Chapter 81: Hiyoshi VS Echizen

At the Kanto Tournament court.

Hyotei versus Seigaku.

Due to two wins, two losses, and one draw, the sixth match began.

A match between substitute players.

Hyotei's Hiyoshi Wakashi versus Seigaku's Echizen Ryoma.

Just as Kirihara, Sanada, and Yanagi were all firmly convinced that Hyotei's Hiyoshi Wakashi would win, Takahashi spoke up, saying, "That's not necessarily so!"

This sentence made the three people present feel very surprised.

As Hyotei's second-year ace, Hiyoshi Wakashi is a strong candidate for the next Captain of the Hyotei Tennis Club, and he even fought to a draw with Kirihara at the Newcomer Tournament.

How could a substitute from Seigaku compare to such a formidable opponent?

Players who usually stay in substitute positions typically have very average strength.

Hyotei not only has better overall strength than Seigaku, but they also place such a potential-filled player in a substitute position.

In the eyes of Sanada and the others, Seigaku is bound to lose.

Moreover, they had never even heard the name of Seigaku's substitute, Echizen Ryoma.

Yet unexpectedly, Takahashi gave him a very high evaluation.

This caused Sanada and the others to start paying attention to this match, and likewise, to start paying attention to this person, Echizen Ryoma.

On the court.

Echizen Ryoma's service game.

"Boom!"

The tennis ball turned into a yellow streak of light, darting through the air at high speed.

After landing, the force on the tennis ball had not weakened in the slightest.

After bouncing up, carrying immense power and speed, it became tightly wedged into the chain-link fence of the tennis court.

"15-0!"

"Seigaku scores!"

"Boom!"

After the tennis ball landed, it spun rapidly in place.

"Clack!"

The tennis ball, after bouncing up, shot straight toward Hiyoshi Wakashi's tennis racket, knocking the racket from his hand to the ground.

"30-0!"

"Seigaku scores!"

Sanada was somewhat shocked and said, "Is this the Twist Serve?"

"I never expected a first-year to be able to hit a ball like this."

Kirihara retorted, "Isn't it just a ball that bounces toward the body? I can do that too; my Knuckle Serve is even more impressive and powerful than his."

He hadn't expected that both Takahashi and Sanada would heap such praise on this Seigaku first-year, which made Kirihara extremely dissatisfied.

Kirihara's technique was clearly more impressive, yet he never saw these two praise him.

This Hiyoshi Wakashi is also something else, failing to return two balls in a row.

His strength is just too poor!

Hiyoshi Wakashi failing to return the ball not only loses face for himself but also embarrasses Kirihara.

In the minds of Sanada and Yanagi, Kirihara and Hiyoshi are players on the same level.

Now, facing Echizen Ryoma's serve, Hiyoshi Wakashi hadn't even touched the ball and had already lost two points.

Doesn't this indicate that Hiyoshi Wakashi is terrible, and that Kirihara, who fights him to a standstill, doesn't have much strength either?

This made the always competitive Kirihara explode with anger.

He wished he could go on court and replace Hiyoshi Wakashi in the match.

"Boom!"

Hiyoshi Wakashi shifted his stance, swung his tennis racket, and successfully returned the tennis ball that was coming toward his body.

"Great! Hiyoshi Wakashi finally returned it."

"Go, go! In one breath, take down Seigaku's..."

Standing outside the court, Kirihara was even more happy and excited than Hiyoshi, who was actually participating in the match.

"This ball was likely allowed to be returned by the opponent on purpose."

"The power and spin on the tennis ball were clearly lower than the previous ball."

Yanagi Renji spoke up.

"This first-year is somewhat interesting."

Sanada said.

"Ah!"

Only Kirihara was deeply struck by this.

"Does he know this move too?" Yanagi Renji said in surprise.

He had just seen the tennis ball land, not bounce, and roll directly toward the direction of the net.

It was precisely the signature move of Seigaku Captain Tezuka Kunimitsu from the previous match, the Zero-Shiki Drop Shot.

"This move is still better used by Tezuka; Echizen's movements are too large and too obvious, allowing his opponent to see what he is about to do at a glance."

Takahashi replied.

Sanada shifted his gaze to Takahashi, filled with surprise.

To be able to make a tennis ball land and stay on the ground without bouncing, Echizen Ryoma's tennis ability was undoubtedly already very strong.

He had not expected that what Takahashi noticed was the posture of the swing.

Can one predict the trajectory of a tennis ball just by the posture of the swing?

Sanada fell into deep thought.

……

"1-0!"

"Seigaku scores!"

The second game begins.

Hiyoshi Wakashi was seen assuming a strange posture.

Both hands were extended simultaneously in front of his body.

Facing the incoming tennis ball, Hiyoshi Wakashi jumped high, his two legs also forming a bizarre angle in the air.

"Bang!"

The tennis ball landed and bounced.

"15-0!"

"Hyotei scores!"

Echizen Ryoma had not even moved his body, yet he lost the point.

……

"Bang!"

……

"30-0!"

"Hyotei scores!"

……

"Bang!"

"2-1!"

"Hyotei scores!"

……

"Great! Hiyoshi Wakashi, strike while the iron is hot and take the victory!"

Seeing Hiyoshi Wakashi scoring frequently by relying on his bizarre posture, the score was already leading Echizen of Seigaku by one point.

Kirihara became excited at once, as if he were the one leading his opponent in the match.

That's more like it! Hiyoshi Wakashi, let everyone see your strength.

Without some strength, how could you be an opponent of me, Kirihara Akaya?

You are carrying not just yourself, but also the reputation of me, Kirihara.

Don't you dare drop the ball.

Yanagi Renji spoke up: "This is Hiyoshi Wakashi's signature move, combining Ancient Martial Arts with tennis."

Sanada said: "As a second-year at Hyotei, being able to do this is already quite good."

Takahashi looked at Hiyoshi Wakashi's strange posture and recalled Mukahi Gakuto, whom he had played against before, and couldn't help but smile, saying:

"Have you noticed? The signature moves of Hyotei players are all flashy but ineffective."

"The posture is flashy and eye-catching, but the power is just so-so."

Hearing Takahashi's words, Kirihara was very confused: "What do you mean? Flashy but ineffective?"

Takahashi ignored Kirihara and continued: "And that move of their Captain, the Waltz to Destruction, knocks the opponent's racket away the first time, relies on the rebounding ball to launch a second attack, and only scores on the second time."

"Isn't that doing more than necessary?"

Yanagi Renji and Sanada fell silent at once.

They had not expected that the signature move Atobe was so proud of, the move that had wreaked havoc in the youth selection tournament, would receive such an evaluation from Takahashi.

But thinking about it carefully, it seemed correct.

Since the racket could be knocked away the first time, why have a second time?

Wouldn't it be better to score directly the first time?

Kirihara was very puzzled and asked: "That's Atobe's problem, what does it have to do with Hiyoshi Wakashi?"

Yanagi Renji explained: "The Captain means that this move of Hiyoshi Wakashi is the same."

"Combining tennis with Ancient Martial Arts, the posture is flashy and eye-catching, but the speed and power of the tennis ball have not increased significantly; it's just that the angle of the shot is more bizarre."

Kirihara was stunned.

……

On the court.

"Bang!"

Echizen Ryoma swung his arm.

The tennis ball traced a B-shaped trajectory in the air.

"15-0!"

"Seigaku scores!"

"Bang!"

"30-0!"

"Seigaku scores!"

Yanagi Renji said, "The Seigaku first-year's rhythm is too fast; if this continues, his stamina will be depleted too much, and he won't be able to hold on for long."

Kirihara started to get excited again and said, "Is he getting anxious? If so, he's not far from losing."

"How did you figure that out?"

Rarely seeing Kirihara make a prediction instead of continuing with his hundred thousand whys, Takahashi asked with great interest.

He also wanted to know what exactly was going on in Kirihara's head.

Feeling Takahashi's attention, Kirihara began to show off and said, "Master said so! Once the rhythm in a match is disrupted, it will only cause one to fall into a disadvantage."

While speaking, Kirihara looked at Takahashi expectantly, hoping to receive praise.

He, Kirihara, was also someone who could think, someone who could apply what he learned!

Takahashi couldn't help but rub his forehead and look up at the sky!

Speechless, completely speechless!