*Boom!*
On the court, Oishi analyzed the situation and accurately predicted his opponent's movements. He lured Mukahi forward with a short shot, and as Mukahi returned with a high lob, a figure soared into the air behind him—Kikumaru!
"Kikumaru Rocket!"
*Bang!*
With a powerful smash, the tennis ball shot down like a bullet, landing with such speed and force that Mukahi could only watch helplessly as it ricocheted out of reach.
"Game!"
"Seigaku leads, 4-3! Change sides!"
*Thud.*
Kikumaru landed steadily on the ground.
"Hmm…"
On the Hyotei side, Shishido's expression turned grim. "Not only Oishi, but Kikumaru has also improved significantly. That smash was even more powerful than before!"
"Indeed," Coach Sakaki nodded. "When a person is in an excited, optimal state, they can often break through their usual limits and achieve things they couldn't before."
The Golden Pair was a perfect example of this. Their coordination had never been more seamless. Oishi's observational skills and Kikumaru's smashes had both improved dramatically.
As a result, Hyotei's doubles team found themselves increasingly on the back foot.
"We've got a chance!"
On Seigaku's side, the trio of supporters was in high spirits, their faces beaming with joy. Horio grinned and said, "At this rate, the Golden Pair might just be the strongest doubles team in Tokyo!"
"Hmm…"
Inui's brow furrowed slightly. While he couldn't imagine how Hyotei could turn the tide at this point, Horio's words stirred an uneasy feeling in his chest.
"Game 8, Hyotei's Mukahi to serve. One game remaining!"
After the sides were switched, the referee announced.
*Swish!*
The crowd's attention turned to Mukahi at the baseline.
Unlike in the fourth game, Mukahi's expression was visibly strained. Losing four consecutive games had left him frustrated and agitated.
Oishi's "Moon Volley" had reignited Kikumaru's momentum. Despite Mukahi's relentless attacks at the net, he found himself completely outmatched.
Now, as he prepared to serve, hesitation and uncertainty crept into his movements.
"Whatever."
Feeling the weight of the crowd's stares, Mukahi tossed the ball into the air and swung his racket.
*Tap!*
The ball hit the net.
Fortunately, it bounced into the service box, so it didn't count as a fault.
"Phew…"
Mukahi let out a sigh of relief and pulled out another ball. The mishap seemed to ease some of the tension on his face, but he was clearly still nervous.
"Mukahi's mental state is crumbling," Oishi thought to himself as he prepared to receive the serve. "Inui always said that a player's mindset is crucial in a match. If you lose confidence, you can't even perform at 60% of your usual ability."
Having endured tough battles, Oishi had matured significantly. The Golden Pair's strength had reached new heights, and Oishi's calm demeanor allowed him to focus on consolidating their advantage and slowly wearing down their opponents.
*Boom!*
Mukahi's serve came in.
Perhaps due to his nerves, the ball nearly flew out of bounds. Oishi nodded to himself, confirming his earlier assessment. "We'll keep this pace and break them down bit by bit."
*Boom!*
Oishi returned the ball, and he and Kikumaru seamlessly switched positions.
"It's happening!"
The Seigaku trio cheered. "Oishi's in his zone!"
The Seigaku team was ecstatic, while Hyotei's supporters had fallen silent. The contrast between the two sides seemed to foreshadow the outcome of the match.
*Boom!*
Mukahi returned the ball from the baseline.
With his broad field of vision, Oishi had already tracked the ball's trajectory. He chased it down, raised his racket, and observed his opponents.
At the baseline, Mukahi was visibly agitated, shifting his weight from foot to foot, his face filled with indecision. At the net, Yukimura stood with his head down, exuding a dark, ominous aura.
"First, we'll target the gap between them to disrupt their coordination. Then, we'll create an opening for Kikumaru to attack," Oishi decided.
*Swish!*
But just as Oishi was about to strike, Yukimura looked up.
Their eyes met, and a chilling sensation swept through Oishi's body.
"This feeling…!"
In that moment, a strange thought crossed Oishi's mind: *He's already figured out my plan.*
"No, I can't attack there."
Oishi's mind raced, and at the last second, he redirected his shot to a different spot.
*Swish!*
But to his surprise, Yukimura was already moving toward the new target. With a swift, precise slice, Yukimura caught Oishi off guard.
*Boom!*
"15-0!"
"Huh?"
No one had expected Seigaku, who had been dominating the match, to suddenly lose a point.
"Was that… a mistake?" Horio asked, looking at Oishi, who was deep in thought.
"Hard to say," Fuji replied. "Winning and losing points is normal in a match. No one can maintain a perfect scoring rate."
If they could, the Golden Pair would be more than just a national-level doubles team!
"That shot…"
Inui frowned. The slice had been executed flawlessly, slipping through the gap between Oishi and Kikumaru like a hot knife through butter.
"But was it really a coincidence?"
Inui didn't jump to conclusions. He turned his attention to Hyotei's bespectacled player. Yukimura's data hadn't been updated since the Tokyo Metropolitan Tournament.
Over twenty days had passed.
While the Golden Pair had undergone a transformation, Yukimura couldn't have stayed the same either.
"Oishi…"
On the court, Kikumaru's attention was fixed on his partner. He had noticed Oishi's slight tremor just before the shot.
Something told him the match was taking a turn for the worse.
*Boom!*
Mukahi served again.
Kikumaru returned the ball and moved along the baseline, his eyes locked on Oishi. He adjusted his position based on Oishi's movements and signals, ready to attack or defend as needed.
*Boom!*
Oishi hit the ball and quickly shifted to the left. Seeing this, Kikumaru darted to the right, his eyes gleaming. "Is this a setup for a right-side attack?"
Kikumaru tensed his muscles, ready to strike.
*Boom!*
But Yukimura's return shot was a sharp cross-court angle that slipped through the gap between Kikumaru and Oishi, just grazing past Kikumaru.
"Hmph, you think I can't handle that?"
In an instant, Kikumaru lunged forward, using his acrobatic "Dancing Tennis" style to return the shot.
"Phew…"
Kikumaru let out a sigh of relief as he managed to save the point.
But then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Yukimura closing in on the ball at an incredible speed.
"No way! How is he so fast?!"
If it were Mukahi, Kikumaru could understand. After all, Mukahi's agility was on par with his own.
But Yukimura? His speed at the net was unbelievable.
*Boom!*
Yukimura responded with a powerful drive shot.
The ball threaded through the gap Kikumaru had left open and landed precisely on the doubles sideline.
"30-0!"
*Tap!*
The ball hit the ground, and Kikumaru used his flexibility to push himself up with one hand.
But his expression was a mix of shock and wariness.
"Incredible reflexes!"
Outside the court, Inui and Fuji were stunned.
They had just witnessed Yukimura, who had been in the center of the court, move to intercept Kikumaru's shot in the blink of an eye.
His movement was so fast that it left behind afterimages.
"Yukimura has finally made his move," Ishikawa said with a smile, watching the calm expression on Yukimura's face. "The transition between Yin and Yang is seamless now."
"Yin? Yang?"
Ootori looked confused. "Ishikawa, what are you talking about?"
Others, like Shishido and Oshitari, also turned their attention to Ishikawa.
"Yin Mode: Shadow Moon. Yang Mode: Daylight," Atobe explained. "These are the two modes Yukimura developed through his matches with Ishikawa and me."
"Shadow Moon? Daylight?"
Ootori and the others were still puzzled, but from Ishikawa and Atobe's reactions, it was clear that Yukimura's modes were no ordinary techniques.
"Yukimura… challenged Ishikawa and Atobe in private?" Ootori asked, surprised.
"Yes," Coach Sakaki said with a smile. "Between the regional preliminaries and the Tokyo Metropolitan Tournament, Yukimura spent every day challenging Atobe and Ishikawa at specific times."
Over 30 days, he played 60 matches.
Yukimura never won a single match. Both Ishikawa and Atobe were like insurmountable mountains to him.
But instead of giving up, Yukimura used the pressure from these two powerhouses to push himself to new heights.
Now, if he went all out, even a national-level singles player would struggle against him.
However, to ensure Hyotei's victory in doubles, Yukimura had volunteered to play doubles.
And now, facing the formidable Golden Pair, Hyotei's genius had finally revealed his true strength.
"Shadow Moon and Daylight?"
On Seigaku's side, Inui's expression turned serious. "So Yukimura can switch between two different modes during a match? Shadow Moon is that ultra-calm analytical state he used during the Tokyo Metropolitan Tournament."
"Which means…"
Inui's voice grew grave. "Oishi's earlier hesitation was because Yukimura had read his movements?"
As a data-driven player, Inui knew how terrifying it was to have your actions predicted.
With this, Oishi's "Moon Volley" was effectively neutralized.
"As for Daylight Mode…"
*Swish!*
Before Inui could finish his thought, Yukimura appeared in front of Kikumaru's return shot.
*Boom!*
With a swift slice, Yukimura broke through Seigaku's defenses once again.
*Boom!*
"40-0!"
"I see now," Inui said grimly. "Daylight Mode boosts Yukimura's speed and explosiveness, allowing him to activate his full physical potential in an instant. It's like the saying, 'Still as a statue, fast as lightning.'"
Inui's gaze turned wary as he watched Yukimura.
This was a player who could single-handedly withstand the pressure of Seigaku's Golden Pair. The fact that he had chosen to play doubles spoke volumes about his mindset.
*Boom!*
Yukimura struck again, using Shadow Moon's calm analysis to identify his opponents' weaknesses, then switching to Daylight Mode to unleash his full power and break through their defenses.
"Game!"
"Hyotei, 4-4!"
Thanks to Yukimura's efforts, Hyotei had tied the score.
The Golden Pair wasn't about to give up, though. They adjusted their strategy, focusing their attacks on Yukimura.
But Seigaku's targeting strategy was useless against Yukimura's keen insight, which was second only to Ishikawa and Atobe's in Hyotei.
Instead, by abandoning their steady approach, the Golden Pair left themselves open to Yukimura's counterattacks.
Meanwhile, Mukahi had regained his composure. He worked closely with Yukimura, defending the baseline and seizing every opportunity to strike back at Seigaku.
Gradually, Hyotei took control of the match.
*Boom!*
Finally, after 37 minutes of play, Mukahi ended the match with his signature "Moon Return."
"Game, set, match! Hyotei's Yukimura and Mukahi win, 6-4!"
*Whoosh!*
The moment the referee announced the result, Hyotei's supporters erupted into cheers.
This victory in the first doubles match had redeemed them after their earlier loss and restored their pride.
With both doubles matches concluded, the score was tied.
The atmosphere grew tense as the crowd turned their attention to the upcoming singles matches.
Everyone knew that the outcome of the first singles match would have a significant impact on the rest of the competition.
"Next up, the third singles match: Seigaku's Echizen Ryoma vs. Hyotei's Akutsu Jin. Players, please prepare!"
(Chapter end)
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