Chapter 178: Two-Sword Style Oomagari, Takahashi at Rest

"Takahashi's fundamental strength appears even more terrifying than I imagined!"

Upon hearing this, Shiraishi's expression also became grave.

Not only Fuji, but even Kintaro's Serve could be directly returned by Takahashi for a point.

The match hadn't been going on for long, yet the score for the first set had already reached 3-0; if things continued this way, Fuji and Kintaro would be shut out!

Moreover, these three games were entirely Takahashi playing one against two; the high school student beside him hadn't even made a move, simply standing on the court observing the match at close range!

The high school student on the side!

A flash of inspiration struck Shiraishi's mind.

That's right! This is a doubles match.

Fuji and Kintaro had completely ignored that high school student for the past three games, aiming all their Serves at Takahashi and only focusing on competing against him.

But this is a doubles match; since a breakthrough cannot be made on Takahashi's side, then break through from the other person.

Furthermore, as the temporary Coach for the middle schoolers, Takahashi stays with them on Court 16 every day, so his doubles coordination with the high school student must be very rusty.

If Fuji and Kintaro stopped focusing on Takahashi and instead targeted that high school student, Oomagari Ryuji, perhaps the score wouldn't be so lopsided!

Kintaro's brain probably couldn't think of this level, I wonder if Fuji can!

Just as Shiraishi was anxiously wanting to transmit his voice across the distance, Fuji on the court pulled Kintaro aside and began whispering to him.

The 1st String rest area.

"Oomagari is having it easy this match, being carried to a win by Takahashi!"

"Observing the match while on the court, I'm really envious of him!"

Irie spoke up.

"There's no helping that, is there!"

"Takahashi's strength is too overwhelming; Oomagari has no way to coordinate with him at all. Besides, the two of them have absolutely no prior experience playing doubles together."

"Standing still on the side is the best choice for Oomagari."

"Otherwise, he would only get in Takahashi's way."

Oni said solemnly.

"This has turned into Takahashi playing one against two, and he's still beating the middle schoolers until they have no power to fight back."

"If the match continues at this pace, it'll be too boring!"

Irie let out a yawn.

"You really don't understand Takahashi; is Takahashi the type of person who would play doubles while carrying a dead weight who can't do anything?"

Tanegashima Shuji said with a smile.

Hearing Tanegashima's words, Irie was visibly stunned.

On the court, Takahashi watched as Fuji and Kintaro began to focus their attacks on Oomagari beside him, and the corners of his mouth curled up; it seemed the situation was going even more smoothly than he had imagined!

He nonchalantly handed his tennis racket to Oomagari.

"I'll leave the rest to you!"

"Let me have a good rest!"

As Takahashi spoke, he found an empty spot that wouldn't interfere with their match and sat down.

"Spare me!"

Contrasting with Oomagari's helpless voice was the speed and decisiveness with which he took the tennis racket.

"Is that how it is? The match is starting to get interesting!"

Irie said with a smile.

"Is this the reason Takahashi insisted on playing doubles with Oomagari? Just because Oomagari is a Two-Sword Style player."

Oni was somewhat dumbfounded!

On the other side.

Yanagi Renji said: "As I expected!"

Sanada said sternly: "Too lax! A perfectly good doubles match has now actually turned into one against two!"

"Takahashi is taking this match far too lightly."

Yukimura advised: "The previous three games were also one against two, weren't they!"

"Takahashi and Oomagari have no basic doubles coordination at all; playing one against two is the only way to solve it."

Oshitari Yuushi also chimed in to advise: "Sanada, calm your anger!"

"Takahashi is our opponent right now; the fact that he voluntarily gave his racket to his partner is actually beneficial to us."

"Otherwise, according to the progress of the match just now, we middle schoolers would be heading toward 0-6!"

"Now that he has voluntarily withdrawn, with Fuji and Kintaro's strength against that Oomagari, it's hard to say how the match will turn out!"

Atobe had originally prepared to criticize Takahashi's un-aesthetic behavior of sitting on the court, but upon hearing Oshitari Yuushi's words, he opened his mouth and ultimately said nothing.

But thinking about it again, he felt something was wrong; did Oshitari Yuushi mean that only if Takahashi withdrew from the match would they, the middle schoolers, have a possibility of winning?

That is looking down on the middle schoolers too much.

But Atobe looked up at the big 3-0 on the scoreboard, and thinking back to the scene where Takahashi scored entirely through Serves and Returns, he felt that Oshitari Yuushi was actually right!

On the court.

Oomagari Ryuji drew his bows with both left and right hands, holding one tennis racket in each.

"Bang!"

Accompanied by the crisp sound of the ball being struck, the tennis ball transformed into a streak of light and flew toward Kintaro.

Kintaro took a large step forward, flipped his entire body in the air, and slammed his tennis racket against the tennis ball!

Oomagari also leaped upward, swinging his arm with force.

Seeing this, Fuji hurriedly said to Kintaro, "It's a Smash! Retreat quickly!"

Watching the two moving at high speed, Oomagari lightly swung his tennis racket.

"Bang!"

The tennis ball bounced elastically off the racket, flew back, landed in front of the net, and popped up.

"0-15!"

"Takahashi and Oomagari pair scores!"

……

"It was actually a Short Ball!"

"This high schooler Oomagari seems to have some real skills!"

Chitose, who was watching the match, said.

Kintaro's greatest pride is his Power Ball; Oomagari chose a Short Ball to deal with Kintaro's Power Ball, using softness to overcome hardness—it's not easy to deal with!

"After all, he is the No. 6 of the 1st String; even if he is the only one on the court, he cannot be underestimated!"

Shiraishi nodded and said.

"By the way, isn't it a foul for this high schooler to use two tennis rackets in a match?"

Kikumaru was very puzzled.

"There is no explicit rule stating that one cannot use two tennis rackets!"

Yanagi Renji explained, then he added, "I suspect this is Captain Takahashi's strategy!"

"What kind of strategy?"

Kikumaru asked.

Yanagi Renji explained, "In the first three games, Fuji and Kintaro focused all their firepower on Captain Takahashi, and their playing styles and preferred methods were all seen through by Oomagari, who was watching from the side."

"That is why he chose a Short Ball to face Kintaro's Power Ball."

Inui Sadaharu pushed up his glasses and said, "Is this Takahashi's way?"

"First scout out the opponents' playing styles for his partner, then let his partner play while he rests?"

"It's absurd, but unexpectedly effective!"

Yukimura smiled and said, "Isn't it good to achieve victory with the least amount of effort?"

……

On the court.

Oomagari spun the tennis rackets in his hands a few times and said confidently, "For this match, me alone is enough to deal with you two."

It must be said that Yanagi Renji had guessed Oomagari and Takahashi's strategy exactly right.

First, Takahashi would take the lead to give Oomagari enough time to observe, and then Oomagari, who excels at the Two-Sword Style, would deal with the middle schoolers.

When Oomagari first heard this idea from Takahashi, he was also very surprised.

But as the person with the strongest defensive ability and stamina on the Japan Representative Team, Oomagari was also extremely curious about the level of the middle schoolers who had newly entered the Training Camp.

Moreover, Takahashi's final sentence moved him.

The process does not matter; the final result will definitely be their victory!

Oomagari had once been defeated by the former No. 2, Tanegashima Shuji, and now Takahashi had defeated Tanegashima, which gave Oomagari no reason not to believe Takahashi's words and no reason to refuse Takahashi's invitation.