Chapter 135: The Limit of Talent Blooming

Kirihara watched the tennis ball suddenly vanish without a trace and exclaimed, "How did the tennis ball disappear?"

Yanagi Renji said, "This is Chitose Senri's special move—God Hide."

"It is adding spin to the tennis ball at the moment of the Serve, specifically a vertical longitudinal spin perpendicular to the ground, which causes the tennis ball to move rapidly upward after being hit, making it appear as if it has vanished in our eyes."

"Using God Hide right from the start, the opponent's fighting spirit is truly abundant."

Kirihara said, "Then can Vice Captain Sanada return it?"

Yukimura strode into the rest area and replied, "Of course, who do you think Sanada is?"

Hearing Yukimura's voice, Takahashi turned his head and said, "Yukimura, is your body alright? You've worked hard!"

Yukimura said, "It's fine!"

Just as Yukimura judged, Sanada slightly raised his arm and successfully returned the ball the very moment it reappeared.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

A fierce rally unfolded on the court.

……

On the other side, in the Shitenhoji rest area.

"I didn't expect Sanada to successfully return Chitose's God Hide all of a sudden."

Oshitari Kenya was somewhat surprised.

"That is only natural, after all, the opponent is Sanada, one of the Three Giants of Rikkai, known as the Emperor of Rikkai."

Shiraishi said.

"However, did you hear Chitose's prediction just now?"

Shiraishi continued.

"61 shots? That number is ridiculously high!"

Oshitari said.

"That can't be helped, but as long as the final victory belongs to Chitose, it doesn't matter how long it takes."

Shiraishi said.

……

"Bang!"

……

"Bang!"

……

The tennis ball turned into a yellow streak of light, flying back and forth across the court.

During this, it frequently disappeared for a distance.

……

"Thud!"

The tennis ball landed heavily at Sanada's baseline.

"15-0!"

"Point for Chitose Senri of Shitenhoji!"

Chitose smiled and said, "I told you it would be 61 shots!"

……

"61 shots? What does that mean?"

Kirihara asked.

"This should be the second door of the Selfless State: Talent Blooming."

"The so-called Talent Blooming is to activate the human brain, relying on observing the opponent to pre-simulate the progress of the match in the brain, and predicting in how many shots a point can be secured."

"61 shots is the absolute prediction issued by Chitose."

Yanagi Renji explained.

"Is such a thing possible?"

"Can the human brain really calculate so much content all at once?"

Kirihara felt it was incredible.

"But that ball just now, it really was after 61 shots that Chitose scored."

Yanagi Renji said.

"Senior Yanagi, aren't you also someone who plays Data Tennis?"

"Can you predict it?"

Kirihara asked.

Yanagi glanced at Kirihara indifferently, successfully causing Kirihara to shut up.

……

On the court.

"Oh my, oh my, this time it actually requires 101 shots!"

Chitose said.

"Bang!"

……

"Bang!"

……

"What an astonishing match! I can only hear the sound of the tennis racket hitting the ball; my eyes can't even track the trajectory of the tennis ball anymore."

Kirihara widened his eyes, trying to find the trajectory of the yellow tennis ball.

"Chitose Senri, one of the original Kyushu Twin Heroes, the ace of Shishigaku."

"With his addition, the strength of Shitenhoji is even greater."

Yanagi Renji said.

……

While moving his body rapidly, Chitose said: "100 shots!"

As he swung his racket with force, he continued: "Next is 101 shots."

"Thud!"

The tennis ball landed heavily at the baseline on Sanada's left side.

"30-0!"

"Point for Chitose Senri of Shitenhoji!"

……

"I didn't expect Vice Captain Sanada to actually lose two points in a row."

"This absolute prediction is terrifyingly accurate!"

"Is the Vice Captain going to lose 0-6 to his opponent just like this?"

Kirihara exclaimed.

Takahashi smiled and said: "Kirihara, if Sanada finds out you're cursing him like this, your practice volume will probably double!"

Kirihara scratched his head and said: "I'm not cursing him, it's just that I really can't think of how to break this move."

"The Selfless State is truly too terrifying."

"Master, do you think Sanada can win?"

Takahashi said: "Of course."

"Whether it is the Limit of the Thousand-Year-Old Tempering or the Limit of Talent Blooming, both have obvious weaknesses."

Yanagi Renji said: "Weaknesses?"

Takahashi nodded and said: "The weakness of the Thousand-Year-Old Tempering, as we could see from the match between Tezuka and Kite last time, is that Tezuka's Thousand-Year-Old Tempering can only strengthen his left hand, while the reaction speed of other parts of his body drops significantly; it is only by relying on the Domain that Tezuka overcomes this weakness."

"And the weakness of Talent Blooming is even more obvious. Did you notice Chitose's predicted numbers?"

Kirihara answered quickly: "I remember, 61 and 101!"

Takahashi said: "Don't you think these two numbers are ridiculously large?"

Yukimura said: "I understand. Because the strength of Chitose and Sanada is nearly equal, in Chitose's prediction, such a large number is required to win a single point."

Takahashi said: "Smart! But the human brain has its limits."

"The larger the number, the greater the amount of calculation required; even under the Limit of Talent Blooming, one cannot maintain it for long."

"Facing an opponent like Sanada, consuming oneself excessively is not a good method."

"Especially since Sanada hasn't even made a move yet."

Kirihara felt his brain couldn't keep up and asked: "So what exactly is the weakness of Talent Blooming?"

At this, not only Takahashi, but even Yukimura couldn't help but roll his eyes at Kirihara.

Yanagi Renji explained: "They mean that the Limit of Talent Blooming has a miraculous effect against opponents weaker than oneself, but if it is an opponent with similar or superior strength..."

"One's own brain requires a massive amount of calculation, which will wastefully consume one's energy and mental power."

"And the opponent doesn't have that much consumption."

Kirihara clapped his hands and said: "I understand, it's just that it looks mysterious, but it's actually of no real use."

"So after only two shots, Chitose's predicted numbers are getting larger, and his mental power is also being consumed at double the rate."

"Is there no other way to break this move besides consumption?"

Yukimura exclaimed: "Watch the match!"

……

On the court.

Sanada was entirely enveloped in a black aura, with a hint of dark red appearing at the edges of the black aura.

"As Shadow as the Unknown!"

Sanada's deep voice rang out.

Chitose's pupils shook violently.

He bounced the tennis ball on the ground, said nothing, and began his Serve.

……

"What move is that from Vice Captain Sanada? Why isn't Chitose making an absolute prediction?"

Kirihara continued to ask.

"That is one of the two ultimate mysteries that Sanada has self-sealed: As Shadow as the Unknown."

"It leaves no opportunity to be exploited and is accompanied by multiple modes of action."

Yukimura explained.

"Can you explain it more carefully? I don't understand!"

Kirihara asked.

Although he knew that saying this might lead to being looked down upon again, he simply couldn't suppress his curiosity.

Unexpectedly, the others did not cast strange looks at him.