Chapter 175: Black Dragon Single-Layer Slash

Hearing this, the gazes of Oni Jujiro and Irie Kanata also turned toward Takahashi.

Among the middle schoolers, Takahashi is currently the only one who has truly opened the Asura Divine Path, and he has already traveled quite far along this Path of Hell.

Now that another middle schooler possesses an aura similar to the Asura Divine Path, their first reaction is that it has something to do with Takahashi.

Takahashi smiled and said, "I've only just touched the gates of hell a little bit."

"I'm still a long way from the true Asura Divine Path!"

Oni said, "But having a rudimentary form of the Asura Divine Path is enough to break through Ochi's Mental Assassination."

Takahashi added, "It also has to do with Sanada's own powerful willpower."

Previously, when playing against Chitose Senri of Shitenhoji, Sanada used Shadow, shielding his opponent's observation and predictions by suggesting multiple possibilities for how the ball might be hit.

When Takahashi saw the black aura emerging from Sanada, he felt a trace of something similar to the Asura Divine Path.

Coupled with Sanada's own firm and persistent personality, and his past experience of a crushing defeat against Tezuka, perhaps the Asura Divine Path is even more suitable for Sanada than it is for Yukimura.

Thus, during training, Takahashi intentionally or unintentionally guided Sanada toward the path of the Asura Divine Path, and sure enough, just as Takahashi expected, Sanada soon touched the gates of this hell.

……

On the court.

Watching the black aura emerging from Sanada, Mouri and Ochi both widened their eyes.

"I didn't expect your progress to be this great, Sanada!"

"It seems I must also get a bit more serious!"

As Mouri spoke, he moved quickly toward the back.

A tennis ball suddenly appeared on the ball's inevitable path.

Just as Mouri was anticipating the ball hitting his racket and flying back, the ball suddenly veered to the left, brushing past his racket.

"0-15!"

"Sanada and Niou pair scores!"

……

"That's the Shaped Return you used when you played against Tanegashima before, right!"

Irie asked toward Takahashi.

"No, Sanada, who hit this ball, is clearly shrouded in black aura."

Oni said in a deep voice.

"The presentation is similar, but the principle is different!"

Takahashi replied.

Tanegashima, who was on the side, also said, "Takahashi's move relies purely on powerful force and slight spin to make the ball change direction, but this move of Sanada's is through airflow."

Irie repeated, "Airflow?"

Tanegashima said, "Pay attention to Sanada's swing!"

……

On the court.

"A tennis ball that changes direction to the left?"

Mouri said.

He recalled the match data between Takahashi and Tanegashima he had seen before.

"Interesting! Truly interesting!"

If that's the case, then he just needs to pay a little more attention to defending the left side.

Mouri stared intently at Sanada's movements.

In his eyes, when Sanada hit the ball, he swung his racket again.

Hmm?

As the ball flew toward him, Mouri decisively moved his racket to the left.

He felt a gust of Wind whistle past his right side.

"Thump!"

"0-30!"

"Sanada and Niou pair scores!"

……

"This time it actually turned to the right."

Mouri was somewhat surprised.

It seems it can turn to both the left and right; defending both sides well at the same time is not easy!

Mouri looked at his partner Ochi and said, "Senior, I'll leave the right side to you!"

Ochi nodded.

"Bang!"

Mouri kept his eyes fixed on Sanada's movements.

Two swings again!

This is not the same as Takahashi's movement!

However, this time he would definitely succeed in returning it.

Mouri's expression gradually became serious.

However.

When the ball was less than 10 centimeters away from Mouri, it suddenly shot straight upward.

Sanada, who hit this ball, was enveloped by strands of black Qi.

Within the black Qi, there were faint traces of dark red.

"Boom!"

"0-40!"

"Point to the Sanada and Niou pair!"

"Black Dragon Single Slash!"

"Has Sanada completed it so quickly?"

A faint smile appeared on Takahashi's face.

"By changing the airflow in the air with two swings, he makes the tennis ball change direction in mid-air?"

"That is quite an interesting creative idea."

Tanegashima said with a smile.

"The blurry red shadow wrapped in black Qi must be the prototype of his Other Dimension!"

Oni said.

"It cannot be fully considered an Other Dimension! This is just evolved from 'As Shadow as the Unknown'."

"However, this move is still far from complete!"

Takahashi said.

"Still far from it?"

"Randomly changing in four directions—up, down, left, and right—in the air; such a ball is not easy to return! Even Mouri has been stumped by this ball."

Irie said.

"After the tennis ball crosses the net, if one carefully observes the spin and angle of the ball and reacts in time, a tennis ball that changes direction once is actually not hard to return."

Takahashi said, pondering.

"That would require having the talent like Shuji, who can instantly translate information received by the eyes into wrist movements!"

Irie said.

"Hmm, but this is a doubles match, and Mouri and Ochi are a doubles pair with tacit coordination."

"After feeling it a few more times, the two of them will still be able to return it."

Tanegashima said with a smile.

"That is why I said this move is not perfect!"

Takahashi replied.

On the court.

"Bang!"

"1-0!"

"Point to the Sanada and Niou pair!"

"2-0!"

"Point to the Sanada and Niou pair!"

"Bang!"

The tennis ball crossed the net, and when it was less than 20 centimeters away from Mouri and Ochi, it suddenly turned 90 degrees to the right.

Mouri's wrist quickly bent to the right.

"Bang!"

Accompanied by the crisp sound of the ball being hit, the tennis ball flew back out.

"I've been waiting for this moment!"

Takahashi was already guarding the net at this moment; he leaped up fiercely and smashed the tennis ball.

"Clatter!"

The tennis rackets of both Mouri and Ochi fell to the ground in response to the sound.

"This is a doubles match!"

"I have already rested enough!"

"15-0!"

"Point to the Sanada and Niou pair!"

The umpire announced loudly.

"Bang!"

"2-2!"

"Point to the Ochi and Mouri pair!"

"Bang!"

"3-2!"

"Point for the Sanada and Niou pair!"

The scores for both sides began to rise alternately.

As a long-time doubles pair, Ochi and Mouri had little trouble dealing with Sanada's Black Dragon Single Slash.

However, they were having some trouble with Takahashi's Zero-Style Shot.

As for Ochi's Mach Serve, Sanada and Niou could not successfully return it every time.

Half an hour later.

Finally, it was match point for Sanada and Niou.

At this moment, both of them were already panting.

All of their previous matches had been decided in a single set, but this match against the First String followed the world tournament format: best of three sets.

Therefore, they were not accustomed to such long matches, and Niou constantly transforming into Takahashi consumed an extraordinary amount of physical strength and energy.

On the side, Sanada had been continuously using the Black Dragon Single Slash, with black aura surrounding him, and his physical stamina was also depleting very quickly.

"We must win this point, otherwise if it drags into a tie-break, I won't be able to hold on."

Takahashi said, panting heavily.

As he spoke, Takahashi's figure transformed back into Niou.