Jean couldn't quite read the junior high player from the Japan Team anymore. The kid had just shown insane speed, yet the weight behind that last shot—if Jean hadn't released his grip in time, his wrist might've been injured.
The second game was Chris's serve. Standing at the baseline with a grim expression, he locked his eyes on the first-year opponent bouncing on the other side. After just one game, he already understood that this boy possessed monstrous power and an unpredictable style.
The umpire urged him to serve. Chris tossed the ball and hit a solid high-speed serve. Both he and Captain Jean excelled in defense; their offensive play was relatively weak.
Meanwhile, inside a small cottage beside the stadium, Noah was arranging chess pieces on a table in the garden. The broadcast of the match reached his ears, making him pause slightly. The two players representing Japan were clearly different from the ones he had predicted.
"Where did it go wrong? Even if Japan sent two offensive players, with Captain Jean and Chris's iron defense, there's no way they wouldn't stop even one shot! That means... someone's challenging me directly," Noah muttered, his unfocused pupils reflecting the pieces in his hand.
Noah Dorgias.
In the player hall, Akashi watched the screen. A faint glint flashed in his eyes as he murmured softly, "Tactics definitely matter, but in the end, what decides a match is pure strength. Even if they beat England through strategy—so what?"
On court, Jean and Chris finally demonstrated their so-called iron defense. Through perfect coordination, they managed to block Kintarō's attacks again and again. After one game, they had roughly gauged his strength and were starting to adapt.
Jean stepped forward as Kintarō's shot came blasting back, lowering his center of gravity. Gripping his racket with both hands, he met the ball head-on, returning a fierce down-the-line drive.
The next instant, a blur of afterimages streaked behind Shiraishi as he appeared before the ball. The phantom of Tanegashima flickered across his body, and his left hand led his racket into a sharp backhand slice.
The ball's power dropped sharply, and the spin from his racket gave it a wicked curve. It zipped over the net—Chris rushed up to intercept, only to freeze in shock as the ball vanished from sight.
A split second later, the sound of a bounce came from the baseline behind them. Jean and Chris turned just in time to see the tennis ball slowly rolling outside the court. Both stood frozen, unable to react.
"Kamikakushi!"
"0–15!"
"Oh? So that was Chitose's Kamikakushi, huh? Looks like the Shiraishi who's evolved into the Star Bible no longer confines himself to ordinary tennis," Tanegashima said with a grin as he watched the screen.
"Tennis techniques exist to maximize a player's five-dimensional attributes! Shiraishi's Star Bible can push one attribute to its peak temporarily, so of course he needs to combine it with various skills to bring out its full potential," Mitsuya said, tablet in hand as he recorded data.
Chris quickly snapped out of his daze. Returning to the baseline, he fired another high-speed serve straight toward Kintarō's left corner. But with one leap, Kintarō sent it right back.
Across the net, Jean and Chris switched to a modified Australian Formation. Their positions overlapped as they charged forward together. Seeing Kintarō's return, Jean didn't hesitate—he swung hard to intercept. Behind him, Chris mirrored his movement, both rackets striking in unison to return the ball.
Shiraishi instantly dashed to the net, gripping his racket with both hands. The phantom of a demon flashed behind him as he unleashed a powerful black axe strike. The ball, wrapped in a dark glow, blasted straight toward the opponent's half.
Jean and Chris moved as one, both performing a simultaneous counter-swing. The ball pounded violently against Jean's racket, but despite the impact, their combined defense held. The ball rebounded right back.
Shiraishi shifted quickly to intercept but didn't have time to adjust his attributes. The impact of the shot made his brow furrow—he could only respond with a forced high lob.
Jean and Chris jumped together, but just as they rose, Jean suddenly ducked. Behind him, Chris smashed the incoming ball with full force. The tennis ball turned into a streak of light, flying over Jean's head and piercing straight through the opposite court before bouncing out of bounds.
"15–15!"
"What the heck~ I thought you could handle it by yourself, Shiraishi!" Kintarō shouted in frustration. He had purposely stayed in the backcourt since Shiraishi said it was doubles, but now the ball had slipped past.
"My bad, Kintarō! That one's on me. The next ball's all yours!" Shiraishi said helplessly.
"No problem! Just watch me!" Kintarō grinned wide, full of confidence.
"Looks like Tōyama-kun still hasn't grasped the concept of doubles," Yukimura chuckled from the player seats, shaking his head. It was clear that, to Kintarō, doubles simply meant taking turns charging forward to attack.
"Maybe that kind of thinking is also its own form of doubles' secret art," Oni suddenly said in a cryptic tone. He had heard from Akashi that the person who first taught Kintarō tennis was a respected world champion in doubles.
On the court, Chris served again. Shiraishi flashed to the landing point and instantly returned the ball. A faint image of Kintarō flickered across his body. The next moment, a strange scene appeared—their playing styles suddenly synchronized.
Jean and Chris were completely confused. Kintarō's strokes were wild and unpredictable, while Shiraishi's play seemed beyond comprehension. The boy had no weaknesses—speed, power, technique, all flawless.
Under Shiraishi's coordination, Jean and Chris felt like their eyes couldn't keep up. But before they could adjust, Kintarō suddenly began spinning rapidly in place. A massive tornado started forming around him.
Chris's return was pulled into the swirling wind, sucked high into the sky until it nearly vanished from sight. Then Kintarō burst out from the tornado's center, flipping in midair as he swung down with all his might.
"Watch this! Super Ultimate Great Delicious Mountain Storm!!" Kintarō shouted excitedly, legs spread wide in midair.
The court was engulfed in blazing red light. The tennis ball became a massive shockwave that slammed into Jean and Chris's side. Both froze for an instant, then clenched their teeth and swung hard to meet it head-on.
A thunderous explosion echoed across the court. Dust and debris filled the air, blocking the audience's view. Two rackets spun out from the smoke and landed with a thud. When the dust cleared, Jean and Chris stood inside the court, clutching their wrists in pain, grim-faced.
"15–30!"
Kintarō landed with a triumphant grin, but his body suddenly burst into dazzling blue light. His red hair spiked upward, glowing as countless azure particles swirled around him.
"Ten'i Muhō no Kiwami!"
Jean's pupils constricted sharply. Chris, still bewildered, looked at Kintarō in confusion, not understanding what was happening—until his captain forced out the words, one by one.
"Light... of... Pride!"
Even Noah Dorgias, watching from the player seats, was stunned. Of course, he knew exactly what the Light of Pride was. But the junior high player who'd mastered it wasn't even supposed to be playing today. So what on earth was going on?!