The seventh game was Kaji's service game. His expression darkened as he walked to the baseline, grabbed a ball, and tossed it up. His right hand blurred into motion, and the ball shot over the net, streaking toward the far left corner.
"Everything's within calculation! Your shot pattern's way too predictable~" Edgard sneered as he moved to the corner to intercept.
His racket spun gracefully, and as the ball was returned, it transformed into a dolphin leaping high over Kaji's head. Fortunately, Niō reacted in time and intercepted it at the baseline.
However, Jonathan predicted Niō's return perfectly. The moment the ball crossed the net, he redirected it sharply, sending it spinning toward the left sideline. Trails of afterimages followed Kaji as he sprinted at top speed to reach the ball, returning it with a swift backhand.
But Edgard had already appeared at the net. Leaping high, he unleashed a powerful smash. The ball brushed past Kaji's side and bounced out of bounds.
"0–15!"
"Your straight-line speed is impressive, but when you change direction, there's a clear hesitation in your movement," Jonathan said coolly, eyeing the frustrated look on Kaji's face.
Kaji didn't respond. He quickly returned to the baseline and served again, unleashing another ultra–high-speed shot. But Edgard was already waiting at the return point, sending the ball deep toward the open space on the right side.
Niō was about to intercept, but Kaji suddenly flashed in front of him, swinging his racket for a counterattack. Edgard smirked—his plan had worked. With a flourish, he redirected the ball back across.
Kaji's eyes narrowed, and in an instant, he appeared right in the ball's path. Just as he swung to return it, the ball transformed into a cobra, slithering past his racket with eerie precision. Niō, whose view had been blocked by Kaji, couldn't react in time to cover.
"0–30!"
"They've started targeting Kaji-senpai," Yanagi murmured from the Japan Team's bench, as if he'd expected it.
"Kaji-senpai's ability isn't the problem—it's his mentality. France's chance of taking this game is 98.67%," Mitsuya said evenly.
"Looks like Niō has started following the plan," Kurobe said quietly, observing the court.
"The head coach really has guts, huh? Using this match as a lesson for Kaji~" Saitō Itaru chuckled beside him, a trace of amusement in his tone. It was clear he'd been dissatisfied with Kaji's attitude for quite some time.
On the court, Kaji's third serve was once again easily returned by Jonathan, and every one of Kaji's follow-up moves seemed to be read perfectly. Frustration grew on his face with every shot.
Meanwhile, Edgard's Art Tennis conjured an endless stream of animal-shaped trajectories, keeping Kaji overwhelmed. Blinded by anger, he completely ignored Niō's positioning and began charging ahead alone. Predictably, he lost the seventh game.
"Game! France! 5–2!"
"Is it really okay to let Kaji go on like this, Captain?" Duke asked from the sidelines, frowning.
"He has to overcome this himself. And that little brat Niō will manage the situation," Byoudouin said with a cold smirk, though his eyes glimmered with intrigue as they followed Niō's movements.
"Did you notice, Akashi-kun?" Yukimura said suddenly, stepping up beside Akashi.
"You're referring to the peculiar psychic energy around Niō, aren't you?" Akashi replied calmly.
"Yeah. There's no mistaking that feeling. But when did he reach that level?" Yukimura said, eyes sharp as he watched Niō intently.
"Heh~ During the Shuffle Matches, he focused entirely on resonating his ability with Fuji's. He never went all out—not even when he copied me. That was just another layer of deception," Akashi said meaningfully, though he wasn't sure whether Niō's inspiration had come from Irie.
Back on the court, Jonathan's Data Tennis had Kaji completely cornered. Every one of Edgard's Art Tennis shots struck at his weaknesses. The more this happened, the more Kaji tried to force his way through with raw speed, which only led to more mistakes. Niō could only sigh helplessly beside him.
"Game! France! 5–3!"
"Game! France! 5–4!"
During the break, Kaji stormed back to the bench, kicking the long seat in frustration before sitting down heavily, his face twisted with anger. He was furious at his own performance—but couldn't figure out who to blame.
"Damn it! They deliberately threw those first five games!" he growled through clenched teeth.
"Tch! You little punk! I told you back at the mountain not to underestimate your opponents! Is this your answer?!" Coach Mifune barked, glaring fiercely.
"How was I supposed to know they'd throw points in a world tournament…" Kaji began to argue, but Mifune cut him off immediately.
"Shut it! Underestimation's one thing—but this is doubles! Were you even paying attention to Niō's position? From now on, you'll cover for him properly. Reflect on what doubles play actually means, damn it!" Mifune snapped, waving his hand impatiently as he gave his orders for the next round.
"Tch… yeah, yeah, I got it," Kaji muttered irritably. Though he still looked unconvinced, he didn't dare talk back.
When the timeout ended, Kaji walked up to the sideline and said directly to Niō, "If you lose a point next round, I'll take over the match immediately. Got it?"
"Ha? Who do you think you're talking to, Kaji? Looks like you're begging for me to destroy you~"
That cold, menacing voice made Kaji freeze.
"…?! B–Boss…?! No way…"
Kaji turned his head sharply—and saw Byoudouin staring at him with an icy glare.
"The match is starting. Get the hell out of my way!" Before Kaji could even process what was happening, "Byoudouin" roared furiously at him.
"Y–Yes, Boss!" Kaji stiffened instinctively, his body snapping to attention. He moved awkwardly aside before suddenly realizing something was wrong. His eyes darted toward the team bench—where the real Byoudouin sat, smirking coldly back at him.
On the opposite side, both French players looked completely stunned. Was this allowed—switching players mid-match? And the replacement wasn't just anyone—it was the Japan Team's fearsome leader, Byoudouin Houou!
Even the umpire was thrown off, raising his hand to call for a pause, but then noticed something strange—the real Byoudouin was still sitting calmly on the Japan bench. His brain short-circuited for a moment, unsure how to react, until one of the staff members hurriedly handed him the camera feed. Only then did the umpire relax, realizing what was really happening.
Edgard was the first to piece it together. He glanced toward the umpire, but when he saw there was no intervention, a thought flashed through his mind. His gaze shifted quickly toward the Japan bench—then fell silent, his expression tightening.
"You've already gathered all my data, haven't you? Then show me if you can hit a ball I can't return, brat," Byoudouin said coldly, smirking at Jonathan from across the net.
"So realistic… but even the most convincing illusion can't change your true nature, Niō Masaharu!" Jonathan stammered, shaken by the overwhelming pressure. Fortunately, Edgard stepped forward beside him, breaking the tension.
"Interesting. Let's see what other tricks you've got," Byoudouin replied with a cruel grin, neither confirming nor denying anything. He turned sharply and walked back to his baseline.
The tenth game was Edgard's service game. His gaze lingered on Byoudouin, unsure what exactly was happening. Still, he knew that no matter how perfectly that middle schooler mimicked him, he couldn't possibly have the real Byoudouin's power.
Taking a steadying breath, Edgard gave Jonathan a quick signal to continue gathering data. Then he tossed the ball high and swung—his racket carving arcs through the air.
With a sharp sound, the ball transformed into a swift swallow, streaking toward the open left corner.
Having been scolded earlier by Byoudouin, Kaji had calmed down somewhat. Though he knew this was Niō's illusion, he focused his full attention on the shot. Moving quickly to the landing point, he concentrated hard, keeping the ball from slipping past his racket. He successfully returned Edgard's serve.
But Edgard had already rushed the net right after serving. As the ball crossed over, he intercepted it cleanly, spinning his racket to guide the ball into motion. The next instant, a massive rhino charged straight toward Byoudouin's position.
"Heh~ You call that a power shot? Don't make me laugh," Byoudouin sneered, swinging without hesitation. In that instant, a burst of dazzling golden light erupted from his racket.
The ball, wrapped in a radiant glow, blasted across the court. Under Jonathan and Edgard's stunned gazes, it slammed into the ground, cracking the surface before rebounding out of bounds and smashing into the wall, leaving a small crater.
"Glowing Shot!"
"0–15!"
"What's wrong? Can't even handle a basic Glowing Shot? In that case…" Byoudouin's lips curled into a vicious smile.
"I'll just destroy you both completely!"
Edgard and Jonathan shivered involuntarily. For a moment, it felt as though an ancient beast had set its eyes on them—one that would not stop until its prey was utterly crushed.