In the first game, Sengoku and Sanada engaged in fierce combat. Relying on his serving advantage, Sengoku managed to win the opening game with difficulty, taking a 1-0 lead.
Sanada Genichirō is truly powerful!
Sengoku looked across at his opponent and couldn't help but feel impressed.
But I, Sengoku Kiyosumi, am no pushover either!
Sengoku gripped his racket tightly, waiting for Sanada's serve.
Compared to Sengoku's specialized serve that incorporated boxing footwork from the start, Sanada's serving form looked more conventional.
Sanada simply bounced the tennis ball a few times to find his rhythm, then delivered a serve every bit as powerful as Sengoku's.
"Excellent! Bring it on!"
During the first game, Sengoku had felt that Sanada's strength matched his own. Now, receiving Sanada's serve, that assessment proved accurate.
Sengoku swung his racket hard, returning Sanada's serve with force.
Sanada stepped forward and leaped high. Unfortunately, this was an indoor court - if it had been outdoors, Sengoku would have noticed Sanada's figure blocking out the sun.
"What?!"
Sanada swung his racket with tremendous force, and the tennis racket seemed to catch fire upon contact with the ball. In Sengoku's eyes, the tennis ball that touched the blazing racket now flew toward him wreathed in actual flames.
"Invasion like Fire!"
Sengoku immediately called out the technique's name. This was the move Fuji had described to Yamabuki after facing Sanada in the last Kanto Tournament - a devastating smash like raging flames.
"Well done!"
Sengoku didn't dodge, choosing to meet the attack head-on as he swung his racket.
The tennis ball spun at high speed within his racket strings, and Sengoku struggled to resist the enormous force of Invasion like Fire. While Sengoku's strength was sufficient to handle this technique, his racket couldn't bear the strain.
Due to the high-speed rotation and massive kinetic energy Sanada had imparted to the tennis ball, Sengoku's racket strings suddenly snapped with a sharp "crack." The ball's momentum didn't decrease - after bouncing off the court, it flew toward the center of the audience seating.
A hand suddenly appeared and caught the tennis ball. The camera followed and captured this scene - the person who caught it was Ishida Gin, the power tennis player who hadn't made Shitenhoji's roster.
"Oh! He's bald like Saitama!"
Anya shouted in surprise.
If Saitama hadn't returned home but had chosen to stay and watch the match, what would he have thought hearing Anya's comment?
Of course, this was just a small interlude in the match. Since Sengoku's racket was broken, play continued after he replaced it with a spare.
Looking at the spare racket in his hand and remembering the tremendous power contained in Sanada's Invasion like Fire, Sengoku suddenly smiled.
Sengoku's ability had been stuck at the Kanto level for a long time. Though he'd experienced special training with the Bamboo Staff crew and conducted his own intensive practice, there was always a thin barrier between the Kanto and national levels blocking his progress. Every time he tried to reach out and touch the national level, that barrier would stop him.
In this duel with Sanada, the god of luck who had always protected Sengoku whispered that today would be the day he broke through to the national level.
After changing rackets, the battle between Sengoku and Sanada grew even more intense. Whether facing Invasion like Fire or Swift as the Wind, Sengoku gave his absolute best to return every shot, falling to the ground and getting back up countless times.
Sengoku, usually the beloved heartthrob of Yamabuki Junior High's female students, was in a sorry state now - his clothes and shorts thoroughly dirty.
Facing Sanada's powerful offensive, Sengoku lost three consecutive games, his serve broken by Sanada. The score reached 3-1 with Sanada in the lead.
During the changeover before the fifth game, Sanada and Sengoku crossed paths.
"I apologize for what I said before the match. You are a respectable opponent."
After saying this, Sanada moved to what had been Sengoku's side of the court, leaving only Sengoku standing there, somewhat confused.
Is he apologizing for that 'too slack' comment at the start?
Sengoku didn't think there was anything worth apologizing for. He shook his head and walked to his position.
"To show my respect for a respectable opponent like you, I'll use my most powerful techniques from here on!"
Before the fifth game began, Sanada made this declaration.
"Good! I'm waiting for your Move like Thunder!"
Sengoku smiled and served the ball.
The tennis ball rushed toward Sanada's half of the court at extreme speed, and Sanada moved to the landing point with extraordinary velocity. When Sanada moved, there seemed to be actual thunder crackling around his body.
Move like Thunder was Sanada's strongest technique that Yamabuki knew about.
Having studied kendo since childhood, Sanada had incorporated swordsmanship into his tennis. "Move like Thunder" was a footwork technique he'd created by integrating kendo movement into tennis. He could reach any position on the court at lightning speed and return shots with equal velocity. The power contained in tennis enhanced by "Move like Thunder" was evident.
"That ball is incredibly fast!"
In Yamabuki's rest area, Oishi sighed watching Sanada's counterattack.
"Can Sengoku handle it?"
Eiji murmured. Among Yamabuki's players, Sengoku and Eiji had the best dynamic vision. At this moment, Eiji could clearly track Sanada's shot, but the power behind it made him worry for Sengoku.
"Here it comes!"
Sanada had incorporated kendo footwork into tennis, while Sengoku had integrated boxing footwork into his play. But Sengoku's achievements in boxing didn't match Sanada's mastery of kendo. Even so, Sengoku used his boxing footwork to quickly reach where the ball would land and bounce.
When his racket struck the tennis ball, Sengoku's first thought was:
How did Fuji manage to defeat this monster during the Kanto Tournament?
This was the most powerful shot Sengoku had ever encountered. His hands were shaking and he could barely maintain his grip.
Bang!
Sengoku's racket was knocked from his hands and the tennis ball flew backward. Since most of the power had been dissipated by Sengoku's attempt, the ball dropped before flying too far.
"Sengoku's racket was knocked away?"
Kawamura couldn't believe that Sengoku, whose strength was similar to his own, couldn't handle the shot. Having his racket knocked away meant Sengoku's hands were nearly at their limit.
"Again!"
Sengoku silently picked up his racket, shouted "Again!" and served the next ball.
"Move like Thunder!"
Sanada used his thunderous technique again, and Sengoku's racket was knocked away once more.
This cycle repeated until Sengoku lost the game.
"Your arms can barely hold on."
Before the sixth game began, Sanada reminded Sengoku - he didn't want to lose such a respectable opponent to injury.
"I'm fine! Again! I can already feel the barrier!"
Sengoku left only that response before returning to his position.
Giving your absolute best was the ultimate way to respect an opponent. Though he knew Sengoku's arms were in terrible condition, Sanada still decided to give everything he had.
A powerful serve headed toward Sengoku. Under these extreme circumstances, Sengoku employed one of his special techniques - the Bottle Smash, a strike even more powerful than his Tiger Cannon.
Sanada responded to Sengoku with Move like Thunder, combining both speed and devastating power.
Can I handle this?
Faced with this seemingly unstoppable shot, Sengoku hesitated, but he crushed that hesitation the moment it appeared:
"How could I not handle it?!"
Sengoku roared and ran toward the tennis ball, using every ounce of his strength to make contact. At this moment, he seemed to be radiating light.
"He got it!"
Following Eiji's joyful shout, the tennis ball flew toward Sanada at equal speed. At that moment, Sengoku broke through the barrier and officially entered the national level!