96. Resonance Reappears!

"30-15!"

Confronted with Shuki Hiko's no-spin shot aimed at the doubles baseline, Yanagi Renji appeared in the backcourt, swiftly returning the ball.

"Why? Why is it that I can see the ball, but still can't return it?"

Once again, Shuki Hiko uttered his familiar phrase.

"Yes, why is that?" Kuroba watched the tennis ball roll toward him, sharing the same confusion. They had been leading by an overwhelming margin, and when Shuki scored the first point of the second game, Kuroba was certain they would win this round as well. Yet, from the second point onward, that advantage seemed to vanish without a trace.

"The Evergreen players are truly terrifying. If they were ordinary people, they'd have been crushed by now," Kondo Ishihara remarked, clicking his tongue as Yanagi and Inui staged a swift double counterattack, bringing the score to 40-15.

"But haven't you noticed something odd? The two of them suddenly lost their momentum during the opponent's attack," Shuto Satoshi said, puzzled.

"It must be because of their data tennis. Both of them are adept at using data to control the flow of the match. If Shuki and Kuroba don't come up with something, they'll be in real trouble," Saeki said gravely.

The elderly grandfather from Rokkaku Middle School watched as Inui snatched another point, tying the score at 1-1. His gaping expression betrayed his astonishment at Evergreen's doubles play.

"They... it's as if they know Shuki's playing style inside out. He's the best at ball control in the entire tennis club, yet in their eyes, that advantage has become a fatal weakness..." Kuroba continued to analyze Inui and Yanagi. Was it all because of their data tennis? No... Could it be?

Suddenly struck by an idea, Kuroba patted the crestfallen Shuki's shoulder and smiled, "Hey, Shuki, remember what I told you earlier? For their data tennis to be flawless, our shots must stay within the range of their calculations."

"But... I've already tried my best to place the ball where it's hard for them to reach, and hit it with as little spin as possible. Even at such speed, they're still handling it easily..." Shuki hung his head.

"No, that's not what I meant. I'm not asking you to rely solely on your superb ball control and no-spin technique. Sometimes, winning a match isn't about brilliant skills. The simplest method could be the key."

Kuroba's face lit up with sudden understanding as he smiled.

"You mean..."

Shuki seemed to have realized something.

"Exactly—strength. In the first game, we didn't let them score a single point, and that was because we had the advantage in power. Even if they predicted our shots, without matching strength to counter us, it's like an ant trying to stop a chariot."

"I've got it!"

Understanding Kuroba's point, Shuki pulled out a ball from his pocket and tossed it up. Yanagi narrowed his eyes, thinking, "I wonder what they're discussing... But as long as it's a no-spin shot, there's no chance of winning."

Through his partnership with Inui, Yanagi had analyzed Shuki's no-spin shots in meticulous detail. Whether serving or rallying, no matter how tricky the angles or complicated the paths, they couldn't gain an edge. The reason Shuki's no-spin shots lost their advantage so suddenly was simply because the two had information on Matsubara's no-spin shots, making their match against Shuki much easier.

Moreover, Shuki's no-spin shots weren't as fast as Matsubara's. Aside from differences in bounce angle and playing style, in essence, the two were fundamentally no different. That's why Inui and Yanagi could so quickly reclaim a game.

However, Kuroba, as vice-captain, was no ordinary player either. He quickly pinpointed the issue. When Shuki increased his power as Kuroba suggested, Yanagi's return showed a flaw—the ball's force had diminished!

Bang!

Kuroba leapt high and smashed the ball for a point!

"15-0!"

"Sorry, Inui, my return just now lacked a bit of strength," Yanagi admitted calmly, having been powerless against Kuroba's smash.

"It's fine," Inui waved off the concern.

"It really worked!" Kuroba noticed that Shuki's serve was indeed affecting the opponents, and he felt a secret delight.

As the match progressed, Inui and Yanagi, backed by their data, continued to play well, but whenever decisive power was needed, Kuroba or Shuki would always score by sheer force!

"40-0!"

Panting, Inui and Yanagi's stamina had visibly declined after a dozen intense rallies. Yanagizawa Shin muttered in frustration, "Damn it... We saw the momentum swing, but somehow, we're getting suppressed again!"

"Yahari... Just as expected..." Matsubara's eyes narrowed.

"What's going on, Senior Inoue? It feels like Inui and Yanagi reversed the situation, but not completely..." Shiba Saori asked, perplexed.

"It's actually quite simple. In the first game, Inui and Yanagi were stunned because the opponents were so strong. You saw Inui being knocked back—even switching to a two-handed return couldn't match Kuroba," Inoue Shugo stated incisively.

"In the second game, the opponents' power diminished. The reason was that Shuki's no-spin shots only deviated from Inui's calculation angles, leading to them losing that first point. In the following four points, the two launched attacks from multiple angles, fierce and relentless. Even Shuki, known for his ball control, had to succumb to their data tennis."

Inoue Shugo continued explaining to Shiba Saori.

"But the vice-captain of Rokkaku, Kuroba Harukaze, is no ordinary player. He must have recognized the core issue and adjusted Shuki's approach in time, causing Inui and Yanagi's pair to fall behind again. That adjustment was simply increasing the power of their shots."

"So that's it. Now Rokkaku is overpowering the Inui-Yanagi pair with physical strength. That way, even with data tennis, they have no solution," Shiba Saori finally understood.

"That's right," Inoue Shugo affirmed.

"2-1! Evergreen's Inui serves! Change sides!"

The umpire called out.

"You're in good form, Shuki. Let's keep this up and beat them in one go," Kuroba encouraged, seeing that the increased pressure was working wonders.

"Understood!" Shuki's nostrils flared with white vapor as he spoke.

...

"Game, Rokkaku! 5-1!"

"How could this happen... Inui and Yanagi's data tennis is completely useless against the opponents..." Shishido Ryo couldn't believe what he was seeing. The match was suffocating; they had predicted the shots and prepared, yet still lost the exchanges and points.

"Idiot, it's not completely useless. The two from Rokkaku have been relying on brute force all along," Akutsu said, equally exasperated.

"There's one game left. If they lose this..." Kumakiri Shiba, who had been too engrossed in the match to speak, couldn't help but voice his concern, but swallowed his words at the last moment.

"Inui, Yanagi."

Fuji, eyes open, called out in his heart.

"The match isn't over until the last moment, Kumakiri-senpai. Even though data tennis has been repeatedly suppressed by overwhelming force, they haven't given up at all. Now, Inui and Yanagi still choose to persist with their own tennis. What we must do is to support them unconditionally," Matsubara placed a hand on Kumakiri's shoulder.

"Evergreen!"

At that moment, Akazawa Yoshirou shouted, "Come on!"

His call seemed to awaken the Evergreen students, who had fallen silent during the match. Inspired, they began to cheer, "Evergreen! Go!"

Even sitting in the court, Tezuka could hear the voices of the Evergreen supporters outside. His gaze sharpened as he thought, "Go, Inui, Yanagi. Let them witness Evergreen's tennis!"

"Renji... Are you still alright?" Inui saw Yanagi's calm face turn weary and asked softly.

"Of course. Everyone outside is still cheering for us—how could we fall here?" Yanagi adjusted his breathing and nodded.

"Yes, we won't end it like this!" Beneath Inui's calm voice was a stubborn refusal to yield. As he lifted his head, he and Yanagi seemed enveloped in a dazzling white light!

"Eh?!" Matsubara leaned forward, as if witnessing an indescribable surge of energy erupt from Inui and Yanagi!

"A white, gentle glow like fire wrapping them, eyes deep as an ancient well... At last, it’s complete—the true synchronization!"

The youth stood stunned for a moment, feeling goosebumps rise all over him. The joy swelling in his heart was impossible to suppress.