Chapter 117: The Powerful Tanegashima Shuji, Already Metsu Mu

Standing on the sidelines of the Main Court to watch the match were high schoolers including Irie, Oni, and Tokugawa.

Watching Tanegashima score directly off a return, Tokugawa exclaimed in surprise: "Is Senior Tanegashima's strength actually this formidable?"

With a solemn expression, Oni spoke up: "Tanegashima Shuji is the undisputed No. 2 of the First String; his defensive ability is the strongest in the Training Camp—no, in the entire First String."

Irie said: "Shuji is also one of the few in the Training Camp who can successfully return Ochi's Mach Serve, and his success rate is one hundred percent."

"Even Byodoin cannot achieve one hundred percent."

"Therefore, speed is useless against Shuji."

"What's more, Takahashi's serve speed is not even as fast as the Mach Serve."

Oni continued: "Back then, when I used Ghost God to play against Tanegashima, I couldn't determine a winner either. In this match, the Coaches have also forbidden Takahashi from using Gluttony."

"Takahashi's situation is not optimistic."

Irie pushed up his glasses and said: "Perhaps this is what the Coaches want to see; after all, Takahashi has only been here for a few days and has been hogging the spotlight. It would be strange if the Coaches didn't suppress him."

……

"Bang!"

Takahashi served again.

It was still a serve with extremely high speed.

Tanegashima came to the baseline and raised his arm.

"Bang!"

The tennis ball shot toward Takahashi with astonishing momentum.

Due to the excessive ball speed, Tokugawa even felt that the tennis ball disappeared from his field of vision for a moment.

"Thud!"

Accompanied by the heavy sound of the tennis ball landing, Tokugawa finally reacted; the tennis ball had already reached Takahashi's side of the court.

The tennis ball and the racket brushed past each other again with a distance of less than 0.1 meters.

"0-30!"

"Tanegashima scores!"

……

Takahashi turned to look at the tennis ball rolling continuously in his half of the court, his eyes narrowing.

No wonder the Coach would let him challenge Tanegashima.

Tanegashima's playing style is completely different from that of Tokugawa and Oni.

Tanegashima's fundamental strength is too powerful; he can return a ball served at nearly 250km/h with just a regular flat shot.

Moreover, the ball Tanegashima hits not only maintains the speed of the serve, but he also specifically targets his blind spots.

If it weren't for these two balls hit by Tanegashima, Takahashi would not have realized at all that he had such blind spots when playing.

The Coach also restricted him from using the Other Dimension—Gluttony.

So, is this meant to be a contest of pure technique against Tanegashima?

While thinking, Takahashi picked up the tennis ball.

"Friendly reminder: My special move, Metsu Mu, can turn anyone's special move into nothing!"

Tanegashima's light and cheerful voice rang in Takahashi's ear.

"Anyone's special move? Isn't that a bit too arrogant to say!"

Takahashi said calmly.

"If you have any special moves, why don't you try them?"

Tanegashima carried his tennis racket on his shoulder and smiled at Takahashi.

Takahashi bounced the tennis ball.

As the tennis ball made a rhythmic sound on the ground, he was also pondering something.

Then, he twisted his wrist, tossed the tennis ball upward with spin, and when the ball fell to his desired position, he swung his racket, lightly brushed the ball, and swung his arm with force.

"That's a very complex spin, isn't it? But here with me, no matter how complex the spin is, it will be turned into nothing."

Tanegashima stared at the tennis ball flying in the air and said confidently.

He moved his position slightly, just as his arm was about to raise.

A sudden change occurred.

The tennis ball suddenly accelerated in mid-air, went straight over Tanegashima's racket, landed, and bounced.

"15-30!"

"Takahashi scores!"

……

In the Monitoring Room.

"A tennis ball that undergoes secondary acceleration in mid-air; this move of Takahashi's is quite interesting."

Mifune said while drinking his alcohol.

"Giving the ball topspin when tossing it, and then giving it backspin when the racket makes contact with the ball."

"The moment the two opposing spins cancel each other out in the air, the tennis ball becomes a non-spinning ball and begins its secondary acceleration. Truly a clever idea."

Kurobe could not help but praise.

A middle schooler is actually able to hit such a tennis ball; the conception is ingenious, and most importantly, his strength can support him in hitting this shot.

How to balance two opposing spins and how to make it become non-spinning in the air.

It sounds simple, but it is extremely difficult to achieve.

This shot truly tests a player's grasp of timing and understanding of spin.

I never expected Takahashi to have such a brilliant technique.

……

"Takahashi, you did that on purpose, didn't you!"

"You deliberately used this move right after I said I could neutralize anyone's special move."

Although Tanegashima had lost a point, the expression on his face did not change at all; he remained smiling.

"The facts prove that you cannot crack everyone's special move."

Takahashi responded to Tanegashima while pulling a tennis ball out of his pocket.

"Bang!"

The tennis ball turned into a yellow streak of light and shot rapidly toward his opponent.

The moment it crossed the net, the tennis ball began its Secondary Acceleration like a rocket.

"Bang!"

A tennis racket arrived right on time on the path the tennis ball was traveling.

Layers of white ripples radiated from the tennis racket, just like a pebble being thrown into a shimmering pool of water.

The tennis ball seemed to pause for a moment on the racket, then flew back toward Takahashi's side of the court with lightning speed.

"So fast!"

Tokugawa, on the sidelines, exclaimed.

Takahashi's Serve had undergone Secondary Acceleration in the air, only to be hit back by Tanegashima.

At this moment, the speed of the tennis ball was completely different from when it started.

This speed was so fast that even his eyes could barely keep up.

"Tap-tap!"

Tokugawa was startled.

Because he saw Takahashi, who was opposite Tanegashima, suddenly move his figure and arrive at the ball's landing spot just as the tennis ball rushed into his own half of the court.

Takahashi raised his arm and swung his racket with force.

"Bang!"

"Did you keep up? Your ability to adapt is truly strong!"

Tanegashima's voice drifted over.

……

In the Monitoring Room.

"Takahashi, he actually managed to return Tanegashima's serve!"

Saito said in astonishment.

That was Tanegashima Shuji's serve!

How many elite high schoolers in the Training Camp couldn't even return Tanegashima's balls.

"Takahashi's ability to adapt is very fast; in the short time of two rallies, he has already kept up with Tanegashima's rhythm. His fundamental ability is very strong! Stronger than I estimated."

Kurobe said.

……

The rally between the two on the court continued.

Takahashi lightly twisted his wrist, raised his arm, and swung his racket with force.

The tennis ball flew toward Tanegashima with complex spin.

When Tanegashima held his racket to Return, layers of white ripples appeared on the racket face.

Immediately after, Takahashi discovered that the incoming ball was actually a ball with no spin.

The spin he had just applied to the tennis ball had completely vanished.

This situation repeated several times.

"Bang!"

Tanegashima raised his arm and said, "Stop adding spin to the tennis ball; my Muno neutralizes all spin."

Takahashi's expression gradually became serious, and his brows furrowed slightly.

Tanegashima Shuji was truly a thorny opponent!

……

Beside the court.

Irie said, "Tokugawa, did you see the change on Shuji's tennis racket, those white ripples?"

"That is Shuji's talent, a talent that allows him to instantly react to any information conveyed by his vision with his wrist."

"To neutralize any move his eyes see, turning everyone else's trump cards into Mu."