Chapter 198: Group Stage, Doubles No. 2

"The Doubles No. 2 match will now begin, with Oishi Shuichiro and Ochi Tsukimitsu of the Japan Team facing off against Talanta Heracles and Papadopoulos Evangelos of the Greece Team."

"One set to decide the winner! The Greece Team will serve for the first game!"

"Bang!"

Watching the tennis ball flying toward him, Oishi began to analyze it in his mind.

The ball's speed was not fast, and judging by the spin on the ball, it should just be an ordinary sidespin serve.

While thinking, Oishi moved to the left, raising his arm at the same time.

"Thud!"

The moment the tennis ball neared the racket, it took a sharp turn.

"15-0!"

"Point to the Greece Team!"

Japan Team rest area.

Atobe said: "It looks like an ordinary serve, but the arc of that turn is quite large!"

Irie said: "This is a World Level match; never underestimate any opponent."

"The Greece Team was ranked 10th in the world last year, far above us."

Yanagi Renji explained: "According to the data I have collected, this is the opponent's special move, 'Innocent Tail'!"

Takahashi said: "Tail?"

"That is quite a vivid and descriptive metaphor."

"The spin on the tennis ball is simple, but the angle is very complex."

"Before the tennis ball lands, the sudden downward kinetic energy combined with the already complex angle is what makes the ball turn so sharply."

"The key to breaking this move is not the spin, but the angle."

Kite said: "Can Oishi return a ball like that?"

"Bang!"

"Thud!"

"30-0!"

"Point to the Greece Team!"

Just as Kite was speaking, Oishi lost another point.

Atobe said: "Hey, hey, hey, don't tell me this Oishi is just going to lose a game like this!"

"This is the first match of the group stage; if he lets the opponent score directly off their serve, it's not a good start."

Fuji's expression was somewhat grave.

Tanegashima, who was nearby, said: "It doesn't matter! This is a doubles match; if Oishi can't return it, surely Ochi can?"

"Atobe, Kite, relax! We only need to advance from the group stage; it's not like we have to win every single match."

Kite was somewhat speechless and said: "Senior Tanegashima, as the captain of the Matsu Team, it's not really appropriate for you to say things like that!"

Tanegashima smiled indifferently and said: "It's fine, Byodoin and the others will be there to clean up the mess later anyway."

On the court.

Ochi quickly ran to the left, getting in front of Oishi, and successfully returned the ball.

"Bang!"

Oishi spotted an opportunity, dragged his racket along the ground, and flicked it upward with force.

Fuji said: "This is Oishi's special move, Moon Volley."

"Since both opponents are at the net, using the Moon Volley to bypass them and attack the baseline in the backcourt is a very good method."

Before Fuji's voice had even faded, the two players from the Greece Team were seen leaping high into the air.

The middle schooler Papadopoulos smashed the tennis ball hard while in the air.

"Bang!"

Accompanied by the crisp sound of the ball being struck, the tennis ball landed heavily behind Oishi.

"40-0!"

"Point to the Greece Team!"

Oishi had not expected the jumping power of the two Greece Team players to be so astonishing!

His pride and joy—the Moon Volley—had been broken so easily.

Is this what the world stage is like?

Beads of cold sweat appeared on his face.

"Bang!"

"1-0!"

"Greece Team scores!"

Kite pushed up his glasses and said, "This Oishi is truly useless; not only can he not return the opponent's Serve, but his own rhythm is also completely controlled by the opponent."

Takahashi said, "The opponents are just like us, a combination of a middle schooler and a high schooler. Although Oishi's power, technique, and jumping ability are far weaker than the opponent's middle schooler, as far as the high schoolers go, we might not necessarily lose!"

Atobe said, "Yuechi is a reliable senior, his Mach Serve is quite magnificent."

Kirihara said with some worry, "But if the opponent can successfully return the Mach Serve, then the one who loses will definitely be us. After all, with Oishi's strength, he simply cannot return a Mach Serve."

Takahashi said, "Even Q. P had to watch a few balls before he could return a Mach Serve with the limiters removed; these two players from the Greece Team likely cannot return it."

Atobe said, "That's right! Q. P is the No. 2 of the D-Guo Team, the strength of these two in front of us is far from Q. P's."

Just as Takahashi and the others said, in the Japan Team's service game, after Yuechi used the Mach Serve, the two from the Greece Team seemed to be nailed to the spot, letting Yuechi score with his Serve.

"Bang!"

"1-1!"

"Japan Team scores!"

"Bang!"

"2-1!"

"Greece Team scores!"

Although relying on Yuechi's Mach Serve, the Japan Team could hold their own service games, but once it reached Greece's service game, Oishi could not return any of the opponent's balls at all.

The score began to rise alternately.

"Bang!"

"2-2!"

"Japan Team scores!"

"Bang!"

"4-4!"

"Japan Team scores!"

Kirihara said, "This match is currently relying entirely on Senior Yuechi to score."

"Oishi is basically just losing points!"

Sanada said, "Besides the Mach Serve, Senior Yuechi has another special move—Mental Assassination."

"Why hasn't he used it today?"

Mouri, who was to the side, explained, "The prerequisite for Mental Assassination is that the opponent already has psychological pressure. Then, by using Yuechi's gaze to amplify his psychological pressure, it leads to the opponent's service error."

"But after these few games, the opponent hasn't felt any pressure at all!"

On the court.

Yuechi ordered Oishi, "In a moment, stand in the corner and close your eyes."

"No matter what happens or what sounds you hear, do not open your eyes."

Immediately, Yuechi stood in front of the net, brushed aside his hair, and said coldly, "Tonight will be a Full Moon."

Kirihara was confused and asked, "Is Senior Yuechi preparing to unleash Mental Assassination? Why make Oishi stand in the corner and close his eyes?"

Mouri explained, "Yuechi is preparing to apply mental pressure to the opponent himself."

"As for making Oishi close his eyes, that is because Oishi's own psychological pressure is already great enough; even a teammate fighting alongside him would be affected by Yuechi's Mental Assassination."

Sanada looked at Takahashi and asked in confusion, "Is that so? Why wasn't Takahashi affected during the last exhibition match against Q. P and Seyfried?"

Mouri explained, "That is likely because Takahashi's Spirit Power is quite powerful; even without closing his eyes, he would not be disturbed by Mental Assassination."

"And in that match, with Takahashi's help in making Seyfried fall into immense pressure beforehand, Senior Yuechi's Mental Assassination was able to take effect quickly."

"Now, he can only rely on himself."

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

The opponent's high schooler, Taranta, was also surrounded by a dazzling holy light.

"Olympian Silver Light!"

He said loudly.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

……

"What an intense match!"

"Both sides are actually evenly matched."

Kirihara said in surprise.

……

"Bang!"

……

"5-4!"

"Point for Greece Team!"

……

"Bang!"

……

"5-5!"

"Point for Japan Team!"

……

Sanada said solemnly: "Another 10 minutes have passed, and Senior Ochi's Mental Assassination still hasn't taken effect."

"The opponent is truly not to be underestimated!"