"Switching to his left hand?"
Noticing Ryoma's subtle move, Shishido from the Hyotei team exclaimed in surprise, "Is this kid already getting serious?"
They already knew Ryoma was left-handed.
What surprised them was how quickly the boy, who had completely overwhelmed Akutagawa before, was now forced to use his dominant hand.
But then again, Akutagawa had also lost to Akutsu, so it made sense.
"That guy, Jiro..."
Thinking of this, the team glanced at the figure lazily napping on the steps and couldn't help but shake their heads.
They had no idea what was going on with him. Even if he had given up on himself, how could he still sleep so soundly? Anyone else would be too tense to sleep, watching two players who had defeated him face off against each other.
"Has Akutagawa... seen through it all?"
Looking back at the snoring Akutagawa, Ishikawa sighed to himself. But even he wasn't sure if Akutagawa was the same type of player as Rikkai's Mori Sanosuke.
If he was, then his current state of sleep might not be a bad thing.
*Thud! Thud! Thud!*
On the court, Ryoma stood at the baseline, lightly tapping the tennis ball.
Losing the first point wouldn't usually bother him, but this opponent felt entirely different.
Strong!
And not just in one aspect—this guy was strong in every way!
His power, speed, and explosiveness far surpassed anyone Ryoma had faced before. Even Tezuka might not measure up in these areas.
"*Sigh*."
Taking a deep breath to adjust his focus, Ryoma tossed the ball into the air and quickly served.
*Boom!*
The ball landed sharply on the left outer corner.
For a left-handed server like Ryoma, the ball had a natural outward curve, making it even harder to return.
*Tap! Tap!*
Sure enough, even Akutsu was forced to move further to the left to return the shot, leaving him slightly out of position.
"This is our chance!"
Seeing this, Momoshiro and the others from Seigaku clenched their fists in anticipation.
Ryoma seized the opportunity, rushing forward and smoothly switching his racket to his right hand.
"Two-sword style?"
The Hyotei team's eyes widened.
Ryoma's transition was seamless. With his right hand now gripping the racket, he unleashed a powerful topspin shot aimed at Akutsu's right corner.
*Boom!*
The ball landed and then sharply veered to the right.
"*Gasp*!"
The crowd couldn't help but inhale sharply at the sheer intensity of the shot. The combination of alternating corner shots and the two-sword style was simply breathtaking.
Many imagined themselves in Akutsu's shoes and realized they wouldn't have been able to reach that ball.
*Tap! Tap!*
But then, like a cheetah, Akutsu sprinted across the court.
His hair fluttered in the wind as his muscular limbs moved with a wild, almost primal grace.
*Screech!*
Catching up to the ball, Akutsu abruptly stopped.
Despite the momentum, his lower body remained perfectly stable.
*Swish!*
In one fluid motion, he raised his racket like a drawn bow and smashed the ball toward Ryoma's back corner.
*Boom!*
A loud crack echoed as the ball exploded past Ryoma.
"0-30!"
The umpire's call left the court in stunned silence.
The Seigaku team, in particular, was shocked. Despite having the advantage of serving first and expertly using his two-sword style, Ryoma had just been outplayed in a single point.
"Akutsu's physical abilities... are terrifying!"
Inui said grimly. "His strength, explosiveness, speed, and muscle flexibility... he's practically born for tennis!"
"A once-in-a-decade tennis prodigy!"
Coach Ryuzaki's expression was equally serious. She glanced toward the steps, where Yamabuki's Coach Ban was sitting. "Old Ban... is this the player you discovered?"
Her mood soured further.
She had thought that with Ryoma, the son of the legendary Samurai Nanjiro, joining Seigaku, the team's overall strength would skyrocket. But she hadn't expected Hyotei to also add top-tier talent—two of them, no less!
Akutsu's inclusion, in particular, had completely thrown off her plans.
"Ryoma..."
She turned her gaze to the boy in the white cap on the court. "You're not just going to sit back and take this, are you?"
*Boom!*
Ryoma served again.
As a four-time consecutive champion of the U.S. Junior Tennis Tournament and a prodigy trained by the Samurai Nanjiro himself, Ryoma had faced more defeats than most could imagine.
So, even in this unfavorable situation, he remained calm, trying to use strategy and tactics to score points.
But Akutsu was just too strong.
His physical abilities were beyond anything Ryoma had ever encountered. No matter where Ryoma placed the ball, Akutsu would return it with ease.
With the speed of a cheetah, the strength of a bear, and the agility of a monkey, Akutsu left Ryoma with no openings.
And Akutsu, though he showed no visible malice toward Ryoma, didn't hold back in his returns.
For a while, Ryoma was completely overwhelmed.
*Boom!*
Another powerful shot exploded past Ryoma.
"Game!"
"Hyotei's Akutsu leads 1-0! Change sides!"
"Akutsu is incredible!"
Shishido, Hiyoshi, and the others were in awe.
Especially Shishido, whose net play was already impressive. But if he were facing Ryoma's two-sword style, even he would struggle.
Yet Akutsu had completely dominated the Seigaku freshman, leaving him scrambling and disheveled.
"This isn't looking good."
On Seigaku's side, the team watched as Ryoma, head down, silently switched sides. Their hearts tightened.
Since Ryoma had joined the team, they had never seen him so thoroughly suppressed. Whether it was Inui, Kaidoh, or opponents like Ibu, Akutagawa, or Sengoku, Ryoma had always won with composure.
But now, against Akutsu, Ryoma was being pushed to his limits.
"Akutsu has gotten even stronger."
Outside the court, Sengoku couldn't help but comment.
In their match earlier that morning, Ryoma had easily broken through his "Tiger Cannon" and outplayed him tactically.
But now, against Akutsu, Ryoma was being overpowered purely by physical ability.
"However..."
Sengoku's brow furrowed as if remembering something. "When I played against this Seigaku freshman, I felt a suppressed aura around him. His true strength might be more than meets the eye."
"Is that so?"
Hearing Sengoku's musings, Coach Ban chuckled. He glanced at Akutsu, then at Ryoma, and said meaningfully, "This boy's potential might be far greater than anyone realizes."
"Huh?"
The Yamabuki team looked at him in surprise.
Even for Akutsu, Coach Ban's praise had never been this high. "Unimaginable potential"? Did this Seigaku freshman really possess such terrifying talent?
Curious, they turned their attention back to the court.
*Boom!*
The second game began with Akutsu serving.
He didn't hold back, launching a fierce attack. His powerful serves combined with his speed made him an unstoppable scoring machine.
As expected, the second game ended quickly, with Ryoma failing to score a single point.
The third game was no different.
Ryoma's split-step couldn't keep up with Akutsu's relentless assault, and he was forced into a defensive position.
*Boom!*
"Game!"
"Hyotei's Akutsu leads 3-0! Change sides!"
In just four minutes, Akutsu had taken three games. His dominant performance left the crowd breathless.
"*Huff... Huff...*"
Meanwhile, Ryoma, despite only playing three games, was breathing heavily as if he had been playing for half an hour.
The Seigaku team was worried, especially the first-years, who were too nervous to speak.
After a moment, the players switched sides.
With the serve back in his hands, Akutsu glanced at Ryoma, a cold glint in his eyes. "Kid... you can't be this weak, can you?"
*Boom!*
He served again.
Ryoma, silent, returned the shot.
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
The two exchanged blows, with Akutsu maintaining his dominance and Ryoma visibly struggling.
*Tap!*
At a critical moment, Ryoma suddenly changed tactics.
To everyone's surprise, he executed a drop shot.
Akutsu rushed to the net, and Ryoma followed suit.
"This kid just doesn't give up, huh?"
Shishido from Hyotei shook his head. "But this move won't work on Akutsu."
*Boom!*
Sure enough, as Ryoma attempted his "Twist Serve B," Akutsu's body shot upward like a bullet.
With a swift motion, he smashed the ball back.
"It's over."
Horio, watching from the sidelines, sighed. "Ryoma's done for."
Even his strongest move had been easily countered. It seemed like there was no way for Ryoma to turn things around.
But the rest of the Seigaku team wasn't ready to give up.
Before they could voice their frustration, the situation on the court suddenly changed.
*Swish!*
Facing Akutsu's smash, Ryoma turned his back and crouched low. With a quick motion, he intercepted the ball with his racket.
*Boom!*
The ball shot high into the air and landed just inside the baseline.
"0-15!"
"T-That's the 'Bear Hunt'?!"
The Hyotei team was stunned.
Even their regulars were shocked. Mukahi exclaimed, "This Seigaku freshman can use that move too?"
After Ishikawa had effortlessly replicated the "Bear Hunt," the move had lost some of its mystique.
Then, Fuji and Yushi had also used it, making it seem less extraordinary.
But those were Fuji, Yushi, and Ishikawa—players who had either mastered the move long ago or were in a league of their own.
For a freshman like Ryoma to pull it off in such a critical moment was astonishing.
"Did he... always know this move?"
Shishido frowned. "If so, this Seigaku freshman has been hiding his true strength all along."
*Hum!*
But as Ryoma stood up, a milky-white aura began to emanate from his body.
"What's this...?"
The crowd gasped at the sudden change.
"You still have lots more to work on!"
Ryoma coldly spoke in English, pointing his racket at Akutsu.
"Hmph."
Akutsu smirked and launched another attack.
*Boom!*
But to everyone's surprise, Ryoma countered with Kaidoh's "Snake Shot."
As Akutsu struggled to adjust, Ryoma leaped into the air and executed a powerful smash.
*Boom!*
The ball landed and shot past Akutsu.
"0-30!"
"Kaidoh's Snake Shot and Momoshiro's Smash?!"
The Seigaku first-years were in awe.
Though they didn't understand what was happening, they could see that the tide of the match was turning.
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
Ryoma continued to unleash a flurry of techniques—Fuji's "Tsubame Gaeshi," Ibu's "Instant Numbness," and even Oishi's "Exploding Shot."
With each new move, Ryoma steadily closed the gap.
*Boom!*
"Game!"
"Seigaku's Ryoma ties it at 3-3!"
In the blink of an eye, Ryoma had won three consecutive games, leveling the score.
"This is amazing!"
The Seigaku team was ecstatic.
"This kid is incredible!"
On Hyotei's side, Shishido, Hiyoshi, and Mukahi looked grim. They hadn't expected the Seigaku freshman to have such hidden strength.
"This changes everything," Ryoh said worriedly.
"No," Yushi shook his head, his eyes fixed on the court. "Look at Akutsu's expression."
The team turned their attention to Akutsu.
Despite losing three games in a row, Akutsu showed no signs of frustration.
"He doesn't look like someone who's been thrown off his game," Yushi observed. "In fact, his eyes look like a hawk locking onto its prey."
"That person was right."
Akutsu, now facing Ryoma, cracked a smile. "You really are the perfect... stepping stone!"
(End of Chapter)