"A stepping stone?" Momoshiro exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief. "Did I hear that right? Akutsu actually sees Ryoma as a stepping stone?!"
"He's way too arrogant," Kikumaru said, shaking his head. "But then again, this might just be the thing to fully ignite Ryoma's fighting spirit."
The others nodded in agreement. Given Ryoma's personality, they knew he wouldn't tolerate being looked down upon by his opponent. The upcoming match was bound to push him to unleash even greater strength and dominate the court.
"Unfortunately," Tezuka suddenly interjected, his voice calm but firm, "Ryoma probably can't hear Akutsu's words anymore."
"W-what do you mean?" The group exchanged confused glances, unsure why Tezuka would say something like that.
Fuji and Inui both raised their eyebrows slightly, glancing at Tezuka before shaking their heads. Though they had their own suspicions, they quickly dismissed them.
Meanwhile, on the court, Ryoma was gently bouncing the tennis ball, his body enveloped in a milky-white aura. On the Hyotei side, Mukahi couldn't help but comment, "This first-year from Seigaku… his state reminds me a bit of Tachibana from Fudomine."
"Yeah," Oshitari and the others nodded in agreement. Tachibana, a national-level player, possessed a powerful technique that allowed him to release an overwhelming aura during matches, significantly boosting his focus and explosiveness.
"Speaking of which," Oshitari turned to the black-haired boy beside him, "Ishikawa, don't you have a similar technique?"
The moment he said this, the rest of the Hyotei team, including Atobe and Oshitari, turned their attention to Ishikawa. During his match against Tachibana, Ishikawa had indeed displayed a sharp, intimidating aura.
"Ryoma's current state is called the 'Zone of Self-Actualization,'" Ishikawa explained with a smile. "It's a state achieved when a player breaks through their limits. In this state, Ryoma's mind is free of distractions, and his body moves before his consciousness can react. He can unconsciously replicate any tennis style or technique he's seen before."
"The Zone of… Self-Actualization?" The Hyotei team exchanged puzzled looks. However, players like Shishido and Hiyoshi, who were at a higher level, seemed to grasp something, their eyes gleaming with understanding.
"Huh?" Oishi, who had been listening, glanced at Ishikawa in surprise. "He actually knows about it?"
Kikumaru and the others turned to Oishi, curious. "Oishi, what's going on?"
"Oh, nothing, haha," Oishi replied, scratching his head and laughing nervously after glancing at Tezuka's stoic expression.
Back on the court, Ryoma spun the ball and sliced it across the net.
"Is that… Fuji's Disappearing Serve?!" the Seigaku first-years exclaimed in unison.
The ball landed and spun rapidly, resembling a twist serve. But in the next moment, it began to flicker left and right before vanishing from sight.
The crowd gasped in amazement, while those who had seen Fuji's technique before were equally stunned.
"The Zone of Self-Actualization… is terrifying," Oshitari said grimly. "If he can unconsciously replicate any technique he's seen, that's way too overpowered."
The others nodded in agreement. Tennis styles often had inherent counters, but if one player could switch between different styles and techniques at will, it would be a nightmare to face. In the eyes of many, Ryoma had just leaped into the ranks of national-level players.
*Thud!*
A loud impact echoed across the court. Everyone turned to see Akutsu smashing the disappearing ball back with incredible force.
"Did he see through it?" the Seigaku team tensed up.
"No," Momoshiro said, watching Ryoma sprint to the ball's landing point. "Ryoma predicted his move. That stance is…"
"Kamio's Rhythm Step!" Kaidoh added, his voice low.
Ryoma caught up to the ball and sliced it downward, sending it skimming across the net.
"That's… Fuji's Twist Spin!" the first-years cheered.
Akutsu charged forward without hesitation, intercepting the ball before it could bounce and lobbing it back.
Ryoma, however, bent his arms naturally and launched himself upward like a bullet.
"This time… it's Akutsu's move?" Kawamura's eyes widened.
*Bang!*
Ryoma smashed the ball downward, and the Seigaku team clenched their fists, ready to celebrate the point.
*Crack!*
But Akutsu, with a violent swing, intercepted the smash and sent it rocketing back.
The ball landed, and the court fell silent.
"0-15!" the referee's voice finally broke the silence.
"H-how is that possible?" Momoshiro and Kaidoh stared in disbelief. The speed and power of Ryoma's smash were already insane, but Akutsu had not only caught up to it but also countered it head-on.
"His insight and explosiveness are beyond what we imagined," Inui said gravely.
"Has it begun?" On the Hyotei side, Ishikawa and Atobe, both possessing exceptional insight, noticed the subtle change in Akutsu's aura. Just like in his match against Rokkaku earlier, Akutsu's potential was being unleashed under Ryoma's pressure, his momentum steadily rising.
"So," Atobe glanced at Ishikawa, "the person Akutsu mentioned… was indeed you."
Meanwhile, Ryoma tossed the ball high into the air and leaped to an astonishing height.
"Is that… Sengoku's Tiger Cannon?!" the audience gasped.
The Yamabuki team tensed up. Sengoku's Tiger Cannon was essentially a super-powered smash, known for its devastating force.
*Bang!*
But Akutsu effortlessly returned the ball with a powerful swing.
"0-30!"
As the ball landed, the pale aura around Akutsu grew more pronounced.
"Kid," Akutsu smirked at Ryoma, "keep it up. That 'Zone' of yours can't be all you've got, right?"
However, Ryoma, still in the Zone, couldn't hear him. He mechanically turned and moved to the next serving position.
*Thwack!*
He served again, and Akutsu smashed it back with brutal force. Ryoma, mimicking Akutsu's movements, shifted into a low, predatory stance.
"Is this the Zone of Self-Actualization?" Ryuzaki-sensei mused. "Adapting to the situation and choosing the most suitable playing style. But…"
She paused, her brow furrowing slightly.
"Something's off," Kikumaru said, frowning. "Even though he's using the same style, Ryoma's still being suppressed?"
"That's normal," Tezuka interjected. "The same ability can produce different results depending on who's using it."
"Exactly," Inui added. "It's not the ability that's strong, but the person wielding it."
In this case, Ryoma was trying to mimic Akutsu's style, which was tailored to Akutsu's exceptional physical abilities. Forcing himself into that mold was counterproductive.
*Thud!*
Another ball landed out of Ryoma's reach.
"0-40!"
"Come on, kid," Akutsu taunted, pointing his racket at Ryoma. He could feel his blood pumping, his body entering a state of heightened excitement.
Ryoma, seemingly hearing Akutsu's words, frowned slightly, showing a hint of irritation.
"Wait," Momoshiro said, confused. "I thought Ryoma couldn't sense anything outside the Zone. What's going on?"
"The Zone has different levels of depth," Ishikawa explained. "As a player's understanding of it deepens, they can enter a higher stage, where they regain some awareness of their surroundings."
He glanced at Tezuka, who remained silent, and smiled.
Momoshiro and the others looked at Tezuka, who didn't refute the explanation, and their faces lit up with hope. "Does that mean Ryoma still has room to improve?"
*Thwack!*
As if answering their question, Ryoma's movements noticeably sped up. However, his sweat was also increasing at a visible rate.
"Wait," Fuji's expression changed. "Is the Zone draining Ryoma's stamina while unlocking his potential?"
"Yes," Inui nodded. "That seems to be the case."
The Seigaku team tensed up.
*Thwack!* *Thwack!* *Thwack!*
On the court, Ryoma continued to switch styles and unleash various techniques, trying to overwhelm Akutsu. Meanwhile, Akutsu's momentum continued to rise, his pale aura becoming more evident.
Eventually, even those without Ishikawa and Atobe's insight noticed the change in Akutsu's presence.
*Thwack!*
Ryoma suddenly executed a drop shot. As Akutsu rushed forward to return it, Ryoma slid into position and countered with his Drive B.
*Bang!*
Akutsu smashed the ball down with a thunderous force.
Ryoma, using his Dragon Volley, managed to deflect the smash.
But just as everyone thought Ryoma had secured the point, Akutsu leaped into the air, spinning rapidly.
The crowd gasped.
"What kind of jump is that?!" the Seigaku team exclaimed.
At the peak of his jump, Akutsu's aura underwent a dramatic transformation. A pale whirlwind erupted around him, converging into his racket as he smashed the ball downward.
*Boom!*
The ball shot down like a cannonball, carrying an intimidating aura.
Ryoma, still in the Zone, seemed to sense the danger. His eyes narrowed, then widened as he quickly turned and executed Fuji's upgraded Dragon Volley.
*Crack!*
The impact was too much. The force of Akutsu's smash shattered Ryoma's racket, sending the head flying. The ball landed with a loud thud, leaving a small crater before bouncing away.
"Game! Hyotei's Akutsu leads, 4-3!"
The crowd fell silent, their eyes fixed on Akutsu, whose pale aura swirled around him like a storm.
On the stands, Sengoku felt a chill run down his spine. He was reminded of a childhood encounter with a wild wolf. But this time, the sense of danger was even more intense.
"This is… a dangerous yet awakened beast."
(Chapter end)