Chapter 130 Tennis 18
The huge Hyotei Tennis Court was completely silent; even the sound of breathing could be heard clearly. It seemed as if time had stopped at that moment.
The silence was finally broken by the girls from the Ice Emperor Women's Network, who started cheering loudly.
"That's awesome, Kurikawa-san is awesome!!!"
"4 aces, 100% first serve success rate, who else can do that?!"
"Goddess, I will follow you forever!"
The girls' appreciation for each other was genuine and enthusiastic, and their cheers echoed throughout the venue.
Kurikawa Sana touched the back of her head a little embarrassedly, and her face couldn't help but blush.
Overrated, overrated...
Only she herself knows that this is all thanks to the god-level props in the system mall, and strictly speaking, it is not her own ability.
For three worlds, she has possessed O'Neal's invincible power, Leon's unstoppable reach and Federer's gorgeous and comprehensive skills. No matter who she plays against, she will be able to achieve a dimensionality reduction attack.
Although it's embarrassing, this trick has a high chance of success.
Just now, Kurikawa Sana heard the notification sound of [Atobe Keigo, Favorability +8].
Yuushi Oshitari still keeps his heart closed, and his favorability value cannot be heard, but if he could hear it, it would probably increase.
Because when the four serves were finished, Kurikawa Sana met his eyes and clearly saw surprise and astonishment in the other's eyes.
Unlike the girls' cheers of surprise and excitement, the boys were completely shocked, with astonishment written all over their faces.
The first game was won just like that?
Everything happened as fast as a firework exploding, fleeting, and it was impossible to capture it easily with dynamic vision without careful observation.
The numbers displayed on the screen of the speed measuring instrument next to the Hyotei tennis court are so high that it is almost hard to believe your eyes - Kurikawa Sana's serve is as fast as 200 kilometers per hour.
What does a 200 km/h serve mean? That's the speed that top-ranked players in professional tournaments like Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Australian Open can only achieve when they're in top form.
Even more terrifying was the fact that, despite such a high speed, Kurikawa Sana was able to maintain such precise control of the ball, scoring every time she served it within bounds, without the need for a double serve. Furthermore, each of her serves landed at a different angle, making it impossible to even touch the ball.
"Can you receive that?" An ordinary member of the Hyotei men's tennis club, recovering from his shock, asked the person next to him blankly, "I don't think I could receive a serve like that even if I played for another ten years."
"Are you kidding me? How can I possibly catch a ball that even a regular starter like Mukai couldn't catch? And the speed of this ball is faster than even Hou Chotaro's soul-piercing shot!"
"If this continues...will the Hyotei men's tennis club really be swept?"
"Don't worry! Maybe she's only good at serving!"
The girl at the center of the discussion was still standing on the court, still holding her pink tennis racket obediently, looking harmless.
But this girl who looks so delicate, slender and beautiful can serve with such terrifying power and speed that the visual effect is quite shocking.
Standing across from her, Taketo Mukai was feeling quite restless. He was half asleep, dreaming back to the day he first enrolled at Hyotei, when Atobe Keigo challenged all of them.
But even then, he could still receive Atobe's serve, not like now.
...How on earth did this guy manage to hit a serve like that?!
"Watch this!" Xiangri Yueren shouted in a low voice. The second game was his serving game. He chose to serve and volley, and quickly occupied a favorable position after serving.
Sana Kurikawa returned the ball with a forehand, hitting it toward the baseline behind him.
"Too naive!" The red-haired boy curled his lips into a smile, and jumped high into the air on the spot, catching the ball without having to retreat back to the baseline.
It is no exaggeration to say that the height that Taketo Mukai jumped was as high as a building. The boy's figure even overlapped with the setting sun behind him, showing off his prowess.
Kurikawa Sana: "..."
ah?
Was she seeing things right? Was this really a height a normal person could jump to?!
It turns out that everyone in this tennis world has unique skills. If Xiangri-kun were to play volleyball, I can’t imagine how popular he would be.
With a "bang", the ball hit Kurikawa Sana's court, announcing that Taketo Mukai had scored.
"Score!!!"
"It appears, flip and intercept Murihiro-senpai's moon!"
"As expected of Mukai-senpai! A master of acrobatics who dances magnificently in the air!!"
But on the next ball, Kurikawa Sana discovered that although he could have caught the ball directly on the ground, Mukaito would jump high and stand upside down in the air to return the ball.
Kurikawa Sana: "?"
Huh? Wouldn't that drain my energy? Why jump upside down and do a 180-degree handstand to catch a ball I could easily catch with a single attack?
Moreover, this is a singles match, and there are no teammates to help make up for the shortcomings. Xiangri-kun's feet are off the ground, so the opponent just needs to aim at his feet and there will be no solution.
Kurikawa Sana hesitated for a moment, then won another game with four super powerful returns.
“………”
The whole audience fell silent again.
Even when it was the opponent's serving game, Kurikawa Sana only used two balls to score each time.
"Amazing! Such comprehensive skills. Even the return is flawless..."
"Mukai's moon flip volley is impressive, but if it doesn't score, isn't it meaningless?"
"Isn't Kurikawa's forehand return too strong? It's simply unstoppable!"
Hyotei men's tennis coach Taro Sakaki took his seat in the courtside booth. His usually calm expression flashed with unprecedented excitement, a look of admiration for the player's boundless potential. "If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I couldn't have imagined seeing such perfect and comprehensive skills in a junior high school student."
"Coach Sakaki, you're here!"
"Coach, Kurikawa is incredible! This is the first time I've seen such a strong tennis player without any fancy or special skills!"
"That's right. Every time he returns the ball, it looks so ordinary, but no one can catch it. He's so strong!"
Sakaki Taro: "......"
Is there a possibility that this is what normal tennis should be like?
"So, her playing style is a bit like Oshitari and that 'tennis bible' Shiraishi Kuranosuke from Shitenhoji Temple in Osaka?"
Hearing this, Atobe Keigo glanced at the member who said this.
Sakaki Taro folded his arms and pondered, "From a professional coach's perspective, this girl's strength, speed, and technique have completely surpassed what a junior high school student should be capable of. She's on par with professional athletes, regardless of gender."
"What?!!"
“Such a high evaluation…”
The members looked at each other, their jaws dropping in shock.
"Her serve and forehand are her most powerful weapons. Her backhand, net movement, and footwork are flawless. Her mentality is calm and focused, and her tactical awareness and control of rhythm are impeccable. She is so strong that I feel like she is a seasoned professional player standing on the court, not just a middle school girl."
Sakaki Taro pondered and continued, "Also, didn't you notice? It only took her one ball to find Xianghi's weakness. From then on, her ball landed precisely at Xianghi's feet, leaving him unable to counterattack even when he was jumping in the air. In this respect, she is very similar to Atobe. With her sharp and accurate perception, she can always seize the opponent's weakness at the fastest speed."
Hearing this, Atobe Keigo paused.
The boy's frown relaxed a little.
Inside the field, Taketo Mukai's face was not looking very good, but it was not because of the consecutive losses, but for other reasons.
"On the last ball, why didn't you continue to aim at my feet?"
Kurikawa Sana: “Hmm?”
Mukai Taketo tightened his grip on the racket. "You've clearly discovered my weakness, so why didn't you continue?"
Are you looking down on him?!
Hearing this, Kurikawa Sana showed a look of hesitation and couldn't help but ask him, "I'm also curious. Xiangri-kun knows that returning the ball in the air is not only a huge drain on your physical strength, but also gives your opponent a chance to target your feet when you land. Why does Xiangri-kun still insist on doing acrobatic shots?"
Mukaihitaketo's face changed repeatedly, and finally stayed in a shade of red.
The boy gritted his teeth and clenched his fists tightly, "I just like jumping high, so what?"
Mukaitake likes apex.
Since the first grade, he has liked to climb to the water tank at the highest point of the Hyotei campus at sunset in the evening, overlooking the sunset of Hyotei with Yuushi Oshitari and taking in the scenery from the top.
Yushi is also a guy who likes Apex, so he and Yushi can get along well and form a tacit doubles team.
It's not like no one has pointed out before that his tennis is flashy. He uses unnecessary, redundant, and meaningless jumping movements on balls that he could have just returned cleanly and directly.
When Mukaito answers that he just likes to jump high, others will become even more confused and ask him why he doesn't try acrobatics or gymnastics, which would allow him to jump higher.
No matter what others say, Xiangriyueren will not pay any attention.
He just loves tennis, he just loves jumping high, he just loves the combination of the two more than anything else, so what?
He will stick to what he likes, even if no one understands.
…
Mukai Taketo gripped the racket even tighter and stared at the black-haired girl across the net.
How would she react?
I'm afraid she'll be the same as everyone else. She can play such clean and powerful tennis, so she definitely can't understand him.
But unexpectedly, after hearing his answer, Taketo Mukai clearly saw that the expression of the girl on the other side of the net changed from a brief surprise to a smile.
That smile was like thousands of pear trees in bloom, as if everything around was instantly lit up.
"I see. I see." Kurikawa Sana smiled so much that her eyes curved like sweet blue crescents. "That's great. I like jumping high, too."
After saying this, the girl attempted a leap from the spot, her movements graceful and nimble. Her reach was also quite impressive, easily reaching over 340cm.
"Hi-kun can jump much higher than me, and he can even do some mid-air moves. He's really amazing."
Kurikawa Sana said with a smile.
What Xiangri Yueren had just said brought back beautiful memories of the last world - volleyball is a sport that strives for heights and looks upwards, always look up and never give up.
Yeah, what's wrong with liking to jump high?
She should not be bound by the traditional rule that she must win. Kurikawa Sana felt ashamed for a moment, thinking that she was narrow-minded.
When Taketo Mukai shouted "I just like to jump high", Kurikawa Sana seemed to see a flash of dazzling orange hair, the boy's bright and passionate smile, and the image of the hard floor helping him soar into the sky.
Just like his name, like a sun.
——She could understand Taketo Mukai.
The essence of sports is passion. As long as you like it, nothing is impossible.
…
Mukai Taketo was also stunned.
……What?
Xiang Riyueren had already heard that after he lost two games in a row despite being the starting player, the ordinary players watching outside had expressed dissatisfaction, questioning his special shots, which were flashy and meaningless because they could not score points.
But she said - that's great.
She didn't try to persuade him to give up his tedious and meaningless actions, nor did she look at him with incomprehension like the others. She simply agreed out of pure curiosity.
Mukaito lowered his eyes, his red hair covering the color of his face.
And this guy's smile is too foul, isn't it?!
But no matter what...
He became more determined about the path he wanted to take.
When he raised his head again, Xiangri Taketo's expression became firm and serious, no longer confused.
A smile played at the corner of his mouth, his red hair shining brightly like the setting sun behind him. "It's your serve now, don't let up! Go all out!"
Give it your all and don't slack off.
Kurikawa Sana also smiled. From Mukai Taketo's smile, which was completely different from the initial one, as well as the expressions and reactions of the people outside the venue, she could clearly feel that she was recognized.
She also felt the boy's love for tennis from his sincere and enthusiastic returns one after another - it was the same love that the boys in the previous world had for volleyball.
Keigo Atobe, who saw all of this from the sidelines, curled his lips. With his insight far exceeding that of others, he immediately noticed that Taketo Mukai was different from before.
This guy, did he defeat his teammates in just one game?
Not only did she conquer the other person with her strength, she also empathized with the other person's most concerned issues in an instant. This proved that she was a very outstanding and kind person, as if she was completely different from the one he had seen before, who was only beautiful but without substance.
Can a person really change so much in such a short period of time?
Atobe Keigo's eyes were deep, and his gaze was fixed on her, not missing a single detail.
"Well then, I'm going to start my attack, Mukai-kun."
Kurikawa Sana threw the ball high up, her body was like a fully drawn bow, with smooth lines and full of explosive power.
She stretched her abdomen, bent her knees and thrust her hips, used the twisting power of her waist and hips to push off the ground with her feet, swung her arms inward, and tightened her core—every second of her movements were as standard and perfect as a textbook.
The moment the girl swung her racket, it was like a warrior drawing a sword from its scabbard. As it landed steadily on the ground, there was the sound of her serve slamming into the opponent's court, and the referee said "15-0".
[Atobe Keigo, Favorability +5. ]
“40-0!”
…
"GAME KURIKAWA! The score is 6-0, Kurikawa Sana wins!"
The evening breeze ruffled the girl's long, smooth black hair. She looked towards the main selection seat and smiled slightly, "I still want to continue the challenge."
[Atobe Keigo, Favorability +3. ]
“……!!”
"A bit arrogant... but so handsome, Kurikawa-san!"
"Who will be the next one to appear?!"
Amidst the clamor, Hyotei's second-year draft pick, Hijiro, stepped onto the court. The boy with short, shaggy brown hair had narrow eyes filled with the excitement of wanting to overtake his superiors. "Senior, please give me your guidance."
Kurikawa Sana still had a gentle smile on her face, "Okay."
…
Ten minutes later.
"GAME KURIKAWA! The score is 6-0, Kurikawa Sana wins!"
The young man on the field was panting, with beads of sweat sliding down his forehead and jaw.
Through his vision, which was shrouded in sweat and heat, Hiyoshiwaka's excited and sharp eyes were still fixed on the black-haired girl on the other side of the net. "Kurikawa-san, given time, I will definitely complete this underdog victory over you!"
Kurikawa Sana: "!!!"
Wait, why does this line sound so weird?
Shishido Ryo's expression was resolute and serious as he replaced Hiyoshi Wakaba on the court. "It's my turn next!"
Houchotaro's face flushed slightly, and embarrassment was written all over his handsome face. "I'm really sorry for the momentary misunderstanding I had with you before... You're really good at tennis, and I want to challenge you too!"
Kurikawa Sana continued to put on a gentle and beautiful smile: "Okay, it's my honor."
Atobe Keigo, who was watching her humanoid smile, said: "…"
Yuushi Ozawa who was also watching this scene: "..."
She looked like a human-machine stuck in a loop.
Twenty minutes later.
"GAME KURIKAWA! The score is 6-0, Kurikawa Sana wins!"
At this moment, the referee on the sidelines couldn't help but feel as if he was also a human-machine that had entered a loop.
He could hardly remember how many times he had announced Kurikawa Sana's victory, and the score was always 6 to 0.
In the match between Shishido Ryo and Houchotaro and Kurikawa Sana, Kurikawa Sana still won.
"As expected of Kurikawa-senpai...you're truly strong!" Hou Chotaro panted slightly, his face turning even redder for some reason. "I'll work hard to catch up with you!"
"Ha... a real man should admit defeat. I admit you're the better one." Shishido Ryo was also panting, his brown-black eyes staring at Kurikawa Sana with startling brightness. "But I won't stop here."
Kurikawa Sana still smiled gently and beautifully: "Thank you, thank you everyone."
Atobe Keigo: “…”
Yuushi Oshizuka couldn't help but lower his head and raise his fist to cover his mouth, his shoulders were shaking slightly from laughing.
The outside of the stadium was once again plunged into a commotion—
"Eh? In that case, Kurikawa-san has won all four of the regular matches against Mukai, Hiyoshi, Shishido, and Feng!"
"And the scores were all 6-0. She didn't even take a break in the middle of the match, and challenged four games in a row!"
"Is it true that no regular candidate can defeat her? Will she really be swept?"
"Don't worry, there are still Jiro-senpai, Oshitari-senpai and Karaji who haven't come yet! Besides, there is also Captain Atobe-"
The Akutagawa Jiro they were talking about was already eager to try. As one of the strongest singles players among the third graders, his biggest characteristic was that he loved to sleep and could fall asleep no matter where he was.
He had been asleep for a long time, until Kurikawa Sana displayed her amazing skills, and the deafening cheers from the audience finally woke him up. Upon waking, Akutagawa Jiro saw the black-haired girl leap high and smash the ball into the net.
"I want to fight, I want to fight! Let me fight her!" Akutagawa Jiro excitedly rubbed his light brown, soft, fluffy hair like a sheep, and smiled brightly. "I haven't seen such a strong guy in a long time. I'm really looking forward to it!"
"Great, Senior Jilang is awake!"
"Go on, Jilang-senpai—"
Akutagawa Jiro chuckled and was about to go on stage when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
He turned around in confusion, but was surprised to see that the person blocking him was... Atobe? !
"Jiro, please step aside first." A swaggering smile appeared on Atobe Keigo's face. "I'm here in person."
I can hardly suppress the urge to compete with her.
As soon as these words were spoken, they caused an instant uproar.
“!!!”
"Am I seeing things right? Minister Atobe has come out in person!"
"There's going to be some fun to watch next!"
Even Kurikawa Sana on the field was quite surprised. She didn't expect Atobe to come on the field so soon.
But her muscle memory made her subconsciously want to show the same gentle smile as before: "Then please point more..."
Atobe Keigo: "Stop, don't try to use that trick on me, show your true self."
Kurikawa Sana: "..."
She just likes to smile gently, so what!
Atobe Keigo walked into the field with a powerful aura. He lifted up Hyotei's coat and threw it behind him. Karaji Takahiro skillfully caught the coat for him.
As Atobe Keigo entered the arena, the entire audience cheered like waves that seemed to drown out the entire school!!!
"Atobe! Atobe! Atobe!"
"The winner is Atobe! The winner is Atobe—"
Amidst the cheers, Atobe Keigo curled up the corners of his mouth and raised his chin arrogantly.
He raised his hand high and snapped his fingers crisply and powerfully.
"Immerse yourself in my magnificent beauty!"
As if they were already used to this, the scene suddenly erupted in even louder cheers!
“………”
Kurikawa Sana's mouth slowly opened into an O shape.
Chuunibana is a disease, it needs to be cured, Atobe-kun!!!
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