"Akashi-kun's two serves just now are quite similar to your Black Dragon First Slash, aren't they, Genichirō?" On the sideline, Yukimura's eyes sparkled as he turned toward Sanada after witnessing Akashi's serve.
"Indeed. The effect is nearly identical—but the principle is completely different," Sanada replied with a firm nod. He could feel the resemblance but knew well the fundamental gap between the two techniques.
On the court, Ludovic quickly picked up his racket and returned to the baseline. He had studied Akashi's serve closely just moments ago and believed he had found a clue to counter it. His eyes shone with eagerness, burning with the will to fight back.
Akashi noticed that glint and smirked faintly, a cold confidence curving his lips. As he tossed the ball into the air, a shimmering golden aura rose behind him—at that instant, the faint silhouette of Kise appeared. For a brief moment, it looked as though two figures overlapped: Akashi Seijurō and Kise Ryōta.
Then, with explosive power, Akashi swung his racket down. Ludovic braced himself, expecting the same impossible, unpredictable serve from before—but the sound of the ball hitting the ground came from behind him. His eyes widened. He'd been tricked by his own assumptions.
"Mach Serve!"
"Ace! 40–0!"
The umpire's call confirmed it. Ludovic had misjudged completely. He had prepared for another strange, gravity-defying serve, but Akashi had instead crushed him with a pure-speed Mach Serve.
"Wow~ Akashi-kun's Mach Serve looks exactly like Ochi-senpai's, doesn't it?" Mōri exclaimed from the Japan team's bench, glancing at Ochi in surprise.
"Ball speed—287 kilometers per hour," Mitsuya said calmly before Ochi could answer. His sharp eyes flicked toward the display. A faint note of admiration glimmered behind his composed expression as he quietly updated Akashi's stats in his mind.
Ludovic was still stunned when Akashi tossed up his fourth ball. Another serve came—faster, sharper, cleaner. This time, Akashi perfectly merged Kise's imitation ability with the explosive power of ZONE, making the serve nearly indistinguishable from Ochi's original Mach Serve.
"Game! Japan! 1–0!"
"I knew it," Inui said with a sly grin, adjusting his glasses. "Judging by how he's playing, Akashi intends to break Ludovic's record for the fastest match."
Beside him, Yanagi remained as calm as ever. He gave Inui a cool glance that seemed to say, Don't get ahead of yourself—the match isn't over yet.
As the second game began, Ludovic drew a deep breath, regulating his pulse and focus. He walked back to the baseline, his body leaning slightly backward, gathering strength.
A towering knight phantom rose behind him, its armor glinting under the light, filling him with a renewed aura of command and pride. He tossed the ball and struck with all his might.
The ball cut through the air like a falling star, streaking with silvery light as it sped toward Akashi's left corner. But before the crowd could even gasp, Akashi was already there, his movement so fast it looked like teleportation. Golden light flared around his left hand as his right gripped the racket and swung through with flawless precision.
The tennis ball, now wrapped in blinding gold, roared back across the court. Ludovic clenched his jaw, holding his racket tightly with both hands to block the hit.
Though it wasn't the Mana Cannon, the power behind the Glowing Shot was still overwhelming. The ball hammered against his strings with brutal force, spinning violently as it tried to tear through.
Even so, Ludovic refused to give in. His stance was solid, his arms straining against the pressure—but in the end, the impact wrenched the racket from his grip, sending it flying. The ball, losing much of its momentum, dropped harmlessly to the court.
"0–15!"
"Looks like the French prince's resistance against Glowing Shots has improved," Irie said thoughtfully, watching with interest. "He still lost the rally, but his racket didn't break this time. He was just one step away from returning it."
The air on the court grew heavier, charged with intensity. Ludovic bent down, picked up his racket, and stood tall once again. There was no frustration on his face—only determination and an unyielding light in his eyes.
Ludovic's eyes glimmered like starlight as he stepped steadily to the baseline. He didn't say a word, but his movements carried firm resolve. Tossing the tennis ball high, he swung with precision and speed.
The instant Ludovic's racket met the ball, Akashi had already begun to move. After the previous game, he had completely analyzed Ludovic's patterns—he only needed to catch the smallest twitch, and he could predict the next trajectory with ease.
Ludovic's serve came fast, but to Akashi, it was as slow as a drifting feather. Effortlessly, he intercepted the ball and countered with a fierce Glowing Shot.
The golden trail streaked across the air, shining brilliantly as it slammed toward the opposite court. Ludovic didn't back away; gripping the racket with both hands, his eyes burned with determination. He gathered every ounce of strength into his swing, meeting the blazing ball head-on.
The instant the rackets clashed, a thunderous crack rang out. The ball spun wildly on his strings, generating shockwaves that kicked up dust around his feet. Ludovic bent his knees, steadying his stance. Sweat poured down his face, but his gaze stayed unyielding.
Akashi's eyes flashed sharply. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared and reappeared at the net—his speed too fast to follow. The crowd gasped as he leapt into the air, his presence seeming to cover the entire court.
At the same moment, Ludovic barely managed to block Akashi's shot. But his stamina was already depleted—he couldn't control the rebound. The ball flew high across the court, right toward Akashi's waiting position.
When Ludovic looked up and saw Akashi already in midair, his pupils shrank. He couldn't believe how precise the prediction was. He remembered Camus's warning—Akashi's foresight was extraordinary—but he never expected it to be this terrifying.
In the air, Akashi's eyes gleamed with finality. A shadow of Murasakibara flickered behind him. Raising his racket high, Akashi brought it down with brutal force.
The moment the racket struck, the air itself seemed to warp. A surge of purple lightning burst past Ludovic's side and slammed into the ground behind him, exploding into a storm of dust and smoke that obscured the entire court.
"Hammer of Destruction!"
"0–30!"
"You lost focus," Akashi said calmly after landing. "Too obsessed with returning my Glowing Shot—and you ignored me. You'll never score unless you put everything you have into every moment."
"Don't get cocky!" Ludovic snapped back with a cold grin, locking eyes with him. "I've already figured out the secret behind that glowing ball of yours!"
Akashi's face didn't change. Ludovic turned away, gripping his racket tightly, already eager to serve again.
Moments later, he unleashed a sharp, angled serve. But to Akashi, it was nothing. With one simple sidestep, he intercepted and struck back casually. The ball shone once again, wrapped in golden light, surging toward Ludovic.
"Heh~ the secret of that glowing shot lies in the contact point on the racket, doesn't it? Like this!" Ludovic's face lit up with excitement as he met the ball with both hands.
In the instant of impact, a dazzling burst of gold flared. The ball rebounded almost instantly, blazing back toward Akashi—Ludovic had somehow managed to replicate the Glowing Shot himself.
The glowing sphere roared over the net. But as soon as it crossed, Akashi appeared in front of it, racket raised. The faint figure of Kise shimmered behind him again, and a subtle vibration pulsed from the point where ball and racket met.
The fierce rotation and power within Ludovic's Glowing Shot began to fade before everyone's eyes, settling into calm silence. With a flick of his wrist, Akashi redirected the ball gently—it floated over the net and began to fall softly.
Ludovic saw it and sprinted forward with everything he had, desperate to reach it before it touched the ground. But just as he neared the net, his legs suddenly gave way. He lost his balance and collapsed, kneeling helplessly on the court.
"0–40!"
"Even if you've mastered the Glowing Shot, what of it?" Akashi said coldly, standing tall at the net, eyes sharp and distant. "To think you could use it against me… how foolish. You're far too arrogant."
The air around him trembled—Akashi Seijurō stood with his full aura unleashed.