Chapter 187: Doubles? Singles?

"That must be the Mental Assassination of Senior Ochi!"

Sanada, watching the match from the side, saw this scene and felt a sense of déjà vu as he spoke.

"Yes."

Irie replied.

"This is Ochi's mental ability; as long as his calm and composed gaze stares at the opponent, he can continuously amplify the opponent's existing pressure, thereby causing service faults."

Mouri explained.

Irie asked: "But this is only the second game; is the D Country Team's middle schooler already under such great pressure?"

"The stress resistance of the D-Guo Team's middle schooler is far too poor!"

Oni pondered aloud: "It is not that the middle schooler's stress resistance is poor, but that Takahashi is intentionally targeting that middle schooler. In the previous game, Takahashi hit a total of two balls toward that middle schooler."

"Having endured the speed of the Mach Serve head-on, plus the first ball coming straight at his body, it made that middle schooler, Seyfried, fear Takahashi from the bottom of his heart."

"Already somewhat fearful, and while under psychological pressure, being stared at by Ochi's gaze further amplified the fear and pressure deep within him."

"That is why he fell for the Mental Assassination before he even really made a move!"

"And the extent to which he fell for the Mental Assassination is even more severe than it was for Sanada back then."

Mouri continued: "In other words, the opponent's middle schooler is basically useless in this match."

On the Court.

Consecutive service faults, giving away two points for nothing, caused even the usually calm Q. P to show a trace of annoyance on his face.

"Go stand in the corner of the Court!"

"I am enough for this match alone!"

Facing Q. P's gaze, which was so calm it was almost ruthless, Seyfried, though unwilling, obediently stepped back with his tennis racket.

……

"Facing one World Level player and one nearly professional-level player, Q. P actually made Seyfried step back; is he planning to face those two alone?"

Tezuka felt it was somewhat unbelievable.

Bismarck explained: "Seyfried's service faults are because he fell for the opponent's mental technique."

"Even if he doesn't leave the court, he is of no use on it anymore."

Tezuka said: "But, one against two..."

Borg interrupted Tezuka: "Do not underestimate Q. P too much."

"I admit that Takahashi being able to receive a tennis ball at a speed of 283km/h is indeed very impressive."

"But for him to try and compete with Q. P right now is still too early."

Bismarck said: "Yes, Q. P is of perfect quality; he is the elite among the elite of D Country's tennis."

"Whether it is basic strength or technique, he represents the greatest masterpiece of the German Tennis Academy."

……

On the Court.

Watching Seyfried retreat in dejection, a smile appeared on the corner of Takahashi's mouth.

Q. P looked at the two people opposite him, his expression gradually becoming serious.

From the moment the smile appeared on Takahashi's face, Q. P understood everything about this.

Takahashi was intentionally applying pressure to Seyfried in the previous game, then using Ochi Tsukimitsu's mental ability to amplify Seyfried's pressure, thereby causing him to constantly commit faults.

Even if Q. P let Seyfried continue the match, he would only become a burden to Q. P, constantly losing points.

This is the opponent's tactic!

Solve one of them first, and then the two of them will besiege me alone?

It is a good idea, but even if I am the only one on the court, the winner will still be me.

It is just that this scheme, this tactic, lets Q. P know that he must never underestimate his opponent, otherwise he will fall into the opponent's trap.

Without sufficient strength, they resort to schemes?

One really cannot underestimate the Japan Team!

At this moment, Takahashi spoke to Ochi: "Your mission is complete."

"Then you should also go to the side and rest first!"

Ochi nodded slightly and retreated with his tennis racket.

This maneuver on the opposite side of the Court caused even the usually expressionless Q. P to show a look of astonishment.

Not just Q. P, everyone watching the match was puzzled by this move from the Japan Team.

Whispers began in the spectator stands.

"Isn't this a doubles match? Why did the D Country Team's middle schooler step down, and the Japan Team's high schooler also step down?"

"Isn't it quite good? This way, both sides have one person, and it becomes a singles match; otherwise, should Q. P play one against two?"

"I think it could work; even facing two opponents, Q. P won't lose, and it will let us witness Q. P's style."

"I think the Japan Team is crazy; facing Q. P, they actually let their own partner leave the court, leaving only one person, and a middle schooler at that—do they not want to play anymore?"

"It's just an exhibition match, winning or losing doesn't matter."

"But that middle schooler just now received Q. P's ball and scored directly, so he does have some skills."

……

Japan Team rest area.

"Is Takahashi crazy?"

"Why would he give up his own advantage and let Ochi leave the court?"

Mouri expressed great confusion at this behavior of Takahashi.

It was not easy to force the Germany Team's middle schooler off the court using Mental Assassination, and both of our own players were preserved, making it two-on-one. Even for Q. P, he wouldn't dare guarantee a one-hundred-percent victory!

Why not press the advantage, but instead weaken the edge we already possess?

The same doubt existed in the hearts of the other team members.

"What Takahashi just said to Ochi was that the mission is already complete."

"Perhaps this current situation is exactly what Takahashi orchestrated!"

Irie connected the various scenes that had occurred and said tentatively.

"Perhaps what Takahashi valued in Ochi from the start wasn't the opponent's Mach Serve, but the Mental Assassination!"

Oni continued.

Byodoin pondered and said: "Yes. The purpose of Takahashi seeking out Ochi to form a doubles pair was likely to use Ochi's Mental Assassination to first eliminate one of the opponents."

"He wants to turn this doubles match into a singles match."

"Because he doesn't know how to play doubles, nor does he know how to coordinate with others."

"Using his own strategy and tactics to change the situation on the court step by step, turning his greatest disadvantage into an advantage."

"Not just his strength, Takahashi's intelligence is also not to be underestimated!"

Duke said: "Boss, but the opponent is Q. P. If Ochi were still on the court, with two-on-one, the odds of winning would surely be higher than Takahashi being on the court alone!"

Coach Mifune said: "Since Takahashi is so smart and was able to calculate this scenario beforehand, he must also know that he is about to face the Germany Team's top high schooler alone."

"Since this is the result he orchestrated, all we can do now is watch the match."

A middle schooler, actually possessing such powerful thinking and deductive abilities, swaying the progress of the entire match with his own strength.

Even if Takahashi ultimately loses to the opponent, Mifune is very satisfied with his intellect.

And looking at Takahashi's setup, he wants to actively and proactively take on Q. P.

Based on Mifune's understanding of Takahashi, perhaps he has absolute confidence in this match.

On the court.

Q. P spoke up: "Facing me, you let your partner leave the court like that; you are truly confident."

Takahashi said indifferently: "I have always been very confident."

"Besides, to deal with you, I alone am enough!"

"Enough talk, continue the Serve!"

"Bang!"

With a perfect, textbook-like serving posture, a streak of yellow light exploded almost right on Takahashi's side of the court.

"Bang!"

Takahashi quickly returned to the center of the baseline, raised his arm, and swung his racket.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

Both sides engaged in an intense rally.