"Edgard-senpai, the opponent's movements match the data I collected almost perfectly. Is this really just an illusion?" Jonathan asked uncertainly, glancing at Edgard beside him.
"Calm down. If he truly had the same power as Byoudouin, he'd already be Japan's captain!" Edgard snapped, though his voice held a faint edge. He was still shaken by the Glowing Shot that "Byoudouin" had unleashed earlier, but there was no way he'd believe Niō could possess that level of strength.
I don't know how you pulled this off, but your little tricks won't scare me! Edgard thought, steadying himself as he returned to the baseline.
He tossed the ball sharply upward, his racket tracing a peculiar curve through the air. With a powerful crack, the ball shot forward at incredible speed. Kaji's eyes narrowed as his body blurred, afterimages trailing behind him as he rushed to the landing point.
But just as the ball crossed the net, it morphed into a wide, spinning horizontal tornado. Before Kaji could react, the storm roared past him, and by the time he turned to chase, it was far too late.
"Ace! 15–15!"
"On my canvas, there are no limits to form. Animals are only the beginning—everything can come alive within my art!" Edgard declared proudly, gazing across at "Byoudouin" and Kaji.
This time, "Byoudouin" didn't reply. Deep down, he was still Niō, and it wasn't his place to scold Kaji like the real Byoudouin would. Instead, his eyes grew sharper—his turn to receive was coming.
Edgard tossed the ball again. This time, it transformed into a massive great white shark, its jaws wide open as it lunged toward "Byoudouin."
"Byoudouin" merely gave a cold snort, unimpressed.
With a single motion, he swung his racket in a powerful arc. The shark exploded into nothingness, revealing a massive golden tennis ball that rocketed across the court like a meteor, crashing toward Edgard and Jonathan's side.
"Japanese Technique!"
"Tch, so it's not going to be that easy, huh? In that case—Arc de Triomphe!" Edgard growled in frustration. His racket traced swift, elegant lines through the air, and behind him, a colossal arch-shaped structure slowly materialized.
Arc de Triomphe.
The gigantic golden ball collided with the towering archway, and both vanished into shimmering fragments of light. The real tennis ball reappeared, already intercepted by Edgard's racket. In the next instant, the ball turned into a massive tank, its cannon aimed directly at "Byoudouin."
"Let's see you stop this iron beast!" Edgard shouted, his tone dead serious now.
"You think a cannonball can defeat me? You're not even close to qualified!" "Byoudouin" said coldly.
He sprang into the air, twisting his body mid-jump, his right hand slashing his racket in a fierce backhand motion. The tank shattered apart, bursting into a massive phoenix of fire that blazed forward, streaking straight for Edgard.
"Phoenix of China!"
"Animals are my domain!" Edgard barked back, face alight with fierce excitement.
Before his voice even faded, he appeared in front of the oncoming firebird, his racket flashing like a painter's brush. He caught the ball perfectly, guiding it in a fluid, circular motion through the air. A piercing eagle's cry echoed out, and the ball transformed into a soaring hawk that dove toward "Byoudouin."
Both Jonathan and Kaji wisely stayed out of it—they knew this was a head-on duel between "Byoudouin" and Edgard. Interfering now would only backfire.
"Byoudouin" didn't flinch. He noticed instantly that the opponent's return carried a sharp underspin. Flashing forward, he raised his racket high, then sliced downward in one fluid motion.
The hawk vanished instantly. The ball crossed the net and plummeted straight down. Edgard lunged forward, but as soon as the ball hit the ground, it transformed again—this time into a raging bull. It charged forward with unstoppable momentum, never once bouncing up, and finally crashed past the baseline as Edgard watched helplessly.
"Bullfighting of Spain!"
"15–30!"
"Oi, oi~ Is it just me, or did this turn into a zoo?" Omagari muttered from the Japan bench, the corner of his mouth twitching in disbelief.
"A zoo doesn't have tanks or arches, y'know~ Still, this match sure is entertaining," Tanegashima chuckled lightly, clearly amused.
"How much power do you think Niō's Illusion has right now, Captain?" Duke asked with a teasing grin, glancing at the real Byoudouin.
"Hmph. Not even half my strength. It's enough to deal with trash, nothing more," Byoudouin scoffed, his tone full of disdain. But his eyes gleamed with barely restrained excitement, betraying the thrill he felt watching his own image dominate the court.
Duke caught the look and smirked quietly, saying nothing more.
The clash from that last rally had completely ignited the atmosphere. The crowd erupted into cheers, whistles, and applause, their excitement rolling through the arena like a wave.
"He's quite an interesting player," Camus said from the French bench, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. "In terms of artistry, his skill is no less than Edgard Theater's."
"Transformation jutsu!!! No—split-body technique—wait, that's not it either... whatever it is, I'm taking him as my master!" Auguir shouted, unable to contain his excitement. If Tristan hadn't grabbed him, he probably would've already rushed the court to bow in front of Niō.
"Calm down, Delon! That's not some kind of Japanese ninjutsu..." Even the usually quiet Timothée couldn't help but speak up to restrain him.
But they clearly underestimated Auguir's enthusiasm. Taking advantage of a moment's distraction, he backflipped out of their grasp and sprinted to his backpack. A second later, under the stunned stares of his teammates, he pulled out a rolled-up scroll.
Without hesitation, he unfurled it, holding it high above his head as he shouted excitedly toward the court. His antics immediately drew the attention of the Japan Team.
Everyone turned to look—and saw four large characters written across the scroll: Yamatonateko!
For a moment, the entire stadium went silent. No one quite knew what they were looking at. Then Auguir yelled proudly, "This is the most popular fancy phrase in Japan right now! Master, look!"
"Uhh… I don't even know what to say anymore… also, who's his master supposed to be?" Tachibana Kippei groaned, pressing his hand to his forehead with a pained expression.
"Pfft... somehow he really gives off the same vibe as Shitenhōji~" Shiraishi said, trying—and failing—to hold back his laughter.
"Enough! That idiot! It's Yamato Nadeshiko—not nateko! How can he even mess that up? He's far too careless!" Sanada finally snapped, his patience at its limit. Beside him, Yukimura chuckled softly before turning his calm gaze back to the match.
Even the four players on court were briefly distracted by the commotion, but the umpire quickly issued Auguir a warning. Camus walked to the sideline, bowed slightly to apologize to the officials, then dragged his overenthusiastic teammate back to the bench.
"Score: 15–30! Continue play!" the umpire announced once Auguir had been removed.
After the interruption, Edgard took a breath to steady himself. Tossing the ball high, he swung powerfully, the racket's movement turning the ball into a fierce lion, its claws slashing through the air toward "Byoudouin."
"Byoudouin" didn't even flinch. With a quick sidestep, he appeared at the landing point and swung his racket decisively. A golden glow burst forth, enveloping the ball and firing it back across the court with blinding force.
"Another Glowing Shot? But this time, you won't score so easily!" Edgard said grimly.
He spun his racket in a circular motion, summoning a heavily armored knight that raised a shining shield before him. The golden shot slammed against the shield, scattering brilliant light everywhere. Gritting his teeth, Edgard held firm and managed to block the shot.
But he had still underestimated the Glowing Shot's raw power. The ball rebounded high into the air, and the next instant, "Byoudouin" appeared above the court, racket raised behind his head as he struck down with all his might.
"This is what a real lion looks like!" he roared.
The ball transformed into a massive African lion, its fangs bared as it ripped through Edgard's line of sight. With a thunderous impact, it bounced out of bounds, striking the wall hard enough to make the audience gasp.
"Roar of the African Simba!"
"15–40!"
Edgard turned toward the ball outside the court, his expression darkening. He said nothing, but the tension on his face grew heavier. Jonathan, beside him, also felt the pressure mounting.
Kaji's face was equally serious. He hadn't been involved in the last two rallies, but that didn't mean he was content to just stand by. Now that it was his turn to receive, he was determined to show his worth.
Yet Edgard's serve caught him completely off guard. The instant Edgard swung, the ball vanished from sight. A faint thud sounded on the court, and only then did a chameleon's outline flicker into view—before turning back into a ball and bouncing out of play.
"30–40!"
"What kind of technique is that?! Damn it!" Kaji cursed, gritting his teeth.
"Focus, you brat!" Coach Mifune's sharp yell cut through the air from the sideline.
Kaji jolted, then took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. As Edgard prepared to serve again, Kaji's perception suddenly shifted—everything around him began to slow down.
"Ultra-Speed Dimension!"