"Things aren't looking good for Rikkai Dai."
Seeing Yanagi being overwhelmed, Momoshiro exclaimed in surprise, "Even though they're both national-level players, Yanagi is getting completely dominated by Atobe?"
"National-level players have their differences in strength," Inui replied after a moment of thought, shaking his head. "Besides, Yanagi is a data tennis player. Without accurate data on Atobe, he won't launch a full-scale attack."
As a fellow data tennis player and someone who knew Yanagi well, Inui understood that his friend hadn't yet revealed his true strength.
Of course, Atobe's dominance couldn't be ignored either.
Inui had also noticed that Atobe's current state was completely different from last week. His carefree and unrestrained style made it seem like he was a completely different person.
*Thud!*
Soon, Yanagi served again.
This time, he was more cautious. He repeatedly used powerful topspin shots, aiming for deep placements to keep Atobe pinned near the baseline.
Seizing this opportunity, Yanagi's mind raced.
He continuously recorded Atobe's reactions while adjusting his own strategy, trying to gain the upper hand.
*Thud!*
However, Atobe's returns were too strong.
He showed no intention of approaching the net, instead engaging Yanagi in a baseline rally. His precise placements and sharp angles gradually wore Yanagi down.
*Smack!*
Suddenly, Yanagi made a slight mistake, which Atobe immediately capitalized on. Atobe seized the moment to drop a short shot, and when Yanagi rushed to the net, Atobe fired a sharp passing shot to win the point.
"0-30!"
"Atobe…"
On Rikkai Dai's side, Kirihara felt a chill run down his spine.
During training, Yanagi had always dominated him effortlessly. But now, in a direct confrontation, Yanagi was losing points to Atobe one after another.
Watching the elegant and confident captain of Hyotei, Kirihara couldn't help but feel a sense of dread.
Only now did he realize how foolish he had been a few days ago, thinking he could compete with such a formidable opponent.
*Thud! Thud! Thud!*
The match continued.
Although both players displayed exceptional control, reflexes, speed, and power, it was clear to everyone that Yanagi was being suppressed.
*Thud!*
"Game!"
"Hyotei's Atobe, 1-0. Change sides!"
Soon, the first game ended.
Atobe easily took the lead from Yanagi.
In the second game, with Atobe serving, his aggressive play only intensified.
In the blink of an eye, he secured another game, leading 2-0.
The Rikkai Dai supporters began to feel the gravity of the situation. Compared to the roaring Hyotei supporters, the Rikkai cheer squad's voices seemed to fade into silence.
Six minutes later, Atobe had secured the third and fourth games, extending his lead to 4-0.
"Yanagi-senpai…"
Kirihara muttered to himself.
It felt like he was witnessing a whole new world. One of the "Big Three" he had always considered invincible now seemed fragile and vulnerable.
"Don't panic."
From the coach's seat, Sanada, sitting upright, coldly interjected, "The real match is just beginning!"
"Huh?"
Kirihara instinctively looked up.
At the baseline, Yanagi, who had been quietly closing his eyes, suddenly opened them. It was as if he had transformed, exuding a sharp, intimidating aura.
"It's coming!"
The third-year players, like Marui and Jackal, perked up.
*Tap! Tap! Tap!*
At the baseline, Yanagi bent down, tapping the tennis ball.
His rhythm was slow, as if he was adjusting his state. Holding the ball, he glanced at Atobe's position and said, "As expected of Hyotei's captain. It took me four games to finally gather your data."
"What?"
Hearing this, the Hyotei players, including Mukahi, were shocked. "You're saying Yanagi was just collecting data on Atobe all this time?"
"That's ridiculous!"
Shishido and Hiyoshi scoffed.
In their eyes, Atobe's strength was undoubtedly among the best in the nation. Only Rikkai Dai's Yukimura and Sanada could rival him.
As for Yanagi? While he had a reputation, his performance so far didn't seem to be on the same level.
*Whoosh!*
At that moment, Yanagi tossed the ball into the air.
He bent his knees, coiled his muscles, and then, with a sudden burst of energy, leaped up and swung his racket down.
*Crack!*
The ball shot out like a parabola, landing on Atobe's right service line before sharply angling upward.
"Huh?"
Atobe, preparing to return the shot, suddenly felt pressured. His eyes narrowed as he lowered his stance and adjusted his racket to meet the ball.
*Thud!*
The ball reversed direction, but Yanagi, anticipating this, had already moved to the predicted landing spot.
"As expected, the probability of him using a backhand shot is over 85%."
Chasing the ball, Yanagi delivered a sharp cross-court shot with heavy sidespin.
*Tap! Tap!*
Then, he quickly moved to the center of the court. "The probability of him aiming for the left corner is 96%!"
*Whoosh!*
Sure enough, the ball shot from right to left.
Atobe's return was just as aggressive, but Yanagi had predicted it. He lifted his racket and gently pushed the ball forward.
*Tap!*
The ball floated softly over the net.
"A drop shot?!"
Some Hyotei players' expressions changed.
This shot, with its impeccable timing, technique, and Yanagi's overall control of the match, was terrifying!
*Tap! Tap!*
Atobe reacted quickly.
With his speed, he could reach the ball before it bounced twice.
*Rustle…*
But to everyone's surprise, the ball didn't bounce. Instead, it rolled gently along the ground.
"It's here."
Marui, chewing bubblegum, narrowed his eyes. "One of Yanagi's signature moves—*Empty Cicada*!"
"15-0!"
"Woohoo!!!"
The Rikkai Dai supporters, who had been holding their breath, erupted in cheers.
"Oh?"
Atobe, stopping mid-motion, looked up in surprise. "I didn't expect you to have such a trick up your sleeve."
"As I thought."
On Hyotei's side, Oshitari said gravely, "Yanagi was holding back earlier, gathering data on Atobe."
This was classic data tennis.
Otherwise, even if Yanagi's skills were inferior to Atobe's, he wouldn't have lost every point.
Now, armed with Atobe's data, Yanagi could compensate for the gap in their raw abilities.
The outcome of the match was no longer certain.
*Thud! Thud!*
Sure enough, as the match progressed, Yanagi took control.
Using his data, he exploited Atobe's weaknesses with precise, angled shots.
Although Atobe managed to score a point, it didn't change the outcome of the game.
*Thud!*
"Game!"
"Rikkai Dai's Yanagi, 1-4. Change sides!"
"Way to go, Yanagi-senpai!"
"That's it! Use your data tennis to defeat him!"
"Victory to Rikkai Dai!"
The morale of the Rikkai Dai team, which had been low, was now lifted by Yanagi's performance.
"Is this the true strength of Rikkai Dai's 'Big Three,' their strategist Yanagi Renji?"
On the steps, Saori, who had been taking photos of Yanagi, was stunned. "Atobe is actually being suppressed?"
"This is the power of data tennis."
Kikumaru sighed. "With data, you know your opponent's strengths and weaknesses. With Yanagi's intelligence, he must have planned every move meticulously."
In a way, playing against someone like Yanagi was like following a script. The match might seem intense, but it was all part of the opponent's plan.
"Atobe."
*pat-reon:belamy20*
After changing sides, Yanagi stood at the baseline, ready to receive.
He looked up, his eyes open, and said to Atobe, "Come at me with everything you've got!"
"Data tennis, huh?"
Atobe, now serving, chuckled. "Interesting. It does feel a bit uncomfortable. But Yanagi, are you sure you've got my real data?"
"Huh?"
Yanagi frowned slightly.
"What does Atobe mean?"
Jackal narrowed his eyes. "Does he think he can fool Yanagi's sharp eyes?"
"Exactly."
Kirihara nodded. "No one can escape his observations."
Well, almost no one.
Their captain, Yukimura, was an exception.
But Atobe, the Hyotei captain, was clearly not on Yukimura's level.
"Is that so?"
Yanagi nodded solemnly. "Then let me see the data you've been hiding!"
"Sure."
Atobe smiled.
Then, he tossed the ball high into the air, leaning back dramatically. His right wrist twisted, and his racket stood perpendicular to the ground.
"This motion?"
The Seigaku players looked puzzled.
"It's similar to Kajimoto's serve."
Hanamura nodded. The motion was something she had designed specifically for Kajimoto to maximize his arm strength and wrist flexibility.
"But…"
She glanced at Atobe. "Does the Hyotei captain have similar talent?"
Everyone assumed Atobe's serve was inspired by Seigaku's Kajimoto Takahisa.
*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*
But in a place no one could see, Atobe bent low, his eyes locking onto the ball as they flashed with multicolored light.
"Tannhäuser… Serve!!!"
*Whoosh!*
Suddenly, Atobe's body snapped back into position.
Using the momentum, he swung his racket with full force, smashing the ball.
*Crack!*
The ball shot out like an arrow.
"This serve?"
Unlike Kirihara and Jackal, who thought Atobe was bluffing, Yanagi focused intently.
He knew Atobe wouldn't make empty boasts.
Sure enough, the serve was incredibly fast, with intense spin. Yanagi didn't dare take it lightly, keeping his eyes locked on the ball as he prepared to return.
*Thud!*
The ball landed.
Yanagi instinctively moved to return it.
*Sss…*
But to his shock, the ball didn't bounce. Instead, it skidded along the ground, leaving a long trail as it shot out of bounds.
"What?!"
The crowd gasped.
"A serve like that exists?"
Kirihara was dumbfounded.
Not just him, but the rest of the Rikkai Dai team—Marui, Jackal, Niou—were equally stunned.
"15-0!"
The umpire called.
Yanagi snapped out of his daze, looking at Atobe with unprecedented seriousness.
"I didn't expect you to have such a move!"
A serve that hugged the ground without bouncing was even harder to return than Fuji's *Phoenix Return*.
For Yanagi, returning such a serve on the fly was impossible.
But he didn't panic. Instead, he used the remaining serves to carefully observe Atobe's motion, noting the ball's trajectory, angle, and speed.
*Thud!*
In no time, Atobe secured the next three points.
"Game!"
"Hyotei's Atobe, 5-1!"
The situation was becoming dire for Rikkai Dai.
But Yanagi, one of the "Big Three," remained calm. As a data player, losing his composure would mean certain defeat.
Moreover, he had faced Sanada and Yukimura in practice matches before. The pressure they exerted was far greater than this.
*Tap! Tap! Tap!*
As he tapped the ball, Yanagi analyzed his options. "First, secure this service game. Then, find a way to break his serve."
*Whoosh!*
With that in mind, Yanagi tossed the ball and executed another textbook-perfect serve.
*Crack!*
The ball shot out, landing in a tricky spot with heavy spin. Clearly, feeling the pressure from Atobe's serve, Yanagi was giving it his all.
*Tap! Tap!*
After serving, Yanagi quickly moved to the center of the court.
His mind raced as he analyzed Atobe's positioning, predicting his next move.
"Forehand backswing… He's likely aiming for my left, with a cross-court angle at a probability of…"
*Thud!*
But before Yanagi could finish his analysis, Atobe's return shot landed beside him.
"What?!"
Yanagi instinctively moved to react, but to his horror, he found himself frozen.
"I… I can't move?!"
A cold sweat dripped down his forehead.
Staring at Atobe's confident smile, a terrifying thought crossed Yanagi's mind. But as a data player, he couldn't ignore the calculations.
"Hmm."
After running the numbers in his head, Yanagi's expression darkened.
"My probability of winning this match is… 0%."
(End of Chapter)