharp yellow beam blasted Qing Tian Bang Nan's racket, even snapping the strings.

Sweat seeped from Qing Tian Bang Nan's pores, soaking his clothes and clinging tightly to his back.

His pupils were filled with shock; he knew Shouzu was formidable, but not to this extent.

In an instant, he seemed to return to the regional qualifiers.

In his eyes, the figure before him gradually resembled Jiecheng Wu, and both's strikes were utterly ruthless.

So he couldn't help but shout, "Shouzu, what exactly do you want to do?"

Shouzu slightly lowered his racket, his expression resolute.

"Director Qing Tian, I just want to let you know something."

"I am strong.

Strong enough to easily defeat you, strong enough to lead Seigaku into the national tournament, strong enough that you can confidently entrust Seigaku to me."

In the sunset, Shouzu's shadow stretched long, long enough to envelop Qing Tian Bang Nan.

"So to verify this, Director Qing Tian, please don't be careless and step up!"

(End of Chapter)