"Edgard-senpai! We can't afford to lose another game. If we can take the next three straight, even if they win one more on serve, they still won't clinch the match!" Jonathan spoke quickly, calculating the score in his head as his tone grew tense.
"Damn it! Who would've thought the Japan Team would be this tough?!" Edgard's brows furrowed tightly, frustration boiling inside him with nowhere to go.
Although it looked like the French duo had been pushed to the brink, Niō's situation wasn't much better either. Kaji could barely return serves now, which meant if they wanted to win, Niō would have to fight both opponents alone.
I didn't think the match would turn out like this… Should I change form? No… let's see if I can find an opening using Tezuka's domain first. 'Tezuka' thought silently as he stood at the backcourt.
The eighth game began with Edgard serving. He walked to the baseline without hesitation, tossed the ball high, and his racket moved in a sharp arc through the air. When the sound of the strike rang out, the ball transformed into a saber-toothed tiger, lunging toward Kaji's left side.
Even though Kaji was completely drained, he still forced himself to reach the drop point, gripping his racket with both hands and gritting his teeth as he returned the ball. However, the force of the shot sent his racket flying from his hands.
Seeing this, 'Tezuka's' body flared with a seven-colored light that quickly gathered around his legs. Sure enough, Jonathan intercepted Kaji's return at the net and immediately dropped a soft shot.
But 'Tezuka,' moving like Kaji himself, left streaks of afterimages behind as he sprinted forward. At the last moment, he scooped the ball up with perfect timing, sending it high into the air.
Edgard looked up at the ball, realizing he couldn't smash it, and quickly retreated to the baseline. As the ball began to fall, he swung his racket with precision, striking it before it touched the ground.
"This shot won't bounce after landing, right? Too bad for you—I remember that exhibition match against Germany very well!" Edgard said confidently, a triumphant smile forming on his face.
But the moment he finished speaking, his smile froze. A massive white whirlwind rose around the 'Tezuka' across from him, and his return—rather than morphing into anything—curved sharply through the air and flew straight out of bounds.
"Ultimate Zone!"
"Out! 0–15!"
"I doubt you'll score with a Zero Shiki lob. Focus everything you've got, France Team," 'Tezuka' said calmly after scoring, his expression unchanged, his tone steady as ever.
Then, as his words faded, a brilliant azure radiance burst forth from his body. His hair fluttered as countless blue particles swirled around him.
"Ten'i Muhō no Kiwami!"
When 'Tezuka' entered the state of Ten'i Muhō, the crowd barely reacted—by now, they were used to seeing Japan Team players achieve this form. Only Camus, sitting on the French bench, frowned slightly.
"Since Echizen Ryōma earlier, I've felt something off. And now it's even stronger. If I'm not mistaken, your Light of Pride lacks love… Niō Masaharu!" Camus said, his gaze fixed sharply on the player before him, each word heavy.
"Oh my~ Looks like Niō-kun still hasn't fully awakened his Ten'i Muhō. By the way, my own awakening was thanks to his inspiration," Irie said quietly from the Japan bench, eyes gleaming with insight.
"Heh~ Whether it's you or Niō, neither of you sees tennis as your everything. The same goes for me. The path of Ten'i Muhō isn't meant for people like us," Atobe replied with a faint smirk after hearing Irie's words.
Back on court, Edgard served again—but this time, he didn't use Art Tennis, only a standard high-speed serve. Kaji secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
So that's it. Looks like your Art Tennis isn't something you can use without limits, thought 'Tezuka,' quickly noticing the detail and forming a plan in his mind.
Right after serving, Edgard charged toward the net. He knew how troublesome 'Tezuka's' Ultimate Zone was—after all, even QP had been completely suppressed by it. He couldn't afford a single moment of carelessness.
As Jonathan returned the ball, the white whirlwind around 'Tezuka' rose again. The ball spun violently with double rotation, flying toward the French side. But this time, Edgard was already in position at the net.
He swung his racket in a powerful cross motion, smashing at the incoming ball with full strength. The next instant, the tennis ball transformed into a massive horizontal tornado that surged across the court. Unlike before, it didn't show any sign of flying out of bounds after crossing the net.
'Tezuka' reacted instantly—the white tornado surrounding him vanished, replaced by a gigantic vortex that covered the entire half of his court. The tornado-ball was sucked into the swirling storm and dragged right in front of him.
But just as 'Tezuka' swung to counterattack, his expression stiffened. The ball was pounding against his racket with explosive force, and the impact threw him off balance. His grip failed, and his racket flew from his hands as the ball shot past and out of bounds.
"15–15!"
"Even after neutralizing the reverse spin, the ball still carried that much force?" 'Tezuka' muttered as he picked up his racket, his face tense for the first time.
While 'Tezuka' was still surprised by the power of that shot, Akashi's eyes gleamed sharply from the sidelines. His Emperor Eye had just caught a fleeting, subtle movement in Edgard's shoulder.
So that's what it is... incredible. Still, poor Tezuka—every critical match ends up like this for him. Even Niō, disguised as Tezuka, can't seem to escape that fate, Akashi thought, speechless.
From what his Emperor Eye observed, Edgard's last return had placed tremendous strain on his shoulder. At the same time, Niō's use of the Ultimate Zone was also burdening his arm, though not to the same extent.
After all, Niō wasn't Tezuka. The real Tezuka could handle the Ultimate Zone without injury, but Niō couldn't. At this point, it was clear that both sides were about to enter a battle of sheer willpower—and that was exactly what Akashi found so ironic.
While Akashi mused to himself, Edgard and 'Tezuka' were already locked in an intense rally. Edgard didn't bother with any artistic variations; he kept striking with powerful horizontal tornado shots. Around 'Tezuka,' massive white whirlwinds continued to rise again and again.
The scene on the court was breathtaking. Though not as overwhelming as Polke's Infinite Tornado from the original series, for the spectators present, it was a rare and spectacular sight.
After losing his grip earlier, 'Tezuka' had become hyper-alert. He couldn't score this time, but at least he managed to block Edgard's assault. What he didn't notice, however, was the faint numbness spreading through his left hand.
After four or five exchanges, Edgard's eyes hardened. The next moment, his return transformed into an immense horizontal tornado surrounded by countless flashes of lightning. It was a supercell tornado—an evolved form, born from a super thunderstorm—and Edgard had somehow drawn it into existence.
The supercell tore through the Ultimate Zone's vortex with unstoppable force, ripping through the white storm like paper. In 'Tezuka's' stunned gaze, the ball struck the right baseline, then bounced out of bounds.
"30–15!"
For the rest of the game, Edgard kept using that same move, completely breaking through 'Tezuka's' Ultimate Zone. With Jonathan now freed from its suppression, their coordination flowed seamlessly, pushing 'Tezuka' into a steady decline.
"40–15!"
"Game, France! 5–3!"
"Puri~ Looks like my illusion's still a bit behind the real Tezuka after all~" Niō sighed, his form returning to normal as he stood at the backcourt.