in2ebook Chapter 181 The gap between the two teams was so great that it extinguished any thought of resistanc
Chapter 181 The gap between the two teams was so great that it extinguished any thought of resistanc
The press box on the sidelines was also bustling with activity.
Several sports reporters huddled together, flipping through thick booklets. The occasional click of camera shutters mingled with their chatter.
"The net players retreat, and the baseline players don't stick to the baseline but instead push forward. What kind of playing style is this? Moreover, the data doesn't mention that Hyotei has a new formation or a new special move."
"It must be something you've been practicing for the last few months, right? I just asked a professional tennis coach I know, and he said he's seen this formation in professional matches before."
There is no fixed division of labor between the net and the baseline. There are no blind spots in covering, making it much more flexible than the conventional I formation or the Australian formation.
Using this in youth competitions? The risk is too high; one wrong move and it'll be a disaster.
His companion adjusted the recording equipment and whispered, "One formation, two new moves, all impressive stuff! Hyotei truly lives up to their reputation as last year's Kanto runner-up; they seem to have a lot up their sleeves. They haven't shown any of it before; today they're going to test everything on Seigaku."
"That's what I'm talking about~ This... is obviously a combination move. Mukahi is responsible for mobile control, and Taki is responsible for precise finishing. One is fast and the other is stable, perfectly complementing each other."
"Although it's not the highest level of coordination in doubles, it's truly amazing that junior high school students can coordinate like this."
……
Qingxue's rest area.
Qian's pen hovered in mid-air, not falling for a long time. He pushed up his glasses, his eyes behind the lenses filled with shock, forgetting even to record the data.
It took him a long time to find his voice, which was terribly dry.
"A doubles combo move."
"The starting condition is that the opponent lobs a shallow ball. First, use Mukahi's aerial tricks to attract attention, then easily change direction, allowing Taki to finish with a precise landing. The two layers of blocking cover all defensive routes, leaving almost no openings."
Tezuka's usually cold and composed expression cracked. He raised his hand to straighten his slipping glasses and then softly added a sentence to Inui's words.
"Fast start, tricky landing point, and seamless teamwork. We can't withstand this combination attack."
Fuji closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again, his gaze complex. "Indeed. Hyotei's design is ingenious."
"They perfectly combined the strengths of both of them and also took the opponent's psychology into account. Everyone was focused on Mukahi's special moves and ignored Taki behind him. By the time they realized what was happening, it was too late."
Kaidou stared, speechless for a long time. Ryoma Echizen, though unfamiliar with doubles tactics, felt a deep sense of helplessness regarding his seniors' predicament on the court.
"Is this...is this the true strength of Hyotei?"
Kawamura slowly lowered the heavy support flag he was holding high, staring at his teammates on the field, a chill running down his spine.
The three first-year students from Seigaku were completely stunned, forgetting even to cheer them on. They stared at the two Hyotei players on the field, their eyes filled with awe.
Horio squatted on the steps, his face flushed with anxiety: "What do we do? What do we do... If we lose again, it'll be 0-3..."
Katsuro Kato tugged at his sleeve and whispered, "Don't worry... Kikumaru-senpai and the others will definitely have a way..."
Even as he said that, there was a hint of uncertainty in his voice.
……
The discussion was incessant, and the entire audience was filled with amazement.
Hyotei's supporters erupted in deafening cheers, shouting "Hyotei is the winner!" in unison, causing the entire arena to tremble slightly.
After the sun set, he waved to the cheering squad in the stands, his face full of a smug smile.
Takiya slightly curled the corners of his mouth, his eyes filled with a smile.
They had practiced this "Flowing Clouds and Flying Flash Combo Interception" move for a long time in previous training matches, and today they used it for the first time in the game, and the effect was even better than expected.
As he adjusted his stance, Xiang Ri was still a little excited. "That move just now worked! I thought I'd make a mistake using it in actual combat for the first time!"
Taki wiped his sweat, his voice steady yet firm, "The data has been calculated; the success rate is 92%. There will be no mistake."
The atmosphere at Hyotei and Rikkai Universities remained relaxed.
Shishido nodded, saying, "Well done." Ootori, who was preparing towels and water, heard the cheers from the support group and exclaimed, "Taki-senpai, Mukahi-senpai are amazing!"
Jiro, clinging to Marui, clapped his hands in a daze, "Gakuto is so handsome..."
Marui was being rocked and swayed by the little lamb, his eyes wide open, his mouth agape, as he stammered, "I...I'll go..."
"This teamwork...it's almost as good as my genius and Jack's perfect partnership!"
"So strong..." Kirihara excitedly grabbed Kabaji's arm, his voice trembling slightly. "Taki-senpai's move is amazing too! The two of us together couldn't possibly defend against it!"
Kabaji let him pull him along, his eyes fixed on the upperclassmen on the field, and mumbled, "Yes, Hyotei is very strong."
Liu pressed the timer several times in a row, then opened his eyes completely, his tone filled with deep surprise.
"A two-person coordinated combo attack can be initiated in less than 2 seconds and the landing point error is no more than 5 centimeters."
"By shifting the visual focus to create openings, the two layers of blocking completely cover the entire defensive area. According to existing data, this tactic has a near 100% success rate in junior doubles."
Yukimura looked at the field, his admiration impossible to hide.
He carefully put away Luna's baby bottle, his movements a beat slower, and softly murmured the name, a slight smile playing on his lips, "Flowing Clouds and Flying Flashes... Ling's creativity never disappoints."
Sanada's expression remained serious, and he nodded readily, but his tone was somewhat solemn, "Even our Rikkai doubles team would have a hard time responding to this combination."
"Hyotei's previous doubles difficulties now seem to have been completely overcome, and they are even stronger than we expected."
He paused here, then turned to Yukimura and said more solemnly, "Captain! What Mochizuki Ryo said during the training camp was right. Doubles is not just the responsibility of the fixed pair; the rest of our team members cannot lag behind."
"As the vice minister, I can't stand idly by. I'll continue practicing doubles when I get back to school."
Yukimura looked directly into his earnest eyes beneath the brim of his hat, his blue-purple eyes reflecting genuine agreement and surprise at the change in his childhood friend.
"Genichiro, I've always believed you could do it."
Niou looked somewhat puzzled upon hearing Sanada's words, but he didn't tease him. Instead, he put away his playful expression and became much more serious.
"I originally thought Hyotei's only strong doubles pair was Oshitari and Mukahi. Now it seems that the temporary combination is just as good. It looks like Hyotei's overall strength has increased by more than one level compared to before."
"We need to be more careful when we encounter them later. We can't underestimate them."
"really."
Yagyu adjusted his glasses, nodded, and his gaze fell on the coach's bench not far away. "This formation and combination of techniques on the court is almost the nemesis of traditional doubles. If they use this move on us, it will be really hard to counter."
"I need to find time to practice my defense."
"Besides that, we don't know if Mochizuki Ryou has any other new tricks up her sleeve, which is really a bit of a headache."
Luna, wearing a little straw hat, sat obediently in Yukimura's lap, listening to the discussions of the two-legged creatures around her and watching the scene, her little tail swishing back and forth.
It seemed to understand their conversation, and responded with a soft, meowing sound.
……
The first half of the game is on the field for Seigaku.
Kikumaru and Momoshiro stood there, watching the tennis ball rolling on the ground, speechless for a long time. Just now, one of them was at the baseline and the other at the net, their attention completely drawn to Mukahi's afterimage.
I only felt a blur before my eyes, and the points were gone.
The two looked at each other and saw helplessness in each other's eyes.
This kind of skillful domination is more painful than losing points.
"What...what was that just now..." Kikumaru muttered to himself, his voice a little hoarse.
Momoshiro swallowed hard and gripped his racket tightly. A heavy feeling settled over him; his prized strength seemed like a joke in the face of his opponent's precise teamwork.
How can we break this deadlock?!
"Don't panic." Kikumaru took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. "It's just one move, right? We can definitely handle it! Just be careful on the next ball!"
"Yes!" Momoshiro suppressed his timidity and nodded emphatically.
Next, Seigaku served their final point.
They tried their best to hold their serve.
Kikumaru was exhausted and dizzy from the afterimage of Mukahi, so he couldn't even judge the basic trajectory of the ball. He made one mistake after another, and his returns were either too light or landed off-target.
Fortunately, Momoshiro, who was physically fit in the backcourt, came to the rescue.
But returning to Taocheng is not easy each time.
Taki's shots became increasingly tricky, with increasingly sharp angles, forcing him to run back and forth and expending a lot of energy. Moreover, he couldn't figure out Taki's playing patterns at all, and his predictions were always wrong, making the game very frustrating.
They could only rely on their extraordinary willpower to persevere.
Both of their faces were etched with exhaustion and helplessness.
The gap between the two teams is too large.
It was so overwhelming that it spurred no thought of resistance.
……
The atmosphere in the Seigaku rest area was as oppressive as if it were frozen.
Inui stared at the data, silent. Tezuka and Fuji stood by the railing, their expressions grave. Echizen looked at the Hyotei coaching bench across the court, lost in thought. Kawamura and Kaidou also watched the game intently, their breathing unconsciously becoming lighter, even more tense than those on the court.
They could all see that Seigaku was likely to lose this doubles match.
And it was a crushing defeat.
The three first-year students from Seigaku huddled together, clinging to the railing and whispering amongst themselves.
"Kikumaru-senpai seems very tired," Katsuro said softly, his fingertips digging into the gaps in the railing.
Katsuo nodded in agreement, "The Hyotei team is so strong, they've been dominating us in every game."
Although Horio Satoshi had absolutely no confidence, he still pretended to know a lot, puffing out his chest and saying, "This... this is only the third game, Seigaku can definitely catch up! Kikumaru-senpai hasn't even used his special shot yet..."
Hearing the whispers behind him, Long Qijin sighed, his brows furrowed, at a loss for what to do.
The opposing team's strength and tactics are too mature; facing their temporary combination is a complete game of cat and mouse.
If their golden duo were on the court, there might still be a chance to turn the tide... Now...
ah~
Just then, a voice familiar to everyone at Seigaku came from the west entrance of the stands.
"Eiji! Momo! Do your best!"