"What... what is this aura now?"
As the faint glimmer of light flowed around Ishikawa, Momoshiro felt a chill run down his spine. His brain reacted instinctively, forcing him to avert his gaze.
Sharp!
Dangerous!
For any player with a decent level of skill, those two words instinctively came to mind upon seeing the fluctuations of energy around Ishikawa.
As for the others...
Ordinary people like Inoue and Shiba found Ishikawa's transformation utterly mysterious.
"Inoue... Inoue-senpai," Shiba, the female reporter who had come with Seigaku, asked with curiosity, "Why is that player from Hyotei showing the same kind of change as Tachibana?"
"Well..." Inoue forced a bitter smile. He had no idea what was happening either.
But his intuition told him that what Ishikawa was displaying now was his true form in a match.
"I see," Inui muttered, as if he had just realized something. "During the last two games, he was just collecting data on Tachibana."
Collecting data?
Everyone's eyelids twitched at those words.
"Inui!" Kikumaru couldn't help but exclaim, "You're not joking, are you? In that kind of situation... he was collecting data?"
"Yes," Inui nodded firmly, revealing a secret the others didn't know. "I once played a match against this guy from Hyotei at a street court. He's strong—I mean, in terms of data tennis. At the same skill level, I'm no match for him when it comes to data tennis."
What?
This statement shocked everyone once again.
Who was Inui?
He was Seigaku's—no, Tokyo's—strongest data tennis player. In some ways, he was like a walking encyclopedia.
And now, he was openly admitting that he had lost to this first-year from Hyotei in data tennis?
"Just watch carefully," Coach Ryuzaki said with a stern expression. "If Hyotei wins this match, they'll be our opponents in the finals."
Immediately, everyone's expressions turned serious.
*Thud! Thud! Thud!*
On the court, Tachibana continued to bounce the ball.
His lion-like eyes were locked onto Ishikawa. As a player with national-level strength, he could clearly sense the sharp, unsettling aura emanating from his opponent.
"So, this is your trump card, huh?" Tachibana muttered, his gaze narrowing.
He tossed the ball into the air.
Then, raising his racket high, he slammed it down with full force: "Let me see what's so special about this state of yours!"
*Bang!*
The ball shot forward like a scorching bullet.
The audience's eyes immediately shifted to Ishikawa. To their surprise, he confidently stepped to the right, swinging his racket in a smooth, sweeping motion.
*Thwack!*
The moment his racket arrived, Tachibana's serve had just bounced off the ground.
The entire sequence was seamless, as if the ball had willingly flown into Ishikawa's racket.
Because of this, the speed of the half-volley was faster than any return he had made before.
"Such a quick return!" Everyone's hearts raced.
Even the most oblivious spectators could tell that Ishikawa's current state was completely different from before.
"Just as I thought," Inui muttered, his expression turning grave as he watched the half-volley. "He's already figured out Tachibana's patterns."
This confirmed his earlier theory—the first two games had simply been Ishikawa gathering data on Tachibana.
This return shot was clearly aimed at Tachibana's weak spot on his backhand side.
*Tap! Tap!*
However, a black figure suddenly appeared in the path of Ishikawa's return.
It was Tachibana!
After activating his Beast Aura, his focus and explosiveness had increased dramatically. This made him even more formidable in fast-paced exchanges.
A ball that would be impossible for most players to reach was no problem for Tachibana.
*Bang!*
But the moment his racket made contact with the ball, his expression changed.
"This power?!" Tachibana's brows furrowed.
The sheer force transmitted through his arm made him feel as if he had just hit a lead bullet instead of a tennis ball.
Heavy!
Too heavy!
It was hard to believe that a first-year could produce such a powerful shot.
Was he born with incredible strength?
"No," Tachibana quickly dismissed the thought. He tightened his grip and returned the ball with a fierce swing.
"It's that state," Tachibana thought, his eyes locked on Ishikawa. A strong sense of caution flashed in his gaze. "That dangerous aura of his must be amplifying the power of his shots."
Just as his Beast Aura enhanced his focus and explosiveness, Ishikawa's unique aura must have its own special effect.
"But," Tachibana's thoughts shifted, and his eyes turned cold. "No matter what you're planning, the only one who's walking away with this win... is me!"
*Hum!*
Instantly, his Beast Aura flared up again, swirling around him even faster than before.
Then, he charged forward.
Now fully in attack mode, Tachibana was starting to lose control. His fiery temper was getting the better of him, and he began to swing with more force and less precision.
*Bang! Bang! Bang!*
Three consecutive shots.
Each one was more aggressive and ruthless than the last. Two of them were even aimed directly at Ishikawa's body and legs.
Against anyone else, those shots would have caused serious injury.
But Ishikawa, with his keen insight, anticipated the danger and dodged effortlessly.
Even so, the Hyotei team was sweating bullets.
"Is he on the verge of losing control?" Ishikawa narrowed his eyes as he observed Tachibana's increasingly wild behavior.
In the original story, during the Kanto Tournament, Tachibana had once dominated Rikkai's Kirihara, leaving him with no chance to fight back.
Later, when Kirihara entered his Red Eye state and retaliated, injuring Tachibana, he still held back. He suppressed his violent impulses, knowing that if he unleashed his full power, he would inevitably hurt his opponent.
Tachibana had remembered his friend, whose eye he had injured during one of his violent outbursts, and chose to spare Kirihara.
But now...
Tachibana was clearly losing control.
His shots grew more violent, and in his desperation, he even began to shout aggressively, fully embracing a savage, almost barbaric style of play.
*Bang!*
Another shot flew toward Ishikawa's head.
Feeling the rush of wind, Ishikawa narrowed his eyes. At the last moment, he sidestepped and swung his racket, sending the ball back with a powerful drive.
"Bring it on!" Tachibana roared, charging forward to meet the ball.
*Thud!*
But the moment his racket made contact, the strings snapped as if they were made of tofu. The ball shot through the racket and slammed into the chain-link fence behind him.
*Sizzle...*
The ball spun violently, sparks flying as it ground against the metal.
"0-15!"
"What just happened?" Inoue stared in disbelief. "That ball went straight through his racket?"
Tachibana's strength was no joke. For Ishikawa's shot to tear through the strings, how much power must it have carried?
"That ball..." Inui narrowed his eyes. "Under normal circumstances, it shouldn't have been able to break Tachibana's racket. But look at where the strings snapped—the surrounding ones are still intact. Wait...!"
Suddenly, his expression changed.
"What is it?" Kikumaru and the others turned to him, confused.
"If I'm not mistaken," Tezuka, who had been silent until now, spoke up, "Ishikawa's returns have been hitting the exact same spot on Tachibana's racket every time."
"The... the same spot?" Kawamura looked utterly lost.
"Wait, that doesn't make sense!" Momoshiro interjected. "Tachibana's the one hitting the ball. No matter how skilled Ishikawa is, he can't control where Tachibana's racket makes contact, can he?"
"Exactly," Horio and the others nodded in agreement. "There's no way he could manipulate Tachibana's movements like that."
"It's not impossible," Fuji shook his head. "A truly skilled spin player can control the trajectory of the ball with incredible precision."
As he spoke, he glanced meaningfully at Tezuka.
"That's right," Oishi added. "And as Inui said earlier, Ishikawa has already gathered all the data he needs on Tachibana."
Hearing this, even the most skeptical among them had to accept the explanation.
"So, he's mastered my data, huh?" Tachibana muttered, his expression grim as he stepped back onto the court with a new racket.
Now, he couldn't afford to let his guard down for even a moment.
*Bang!*
With renewed determination, Tachibana unleashed another powerful serve.
Then, activating his Beast Aura, he charged toward the net.
His plan was simple.
With the lead in points, he would do everything in his power to hold his serve. Then, using the advantage he had built up, he would secure the win.
And now that he knew Ishikawa might use spin to target the same spot on his racket, Tachibana adjusted his grip and stance with each shot to prevent a repeat of what had just happened.
"He's too calm," Shishido muttered from the Hyotei side, his expression tense. "Ishikawa revealed his hand too early. Now that Tachibana's aware, it won't be so easy to catch him off guard again."
Most tricks and strategies only work once.
Once they're exposed, pulling them off a second time becomes nearly impossible.
And with Tachibana's strength and focus, the match was far from over.
Kyo is one of the top players in the Kyushu region, and on a national level, there are only a handful of people who can match his skill.
Facing someone like him, Ishikawa revealed his tactics too early. It's clear he still lacks experience in high-stakes matches!
"Is that so?"
However, Keigo, who was standing nearby, raised an eyebrow skeptically.
Although he hadn't yet figured out the full effect of Ishikawa's "Silver Glow," the fact that Ishikawa had calmly endured two full games to gather data on Kyo showed he wasn't reckless. He definitely wouldn't carelessly expose his strategy.
*Thud! Thud! Thud!*
On the court, the two were locked in an intense battle.
Learning from his earlier mistakes, Kyo changed his hitting points with every return. This time, after more than a dozen exchanges, his racket remained intact.
"See? It worked!"
The members of Fudomine breathed a sigh of relief.
But strangely, as the match progressed, Kyo's frustration began to boil over again.
*Whoosh!*
Suddenly, Ishikawa chased down the ball. As he swung his racket sideways, his speed increased sharply.
*Bang!*
The ball shot toward Kyo like a bullet. Kyo instinctively swung his racket, but upon contact, the racket was pierced once again.
*Clang!*
The ball slammed into the wire fence, spinning violently before finally coming to a stop.
"0-30!"
"What?!"
Shinji, Ishida, and the others were stunned. Kyo's racket had been pierced again?
"But…" Kyo's sister, Kyo Aoi, turned to Inui and the others outside the fence. "Didn't you say it takes multiple hits to the same spot to pierce a racket?"
"W-well…" Inui stammered, unsure how to respond.
"Enough," Kyo said, shaking his head as he regained his composure. "Aoi, don't speak to them like that. This isn't their fault."
"But…" Aoi wanted to press Inui for answers, but seeing the seriousness in Kyo's eyes, she reluctantly backed down.
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"I don't know how you're doing this," Kyo said, turning to Ishikawa with a fierce gaze, "but no matter what, I won't give up on this match!"
"Senior," Ishikawa replied with a calm smile, "stay composed. Don't let anger cloud your judgment. I'd rather not win because you lost control."
"Arrogant!" Kyo snapped, launching another aggressive attack.
This time, he didn't hold back, going all out with his shots. Surprisingly, his racket remained intact.
But just as Kyo was on the verge of losing control, Ishikawa struck with a blindingly fast shot. The ball tore through the air, slicing open the fabric on Kyo's shoulder.
*Thud!*
The ball landed perfectly on the baseline and bounced out.
"0-40!"
"Huh?" Feeling the cool air on his shoulder, Kyo snapped out of his rage.
This time, he seemed to understand Ishikawa's intentions. Looking at him with a mix of emotions, Kyo asked, "So… you pierced my racket to keep me from losing control?"
"Huh?"
The crowd was stunned.
"You figured it out," Ishikawa admitted with a smile. "I'm not interested in collecting data on you when you're out of control."
"You…" Kyo couldn't help but laugh, shaking his head in disbelief. Then, his expression turned serious again. "Tell me the truth—have you been holding back this whole time?"
"My strength?" Ishikawa asked, gripping his racket. "Do you want the truth or a lie?"
"The truth," Kyo said firmly.
"Alright," Ishikawa replied. "When I pierced your racket, I was only using about 60% of my strength."
"60%?!"
The crowd erupted in shock. Shinji from Fudomine blurted out, "No way! There's no way that was only 60%!"
"Shinji, quiet!" Kyo scolded before turning back to Ishikawa. "Ishikawa, I know I'm in no position to make demands, but I want to play a real match against you!"
His eyes burned with determination as he stared at Ishikawa.
"A real match?" Ishikawa, who had been holding back until now, felt the sincerity and fighting spirit in Kyo's gaze. He nodded. "Alright. But fair warning—you might get hurt."
"Don't worry about me," Kyo said confidently. "Just give it everything you've got."
*Whoosh!*
A dark red aura began to emanate from Kyo, radiating a fierce, beast-like energy.
*Whoosh!*
On the other side, Ishikawa's silver glow intensified, though its sharpness seemed to soften slightly.
"Hmm?"
Only Tezuka and Keigo noticed the subtle shift in Ishikawa's aura, their expressions changing noticeably.
*Thud!*
Kyo served the ball and charged toward the net.
*Thud!*
Ishikawa returned it effortlessly, but the speed and power were clearly on another level.
*Thud! Thud! Thud!*
The two clashed in an intense rally, their contrasting styles—Kyo's aggression and Ishikawa's calm precision—pushed to the limit.
*Thud!*
By the 26th minute, Kyo, who had initially held the advantage, was now trailing. The scoreboard showed "2" next to his name, while Ishikawa's side displayed a commanding "5."
The game score was 40-0, meaning Ishikawa had reached match point.
*Thud! Thud!*
On the court, Kyo, drenched in sweat, was still giving it his all.
"Kyo! You can do it!"
The Fudomine team cheered him on from the sidelines.
"Thanks," Kyo muttered, nodding briefly before refocusing on the ball.
"I have no choice… I'll have to use *that* move."
Memories of his former friend and fellow Kyushu prodigy, Senri Chitose, whom he had accidentally injured in the past, flashed through his mind. For a moment, hesitation flickered in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by resolve.
"You're strong," Kyo said, planting his feet firmly and lowering his racket at an angle. The beast-like aura around him surged.
"This is my final move—watch closely!"
*Thud!*
Kyo lunged forward, striking the ball with the edge of his racket.
*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*
The ball split into countless afterimages, hurtling toward Ishikawa like a storm.
"Ishikawa!"
The Hyotei team watched in horror. The move was terrifying—just imagining being surrounded by those afterimages was enough to send chills down their spines.
But then, something unexpected happened.
Facing the barrage of afterimages, Ishikawa closed his eyes.
"What?!"
The crowd gasped. The Hyotei team's hearts nearly stopped.
*Swish!*
In an instant, Ishikawa moved. With his eyes still closed, he swung his racket with precision, striking one of the balls cleanly.
*Bang!*
A flash of silver light cut through the air as the ball shot back like lightning, landing at Kyo's feet before exploding outward.
*Clang!*
The ball smashed into the wire fence, leaving a dent.
"Game over. Hyotei's Ishikawa wins, 6-2!"
(End of chapter)