Chapter 125: Selfless State

In the match between Kite and Tezuka, Kite was the first to take a point.

Kirihara asked, "Did you all see that? How can that Kite cover so much distance in just one step?"

"It seems like he can reach the ball no matter where it's hit."

Yanagi Renji explained, "This is their special move, combining Okinawan martial arts with tennis. By taking just one step, they can reach any part of the Court; it is also known as the Shrinking Ground Method."

Sanada said, "Not just vertical movement, can they easily perform lateral movement as well?"

Relying on the Shrinking Ground Method, Kite successfully took the first game from Tezuka.

The score quickly reached 1-0.

"Is this Kite really that strong? How come I've never heard of him before?"

Kirihara said.

"Higa Middle School from Okinawa is the dark horse this year, having successfully defeated last year's national top four, Shishigaku Middle School."

"And they rely on the fact that every member knows the Shrinking Ground Method."

Yanagi Renji said.

"If they can reach any position front, back, left, or right in one step, doesn't that mean they have no blind spots?"

Kirihara said.

"Actually, this move is not hard to crack; it is just highly deceptive."

Takahashi spoke up.

"What? Master, you understood it?"

Kirihara said.

"Observe their feet carefully, and you can see the direction they are moving."

"They must have integrated Okinawan martial arts into their footwork, keeping their bodies, especially their heads, still so that opponents cannot detect the traces of their movement, which is why opponents get the illusion that they appear instantly all over the Court."

Takahashi said slowly.

After thinking for a moment, he added, "Moving forward and backward is relatively easy, but the lateral movement Kite just used tests the player's own sense of balance; it cannot be done without an excellent sense of balance."

"Bang!"

The match on the Court continued, and Tezuka lost points in succession; the score quickly reached 2-0.

"I've seen through Kite's movement trajectory. As long as you watch his feet, his feet already give away the direction before he moves."

Kirihara said very excitedly.

"This Tezuka isn't much either. He's actually lost two games in a row to a move I can see through."

Kirihara said with some disdain.

"Is that really a move you've seen through?"

Sanada asked in return.

"Uh..."

Kirihara didn't know how to answer for a moment.

Yanagi Renji said, "According to my data, Tezuka shouldn't be at this level."

"The match on the Court is very strange!"

Takahashi said, "Observe Tezuka's eyes; he is neither anxious nor impatient. The loss of these two games should be within his expectations."

Sanada deeply agreed and said, "Tezuka Kunimitsu is a very calm guy; negative emotions like anxiety almost never appear on him."

"Such good psychological quality helps him recognize the situation of the match; even if he loses points, his mindset will not change."

Takahashi smiled slightly and said, "Kirihara, this is what you need to learn from Tezuka."

Kirihara was unhappy and said, "I learn from him? My goal is to defeat him."

Kirihara exclaimed and said, "That is..."

His finger couldn't help but point toward Tezuka's position on the Court.

They saw Tezuka suddenly enveloped by a white halo of light.

"That is the same as when Echizen broke through Master's Metsu Gokan at the Kanto Tournament."

Kirihara was stunned.

"The Selfless State? I didn't expect Tezuka to have successfully activated it too."

Yanagi Renji said.

Sanada remained silent; he knew that long before this, Tezuka had already opened the door to the Selfless State.

Following Tezuka Kunimitsu's activation of the Selfless State, the situation on the Court was instantly reversed.

No matter where the tennis ball was hit, or how powerful its speed, force, and spin were, Tezuka could return them all.

And after the ball was returned by Tezuka, Kite was unable to reach it.

The score quickly reached 3-2, leading Higa by one point.

"Ever since he activated the Selfless State, Tezuka's performance has been completely different; his strength has almost doubled."

"This is just like Echizen Ryoma back then."

"So what exactly is the Selfless State? Is the light on Tezuka the same as Echizen's?"

Kirihara asked.

"The Selfless State is a realm of tennis."

"My heart has completely turned into Mu; I no longer think through my brain, but rely on the tennis experience accumulated over many years to counterattack unconsciously, transcending my own limits, and I can utilize all the special moves I have seen until now, including those of others."

Yanagi Renji explained.

Takahashi continued to add: "In the deepest part of the Selfless State, there are Three Great Doors, which are: the Limit of Thousand Hammers, the Limit of Talent Blooming, and the Limit of Peerless Perfection."

"What Tezuka displayed is the Limit of Thousand Hammers; in this state, he can return all the spin, power, and speed contained in the incoming ball with double the effect, but there is a side effect: it consumes physical strength drastically, and the reaction ability of other parts of the body will be significantly reduced."

"And the Limit of Peerless Perfection that Echizen displayed at the Kanto Tournament is to store all power within the body, releasing it without wasting a single bit of energy, and he can also use radiance to influence the opponent, causing the opponent's power to be weakened."

"In short, the Limit of Peerless Perfection has no obvious side effects; it can be crudely understood as an upgraded version of the Limit of Thousand Hammers."

Kirihara asked: "Because he opened the Limit of Peerless Perfection, was Echizen able to break through Metsu Gokan at the Kanto Tournament?"

Takahashi nodded.

"But, Echizen did not influence Master; Master still shut out Echizen in the end."

Kirihara asked curiously.

"In a situation where the strength of both sides is similar, the Selfless State can be called a magic weapon for victory, but the gap in strength between Echizen and the Captain is too large; even with the blessing of Peerless Perfection, Echizen had no way to win."

Sanada spoke up.

"A magic weapon for victory among peers?"

"Then, has anyone in our Rikkai opened the Selfless State?"

Kirihara asked.

Sanada said in a deep voice: "Yukimura and I have opened it before, but the side effects of the Selfless State are too great, and the consumption of physical strength is too high, so we both gave it up. We also failed to open those Three Great Doors in the depths of the Selfless State."

Pausing for a few seconds, Sanada continued: "It's just that I am puzzled; the Limit of Thousand Hammers consumes physical strength at a rapid speed, so how can Tezuka hold on for so long?"

"Tezuka utilized the Domain; he used the Domain to attract all the balls within one meter of himself, and then concentrated all the aura of the Limit of Thousand Hammers onto his own arm, significantly reducing the consumption of physical strength."

Takahashi began to explain.

"So that's how it is!"

"To actually use the Domain to coordinate with the Limit of Thousand Hammers, minimizing the side effects."

Sanada suddenly realized.

Takahashi continued to speak: "Tezuka's arm should be completely healed; otherwise, he would have no way to achieve the combination of the Limit of Thousand Hammers and the Domain."

"It seems he gained a lot from this trip to D Country!"

Kirihara continued: "Since the Limit of Peerless Perfection that Echizen opened is even more powerful, and Master defeated Echizen, then there is nothing to fear about Tezuka at all."

Sanada said: "Kirihara, too slack! To Captain Takahashi, Tezuka does not count as a terrifying opponent. But for us, especially for you, Tezuka is an opponent worthy of attention."

"And I always feel that in this match, Tezuka did not exert his full strength."

Kirihara lowered his head and said: "Did not exert his full strength?"

"Being able to return shots with double the effect and also break through Metsu Gokan, this Selfless State is indeed quite troublesome."

"Master, have you opened the Limit of Peerless Perfection?"