Chapter 33: The Unfathomable Shengzai!

“Senior, what is a half-volley?”

Shimaori, while continuously snapping photos of Shengzai, asked another naive question to Inoue beside her.

“A half-volley is an advanced technique where you strike the ball the instant it bounces off the ground.

If the timing isn’t precise, you’ll miss the ball entirely—or worse, it’ll hit you right in the face.

Normally, a half-volley is executed the moment the ball bounces, but Shengzai just returned it before the ball even touched the ground.

That’s far more impressive than a regular half-volley, demanding greater speed and reflexes from the player—it could even be called an ultra half-volley.”

The same explanation was now appearing before Kanshu’s Qian and the first-year students.

After giving this explanation, Kanshu adjusted his glasses and continued: “To execute a half-volley before Fuji’s Swallow’s Return lands,

you need not only lightning reflexes but also astonishing sprinting speed—which Shengzai clearly possesses.

Yet even now, I still can’t identify what kind of tennis footwork he’s using.”

Tennis has many footwork styles—for example, Ryoma’s single-leg shuffle, which can move him half a step faster than an ordinary person.

The sprinting footwork Shengzai is using now is clearly a specialized technique, yet as a tennis expert, Kanshu couldn’t recognize what it was.

“Sōsoku… that’s the special footwork he’s using, though it’s been modified.”

Hearing this sudden remark from Tezuka, the Kanshu team all looked confused, utterly unaware of what “Sōsoku” meant.

But Kanshu, the team’s strategist, and Ryoma, the resident prodigy, both suddenly looked enlightened: “Ah, so that’s Sōsoku—no wonder it felt familiar.”

“Sōsoku is a special footwork used in kendo. I occasionally sparred with my grandfather back home, so I recognized it just now.

Moreover, whether in his previous swings or his current ones, Wenren Shengzai’s movements all carry a sharp, cutting edge.

He must be a kendo master who has integrated sword techniques into tennis—that’s probably his tennis style.”

“Wenren Shengzai of Fudomine scores! Score: 30–15!”

At the very moment Tezuka revealed the true nature of Shengzai’s tennis, Fuji, staring at the rolling ball behind him, grew even more astonished.

Because Shengzai had perfectly returned his “Swallow’s Return”!

In just three shots, the opponent had seen through his “Swallow’s Return” and returned it.

“Wenren Shengzai of Fudomine is truly strong—but I won’t give up so easily.”

Honestly, even Fuji felt immense pressure from the talent and power Shengzai had displayed.

He was the second opponent since Tezuka to make him feel such pressure.

Just as he had said before—he had reasons he couldn’t afford to lose!

The serve was returned again, and Fuji once more used “Swallow’s Return,” but Shengzai, now in rhythm, returned it again with a half-volley before the ball landed.

As if he had anticipated this, Fuji moved instantly to the landing spot after seeing Shengzai’s half-volley point, and struck the ball directly to the opposite side of Shengzai’s court.

“Brilliant! That shot went straight to his exact opposite side—even if Shengzai’s Sōsoku is fast, he still…”

“Wait—that guy’s a monster! In the blink of an eye, he’s already sprinted to the other end of the court!”

Fuji’s risky shot was once again calmly returned by Shengzai, who then sent it back to the far corner of Fuji’s side.

Without Shengzai’s special footwork, Fuji barely managed to reach the ball.

And now, that barely-reached ball was rising in a high lob, about to land on Shengzai’s side.

Seeing this, the Fudomine team’s faces lit up with excitement—this high lob was a perfect opportunity for a smash.

Meanwhile, the Kanshu team, recognizing Fuji’s intent, all wore knowing smiles.

Watching the high lob in the air and then Fuji already positioned at the baseline, Shengzai grinned.

Knowing the plot, he clearly understood what Fuji intended—but faced with such a challenge, he had no reason to back down.

After a few rapid sprints, Shengzai gripped his racket tightly and leapt high into the air.

Seeing Shengzai’s smash, the Kanshu team instantly erupted in excitement.

Because they knew well: among Fuji’s three signature returns, one was specifically designed to counter smashes—the “Bear’s Net.”

“Wenren-style Free Form—Break the Army!”

Shengzai, leaping high forward, switched from one-handed grip to two-handed grip mid-air. Not only was his grip unusual, but he didn’t strike the ball on the racket’s strings—he struck it on the frame.

Though it looked like tennis, Shengzai’s motion as he leapt forward resembled swinging a sword through the air.

The ball, struck directly by the frame, visibly deformed in midair, then shot out with wild, unstable velocity!

“Fuji, get out of the way—don’t try to return this shot!”

“Fuji, the power behind this is too extreme—don’t be reckless!”

The instant the ball was struck, Tezuka and Coach Kirisaki in the stands recognized its danger and shouted for Fuji to avoid it.

But Fuji ignored them completely, still assuming the stance of “Bear’s Net.”

Watching Fuji’s reckless move, Orikata, Fudomine’s coach, sighed with admiration yet concern: “Fuji, are you really going to use those thin arms to block Shengzai’s attack?

Even if ‘Bear’s Net’ can reduce the impact of a smash, this isn’t an ordinary smash!”

As he spoke, Orikata glanced down at his right hand.

That was right—he had already experienced Shengzai’s “Break the Army” last night.

Recalling how his racket had flown meters away and how his arm had gone numb, Orikata’s face twisted with dread.

He had once thought his own tennis was overly violent—but after seeing Shengzai’s smash, he realized he’d been gentle all along.

The descending ball exploded downward like lightning, kicking up a cloud of dust and leaving a deep crater on the court.

Fuji assumed the “Bear’s Net” stance, but the ball altered its trajectory at the last moment, grazing the edge of his racket before falling.

(End of chapter)