Chapter 72: The Suppressed Atobe

On the court.

Atobe's expression was serious, without a hint of a smile.

He had not expected Takahashi to be even more troublesome and tricky than he had imagined.

Just now, Atobe had only used about 60 percent of his level.

As a National Level player and the Captain of the Hyotei Tennis Club, even if he only exerted 60 percent of his strength, it was not something an ordinary person could easily return.

Atobe's insight was quite powerful; even though his strength was not fully exerted, every ball just now had been aimed at Takahashi's blind spot.

Since Takahashi held the racket in his right hand, Atobe tried his best to hit the tennis ball toward Takahashi's left foot.

This angle was very tricky, and being on the backhand side, it should have been difficult to return.

However, Takahashi was always able to turn a backhand into a forehand shot.

Merely by moving one or two steps.

He resolved it with ease.

It turned into his own proficient forehand side.

Moreover, he was always able to return it to Atobe exactly as it was.

The returned tennis ball also headed toward Atobe's left foot.

This angle also made it very uncomfortable for Atobe to return.

With the slightest carelessness, Atobe would lose the point.

Both were attacking the opponent's blind spots, yet Takahashi's reactions and returns were clearly more relaxed and more effortless than his own.

Could it be that he, like himself, possessed insight that exceeded that of an ordinary person?

Losing a point right at the start of the game made Atobe very dissatisfied, and he felt he was losing face.

Atobe held the tennis ball, preparing to start exerting his true power.

"Bang!"

The tennis ball headed toward Takahashi with even greater power than the previous one.

Takahashi glanced at the tennis ball casually and moved a few steps.

"Bang!"

The tennis ball seemed to collide with Takahashi's racket as naturally as if it had done so on its own.

Then, the tennis ball flew back out on its own.

Atobe widened his eyes, staring intently at this scene.

It was like this again.

Every time he hit a tennis ball toward Takahashi's blind spot.

Takahashi would move his body slightly and be able to resolve it smoothly.

It was as if he had already predicted the trajectory of the tennis ball's fall.

"Bang!"

Facing the angle that was not his strong suit.

Atobe swung his arm with force and successfully returned the tennis ball.

The situation of the previous ball was repeating itself.

Atobe hit it to Takahashi's left foot, and Takahashi returned it to Atobe's left foot.

At this angle, Atobe was also not proficient, and he felt very uncomfortable and stifled.

He could only barely return it, unable to add any more force to the tennis ball.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

"0-30!"

"Takahashi scores!"

Facing the various tricky angles of Takahashi's returns, with one moment of carelessness, Atobe lost the point.

The tennis ball landed at a distance of less than 0.1m from Atobe's racket.

It was just a tiny bit off!

Atobe felt that he had played these two balls too stiflingly.

He hit tricky angles at Takahashi, but the other person received them easily.

Returning them to him in the same way was something he could not stand.

All of them were angles that were not easy to return.

He simply could not exert his true strength.

"Bang!"

The tennis ball, carrying extremely powerful force and speed, turned into a streak of light and shot toward Takahashi.

"Hmm?"

He clearly felt that the power on the tennis ball had increased again.

Had he given up on searching for blind spots?

And switched to increasing the power on the tennis ball?

Takahashi smiled faintly, his expression relaxed and natural, and he swung his arm casually.

"Bang!"

The tennis ball flew toward Atobe with even greater force.

……

"Bang!"

……

"Bang!"

Atobe held his tennis racket, wanting to use all his strength to return the shot.

However, the tennis ball was as heavy as an iron block, spinning incessantly on the racket, making Atobe's hand feel sore and numb.

"Clatter!"

The tennis racket fell straight from Atobe's hand to the ground.

"0-40!"

"Takahashi scores!"

The court fell silent in an instant.

Mukahi and Oshitari both widened their eyes.

Unbelievable!

Someone had actually knocked their wise and mighty Captain's tennis racket to the ground.

One must know, Atobe is a genuine National Level player.

Whether it is physical fitness or foundational strength, he is far above the average person.

They had only ever seen Atobe knock other people's tennis rackets to the ground.

But they had never imagined that one day.

Atobe's tennis racket would be knocked to the ground by someone else.

Is this Takahashi a cut above the National Level Atobe in terms of strength?

……

Atobe looked at the tennis racket lying on the ground, feeling a jolt of shock.

He had been continuously adding power to the tennis ball.

He had thought that, with his own superior strength.

Takahashi would be the first to fail to hold on.

He did not expect that it would be himself who could not withstand the power on the tennis ball first.

When had he ever had his tennis racket knocked to the ground by someone else?

It was always him brutally dominating others in matches, knocking their tennis rackets away.

This fact made Atobe's face turn completely dark.

At the same time, his impression of Takahashi changed completely.

He abandoned his earlier sense of contempt.

He was deeply wary of Takahashi.

Especially seeing that Takahashi's expression remained relaxed, wearing a faint smile.

It seemed as if Atobe's attacks had not posed any threat to him at all.

Everything was completely under his control.

The usually arrogant Atobe had never suffered such an indignity.

He decided to use his special move to give Takahashi a stern warning.

He had to break Takahashi's calm expression.

He had to make that unruffled face reveal a look of shock and awe.

He, Atobe Keigo.

Is the emperor who looks down on everything and gazes over all living beings!

……

Looking at the other side.

Takahashi felt that this match was truly too boring.

The balls Atobe hit posed absolutely no threat to him.

He could return them simply and casually.

He didn't even need to take a few steps; by slightly changing his body's posture, he could return them.

Returning them to Atobe at the same angle.

That was what stumped him!

Currently, Atobe's insight was not yet as strong as his own.

Through the spin and force of the tennis ball, he could accurately analyze the ball's landing point and angle.

Knowing the landing point of the tennis ball, then going to receive it.

Isn't this just a free point?

He could score with his eyes closed.

Thinking of the later Atobe, who developed Ice World and Atobe Kingdom.

Perhaps that kind of insight would pose a certain threat to Takahashi.

With this current Atobe, Takahashi felt like he was bullying a child.

The same went for strength.

There was a little, but not much.

Takahashi could even receive Sanada's powerful Power Ball with ease and turn it to his own use.

Let alone Atobe, whose strength is far inferior to Sanada's?

Takahashi couldn't even bring himself to think about turning it to his own use.

Facing Atobe's Power Ball, Takahashi could truly return it with ease, without the slightest effort.

Borrowing strength to strike back was simply unnecessary.

It hadn't reached that point.

It was just that since the first game hadn't ended yet, and thinking about the at least five games remaining, Takahashi felt a bit of regret for agreeing to Atobe's request for a match.

The time was too agonizing!

It couldn't stir up even a shred of interest in him.

However, looking at Atobe across the net, his expression suddenly shifted from Shadow to sunny.

A flash of inspiration suddenly crossed Takahashi's mind.

Since that's the case, then let's treat this match as an experiment to test out that ability!