With Oshitari off the court, the faces of the Hyōtei players were not looking good. Failing to win Singles 2 was almost like a death sentence for them.
Atobe sighed, but still clung to the last shred of hope as he looked toward the just-returned Kabaji. Perhaps Kabaji's pure heart could create a miracle, though even Atobe didn't quite believe it.
"Next up, we have the singles match between Rikkai's Yukimura Seiichi and Hyōtei's Kabaji Munehiro. Please welcome both players!"
Yukimura walked calmly onto the court wearing his jacket, while Kabaji went straight to the court as well. The two exchanged a bow at the net. Given Kabaji's taciturn personality, Yukimura didn't say much to him.
The coin toss determined that Yukimura would serve first. It seemed that Rikkai was having an exceptionally lucky day—out of five matches, they had won the serve rights in four.
"Game, set, match! Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku to serve first!"
Yukimura stood at the baseline, tossing the ball up. He jumped, swinging his racket smoothly. There was an indescribable beauty in his movement. The ball wasn't fast, but the angle was extremely tricky, forcing Kabaji to barely return it without being able to utilize his own power.
At some point, Yukimura had already positioned himself at the net and hit a short ball. Kabaji, being slower, couldn't reach it in time. After the ball passed over the net, it bounced a few times on the ground before coming to a stop.
"15-0!"
From then on, Yukimura displayed his superior technique. Though it seemed like basic tennis, he was able to hit balls at angles that kept Kabaji completely off guard.
"GAME! Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku! 1-0!"
Yukimura knew Kabaji's abilities well. While he didn't believe Kabaji could replicate his spiritual techniques, he still decided to play a simple game using only basic tennis. The gap in their five dimensions was simply too wide to close.
The second game was Kabaji's serve. Since Yukimura hadn't used any special techniques yet, Kabaji's imitation abilities were completely useless. This left Atobe, sitting in the Hyōtei players' box, feeling helpless.
Kabaji hit a powerful serve from the baseline, but Yukimura easily returned it. Though Yukimura used basic tennis, Kabaji subconsciously started mimicking his movements.
Sadly, that didn't change the outcome. Despite copying the movements, Yukimura's overall strength surpassed Kabaji's by far. Even if Kabaji had more power, Yukimura's technique was more than enough to compensate.
"GAME! Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku! 2-0!"
The sense of helplessness made Kabaji's expression change slightly. His usually stoic demeanour now had a hint of impatience. After mimicking his opponent's movements, he was still being crushed. This was a new experience for Kabaji.
In the third game, it was Yukimura's serve again. Before serving, Yukimura noticed the change in Kabaji's mood and smiled slightly. He then served the ball, a seemingly normal serve.
Even with such a regular serve, Kabaji found it almost impossible to return. Despite altering his movements, Yukimura's serve still landed in Kabaji's weakest spot.
As in the first two games, Kabaji couldn't cope with Yukimura's play. No matter how hard he tried, the ball couldn't break through Yukimura's defence. Gradually, even Kabaji's pure heart began to waver.
"GAME! Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku! 3-0! Change sides!"
During the break, Yukimura walked calmly back to the coach's seat. After three games, his breathing rate hadn't even changed. Clearly, the match had been easy for him.
On the other side, the Hyōtei players were all grim. Seeing Kabaji, who hadn't said a word, Atobe finally couldn't hold back and spoke.
"Give it your all, Kabaji!"
"Mm-hmm!" Kabaji nodded slowly.
When the break ended, the fourth game started with Kabaji serving. He hit a powerful serve with all his might, but Yukimura, using his deflection technique, easily returned the ball.
Kabaji rushed to the landing point, gripping his racket with both hands and even letting out a roar, clearly giving it his all as Atobe had instructed. Unfortunately, it still had no effect on Yukimura.
At this moment, the contrast between Kabaji's roar and Yukimura's calm demeanour was striking. Many of the audience members were already mentally declaring Hyōtei's defeat. There was no hope left for them to win.
"GAME! Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku! 4-0!"
Yukimura once again claimed victory in the fourth game with his unrivalled strength. Meanwhile, Kabaji's previously hollow expression flashed with a hint of fear.
This tiny fear would have been invisible to an ordinary person, but Yukimura noticed it keenly. It was surprising to see even the usually simple Kabaji experience fear.
"Well then, let me help you end this match soon~" Yukimura whispered softly to himself.
In the fifth game, Kabaji served again. As Yukimura arrived at the landing point, he was filled with intense mental energy. He struck the ball hard, infusing it with a large amount of mental force.
Kabaji still tried to run to intercept it. When his racket met the ball, an odd mental force instantly invaded Kabaji's body. Suddenly, Kabaji felt a numbness in his hand, and his racket was knocked out of his grip.
"0-15!"
"How is that possible?! Kabaji's immense strength couldn't even stop Yukimura from knocking his racket away!" Mukahi exclaimed in disbelief.
"No! This isn't about strength. Yukimura finally activated his ability!" Atobe said, his expression serious.
When Kabaji picked up his racket, he suddenly realized he couldn't feel it in his hands. In the next moment, his vision darkened and all the sounds around him vanished. He stood there, frozen in place.
"It seems your five senses are gone now~ So let's end this match here!" Yukimura, wearing his jacket, said calmly as he looked at Kabaji.
"Time violation! 0-30!"
"Time violation! 0-40!"
"GAME! Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku! 5-0!"
Kabaji stood frozen, as if his soul had left him. He didn't hear the umpire's voice or the sounds of the Hyōtei players on the sidelines.
The sixth game was Yukimura's serve. He looked at Kabaji, who had already lost his five senses, and his eyes showed no emotion. Since Kabaji had become his opponent, Yukimura knew he had to defeat him completely.
"ACE! 15-0!"
"ACE! 30-0!"
"ACE! 40-0!"
"GAME! 6-0! Match over! Winner, Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku!"
Yukimura easily won the match with four fast serves. As the match ended, he released the mental energy he had been using on Kabaji. Gradually, Kabaji's five senses began to return to normal.
"With the Kanto Tournament semifinals concluded, Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku defeated Hyōtei Academy with an overall score of 3-2! Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku wins!"
As the umpire announced the final score, the Rikkai team smiled. Even Sanada and Kaidō, who had just lost their match, recovered from their earlier disappointment.
The two schools for the Kanto Tournament finals had already been decided. Tomorrow, Fudomine would face Rikkai, and the winner would claim the Kanto Tournament championship.
This result had been expected by the audience. For three consecutive years, the final had been between these two schools, and even in the national tournaments, they had been the finalists for two years in a row. It was truly incredible.
After the match, Akashi walked over to the sidelines and greeted both Atobe and Yukimura. Atobe, not in the mood due to Hyōtei's recent loss, didn't offer Akashi any pleasantries and immediately left with the rest of the Hyōtei players, clearly in a bad mood.
Akashi didn't mind at all. Instead, he asked Yukimura about Yanagi Renji's injury. Yanagi hadn't played today, and Akashi suspected that was the reason.
"I didn't think you'd notice, Akashi-kun~" Yukimura replied with a sigh.
"Well, you should know about my eyes' abilities. No slight movement escapes my notice. Yanagi's awkward right-hand movement was too obvious to miss!" Akashi said calmly.
"Alright~ I was planning to tell you about this. Let's talk somewhere else," Yukimura suggested, signaling Akashi to leave the court.
In a corner near the court, Yukimura looked at Akashi with a resigned expression and began explaining.
"Three days ago, during a practice match, Kirihara accidentally injured Yanagi's right hand because he couldn't control himself," Yukimura said.
"Was it because of the Red-Eye state?" Akashi asked, his expression slightly more serious.
"No! Kirihara's condition at the time was far worse than the Red-Eye state. His entire body turned flushed red, and even his hair color changed! And afterwards, he didn't remember what he had done!" Yukimura said, his tone growing heavy.
"Demonization, huh? It seems that the power inside him still couldn't be controlled…" Akashi sighed lightly.
"Demonization? Akashi-kun, do you know about Kirihara's condition in that state?" Yukimura asked, his voice tinged with urgency.
Yukimura remembered that Akashi had once told him about how Kirihara's Red-Eye state could damage his body. Now that the demonized state seemed even worse, Yukimura feared the damage would be much greater.
"Well, Kirihara likely has a special potential lying dormant within him, but he can't activate or use it on his own. Only under intense stimulation does this potential explode for a short time. That's what I call his demonization!" Akashi explained the concept to Yukimura.
"However, this not only damages the body but can also lead to a mental breakdown. In his demonized state, Kirihara's mind is consumed by rage and destruction!" Akashi added, continuing his explanation.
"After I first saw Kirihara's Red-Eye state, I consulted professionals, and they gave me some academic explanations. Essentially, what I said is about what they told me!" Akashi continued slowly, although this was just an excuse to cover up his own true identity as a time traveler.
"I see now. No wonder Kirihara had no recollection of what happened after. This is a serious problem—now even Sanada can't fully control him!" Yukimura frowned.
"Here's what we'll do. After the Kanto Tournament, I'll arrange another training camp. We can take Kirihara to Tanegashima for advice, or if it doesn't work, we can contact Coach Saito. This is his area of expertise!" Akashi outlined his plan.
"Thanks a lot, Akashi-kun!" Yukimura said sincerely.
"No problem. After all, Kirihara might be an important asset in the upcoming World Cup!" Akashi said, looking thoughtful.
"Oh? Does this mean middle school students will be part of the World Cup this year?" Yukimura quickly caught the main point and asked.
"Yes! Coach Mifune just called me. The International Tennis Association has issued a notice—this year, all countries must send middle school students to the World Cup, and there must be at least 14 players from each nation!" Akashi didn't hide anything and directly told Yukimura.
"Really? It looks like I'll need to train even harder. I won't let you be the only one showing off at the World Cup, Akashi-kun~" Yukimura joked lightly.
"It's best that you think that way, but the World Cup is still far off. Are you prepared for defeat in tomorrow's Kanto Tournament final?" Akashi said seriously.
"Heh~ It's still uncertain who will win. We'll see tomorrow~" Yukimura smiled faintly and responded.
Afterward, Akashi and Yukimura left the tennis park with their respective teams. On the way back, Kintarō, who was upset about not getting to play today, began to annoy Akashi.
Akashi looked at Kintarō with amusement, using his gaze to stop Krauser, who was about to speak. After a moment of thought, he agreed to let Kintarō play in tomorrow's match as Singles 3.
Kintarō immediately jumped with joy, and the other regulars, seeing his reaction, smiled helplessly. They then glanced with some pity at the second-string players, knowing that next year, some of them would have a tough time.
The next day, Midori no Mori Tennis Park was buzzing again. The Kanto Tournament finals and the third-place match were both taking place here, so many spectators arrived early to watch the matches.
In the morning, it was Seigaku vs. Hyōtei. Fudomine and Rikkai players also showed up, curious to see whether Hyōtei would defeat Seigaku again, just like in the national tournament.
The match soon began, and Hyōtei's Doubles 2 still featured Oshitari Yūshi and Mukahi Gakuto. However, Inui Sadaharu had already predicted this, and Seigaku's Doubles 2 lineup consisted of Kikumaru Eiji and Oishi Shūichirō.
Oshitari and Mukahi gave their all, causing trouble for Kikumaru and Oishi, especially when Mukahi's stamina started to deplete. Oshitari, still in the Muga no Kyōchi state, held up against both Kikumaru and Oishi's attacks alone.
However, they ultimately couldn't withstand the synchronized power of the Golden Pair. The final score was 6-4, but during the last point, Oshitari and Mukahi almost touched the essence of synchronization. Unfortunately, due to Mukahi's exhaustion, the connection was short-lived, fading almost instantly.
This made Kikumaru and Oishi's faces tense. In the upcoming national tournament, if they faced Hyōtei again, they wouldn't be able to defeat Oshitari and Mukahi so easily.
Next, Hyōtei sent Shishido Ryō and Ōtori Chōtarō to play in Doubles 1. Their synergy had already reached the second-highest level within Hyōtei, next only to Oshitari and Mukahi.
Seigaku's Doubles 1 remained the same as the previous match, with Momoshiro Takeshi and Kaidō Kaoru. It seemed that Inui Sadaharu was preparing to play Singles. However, this match didn't go well for Momoshiro and Kaidō.
Ōtori Chōtarō's new "Scud Serve" left them with no time to react. Even though it was a doubles match, Hyōtei won the first game, with Ōtori serving, and Seigaku lost it without even scoring.
Additionally, Kaidō's Snake Balls had no effect on Shishido Ryō, and Momoshiro's crouching smash was directly blocked after one point. Shishido and Ōtori gave Momoshiro no chance.
When Shishido and Ōtori used their "Pile Mirage" technique, it completely disrupted Momoshiro and Kaidō, almost causing them to argue with each other.
Ultimately, Hyōtei won the match 6-2, tying the total score at 1-1. Both teams were now feeling the pressure, even though they were no longer in the running for first or second place. A third-place victory would still be a consolation.
In the Singles 3 match, Seigaku sent Echizen Ryōma to face Hyōtei's Kabaji Munehiro. This match was "extraordinary" and left Akashi watching, speechless.
From the start of the match, Ryōma was immediately suppressed by Kabaji's superior strength. Although he tried using various advanced strikes, it only allowed Kabaji to mimic them.
Ryōma then entered the Muga no Kyōchi state. His plan was simple: he wanted to see how many of his techniques Kabaji could replicate. He didn't believe that every time he switched his moves, Kabaji would be able to copy them.
The answer was—he could! No matter what technique Ryōma used with the power of Muga, Kabaji could perfectly replicate it and return it with the same move, which frustrated Ryōma immensely.
Ryōma even used his "Cyclone Smash," but Kabaji copied that too. Thanks to his imitation ability and physical advantage, Kabaji quickly reached a 5-2 lead, almost winning the match.
At that moment, something happened that left Akashi speechless. The Muga power within Ryōma began to coalesce and turned rainbow-colored. He had activated "Hyaku Ren Jitoku no Kiwami."
With the ultimate Muga unlocked, Ryōma's strength reached a national-level standard. He forced Kabaji to struggle and quickly closed the gap to 5-5.
Just as everyone thought Ryōma would win, Atobe's shout to Kabaji triggered his "Hyaku Ren Jitoku no Kiwami" as well, or rather, Kabaji replicated Ryōma's power.
This threw Ryōma back into a disadvantageous position, as their strength difference was too large. However, Ryōma, for some unknown reason, evolved again. He learned to freely shift the power of "Hyaku Ren Jitoku no Kiwami," just like Tezuka and Chitose, and used his speed advantage to defeat Kabaji, winning 7-5.
Akashi, watching the match, thought to himself, 'Could it be that by the national tournament, you'll unlock Ten'i Muhō no Kiwami as well? Truly, the main character aura is real.'
Next was the Singles 2 match, where Hyōtei sent Akutagawa Jirō to face Seigaku's Inui Sadaharu. However, Jirō's style seemed to be countered by data tennis techniques.
Inui's "Waterfall Serve" was especially difficult for Jirō to handle. After entering his "Sleep Mode," Jirō could barely return the ball, but Inui's data-based tennis had already gathered all the necessary information. In terms of their five-dimensional abilities, Inui had the advantage.
Ultimately, Seigaku won this match 3-1, claiming third place in the Kanto Tournament, which was also a small revenge for their previous loss in the national tournament.