Chapter 120: The Serious Takahashi, the Erring Tanegashima

On the court.

Tanegashima smiled slightly and said, "Takahashi, your special move is indeed interesting, but no matter how powerful a special move is, I can turn it into Mu."

"Your special move can only succeed against me once; there won't be a second time."

Takahashi stared intently at Tanegashima and said seriously, "There are exceptions to everything."

"So serious? I'm not even used to it."

Tanegashima said.

At the same time, his expression was no longer relaxed; it became somewhat solemn.

Based on his interactions with Takahashi over the past few days, Tanegashima understood that Takahashi was a person who followed his heart and was unrestrained.

Such a personality was actually somewhat similar to his own, so Tanegashima had a very good impression of Takahashi.

He hadn't expected that on the court, Takahashi could be this serious.

Facing Takahashi's firm and persistent gaze, Tanegashima had no choice but to take him seriously.

At the same time, Tanegashima had just felt a trace of an inexplicable sense of crisis.

It appeared and disappeared.

When he tried to sense it with his heart, it seemed to be gone.

But in certain moments, he again had an obscure feeling that he couldn't quite put into words.

Had Takahashi used a mental technique?

So, feeling uncertain, Tanegashima spoke to Takahashi, hoping to increase the psychological pressure on him while observing his every move.

And judging from Takahashi's reaction, Tanegashima felt that Takahashi probably hadn't used a mental technique; his spirit was entirely focused on the match, very serious and very engaged.

It was the complete opposite of his usual lazy self.

With Takahashi focusing his goal single-mindedly on victory like this, he shouldn't have the energy to use a mental technique.

This was what Tanegashima Shuji, who had once traded blows with Ochi Tsukimitsu's "Mental Assassination," thought.

Even if Takahashi did use a mental technique, his own Mu could turn it into Mu.

Tanegashima could only comfort himself this way, because he knew that just looking at basic strength, the gap between him and Takahashi was not large.

If there were any further problems psychologically, the loser would very likely be himself.

As an experienced high school student, Tanegashima knew well how important one's psychological state was during a match.

Beside the court.

Irie said, "Why did Takahashi use his special move so quickly? He should know that Tanegashima isn't the type of person who would let his special move score again and again."

"Could his physical stamina be reaching its limit?"

Tokugawa asked doubtfully, "Stamina reaching its limit?"

Irie explained, "The rally they just played lasted over 15 minutes; to us, the tennis ball was just flying back and forth across the court."

"But Shuji's shots aren't that easy to return; for Takahashi to return them smoothly, he must be fully engaged, mobilizing every organ in his body."

"How long can Takahashi, as a middle school student, maintain such a high-intensity state?"

"And Shuji is very familiar with this state; he has participated in the U17 World Cup before and has undergone many trials."

"Takahashi just used his special move; I think he must have been pushed to his limit and had no choice but to give up defense and switch to offense."

"Unfortunately, Shuji's special move is to turn others' special moves into Mu."

"If my guess is correct, the outcome will be decided very soon."

Oni stood silently to the side; he always felt that something was wrong.

That ominous aura from just now was becoming more and more obvious.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

Tanegashima spotted the timing and swung his arm forcefully to the left.

"Thud!"

The sound of the tennis ball landing heavily reached Tanegashima's ears.

Tanegashima's expression changed instantly.

Clearly, according to his prediction, the tennis ball should have been exactly where his racket could catch and counter it.

How could the tennis ball have already landed?

Did his prediction go wrong?

"Score 1-0!"

"Takahashi scores!"

In the Monitoring Room.

Tsuge felt it was unbelievable and said, "Would Tanegashima make such a low-level mistake?"

Because from his perspective, Tanegashima had swung his racket before the tennis ball had even flown in front of him.

The racket and the tennis ball had missed each other.

It was as if Tanegashima had swung his racket too early.

Seeing this scene, Kurobe immediately opened his laptop and found the data on Takahashi that had been collected previously.

"During the Kanto Tournament Finals, Takahashi used a move called Metsu Gokan."

"This move comes from the former Rikkai Captain, Yukimura Seiichi, and sequentially deprives the opponent of their sense of touch, sight, hearing, smell, and pain."

Kurobe spoke up to explain to everyone.

"No, this shouldn't be Metsu Gokan."

Although Saito did not understand what had happened to Tanegashima, he, who dealt with the mind for a long time, keenly sensed that this was not Metsu Gokan.

"Saito makes a good point; Takahashi's opponent is Tanegashima after all! You and I both know how strong Tanegashima's willpower is."

"Not to mention whether Metsu Gokan can be effective on Tanegashima, even if it were, Tanegashima could turn it into Mu."

"Tanegashima can even turn Ochi Tsukimitsu's Mental Assassination into Mu, so why would he struggle with a mere Metsu Gokan?"

Mifune spoke up.

Could it be that because of the match against Takahashi, Tanegashima's physical and mental exhaustion led to a small mistake?

That was not the case.

"Bang!"

"Thud!"

Accompanied by the sound of the tennis ball landing heavily once again, Tanegashima Shuji finally raised his arm and swung his racket.

"0-15!"

"Takahashi scores!"

This time, even Tanegashima felt something was wrong.

Clearly, in his eyes, the tennis ball had not yet flown in front of him, so why did his ears hear the sound of the ball landing?

Including that last ball, such a low-level mistake had already occurred twice in a row.

The smile on Tanegashima's face vanished, and his expression gradually turned gloomy.

Is it a mental attack technique?

No, even if it were, he could turn it into Mu by relying on Metsu Mu.

How could he make a mistake again?

Then what is going on?

While thinking, Tanegashima tossed the tennis ball upward, and when the ball reached the desired position, he swung his racket.

However, the tennis racket and the tennis ball missed each other once again.

"Thud!"

Only the sound of the tennis ball landing was heard.

"Serve fault!"

Tanegashima looked at the tennis racket in his hand in disbelief.

It happened again.

He seemed to always misjudge the time of the tennis ball's landing.

Time?

Yes, it is time.

Including the two points just lost, they were all because he had not judged the timing of the ball's descent well.

What kind of mental technique is this?

Tanegashima served again.

"Thud!"

This time, he swung the racket too early.

The umpire announced loudly, "Double fault."

"0-30!"

"Takahashi scores!"

At the side of the court.

Irie said, "Tanegashima's state is not right; why does he keep making low-level mistakes?"

Oni silently sensed the atmosphere on the court.

That oppressive and obscure aura that he had felt earlier had already vanished.

Has it been applied entirely to Tanegashima?

Oni understood, because when his Ghost God clashed with Takahashi's Taotie yesterday, it contained a mental attack.

Therefore, Oni was particularly sensitive to Takahashi's Spirit Power.

That ominous feeling from just now must have been Takahashi's Spirit Power in action.

And now, he could no longer sense it at all; is it because Takahashi has already successfully executed his move?

Oni said, "This should be another one of Takahashi's special moves!"

"Another mental-type special move."