161-165
Added 2025-08-15 17:09:58 +0000 UTCChapter 161: Clash of the Light Strikes
(Pop quiz: When did Ryoma and the others enter the U-17 training camp in the original story? And when did the World Cup begin?)
A blazing pillar of light shot toward Yoru’s position.
"What… what is this?!"
A young Tezuka’s face twisted in shock, completely unable to comprehend what he was witnessing.
The rest of Seigaku’s team was no different.
They had no idea they were about to witness a match of unfathomable caliber.
Oni Juujirou’s expression darkened. "It’s even stronger than last time… Phoenix has improved this much?"
"Light Strike—a derivative of the Sweet Spot technique. Its power rivals that of the Otherworldly Shots," QP explained calmly.
Meanwhile, on the court—
The ball hadn’t arrived yet, but the shockwave had.
Yoru’s clothes flapped violently, as if caught in a hurricane.
Yet he showed no fear against the incoming beam of destruction.
"A Light Strike, huh? I can do that too."
"Guess we’ll warm up with this!"
Before anyone could react—
Something unbelievable happened.
Yoru sidestepped, adjusted his stance in an instant, and swung his racket with precision.
BOOM—!
Another terrifying force erupted, kicking up a thick cloud of dust.
The shockwave surged like a tsunami, blasting through the racket’s strings and slamming into the back wall with enough force to make the entire structure tremble.
The wall didn’t crack—this was a pro-level national stadium, after all—but that wasn’t the point.
The real shock came when—
Yoru single-handedly blocked the Light Strike…
And then unleashed an even brighter, more violent beam of his own.
"Im… impossible!"
Byoudouin Houou’s eyes widened in sheer disbelief.
The entire Mizuno Academy team froze, their faces pale with shock.
Even Shiraishi and Inui, watching from the stands, were left speechless.
They thought this technique was something only a handful of pros could use—yet here were two middle schoolers casually trading them like basic shots.
Had the world passed them by already?
The two exchanged glances, feeling like they’d stepped into some absurd alternate reality.
"Wow! Big brother can do the shiny ball too~!"
Kids in the audience cheered excitedly.
Meanwhile, Oni Juujirou nearly choked. "Since when could Yoru do this?!"
"He’s had it for a while," QP replied, eyes narrowing. *"But after training with Nanjiroh, his power’s grown… ridiculous."*
He’d known Yoru had mastered the Light Strike—but the sheer intensity of this version was beyond expectations.
As the crowd buzzed, Yoru calmly pushed the glowing ball forward.
"I’ll return your words—try not to die."
And he wasn’t joking.
Even if this wasn’t "Destruction," his current Light Strike could easily kill an ordinary person.
[Host]: Yoru
[Age]: 12
[Techniques]:
Personal Five Dimensions (Lv. 11)
Tennis Fundamentals (Lv. 11)
Twist Serve (Lv. 11)
Three Great Domains (Lv. 11)
Muga no Kyouchi (Lv. 10)
Pinnacle of Hard Work (Lv. 10)
Super High-Speed Vertical Serve (Lv. 11)
Speed Like the Wind (Lv. 11)
Zero-Shiki Series (Lv. 10)
Light Strike (Lv. 11)
(4 more techniques folded)
[Combat Power]: 12 Stars
[Talents]:
Ten Senses Control
Perfect Copy
Super·Perfect Quality (Glory 2/3 Unlocked)
Level 11 Light Strike was a quantum leap in power.
Training under Echizen Nanjiroh, Yoru had learned countless applications—all enhanced by the system’s flawless feedback.
Nanjiroh’s philosophy was simple:
"Light Strike is just an extension of the Sweet Spot. Fuse it with any element—topspin, sidespin, speed—and its power amplifies. No need to limit yourself to one form."
Yoru had taken that to heart.
By now, he could’ve named dozens of Light Strike variants—but why bother?
The system kept prompting him to christen new techniques, but he refused.
Why label what’s fundamentally just "better tennis"?
More importantly—
He’d grown closer to sensing the Super Sweet Spot, but…
"Why grind for it when I can just copy Destruction from Phoenix?"
A lazy, yet brutally efficient plan.
KABOOM—!
The stadium shook from the impact.
"This guy…!"
Byoudouin’s earlier shock turned to grim focus.
Even he could tell—Yoru’s Light Strike was stronger.
But Byoudouin wasn’t backing down.
As another Light Strike hurtled toward him, he shifted to a two-handed slice—the safest return against such force.
Or so he thought.
He’d misjudged one critical detail:
This wasn’t a normal Light Strike.
It carried brutal topspin.
At the last millisecond—
The ball dipped violently, bouncing twice before Byoudouin’s racket could touch it.
"15-0, Yoru leads!"
The crowd erupted.
What looked like pure power had hidden layers—a masterclass in deception.
If this were the future, it’d be called *"Light Strike: Drive B"*—Ryoma’s signature move.
But Ryoma’s version didn’t need Sweet Spot mastery.
Yoru’s did.
*"Sweet Spot techniques can blend with fundamentals. Surprised?"* Yoru smirked.
Byoudouin stayed silent.
His opponent’s Sweet Spot prowess surpassed his own.
Easier said than done—merging basics with Light Strike required insane precision.
THWACK—!
Byoudouin fired back—this time, a heavily spun normal shot.
If Light Strikes weren’t working, he’d switch tactics.
But Yoru wasn’t letting him off the hook.
"Oh no, you don’t."
His racket flashed—
And the court was bathed in light once more.
Chapter 162:
(Whenever you think I’ve pushed the power scaling too high, just remember World Cup Ryoma—a middle schooler with top-tier global strength before even entering eighth grade. That kind of rocket-like growth nearly made me kneel in awe.)
"Tch!"
Facing a shot infused with extreme spin, Yoru countered with a Light Ball—shattering the rotation outright.
BZZZT—!
A blinding flash erupted across the court.
Another golden beam streaked across the net at blistering speed, its trajectory subtly curving mid-flight.
"More spin?" Byodoin Houou’s brow furrowed.
Despite the velocity, the ball’s path warped unnaturally—proof of terrifying rotational force. He didn’t dare hesitate.
As he lunged for the return, the shockwave from the impact ripped past him, crashing into the back wall. The spectators seated there gulped, their understanding of middle school tennis shattered.
THUD!
Byodoin intercepted it, muscles straining as he sliced upward. The ball rocketed skyward, spinning violently before accelerating mid-descent, its path shifting unpredictably.
"Interesting. A prototype of ‘Phoenix of Egypt’?"
Yoru smirked. When he’d scanned Byodoin’s stats earlier, he’d noticed many of his signature moves existed already—just unpolished.
In the original timeline, Byodoin perfected these techniques after his first world expedition with Duke.
This "Flying Bird Shot" was clearly the precursor to Phoenix of Egypt. Though less refined, its erratic trajectory already made it a top-tier lob.
Damn, this guy’s a freak of nature.
Byodoin had invented these world-class techniques solo. Post-expedition, most reached Otherworldly tier—some even beyond.
And the scariest part?
These moves would later evolve into perfect synergies with his Asura state, amplifying their lethality.
True U17 arc’s ultimate hyper-carry.
BOOM—!
Yoru smashed a high-speed Light Ball, the golden streak piercing the court before Byodoin could react.
Using Light Balls as basic returns? That was Nanjiroh’s most brutal training distilled.
Now, Yoru could weave Light Ball properties into any shot—elevating even simple rallies to lethal strikes.
"Too fast!"
Byodoin’s pupils contracted. His body moved reflexively, his brain barely processing the trajectory before his racket connected.
"A high-speed Light Ball…?"
As he’d guessed, Yoru had fully integrated Light Ball mechanics into his fundamentals. Any one of these returns could be a standalone finisher.
Genius.
Even as an opponent, Byodoin had to acknowledge it. This was something he hadn’t achieved yet—partly due to incomplete sweet spot mastery.
CRACK—!
He blasted it back.
Upon bouncing, the ball split into multiple afterimages, all rebounding at once.
"Hmph."
Yoru’s sneer was icy. He blitzed through the illusions, intercepting the real ball with ease.
"That speed…!" Tanegashima’s eyes widened.
Yoru never moved like this against me.
Had he improved?
Or… had he simply held back before?
Speed wasn’t something one could spike overnight without being a track athlete. This was raw, unrestrained velocity—likely Yoru’s true baseline.
THWACK!
The return was another spinning Light Ball.
"Now!"
Byodoin’s preemptive dash put him in perfect position for a drop volley—but as he swung, a strange sensation flickered through his mind.
Too late. The ball was already airborne.
Then—it never bounced.
It rolled forward like a dead weight, leaving Yoru’s swing to cut empty air.
"15-15! Byodoin Houou scores!"
"Huh?!"
"The… the captain just lost a point?!"
Seigaku’s team stared in disbelief.
"It’s… it’s just unfamiliarity!" someone argued. "Who expects a ball to not bounce?!"
The murmurs reached Byodoin’s ears clearly.
"Prototype of ‘Spanish Bullfight’, huh?"
Yoru studied the shot with interest. It resembled Fuji’s Swallow Return but more extreme—zero rebound, just pure roll.
To return it, you’d need to intercept mid-air or scoop it off the ground.
Normally, Yoru would tank the next few points after losing one—but this wasn’t a "low-stakes stomp" anymore.
Byodoin was one star below him.
Actual risk of losing existed.
…Guess I’ll have to take this seriously.
"Clever trick," Yoru admitted. "Won’t work twice."
"I’ve got plenty more."
Byodoin’s retort was stiff. He knew geniuses like Yoru adapted quickly—but with his arsenal, constant vigilance was impossible.
Yet something felt off.
Why were the crowd’s whispers so crystal-clear suddenly?
POW!
His next serve was another violent spinner, this time aimed straight at Yoru’s body.
"Body shot?"
Yoru’s return carried a new spin type—but more importantly, he’d realized:
Against a technique monster like Byodoin, passivity was death.
Time to seize the offense.
Chapter 163: The Chess Match of Techniques – Activating the Shining Experience Mode
A spin veiled in blinding light—impossible to track with the naked eye.
Watching the ball’s straight trajectory, Byoudouin Houou didn’t hesitate. He lunged forward, intercepting it with a sharp swing.
Thud!
The sheer force of the Glowing Shot reverberated through his racket, his expression darkening. Though he could return it, the overwhelming power was degrading his shot quality. His usual precision was slipping.
His earlier point had relied on the element of surprise. Continuing like this wouldn’t work.
"Then let’s try this!"
With a furious grunt, Byoudouin launched the ball high into the air—Birdshot!
By extending the rally, he could set up his next move. A sound strategy.
But the moment the ball crossed the net—
Something changed.
Instead of soaring upward, it plunged straight down, hurtYorug toward Yoru’s position. A swirling blue-white vortex erupted on the court—
"Tezuka Zone?!"
QP’s eyes widened. "To conceal the Zone’s spin beneath a Glowing Shot… His ball control is terrifying."
Even more shocking? Yoru’s return wasn’t just a standard spinning Glowing Shot—he’d layered it with the Zone’s rotation, sacrificing some power for control.
QP had never seen someone their age master both the Glowing Shot and seamlessly integrate fundamental techniques, let alone stack another spin on top.
But this was all thanks to the Supreme Zone.
Since mastering it, Yoru’s spin manipulation had reached new heights—making tricks like this effortless.
"The Zone, hidden within a Glowing Shot…"
Byoudouin smirked. "Yoru. You never disappoint. You’re the one worth fighting."
He was glad he’d chosen Yoru over QP. Battling someone like QP—pure, flawless fundamentals—would’ve been dull. Just raw power and speed.
But this? A duel of wits and technique? This was what thrilled him.
Yet something felt… off.
QP’s voice echoed in his mind, crisp as if standing right beside him. Byoudouin glanced at QP, puzzled—
BANG!
Another spinning Glowing Shot came flying.
Byoudouin countered with the same technique he’d scored with earlier—
But this time, the ball veered wildly and landed out.
"Yoru scores! 30-15!"
"Was that… the Supreme Spin?!" Tezuka gasped.
QP shook his head. "No. Just alternating between the Zone and Anti-Zone. The glow on Yoru’s shot was weaker—he hasn’t fused compound spins into the Glowing Shot yet."
"Just?"
The surrounding players sweatdropped.
Since when was switching between Zone and Anti-Zone considered easy?!
Most of them couldn’t even use the Zone, let alone alternate it like a light switch!
BANG!
Another return from Byoudouin was dragged out of bounds.
"Yoru scores! 40-15!"
"This is bad."
From the sidelines, Fuwa Jirou of Rokkaku paled.
Byoudouin’s entire playstyle relied on spin. The Zone and Anti-Zone were hard counters—like cutting off his dominant arm.
But Fuwa was worrying too much.
On the court, Byoudouin faced the next spinning Glowing Shot—and did something unthinkable.
He struck the ball with the tip of his racket, shattering the spin and sending it rebounding at a sharp angle.
FLOKITOTO!
Yoru, caught off guard, couldn’t react in time.
BANG!
"Byoudouin Houou scores! 30-40!"
"He broke the Anti-Zone?!"
Seigaku’s bench erupted.
After Shiraishi Kuranosuke, Byoudouin was the second to crack the Anti-Zone. But while Shiraishi relied on innate talent, Byoudouin’s method was brilliant—using the racket’s frictionless tip to negate spin.
A stroke of genius.
"So that’s the move."
Yoru stared at the ball, impressed. He vaguely recalled it from the original series but couldn’t place the name—Byoudouin had too many techniques.
"Bring it, Houou!"
"As you wish!"
Golden light erupted again as Byoudouin unleashed another Glowing Shot.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
The match escalated into a full-blown war. Yoru dominated with flawless control, but Byoudouin kept clawing back with unpredictable techniques.
Yoru hadn’t used the Supreme Zone yet—he needed more time to analyze Byoudouin’s habits.
Despite his advantage, Byoudouin’s relentless creativity kept the score tight.
The points flew by in a blur.
BANG!
"Byoudouin Houou scores! 1-0!"
…
BANG!
"Yoru scores! 2-1!"
…
BANG!
"Byoudouin Houou scores! 3-3, tie!"
After half an hour of high-intensity play, the score was deadlocked.
"What a match. Even better than my duel with Ralph." Yoru grinned, wiping sweat from his brow.
Facing Ralph Reinhardt had been a clash of fundamentals. But this? A battle of creativity and skill.
Now he understood why QP loved evenly matched fights.
"But…"
Yoru’s voice dropped, his tone icy.
"I prefer fishing with dynamite. So forgive me—this ends now."
"What?!"
Byoudouin’s eyes sharpened. The air shifted.
A chilling aura spread across the court. The temperature plummeted. Shadows coiled around Yoru as an eerie glow enveloped him.
Shining Experience Mode.
Unlike the Supreme Zone, this state accelerated his dominance—no drawn-out battles.
But it lacked the Supreme Zone’s absolute control.
"That form!"
Byoudouin recognized it. During the exhibition matches, he’d seen Yoru wield a state similar to QP’s. The semifinals had confirmed it.
Now, facing it head-on, the pressure was suffocating.
A primal fear crept into his instincts.
…Why can I hear Tezuka and the crowd so clearly?
Their voices rang in his ears as if they were whispering directly to him.
Before he could dwell on it—
"Serve."
Yoru’s voice was a blade.
The moment those two syllables left his lips, his focus sharpened to a lethal edge.
WHOOSH!
The ball rocketed into the air.
Yoru leaped, racket flashing—
Byoudouin barely registered the serve before—
BLUR.
The ball vanished mid-flight.
THUD-THUD!
Two impacts merged into one.
Byoudouin stood frozen, racket raised defensively. His pupils trembled, lips parting in silent shock.
Yoru was already walking back to position.
The umpire didn’t hesitate.
"Yoru scores! 15-0!"
After the semifinals, the officials knew this state defied conventional tracking. So the moment Yoru struck, the umpire’s eyes snapped to the ground—
Just in time to see a black afterimage explode at Byoudouin’s feet.
A second later, the wall behind him cracked from an unseen impact.
Seigaku’s bench erupted in cheers.
Fuwa Jirou’s hands clenched. "Is… our captain going to lose?"
Chapter 164: Super Sweet Spot Technique — The Destruction of Another Dimension
(I tweaked it.)
BAM—!
Yoru scores, 4-3!
Every point was a one-shot kill.
After entering Glowing Mode, Yoru unleashed his full potential while releasing all his rune power, amplifying his abilities to an absurd degree. Even a casual return shot exceeded the limits of what most middle schoolers could handle.
But the real problem?
It was now Yoru’s serve game.
Bounce… bounce… bounce…
The sound of the tennis ball echoed across the court, casting a shadow over the members of Mizunoe High. If they couldn’t even return his shots, how could they handle his serve? Sure, they’d have more time to prepare, but the ball would also be faster.
SWISH—!
On the court, Yoru swung his arm, sending the ball soaring into the air with a flick of his fingers. He bent his knees, leaped, and stretched his body into a flawless serving motion—so textbook-perfect it was almost artistic.
Then, just as his racket approached the ball—
BAM~~~ BAM!
Only one impact sound was audible, but if you listened closely, a faint second echo lingered in the air.
A fresh black mark scorched the court.
No reaction.
He couldn’t react at all!
Byoudouin Houou stood frozen, rooted to the spot like a wooden pole—utterly useless.
On the sidelines, Oni Juujirou muttered, "In this state… Yoru is invincible."
He still remembered that night—after Yoru’s match against Q·P, he’d activated this exact same state, but at a level far beyond Q·P’s. Even when Oni had been in Pinnacle of Perfection (Kijin no Kyouchi), he couldn’t react to a single shot.
Byoudouin shot a suspicious glance at Oni. In the middle of all this noise, how had his voice come through so clearly? It was almost as if he could hear Oni’s thoughts.
But before he could dwell on it, the next serve came flying.
"Yoru scores, 15-0!"
...
BAM—!
"Yoru scores, 30-0!"
...
BAM—!
"Yoru scores, 40-0!"
...
BAM—!
"Yoru scores, 5-3!"
...
Four serves. Four effortless points.
Byoudouin couldn’t react to any of them. Even when he tried to swing, the ball had already whizzed past him—two of them even went straight through his legs.
"Am I really about to lose 5-0…?"
"No!"
Byoudouin gritted his teeth.
He had one last technique to try. It wasn’t fully polished yet, but he had no other choice.
Chest heaving, breath ragged, he glared at Yoru’s ghostly form and decided—he’d gamble everything.
On the other side, Yoru crouched low, readying his stance.
HUM—!
A dazzling light erupted from Byoudouin’s fingertips.
Yamato frowned. "Another Glowing Shot? That won’t work against the captain."*
"No."
QP’s expression shifted as he sensed a faint, ominous aura radiating from Byoudouin. "Oni… is that the technique from before?"
Oni’s face darkened. "Yeah. And it feels stronger this time."
Destruction.
A technique born from expanding the Super Sweet Spot—a shot capable of annihilating everything.
Last time Byoudouin had used it, his racket had shattered before he could unleash its full power.
Even so, Oni knew how terrifying it was. If he hadn’t awakened Asura’s Path at the last second, even Pinnacle of Perfection might not have been enough to return it.
Now, the aura alone felt a whole tier stronger.
Oni couldn’t help but worry—could Yoru’s current state withstand it?
"......"
At the back of the court, Yoru narrowed his eyes.
He could sense it—this ball was different.
"What the hell is happening?!"
Byoudouin’s expression twisted. Why could he hear everyone’s voices so clearly? It was like he could feel their thoughts.
"Go to hell, Yoru!"
With a furious roar, Byoudouin unleashed his shot.
To push Destruction further, he’d trained for weeks in the mountains—even the slightest improvement had multiplied its power.
BOOM—!
Thunder crackled across the court, startling the audience.
Yoru, hyper-focused, didn’t retreat. Instead, he charged forward, gripping his racket with both hands.
Using his momentum, he swung with all his might—smashing the racket face into the glowing ball.
CRACK—!
The sheer force exploded on impact, the shockwave blasting through the racket and into his body before slamming into the back wall.
The entire fence shuddered from the collision.
"What the—since when can tennis do this?!"*
"Is that the same glowing ball as before?"
"This one feels way more terrifying!"
"What other insane techniques do these two have?!"
The crowd erupted in shock.
But the real horror was yet to come.
Yoru—struggling to hold his ground—was being pushed back by the ball’s sheer force.
Then—
SNAP!
A crisp sound rang out.
Under the stunned gazes of the audience, Yoru’s racket split in half, the ball carrying one half straight into the wall!
"Byoudouin Houou scores, 15-0!"
Silence.
For a few seconds, the entire stadium went dead quiet.
Then—chaos.
"That’s—that’s impossible!"*
"His racket just broke?! No way!"
"That wasn’t just a normal glowing ball—that was something else!"
The spectators were losing their minds.
But the ones most shaken were Seigaku’s players.
The sudden turn of events had also caused the eerie glow around Yoru to fade, his pupils returning to normal.
"Huh…?"
"Damn it!"
QP’s voice was tense. "The racket breaking disrupted his focus. Once that happens, he can’t re-enter that perfected state immediately."
What?!
The team froze.
If even Glowing Mode couldn’t stop Byoudouin now, how could Yoru win in his normal state?
"The state’s gone…"
Yoru clenched his fist, trying to re-enter it—but failed.
Once his concentration shattered, regaining that level of focus was impossible in such a short time.
Should’ve used a heavier racket. If it hadn’t broken, he wouldn’t have lost the state.
"So this is the power of a Level 5 Destruction…"
Yoru’s gaze lingered on Byoudouin.
When he’d returned the shot, he’d felt the racket reaching its limit—but instead of redirecting it, he’d tried to endure.
Big mistake.
If this had been the true perfected state (without drawbacks), it wouldn’t have happened. But he was still missing that final piece of experience.
Super Sweet Spot was on another level compared to the regular Sweet Spot.
Even an unfinished Destruction had power bordering on Another Dimension—once perfected, it’d be unimaginable.
In his normal state, returning it was impossible.
Sure, Yoru had Supreme Domain (an Another Dimension-level technique), but that didn’t mean he could return shots at that level.
With their base stats equal, Destruction’s sheer force was overwhelming.
"Well… at least this one’s worth copying."
Yoru smirked. "Guess I played myself. I could’ve shut you out 5-0, but I wanted to see how fun your techniques were. Too bad most of them weren’t worth copying—except this one. Let’s play again after you’ve traveled the world."
Byoudouin’s eyes burned with fury.
"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!"
Another Destruction erupted from his racket, his voice bordering on madness.
Yoru’s thoughts were flooding his mind—none of this felt real.
"Yeah, yeah, I hear you."
To the audience’s shock, Yoru simply stepped aside, letting Destruction blast past him.
At the same time—
[Ding!...]
Chapter 165: Perfect Copy – "Destruction"; "I Can Only Say Sorry"
Yoru’s dodge nearly made Byoudouin Houou’s snot bubble pop out of sheer disbelief.
Everyone—including the umpire—stared at him in stunned silence. A European woman in the audience even burst out laughing.
"Why the hell did you dodge?!" Byoudouin roared.
Yoru blinked. "Excuse me? What kind of question is that?"
"If I can’t return it, of course I’m dodging."
"You think I’m some shounen protagonist who’ll risk my life to tank an unreturnable shot?"
"That’s Destruction —it’ll kill me. Do I look mentally ill to you?"
He rolled his eyes, but his attention was already elsewhere. A series of mechanical chimes echoed in his mind:
[Perfect Copy triggered. Copy "Destruction (Lv. 5)"?]
Yes.
[Copy successful. 120% feedback applied. You have mastered "Destruction (Lv. 8)."]
"Huh?"
Yoru paused. "Why Lv. 8? Shouldn’t it be Lv. 7?"
[120% feedback amplifies base power, not level increments.]
"But when I copied the Zero-Shiki series and Moonlight Vertical Serve, they jumped two levels. Is 'Destruction' weaker?"
[No. 'Destruction' grows rapidly until Lv. 10. Post-Lv. 10, even 120% feedback would only grant +1 level.]
[Each technique’s potential scales differently. Zero-Shiki’s feedback remains +2 even post-Lv. 10. It’s about inherent ceilings.]
"Damn, that’s intricate. Almost like the system’s grading techniques by latent potential."
[Of course. The "Little Warhorse" talent doesn’t deal in mediocrity.]
Fair point.
"Byoudouin Houou scores! 30-0!"
The umpire’s call snapped Yoru back to reality.
He strolled to the baseline, not even bothering with a defensive stance—as if ready to bolt at any moment.
Kaedou frowned. "Is Captain… giving up this game?"
"That’d be so… uh…" Kawasaki trailed off, struggling for a polite term.
"Pathetic?" Inuzuma supplied.
"SHUT IT!" Mouri snarled. "Maybe he’s analyzing! You fools understand nothing!"
Yoru was his idol. He wouldn’t tolerate slander, even from teammates.
But QP cut in calmly: "He’s conceding the game."
Silence.
QP’s word was law. Yet this didn’t align with Yoru’s usual ruthlessness.
"Doesn’t feel like him," Yamato muttered.
QP sighed. "Ask yourselves: Has Yoru ever risked injury for a single point? No. You’ve just never seen him need to retreat."
"He knows when to fight and when to fold. For you? It’s all ‘passion’ and ‘bonds’—charging blindly like idiots."
"Losing this game means nothing. It’s still 4-5, his lead. His serve is next. Why gamble when he can win safely?"
The team flushed in collective shame. QP had nailed it.
Mouri and Yamato would’ve roared some热血 ("YOSHA—!") and charged.
Kaedou and Inuzuma? They’d yell about 羁绊 ("FOR THE TEAM—!") and get vaporized.
But Yoru?
No plot armor. No "power of friendship" buffs. Just cold, calculated efficiency.
Meanwhile, Byoudouin’s mind reeled.
Why can I hear Seigaku’s bench so clearly?!
The stadium was deafening, yet their voices pierced through like whispers in his skull.
Something was wrong.
BANG!
"Byoudouin Houou scores! 40-0!"
BANG!
"Byoudouin Houou scores! 4-5!"
Three straight points surrendered. The crowd’s murmurs swelled.
Even Shiraishi Kuranosuke tensed. "That ‘Destruction’… Is it an advanced Glowing Shot? To force even Yoru to retreat…"
He’d never felt such oppressive aura from the stands. Could his "Muga no Kyouchi" negate it?
"If it’s just a powered-up Glowing Shot," Inui mused, "couldn’t Yoru counter with his own ‘Destruction’ later?"
Silence.
No one wanted to admit it, but they ached to see Byoudouin lose.
Rokkaku’s win-at-all-costs ethos had made them villains. Their recent roster poaching only deepened the disdain.
Yet hope flickered when Mitsuya Yuki spoke:
"You’re forgetting—it’s Yoru’s serve next."
As if on cue, Yoru tossed the ball—
And delivered a feather-light serve.
Byoudouin lunged, only to freeze as the ball rolled backward after bouncing, never rebounding.
Zero-Shiki Serve.
"So this is that ‘unreturnable’ serve…"
He’d scoffed at Fuwa’s scouting report. Now? It was real.
But stranger still—
Why can I hear Mitsuya’s voice from the stands?!
"Yoru scores! 15-0!"
The crowd erupted. Most had never seen a no-bounce serve.
"Fascinating," murmured the European woman, chin resting on her palm. "Few can破解 (break) this."
BANG!
Yoru repeated the serve.
Byoudouin sprinted to the landing spot, swinging his racket like a fan—attempting to force the ball up with wind shear.
Too late. The ball kept rolling.
"Yoru scores! 30-0!"
Yoru eyed the umpire. No foul call?
Stomping was borderline, but wind manipulation was blatant interference.
Byoudouin would likely nail the timing next try.
"Well then…"
Yoru spun the ball in his palm, lips quirking.
"I can only say sorry."
Next: "Destruction" vs. "Destruction" – The Ultimate Collapse!
