Prince of Tennis: Shocking! Hyotei's Demon King is a Yukimura fangirl!

"Now..." Marui stopped eating the pastry in his mouth and looked at Tezuka on the field, who was continuously adding spins. "Why is he using it again?"

"Because he discovered that without activating his Domain, he couldn't even maintain basic consistency in his returns." Liu's voice was calm. "Atobe's serves and smashes have compressed his defensive system to a critical point. He has to use his Domain to reduce his running, otherwise his stamina will run out before the fourth set."

"The receiving radius in this area has expanded to about 1.2 meters, an increase of 30% compared to the previous two games. Atobe's running distance has increased by an average of 0.7 meters per shot in the last four shots. Although the increase is not large at the moment, it will accumulate to create a significant difference in physical exertion."

Looking at Atobe running on the field, Yagyu added, "...That adds up to the difference in running distance throughout the entire match. Tezuka's tactics are clear: control the rhythm with his domain, and then find an opening when Atobe's stamina starts to drop."

Kuwabara stood behind them, stroking his bald head: "So, how will Atobe deal with this?"

As Sanada listened to his teammates' analysis, his gaze, hidden beneath his hat brim, focused on the yellow ball that flew back and forth across the net, the sounds of hitting the ball echoing one after another, muffled in the hot air, both crisp and heavy.

He shifted his gaze from the ball to Atobe on the field.

His opponent's running range was gradually increasing, requiring him to take an extra half-step to catch the ball with each shot. But he didn't panic, nor did he forcefully exert force to disrupt the spin logic. Instead, he continued the back-and-forth battle in accordance with Tezuka's rhythm.

"He's waiting." Seeing everyone staring at the arena and no one answering Kuwabara, Liu paused, his pen poised. "Waiting for him to find the pattern in that field, or..."

"Or use a stronger spin to break through it." Yukimura looked at the blue and white figure standing straight in the middle of the court, and then carefully examined Atobe's return. His voice was very soft, as if he was afraid of disturbing a kitten sleeping in its carrier, and then he said, "The domain is a good defensive weapon, but you have to force a spin change on every ball, which puts a lot of strain on your arm."

"As for Atobe, he held serve for the first few points of his Tannhäuser serve, but on that last point he deliberately reduced the sidespin intensity... He was testing the spin intensity in the area, testing Tezuka's baseline."

As soon as he finished speaking, the situation on the field did indeed change as he had predicted.

In the next two points, Atobe adjusted the power of his returns, using a variety of different spin intensities in succession, attempting to compress the time of impact in the area by using ball speed.

The degree to which the ball was "guided" was indeed slightly reduced, and the deviation was not significant. After several consecutive shots, Tezuka was still able to receive the ball while standing still, but he needed to change from "not moving at all" to "taking a small half step".

On the tenth shot, Atobe suddenly hit a high-angle gravity cross-court shot.

He added an extra wrist rotation the instant the ball left the racket face. After crossing the net, the ball was pushed from the side as if by an invisible hand, pressing down with a very strong sidespin towards the outside edge of Tezuka's forehand sideline.

The spin force this time was very special. The "pulling force" of the ball was almost not able to "pull" it as well as it had been in the previous balls at the moment of contact.

Atobe saw that moment, and his icy blue pupils contracted slightly. He then didn't follow Tezuka's domain's rhythm, instead using a stronger, heavier return to compress the domain's duration.

Each shot is faster than the last, and the ball's trajectory changes with each landing point.

Indeed, "Domain" began to become unstable after the ninth shot. Its range of motion for receiving the ball decreased because Atobe's spin was too unique, and before Domain could "guide" the ball, it had already reached the next position.

Tezuka's several short shots were all anticipated and landed precisely by Atobe, who returned them cleanly. The moment the ball crossed the net, Tezuka was already running back, a beat faster than Atobe had expected. His left arm had already completed the backswing while running, and the racket face was aimed at the ball that was sliding along the ground.

With a flick of the wrist, the paddle slices out an extremely thin underspin.

The ball went over the net, landed, and barely bounced.

Another zero-ball shot.

It rolled back about 30 centimeters and then stopped.

"40-15".

The Seigaku stands erupted in a brief cheer as Tezuka scored another point.

"Great shot! The minister is awesome!" Momoshiro shouted, waving his support flag, which swung loudly.

"Zero-style short ball! Even if Atobe can catch it once, he can't catch it every time!" Kikumaru jumped high, his face full of excitement.

Oishi breathed a sigh of relief, a slight smile appearing on his face. But the smile didn't last long before fading away, his gaze remaining fixed on Tezuka's left arm.

Using the zero-ball technique too frequently will only increase the strain on your hands.

After that shot, Tezuka's left-hand grip on the racket was noticeably different as he walked back to the baseline. The adjustment was subtle, but to Oishi, it was so clear it made him uneasy.

"…dashi."

Fuji's voice came from the side.

His eyes were wide open, sunlight streaming in from the side, casting a small patch of light in his brown pupils. "Was Tezuka's final beat just now half a beat slower than before?"

"It's probably because...it's too hot. It's normal to be a little slow to finish the game due to the high physical exertion." Daishi tried to avoid his unease and organized his thoughts.

Fuji glanced at him, his eyes devoid of emotion, merely a calm, scrutinizing gaze.

Daishi sensed something under that gaze, but he suppressed it and turned back to watch the game.

Fuji withdrew his gaze and tightened his grip on my hand on the railing. He had clearly seen that, apart from the follow-through motion, the roll distance of that zero-style short ball was slightly shorter than in the first game.

It's just a little bit, but it's enough to illustrate the point.

In the following points, Tezuka barely managed to control the rhythm with his Domain, making Atobe run all over the court and occasionally scoring with a Zero-style short ball.

The score went from 40-0 to 40-30, and then back to a tie.

The cheers for Seigaku from the stands grew louder and louder.

"Did you see that?! Zero-style short ball!" Shiba Saori snapped away with her camera, her smile barely concealed. "Tezuka's Zero-style short ball scored again! I told you he was still in form! Those last few balls were just because he hadn't gotten used to them yet! What's the point of the Tannhäuser serve? It's useless against Tezuka's domain!"

Inoue relaxed his grip on the pen slightly, but his brow remained furrowed. He felt something was off; Atobe's running around was frequent, but his rhythm was consistent, as if he were testing something.

The audience on the sidelines was also very enthusiastic.

"Tezuka's domain is amazing! Atobe is completely being led around!"

"You were just saying Atobe was a sure winner, but now it's hard to say."

"Zero-style short ball plus Tezuka Zone, it's simply unbeatable."

"I don't think so. Atobe isn't serious yet."

Hyotei Rest Area.

Feng was a little worried and took half a step forward. "Shishido-senpai, the club president...?"

"Don't panic," Shishido interrupted him, his gaze still fixed on the scene. "Atobe's bottom line in the testing field."

Shinobu lowered his head, took a sip of his iced tea, and nodded. "That's right. He's testing the rotational strength of the field, testing Tezuka's load limit."

Jiro, clinging to the railing with his mouth stuffed full, tilted his head and said, "Is that so? But Atobe ran a lot of steps."

"All that weighted running we've been doing lately hasn't been for nothing. This distance is a piece of cake for our magnificent minister." Ren Zu chuckled, adjusting his glasses and handing him a drink to keep him from choking. "Once he figures out his pattern, it'll be time for him to retaliate."

Over at Rikkai University, Niou stroked his chin, his fox-like eyes narrowing, his silver braid swaying in the sunlight. "Has Atobe gotten addicted to taking walks?"

"Didn't Seiichi just say he's testing a critical value?" Yanagi's pen moved again, drawing an arc on the paper. "The ball control efficiency of Tezuka's domain depends on the timing of applying spin after receiving the ball. If Atobe's serve has enough spin that forces Tezuka to change the racket angle the instant he receives the ball, then the timing for adding spin will be delayed. Atobe is looking for the limit of that delayed timing."

"Have you found Atobe-senpai yet?" Kirihara squatted down in front, still drunk. His hair was a little wilted from the sun, but his eyes were bright as he stared at the field.

"Almost there." Liu paused for a moment, tapping on the data she had just calculated. "Starting from the third shot, the spin on his return shot has been gradually increasing. It's now approaching the critical value of the range."

Sanada kept a straight face and didn't say anything, but the fingers gripping the railing loosened.

Yukimura's eyes crinkled into a smile.

Atobe was never one to just charge headlong into things. He may have appeared passive, but in reality, every step he took was solid.

On the coach's bench, Mochizuki Ryo watched Atobe's running route on the field, a very faint smile playing on his lips. He picked up his iced tea and took another sip, the cool liquid sliding down his throat. He tapped the bottle lightly twice with his fingertips, a very slow rhythm.

Ryoma Echizen, standing beside him, adjusted his hat brim, his amber eyes fixed on the arena. He too had noticed that Atobe was testing the waters.

Pretend.

He scoffed inwardly and started spinning the tennis ball with his fingers again.

After the score is tied, it's still the end of the game and the serve.

Atobe stood behind the baseline, slightly bent over, letting the wind ruffle his bangs. He twirled his racket, his gaze sweeping over Tezuka's position opposite him. Tezuka was half a step forward compared to the first game, his center of gravity lowered, and his left foot was noticeably more firmly planted.

They were clearly preparing to defend against his Tannhäuser serve, seemingly aiming to get to the rising ball early.

That's a good idea.

Atobe's lips twitched slightly. He pinched the seam of the ball between his fingers and gently rotated it once, then raised the ball to eyebrow height.

His movements were half a beat slower than before.

The whole person was like a bowstring being slowly drawn back, the process of building up power was longer than any ball before.

This time, Tannhäuser's serve was extremely low as it crossed the net, almost grazing the top edge of the net. The spin was also stronger than before. It landed on the outside corner of Tezuka's backhand side, and after landing, it slid laterally with a steeper angle than any of his previous serves, cutting towards the outside sideline.

The traction of the Tezuka Domain gave it a strong "pull," but it was ultimately broken free.

The ball grazed past Tezuka's receiving area and landed within the boundary.

Tezuka was startled for a moment, then quickly stepped forward and sent his racket towards the ball. But his wrist clearly paused briefly at the moment of contact with the ball, as if it were being pulled by something, and the power of that shot was not fully transmitted.

I managed to push the ball back.

The ball was returned very high, landing right in front of Atobe.

Atobe jumps and smashes the ball.

With a "bang," the ball slammed hard into the opposite baseline.

"Game, Hyotei. 3-0."

The familiar gasps filled the stadium once again, and the stands erupted in a chorus of "wows."

"He broke free! The ball wasn't pulled over!"

"I knew it! Atobe's serve was comparable to that of a professional tennis player, with such strong spin. How could it possibly be trapped by some vague 'domain'?"

"That last shot felt even more powerful than the previous ones... it must have had added spin. That's insane! Even Tezuka's zone couldn't stop it?"

Atobe flicked his wrist, a cold glint flashing in his icy blue eyes.

I touched it.

That's the limit of rotation in the domain.

He wiped the sweat from his brow and walked towards the baseline. As he passed the coach's bench, Mochizuki Ryo tapped the armrest lightly with his fingertip. "Add another 30% off-line sidespin to the cut."

The sound was very soft, just enough for Atobe to hear.

Atobe tilted his head slightly in response, without making any unnecessary movements, and was very efficient.

On the side of the stands near Rikkai University, during this break, Jiro, with a mung bean cake in his mouth, went to the cat carrier and peered through the mesh.

Luna lay naked in her cat carrier, looking like a tiny person. Her Hyotei team uniform covered her belly to keep her warm.

"Luna is sleeping so soundly..."

He muttered under his breath, his breath brushing against the netting, "Isn't anyone going to get up and watch the game?"

Kirihara also came over, his seaweed head drooping, reaching out to poke at the netting, but his fingertips were slapped on the back of his hand as soon as they touched it.

The sound was not loud, but it was enough to startle him and the little lamb.

Kirihara turned around, and Niou raised an eyebrow, withdrawing his hand with a mischievous smile on his lips. "Be careful not to wake it up, Seiichi will yell at you."

Just as he finished speaking, a low cough came from the side.

Sanada stood there with a stern face, his eyes under the brim of his hat carrying a hint of "too relaxed".

The two immediately shrank back to their positions. Jiro swallowed the cake in his mouth and obediently climbed back over the railing to watch the game. Kirihara scratched the back of his hand and also squatted back on the steps, pretending that nothing had happened.

Yukimura glanced at them sideways but didn't say anything. Luna rolled over in the bag, her little paws resting on the mesh, fast asleep. He reached out and gently touched the tips of her paws through the mesh; the kitten's ears twitched, and a soft purring sound came from within.

A faint smile appeared in his eyes, but he quickly withdrew it and looked back at the arena.

On the court, the fourth set has already begun.

Tezuka started with a powerful flat serve, the ball bouncing very high with strong spin. Atobe stepped back to receive it, deliberately hitting a topspin ball with 20% more spin than normal, the trajectory of which was higher and slower, giving Tezuka more space to hit a "better short ball".

The two engaged in a close battle at the net, exchanging three shots.

On the fourth shot, Tezuka indeed moved to the net, flicked his wrist, and delivered a beautiful zero-style short shot.

After the ball crossed the net, it plummeted downwards and landed close to the ground, stopping about 20 centimeters in front of the net.

Atobe stood two meters in front of the net and did not pursue further.

He simply stood there quietly, looking down at the ball's trajectory. His gaze didn't linger on the ball for long; after it stopped, he raised his eyes slightly, placing them on Tezuka's left arm.

That arm after the game ended...

A very thin muscle on the outside of my elbow twitched. Like the last aftershock of a plucked string.

The changes were subtle, but Atobe captured them precisely.

His icy blue pupils narrowed slightly, and the corners of his mouth twitched almost imperceptibly. It wasn't an attempt to laugh; rather, it was more like a natural reaction after something had been confirmed.

The next few points.

Atobe consciously targeted Tezuka's deep forehand area repeatedly. With each shot, he sent the ball to a spot that required Tezuka to take a large step and fully extend his left arm to reach it.

Tezuka returned the ball every time, but it became increasingly difficult, the spin on his returns weakened, and the traction of his Tezuka Zone diminished. Over the course of several shots, the distance he covered increased, and his left arm's follow-through after each landing was slightly slower.

In the third round, the player returned a short ball to hold serve, but this ball rolled back about 15 centimeters less after landing than before.

The difference was almost imperceptible to the audience.

But in Atobe's pupils, it was as large as a great rift valley.

He stared again at the spot where the ball had stopped, then glanced at Tezuka gently pinching the outside of his left elbow with his right hand. The pinching was very light, as if he had just touched it and then immediately let go.

Atobe withdrew his gaze, gripped his racket, and walked to the baseline.

His palms were a little sweaty, and he wiped them on the handle of the racket.

In the final point of the game... Tezuka's serve was forced back to his forehand deep area by Atobe's aggressive net play. His defense failed, and Tezuka took two steps to return the ball, resulting in a lower quality return and a higher shot.

Atobe jumps.

The Dance of Destruction.

The first smash landed on Tezuka's forehand baseline, and the ball bounced just high enough for a second jump. The second smash was at a steeper angle than usual, with the racket face almost slamming down at an angle.

After the ball landed, it bounced towards the outside of the sideline. When Tezuka reached out to grab it, the racket slipped from his hand.

The ball landed on the court at the same time, bounced twice, and rolled to a stop near the sideline. Tezuka's racket flipped half a circle on the ground, with the racket face up.

The footprints landed on the ground, and they stood upright.

His breathing remained steady, but a drop of sweat slid down his temple and landed on his gray-blue collar, leaving a small dark circle.

Subconsciously, I looked up at Tezuka.

The other person is bending down to pick up their racket.

When he bent over, Tezuka first reached out with his left hand to touch the handle, but halfway through his fingers touching the handle, he switched to his right hand.

really.

The problem with his elbow was more serious than he had anticipated.