Chapter 95: The Suppressed Echizen

Kanto Tournament Finals.

Singles No. 3, Takahashi Yanichi versus Echizen Ryoma.

Echizen Ryoma started off by hitting his most specialized Twist Serve.

When he carefully observed his opponent,

he discovered that facing this ball, the opponent had actually made no movement at all.

Had he failed to read the ball's trajectory, or had he simply given up on returning the tennis ball?

The newly appointed Captain of Rikkai is nothing more than this!

If I am so formidable, having successively defeated Seigaku's second-years Momoshiro and Kaidoh, and third-year Inui Sadaharu, am I not still just an ordinary team member?

Just as Ryoma was somewhat distracted.

"Bang!"

A crisp sound of a ball being struck pulled Echizen's thoughts back.

Echizen only felt a yellow ball shadow flash rapidly past his side.

"Thud!"

The sound of the tennis ball landing came from behind him.

"0-15!"

"Takahashi scores!"

Seigaku rest area.

Fuji opened his eyes in an instant and said in surprise, "Kikumaru, did you see that clearly?"

Kikumaru widened his eyes and said, "Such fast swing speed, my eyes could barely keep up."

"From the moment the little guy hit the Twist Serve, Takahashi didn't make any move at all."

"It wasn't until the tennis ball landed and began to spin violently that he slightly shifted his feet and swung his racket, with a very small range of motion."

"The entire process took less than 0.1 seconds."

"This reaction speed and swing speed are just too terrifying."

Inui pushed up his glasses and said, "Not only that, the speed of the tennis ball after Takahashi's return is also terrifyingly fast."

"The Twist Serve hit by Echizen was only 185km/h, but the ball Takahashi returned, by my estimation, should be close to 200km/h."

Hearing the words of senior Inui, the three first-years around them, including Horio, all gasped.

Because the person standing on the court was also a first-year.

The same age as them.

The same grade.

They had originally been shocked by Echizen's tennis technique.

Thinking Echizen was a rare genius.

An existence difficult for ordinary people to reach.

Yet they never expected that, besides Echizen Ryoma, there would be an even more powerful first-year.

Both are first-years, this gap.

It's truly greater than the gap between a human and a dog!

On the court.

Echizen Ryoma turned his head to look at the baseline behind him.

His pupils suddenly constricted.

Because he was shocked to find that a clear circular ball mark had been left where the tennis ball landed.

It pressed right on the line!

This power, this speed, this ball control.

Too astonishing!

When exactly did he swing his racket?

He had clearly been observing the opponent the whole time.

Until the tennis ball landed, Takahashi had maintained a casual stance and had not assumed a traditional receiving posture.

Even the tennis racket was held casually in his hand.

Just like it is now.

"Twist Serve, the trajectory of the tennis ball's bounce heads toward the person's body."

"This move will make ordinary players suffer a bit, but against me, it's completely useless!"

Takahashi's voice entered Echizen's ears.

Echizen pressed down on the brim of his cap and said, "Whether it's useful or not isn't for you to decide."

"Bang!"

Another Twist Serve.

Different from the previous ball, this one clearly carried more complex spin and more intense power.

After successfully hitting this ball, Echizen stared fixedly at Takahashi.

This time, Echizen would not be distracted; he would muster his full focus and use his excellent dynamic vision to capture every one of Takahashi's movements.

In Echizen's eyes, Takahashi was still standing there casually.

Facing the incoming tennis ball, he made no movement.

After the tennis ball landed, it began to spin at high speed.

The speed was so fast and the spin so intense that it even produced a slight afterimage.

The moment the tennis ball bounced, the racket arrived right on cue.

"Bang!"

Echizen could not help but rub his eyes.

Indeed, he had just seen the racket.

However, he had not clearly seen the trajectory of the racket's swing.

He had only captured the afterimage produced by the racket's movement.

The racket had swung.

Then what about the tennis ball?

Suddenly reacting, Echizen hurriedly looked up into the air.

At this moment.

Echizen heard only a violent whistling sound by his ears.

He felt a lightness on his head.

"Thud!"

"Snap!"

The two sounds rang out almost simultaneously.

"0-30!"

"Takahashi scores!"

Echizen turned his head and was shocked to discover.

Both his cap and the tennis ball had already landed behind him.

Echizen looked at this scene in astonishment.

So the first sound was the sound of the tennis ball landing.

The second sound was actually the sound of his cap being knocked to the ground.

"That was close!"

"It almost hit Echizen!"

Oishi Shuichiro breathed a sigh of relief.

The trajectory of that last ball was too tricky.

It was clearly aimed at Echizen's face.

Fortunately, it only knocked his cap off, and he was unharmed.

Inui pushed up his glasses and said, "I think the opponent must have controlled the tennis ball's trajectory to graze right over the top of Echizen's head; he didn't expect Echizen to suddenly look up, which is why the cap was knocked off."

The team members on the side were shocked to hear this.

Not only could he successfully return Echizen's Twist Serve, but he could also control the tennis ball's trajectory to graze past Echizen?

This level of ball control is too astonishing!

The first-year Captain of Rikkai is actually this formidable!

On the court.

Echizen stared fixedly at Takahashi, feeling somewhat uneasy in his heart.

Even with his excellent dynamic vision, he hadn't managed to capture that moment of the swing.

Just how fast is his swing!

Watching Echizen Ryoma's dark eyes staring tightly at him, Takahashi said indifferently, "I already told you, the Twist Serve is useless against me."

Hearing Takahashi's words, Echizen chuckled and said, "Don't get cocky, I've seen through your tricks too."

As he spoke, Echizen turned around and picked up the cap that had fallen to the ground.

He put the cap back on his head.

"Bang!"

Echizen Ryoma hit another Twist Serve; this time, he controlled the direction of the tennis ball's bounce toward Takahashi's jacket.

As someone who never admits defeat, how could Echizen easily give up on his own technique.

Moreover, he had also found Takahashi's weakness.

The motion of the racket swing could not be seen clearly.

However, he could still capture a bit of the tennis ball's trajectory in the air with his excellent dynamic vision.

While thinking this, Echizen held his tennis racket, his feet beginning to move in small increments—this was his pride and joy, the Small Split Step.

"Bang!"

Echizen successfully received the tennis ball at the predicted position.

The tennis ball turned into a streak of light as it headed toward Takahashi.

"Great! Echizen caught it."

Horio and the other two were very happy.

Kikumaru was also very excited, saying: "Echizen's dynamic vision is so powerful; no matter how fast the ball speed is, if he watches it a few more times, he will still be able to return it."

Momoshiro also said happily: "Let's just charge ahead in one go like this!"

Ryuzaki, sitting in the spectator stands on the court, also broke into a smile.

As expected of Echizen Ryoma, as expected of the player she values.

Even if the opponent has some strength, the most terrifying thing about Ryoma is not his strength.

It is his growth speed.

As long as he is given time, he can become stronger when encountering the strong.

Rikkai taking the first two points doesn't count for anything; the match has only just begun!