Chapter 173: Niou's

"Is it really imitation? How can it be so similar?"

Kikumaru still felt it was truly incredible.

"Back at the Kanto Tournament, Niou didn't seem capable of doing this!"

Oishi replied, trying hard to recall the scene of the match against Niou back then.

"Yes, it was prepared for the National Tournament, but there was no opportunity for him to play in the National Tournament at all, and our Rikkai already secured the victory."

"So, this should be the first time you have all seen Niou's 'Phantom'."

Yanagi Renji said.

"Sanada was the one who took a fancy to Niou's ability to transform into others, which is why he took the initiative to form a doubles pair with him."

Yukimura concluded.

On the court.

'Takahashi' tossed the tennis ball upward, then raised his arm and swung the tennis racket with force.

"Bang!"

The tennis ball turned into a streak of light, flying rapidly toward the opponent's half of the court.

After the tennis ball landed, it rolled backward while hugging the ground!

"15-0!"

"Sanada and Niou pair scores!"

"This is... the Zero-Style Serve!"

Oishi felt very surprised.

"So your Captain can also use the Zero-Style Serve?"

Kikumaru asked.

"Don't underestimate people; the Zero-Style Serve is just the most unremarkable of Master's many techniques!"

Kirihara said.

"Hmm, back at the National Tournament, Takahashi broke Tezuka's Zero-Style Serve, so he must have a deeper understanding of the Zero-Style Shot!"

"I'm just curious if this is the Zero-Style hit by Takahashi, or the one hit by Niou?"

Fuji opened his eyes and asked.

"It is Niou's imitation."

"It is very close to the original, but if you look closely, it is still different."

"Takahashi's shot stays completely on the ground, but the one Niou imitated has a slight bounce."

Yukimura said.

"Bang!"

Mouri moved forward quickly.

"I didn't expect Niou to have such a serve!"

While speaking, Mouri's tennis racket hugged the ground, successfully returning the ball the moment it bounced.

"As expected, just as Yukimura said, this Zero-Style Shot is not perfect enough, and since the opponent is a 1st String member, he can naturally make good use of the moment the tennis ball bounces."

Fuji said.

"Hmm, but Niou anticipated this!"

Yukimura said.

On the court, a powerful suction force pulled the tennis ball to Niou's side.

"Is it the Domain?"

Fuji's expression was somewhat grave; he did not expect that Takahashi would also know all the techniques that Tezuka knew.

"No, it is the Anti-Gravity Domain!"

Following Yukimura's words, the tennis ball flew straight upward, and Niou leaped with force, slamming down hard on the tennis ball.

"Bang!"

Accompanied by the violent sound of the strike, the tennis ball flew toward the opponent's half of the court once again.

After landing, the tennis ball spun in place for a few turns before rolling backward!

"It's actually a Zero-Style Smash!"

"Can Niou also use such a combo technique?"

Fuji exclaimed.

Looking at Fuji's dumbfounded expression, Yanagi Renji explained: "As fellow teammates of Rikkai, Niou has a superb talent for imitation, and with Captain Takahashi's personal guidance, it is no surprise that he can use it!"

On the court.

"Bang!"

Another Zero-Style Serve.

Niou seemed to have adapted to the Zero-Style, and the shot he hit stayed completely on the ground!

"40-0!"

"Sanada and Niou pair scores!"

……

"Bang!"

"1-1!"

"Point to the Sanada and Niou pair!"

……

"It seems not every high schooler can crack the Zero-Style Serve!"

Yukimura said.

"What?"

Fuji was somewhat puzzled.

Yanagi Renji suddenly recalled the day two days ago when Takahashi and Byodoin played their match; Mouri had once said that the Zero-Style Serve was a very high-level technique among middle schoolers, but for high schoolers, it was not unsolvable.

So, even among high schoolers, not everyone can crack it.

……

"Bang!"

……

"3-2!"

"Point to the Ochi and Mouri pair!"

……

"Bang!"

"3-3!"

"Point to the Sanada and Niou pair!"

……

"4-3!"

"Point to the Ochi and Mouri pair!"

……

"4-4!"

"Point to the Sanada and Niou pair!"

……

Beside the court.

"Ochi's Mach Serve—'Takahashi' and the others cannot return it."

"'Takahashi's' Zero-Style Serve—Ochi and the others cannot return it."

"This is completely a duel between two servers."

Shiraishi said.

"Indeed, if it continues according to this trend, whoever breaks the opponent's service game first will be the one to win!"

Yanagi Renji said.

"It's just that the Zero-Style Serve causes significant damage to the arm; can Niou keep persisting?"

Fuji was somewhat worried.

"Speaking of which, I noticed that when Takahashi uses the Domain and Zero-Style, it doesn't seem to place a burden on his arm!"

"Although the techniques of Takahashi and Tezuka appear very similar in form, they are different in essence."

"Therefore, Niou, who has transformed into Takahashi, seems not to have concerns in this regard."

Yukimura said.

……

On the court.

"Bang!"

Ochi raised his arm, and just as he thought this ball would score, the corner of his eye caught the 'Takahashi' on the other side beginning to move to the right.

"Having watched so many times, I have also roughly adapted to your speed."

While speaking, 'Takahashi' swung his racket.

"Bang!"

"Thud!"

The tennis ball landed behind Ochi and Mouri.

"0-15!"

"Point to the Sanada and Niou pair!"

……

"Not bad!"

"To actually be able to keep up with Ochi's Mach Serve—it seems that Niou's illusion has seven or eight tenths of the original's strength."

On the 1st String side, Tanegashima spoke to Takahashi.

"Ochi's serve speed is also decreasing!"

Takahashi replied.

"He wants to change this boring situation where both sides rely on serving to score, right!"

Irie said with a smile.

……

"Bang!"

Sanada seized the opportunity, leaped upward violently, and aimed a powerful smash at the tennis ball!

"Aggressive as Fire!"

At the same time, flames seemed to materialize behind Sanada.

Mouri moved backward quickly, and he swung his racket.

"Clatter!"

The sound of the racket hitting the ground rang out.

"6-4!"

"The first set is over!"

"The Sanada and Niou pair scores!"

"Both sides change ends!"

As he walked, Sanada said to 'Takahashi', "Next, we must first hold our own Serve, then wait for an opportunity to find a way to break the opponent's Serve, and victory will belong to us."

'Takahashi' revealed a wicked grin and said, "Sanada Genichiro, is it appropriate for you to give orders to me, the Captain?"

Sanada looked at 'Takahashi's' suddenly sharp gaze and was a bit bewildered.

Remembering that this was Takahashi transformed by Niou, Sanada couldn't help but turn his face to the side.

An eye devoid of any emotional color suddenly appeared in Sanada's line of sight.

Instantly, Sanada felt his whole body go cold, and an unusually terrifying aura slowly emerged from his back.

"What's wrong? Sanada, don't tell me you're actually scared by me!"

'Takahashi' laughed heartily.

Listening to Niou's laughter, Sanada gradually recovered his senses and said, "Niou, too slack!"

The referee announced loudly, "The second set begins, first is Sanada's Serve!"

Sanada stood at the baseline, tossed the tennis ball upward, then raised his arm and swung his racket with force.

"Swift as the Wind!"

However.

The tennis ball hit the net and landed in his own half of the court.

"Fault!"

The referee's voice rang out.