Chapter 219: The Baptism of the Vortex

Germany Team rest area.

"I didn't expect Borg to use his signature move, 'Baptism of the Vortex', so quickly."

"Even when he fought the world number one, Novak, a while ago, he didn't use this move so soon."

Bismarck said with some emotion.

"Baptism of the Vortex?"

Tezuka asked in confusion.

"Yes. Borg calls this move a finishing blow that cannot be returned even if you see through the ball's trajectory."

Bismarck said.

"Why?"

Tezuka asked.

"This move uses the vortex spin of the tennis ball to drive the rotation of the tennis racket; the vortex spin is different from ordinary spin, as it is a completely vertical rotation."

"And from the perspective of human anatomy, the wrist simply cannot withstand vertical rotation, so the tennis racket will definitely be knocked away."

On the court.

Takahashi took a deep look at Borg; in a match, he had never had his tennis racket knocked away twice by the same opponent.

He carefully recalled the feeling when the tennis ball touched the racket at that time.

Was that complex spin actually vertical?

Not only that, but at the time, he had vaguely felt a hint of something wrong.

Was it an illusion?

"Bang!"

Seizing the opportunity, Borg used the Baptism of the Vortex again.

Takahashi stared intently at the incoming ball, ran two steps to the left, raised his arm, and swung his racket.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"

The tennis ball rolled rapidly on the surface of the racket.

"Clatter!"

Takahashi's tennis racket flew out again.

"1-0!"

"Germany Team scores!"

Japan Team rest area.

Oni frowned and said: "Baptism of the Vortex, although this move is troublesome, can't Takahashi's strength handle it?"

"And he has already experienced that kind of spin once just now."

Irie said: "Shuji, can your Metsu Mu handle the Baptism of the Vortex?"

Tanegashima's expression was somewhat solemn as he said: "I could handle this move; Metsu Mu can make all the spin on the tennis ball disappear completely, but even if I returned this ball, I wouldn't be able to hit it back for a point."

"Because Borg's fundamental strength is clearly above mine."

Oomagari interjected: "I remember Takahashi has a move called Rotation Annihilation; can't it resolve this spin? Only your Metsu Mu can resolve it, Tanegashima?"

Tanegashima said: "My Metsu Mu comes from my innate talent, while Takahashi's Rotation Annihilation comes from his own understanding of spin."

"If the opponent's understanding of spin exceeds his, his Rotation Annihilation will have no effect."

Irie pushed up his glasses and said: "So, does Borg's move, Baptism of the Vortex, exceed Takahashi's limit in terms of understanding spin?"

Oni said: "That should be the case."

"After all, that is the signature technique of the strongest active professional player."

Beside them, Byodoin said: "For this move, Baptism of the Vortex, besides eliminating the spin on the tennis ball, there is another way, which is to rely on wrist strength—sufficiently powerful wrist strength to return it head-on."

Irie asked in confusion: "Wrist strength?"

Byodoin explained: "One force overcomes ten techniques! Sufficiently great power can also offset the spin on the tennis ball."

Oni said in a deep voice: "With Takahashi's physical constitution, I'm afraid he doesn't have such powerful wrist strength."

Oomagari said: "Could it be that Takahashi is going to fail right here!"

Tanegashima said: "The second game is Takahashi's service game; his Spiral Ball can hold the service game."

"Next, we'll see if he can crack this Baptism of the Vortex in the third game."

Mifune said: "There is a chance."

Oomagari asked: "Head Coach, what do you mean?"

Mifune replied: "Takahashi hasn't used his Asura Divine Path yet."

"I remember his second phantom of another dimension seems to be able to directly amplify his various abilities."

On the court.

The second game is Takahashi's service game.

Takahashi decisively chose the Spiral Serve.

"Bang!"

Borg watched helplessly as the tennis ball came carrying astonishing speed, power, and spin.

This is the Spiral Serve that Takahashi used during that match against Amadeus.

Feeling this ball at close range, Borg truly had not found a way to crack it.

He had previously thought about whether he could, like the Japan Team middle schooler Sanada who played against Tezuka, use airflow to change the rotation on the tennis ball.

But at this speed, he had no way to keep up; even if he did keep up, the influence produced by the airflow was merely a drop in the bucket compared to the power on the tennis ball, and it fundamentally could not change the spiral rotation after the tennis ball landed.

With this move, Takahashi could indeed hold his Serve game.

Even for a professional player, scoring with a signature Serve is a matter of pride.

Thinking of this, the gaze Borg directed at Takahashi became even sharper.

……

"Thud!"

After a burst of thick smoke, the tennis ball lay in a small pit tailored for it.

"15-0!"

"Japan Team scores!"

……

"Bang!"

"Japan Team scores!"

……

"30-0!"

……

"40-0!"

……

"1-1!"

"Japan Team scores!"

……

Seeing Takahashi take a game from Borg in less than 3 minutes, the entire spectator stand erupted.

Because even in the professional matches that had just concluded, no one had been able to take a game from Borg so easily, nor had it taken such a short amount of time.

Especially those who had not seen the match between Takahashi and Amadeus were shocked beyond measure!

……

The third game was Borg's Serve game again.

"Bang!"

……

"Bang!"

……

The vortex-shaped airflow appeared once again.

Takahashi looked at the tennis ball being pushed by that airflow, then looked up at Borg's eyes; he was uncharacteristically hesitant.

After the baptism of two close-range encounters with the vortex in the first game just now, he could basically determine that the reason why the baptism of the vortex became the signature move of Borg, this strongest professional player, was not just because a person's wrist could not withstand the vertical rotation.

It was even more because when the tennis ball was in a vortex shape, it carried wisps of Spirit Power on it.

The difficulty of returning the baptism of the vortex was not high; whether using Rotation Annihilation or using the Idle Character's other-dimensional phantom to enhance his own power to return it head-on, the vertical rotation was not hard to deal with.

But the Spirit Power attached to it was very troublesome.

After the Idle Character's day-and-night efforts during this period, Takahashi's base strength had almost caught up to Borg's, but judging from the few games played against Borg, Takahashi understood that what was most terrifying about this strongest professional player was not his base strength, but his Spirit Power.

No matter what method was used, as long as Takahashi went to receive this ball, then the Spirit Power would also surge into his body like a vortex.

Even if Takahashi opened the other-dimensional phantom, he would likely be affected by this Spirit Power, only the degree of influence would be lower.

Takahashi had felt it before; the increasingly sharp gaze Borg directed at him was just like a seasoned hunter assessing his prey before hunting a wild beast.

He had originally thought this look was due to Borg's own personality.

But now Takahashi understood that this look had great utility.

The pressure brought by this kind of gaze, added to the Spirit Power contained in the tennis ball.

Combined, the purpose was to make the opponent unknowingly walk into Borg's Mental Domain.

And this sharp gaze had been acting on Takahashi since the beginning of the match.

Takahashi had been somewhat puzzled before as to why Borg did not use his full strength at the start of the match, because the ball he hit at the end of the exhibition match was nearly 310 km/h.

But in this match, Borg consistently kept the ball speed at around 300 km/h.

And Takahashi, without using the other-dimensional phantom, could currently reach a maximum speed of 302 km/h.

To keep up with Borg's 310 km/h speed, he had to borrow the Idle Character's other-dimensional phantom.

Because Borg always held something back, Takahashi did not dare to use his trump card directly at the start.

Now Takahashi knew that Borg was not deliberately controlling the ball speed, but that while he was playing, he was constantly releasing Spirit Power, so he did not have enough energy to hit the ball with full force.

So Takahashi knew without thinking that if he really received this baptism of the vortex, he would definitely be affected by that Spirit Power. It would definitely be very troublesome.

More troublesome than when he played against Yukimura and was hit by Yukimura's Metsu Gokan.

Because against Yukimura's Metsu Gokan, Takahashi could still rebound it by relying on his own willpower and strength that surpassed Yukimura's.

But from Borg's eyes, Takahashi could feel his firm will.

Although he really did not want to admit it, due to the advantage of age and the baptism of the professional circuit, Borg's Spirit Power was likely even above his own.

At the same time, the amount of time this gaze had been acting on him was also too long!