Chapter 46: Takahashi, a

Before the match had even begun, the discussions on the sidelines of the Court were already in full swing.

This added a touch of tension to an atmosphere that was already intense.

On the Court.

Yukimura said, "You are a first-year, so the Serve is yours."

Takahashi smiled slightly and said, "No need, let's decide by a toss instead."

"On the Court, there is no distinction by grade, only by strength!"

Sanada, who was watching from the side, frowned.

He had not expected Takahashi to be so arrogant and so ignorant of the heights of the sky and the depths of the earth when facing the Captain.

Kirihara laughed and said, "This attitude, it always makes me feel like I'm seeing my former self, I like it!"

"Then do you like the version of yourself that was defeated after challenging the Captain?" Yanagi Renji spoke up from the side.

The smile on Kirihara's face vanished instantly.

……

After the toss, it was Yukimura Seiichi's Serve.

Yukimura tapped the tennis ball on the ground, then picked it up and tossed it into the sky; when the ball reached the appropriate position, he swung his racket with force.

"Bang!"

The tennis ball flew out at high speed in the air, trailing a yellow arc.

Takahashi quickly moved his body to the baseline on the left, swung his arm, and successfully returned it.

"Bang!"

Takahashi carefully felt the moment the tennis racket made contact with the ball.

He was surprised to discover that this ball, in terms of both speed and power, was actually not even as good as Sanada's Serve.

Returning it was effortless!

……

"Bang!"

……

"Bang!"

……

The speed and power of the tennis ball had increased, but for Takahashi, it was still very easy.

As the ball flew to the other side, Yukimura also looked completely composed, without a hint of tension.

"They have already rallied for ten shots in a row!"

"It's not exciting at all; are both sides hiding their strength?" Kirihara said.

Kirihara recalled the swift and decisive style Yukimura had shown when he played against him before, which had caused him to lose in just a few shots.

But now, in the match against Takahashi, he hadn't given Takahashi any difficulty or intensity at all.

It was the same for Takahashi; the power contained in his tennis shots when he played against him last time was definitely greater than today.

Today, facing the Captain, he was just receiving the ball in an ordinary way.

These two didn't look like they were in a match; it was just like a normal practice!

"Could it be that the Captain has developed a desire to cherish talent and wants to slowly draw out Takahashi's strength?"

Yanagi Renji replied.

After all, he had also watched Takahashi grow step by step, knew his talent and potential well, and understood that the future Captain of the Tennis Club had to be Takahashi.

Could it be that Yukimura had also felt a sense of compassion for his future successor?

Sanada, standing to the side, did not think so; he felt a faint sense of unease.

Takahashi Yanichi, who was in the middle of the match, felt equally uneasy.

Takahashi could easily receive every ball Yukimura hit.

If it were an average person, being able to easily receive the balls hit by the Captain should have left them dizzy with joy.

But Takahashi instinctively felt extremely uneasy.

He felt restless, as if he were being watched by a resting beast.

He would face total disaster the moment the beast was ready to attack.

"Bang!"

Takahashi rotated his wrist, changing the incoming topspin ball into a flat ball.

……

"Bang!"

This time, Takahashi changed the flat ball into a backspin ball.

……

"Bang!"

Takahashi looked at the unremarkable tennis ball flying toward him, and a flash of shock and uncertainty crossed his eyes.

He looked down at his own hand again, and the look of shock deepened.

"Plop!"

The tennis ball landed behind Takahashi.

"15-0!"

"Point for Yukimura!"

……

Beside the Court.

The crowd began to discuss.

"What is Takahashi doing? The angle of that ball wasn't tricky, and the speed wasn't fast, so why didn't he return it?"

"He didn't move at all; he had no intention of returning that ball."

"Strange!"

"When he played against Sanada last time, the battle was so intense, so why is it so dull today? Is he throwing the match on purpose?"

"They've played so many shots, and only one point has been scored. What is going on with these two? Could it be a mutual appreciation between two generations of Captains?"

"Takahashi, I look down on you for this. A real man should just go for it! Dilly-dallying like this is disgraceful!"

On the Court.

It was indeed as the onlookers judged; Takahashi had intentionally not returned that last ball.

He let the tennis ball land behind him.

Because.

He had discovered it.

The massive crisis hidden behind this.

By changing the spin on the tennis ball over several consecutive shots.

He had clearly sensed it.

The faint, almost imperceptible Spirit Power on the tennis ball!

This was a tennis ball already controlled by Yukimura's Spirit Power.

Not only that, but that trace of Spirit Power was also transmitted through the tennis ball to his racket, and then to his hand.

A hazy, grayish-white layer of Spirit Power was wrapped around his hand.

It was struggling and trying to climb up his hand!

This was the source of Takahashi's unease!

Regardless of speed, force, angle, or direction, the balls Yukimura hit were all very easy to return.

However, the Spirit Power on the tennis ball was not something one could just return casually.

Right now, only his hand was tainted with the Spirit Power.

If he let the Spirit Power travel up his arm and reach his brain.

The consequences would be unimaginable!

He is truly the Captain of the national-level Rikkaidai Tennis Club.

Yukimura Seiichi, he is actually this formidable!

He, Takahashi, had nearly fallen into his trap!

If he had truly felt that every ball was easy to return and had successfully returned every one of them.

Then the Spirit Power contained within the tennis balls would have rapidly covered his entire body.

I fear that by then, his entire sensory perception would have been affected.

Although this ball from Yukimura was easy to return, the consequences of returning it were terrifying.

This made Takahashi's back turn cold!

That was close!

Fortunately, he discovered it while the Spirit Power had only spread to his hand.

It was not yet too late.

"Bang!"

The speed of this ball served by Yukimura was even slower.

But facing such a seemingly easy ball, Takahashi did not dare to return it.

He let it land straight on the ground.

Takahashi stood where he was, holding his tennis racket without moving at all.

"30-0!"

Beside the Court.

"What is he doing? Giving up? Such a simple ball, and he actually doesn't return it?"

"Could it be that he's throwing points on purpose to curry favor with the current Captain?"

"No way, no way! Takahashi wouldn't be such a sycophantic person, would he?"

"And here I thought Takahashi was a real man; I never expected him to actually bow before power. To keep his position as Captain, he's even giving up on such a simple ball."

"Truly despicable! Abandoning skill for the sake of power!"

"I really misjudged him; how can such a person of low character be Captain!"

For a moment, the crowd was incensed!

Sanada shouted loudly.

"Quiet!"

Marui popped the green bubble gum in his mouth and said, "I really don't want to admit that these are our club members; their emotions are so easily incited."

"A tiny change on the court makes their emotions fluctuate so wildly!"

"You can't look at things so superficially; you have to look at the essence."

Kirihara chimed in, "What essence?"

Marui patted Kirihara on the head and said, "And you, too, always jumping at every little thing—how are you any different from that crowd!"

Kirihara was just about to open his mouth to retort.

Yanagi Renji said, "Observe the facial expressions of those two people carefully!"

"What?"

Kirihara's face was full of question marks.