Prince of Tennis: Shocking! Hyotei's Demon King is a Yukimura fangirl!

Chapter 202 Catching Up, A Heavy Price

The discussion in the audience never stopped.

Some say Kawamura is tough, others say he's stupid, and still others say the Seigaku team is underhanded.

Teams from other schools also arrived in the stands to watch the match between the two teams' captains, and they were all whispering among themselves.

On the opposite side of the stands, several members of Fudomine were sitting together.

Kichihei Tachibana crossed his arms, his brows slightly furrowed, and stared at Kawamura's right arm for a long time. He had fought against Ishida from his own team before, so he knew the power of the Hadouken and was also aware of the physical toll this move took on him.

"Too hasty," he muttered. "We can't win by brute force; we need to change tactics."

Kamio Akira sat next to him, swaying his feet to the beat, the tips of his sneakers lightly tapping the steps. He glanced at his teammate and curled his lip: "He probably doesn't have any other tricks besides the wave ball. What's the point of changing tactics? He's just like Ishida, all he knows is to brute force."

"Now they know they can't win in terms of strength, yet they still fight to the death, ultimately ruining themselves. What's the point?"

"Don't say that." Tachibana Yoshihira stood up, took half a step forward, glanced at him, and said in a firm voice, "It's not easy for anyone to get to where you are."

Kamio, holding a water bottle, waved it at Ishida beside him, the water splashing inside. "Ishida, your brother and Captain Tachibana are very strict about your Hadouken practice; they never let you overdo it. Seigaku's coach is so irresponsible."

Tachibana An pursed her lips, her fingertips gripping the hem of her clothes. "Kawamura's hand seems to hurt a lot. His wrist was shaking when he was holding the racket just now. Brother, do you think Kawamura... can hold on?"

"We have to keep going, even if we can't." Tachibana Yoshihira stood with his arms crossed, his dark eyes fixed on Kawamura's drooping wrists, his tone heavy, "Seigaku has placed all their hopes on him now, he can't stop."

Ishida Tetsu listened to their conversation, leaned forward, his brows furrowed, and said in a deep voice, "The wave ball is already harmful to the hand. He's using it so frequently, his tendons are already overloaded. Those last few balls, his power was already distorted, if he keeps playing like that, something bad will definitely happen."

"How serious will it be?" Tachibana An asked him, turning her head.

Ishida was silent for a few seconds. "At best, he'll need to recover for a few months; at worst... he'll never be able to play powerball again."

Ju Xing covered her mouth and didn't say anything more.

"If we keep playing like that, my hand will be ruined." Kamio pursed his lips. "If it were me, I wouldn't want to trade my arm for a game."

Yoshihira Tachibana didn't respond.

He recalled the days when he played violent tennis, and the shocking injuries his partner had sustained. After several seconds of silence, he whispered, "Everyone has their own choices."

The Shonan Stadium is located in the stands closer to Hyotei Stadium.

"Wow, pure brute force!"

Ruo Ren turned his hat brim back, looked at Kabaji on the court, whistled, and swung his leg back in his chair: "That's pretty impressive, that ability to imitate. If I were in that position, I'd probably be stunned for a while too. And Seigaku's number three player is declining too quickly; he probably won't be able to hold on for the next two sets. If Hyotei can just stay calm, they'll catch up quickly."

Kajimoto sat to the side, watching Kabaji's movements on the court. His purple eyes held a hint of inquiry as he calmly analyzed, "The difference between the two on the court is not just imitation. Hyotei's way of generating power is also very standard; it's obvious they've undergone systematic training."

Kabaji's fundamental strength is greater than Kawamura's, and the techniques he replicates are even more powerful. Kawamura, in a battle of raw power, is at a disadvantage from the start.

After listening to his analysis, Ruo Ren took off his hat, twirled it in his hand, and gave a subtle, mocking smile. "But I must say..."

"Seigaku's plan is pretty clever! Trading one player for one point. If they win, it's team glory; if they get injured, it's the player's own fault for fighting. No matter how you look at it, they're winning, right? This method is good, but it's a bit ruthless!"

Kajimoto glanced at him, raised his hand to touch the earring on his earlobe, and nodded slightly. "Indeed, if it were our team, we wouldn't let the players push themselves too hard either. Winning or losing a game doesn't matter, but if the player is crippled, then everything is lost."

"That's true, but once you're on the field, it's not so easy to let go." Wakato leaned back in his chair, tossed his hat into the air, and casually remarked, "But Seigaku really took a big gamble this time. Trading a regular player for a single victory in the Kanto Tournament group stage doesn't seem like a good deal at all."

Hanamura Aoi adjusted her thin-rimmed glasses, tucking her burgundy curly hair behind her ear. A cryptic smile played on her lips. "Interesting. Trading physical strength for points—that kind of self-sacrificing player certainly has dramatic tension. It's just that the cost-effectiveness is too low."

Ruo Ren took the drink, raised an eyebrow at her, and said, "Coach, are you thinking about material for your work again?"

Hanamura Aoi smiled and did not deny it.

The man, with a drink straw in his mouth, mumbled to himself again: "I bet Kabaji will win this round. That Seigaku guy is just holding on by sheer willpower; once he loses it, he's finished."

Tongshan Daichi replied in a deep, resonant voice, "In a battle of strength, the one with the stronger foundation wins."

Aoi Hanamura adjusted her glasses, her gaze falling on Atobe on the Hyotei coaching bench, then sweeping over Ryo Mochizuki in the stands. A smirk played on her lips: "To hone Kabaji's imitation skills to this extent, Captain Atobe and Coach Mochizuki must have quite the skills."

Reiji Kamishiro sat beside him, his face cold and silent, but his eyes were fixed on Kabaji's swing, as if he were calculating something.

At the beginning of the month, Guan Yuechu of St. Rudolf flipped through his notebook, twirling his bangs with his index finger. "Ah, Kawamura Takashi's physical fitness threshold is almost at its limit. Coach Ryuzaki didn't even call a stop. What a miscalculation, a huge miscalculation."

Based on current data projections, Kawamura can only last another one and a half games at most. Kabaji still has plenty of stamina, and catching up is only a matter of time. Seigaku has taken a very risky move.

Yuta Fuji frowned, staring at Kawamura on the field, a little worried: "Aren't my brothers going to try to stop them? If this keeps going, something really bad is going to happen."

Guan Yuechu glanced at him and chuckled softly, "Your brother? He would never be such a villain."

On the Yamabuki Junior High side, Sengoku Kiyosumi rested her chin on her hand, her eyes darting between Kawamura and Kabaji. "Wow, Seigaku is really going all out. Why make such a fuss over a single game? It's so unlucky."

Minami Kentaro, standing next to him, watched the two on the field, rubbed his sun-baked hair, and sighed, "It's hard to say. If it were me, after fighting this far, I might also want to fight to the very end. But if I really ruin my hand, it doesn't seem worth it."

Akutsu Jin leaned against the top of the net, hands in his pockets, watching the brutal scene on the field, scoffed, and uttered two words.

"idiot."

The Rokkaku Junior High team sat towards the back. Aoi Kentaro clung to the railing, looking forward and swaying back and forth: "Dad always said that playing ball is for fun, and getting injured is not good."

Saeki Kojiro chuckled and ruffled his hair, nodding in agreement: "Yeah, health is the most important thing. Kentaro, remember this: don't play like them in the future. If you get injured, stop immediately. There will be plenty of other opportunities in the future, understand?"

Kentaro Aoi nodded, clenching his fist: "I know, Saeki-nii! I won't let myself get hurt!"

……

The atmosphere in the Hyotei rest area wasn't very relaxed either.

Shishido watched Kabaji's steady performance on the field, his tense jawline relaxed a little, but he still frowned, his voice a bit rough, "Is Kawamura crazy? If he keeps playing like this, his hands will be ruined sooner or later."

Feng nodded, unable to resist glancing towards Seigaku: "Kawamura-kun... his hand probably won't last much longer."

"How long he can hold out is his own business." Shinobu leaned back in his chair, wiping his glasses. His tone was emotionless. "As long as Kabaji can hold his ground, that's fine. Don't fight him head-on."

"Indeed. He's different from us." Taki stood next to Shinobu, holding a tactics notebook in his hand, tapping the paper with his fingertips. "Seigaku's singles lineup isn't deep enough. If he can't win this point, all the pressure will fall on Tezuka and Fuji. That's the main reason he's unwilling to give up."

"You can't joke around with your health like that!" Feng whispered, her silver-gray hair falling down to hide the worry in her eyes. "Senior Xiang Ri is a prime example."

Jiro lazily clung to the railing, his usually sleepy eyes wide open. Watching Kawamura's laborious swings, he bit his lip: "Actually, he's playing very seriously... he's just a little silly."

Hiyoshi stood in the corner, twirling his racket, and raised his eyes upon hearing this: "On the court, everyone has their own choices."

Atobe sat on the coach's bench, watching Kawamura's retreating figure. A slight smile played on his lips, and he finally uttered a soft, "...Foolish."

Wang Yueling leaned back in his chair and sighed softly. He looked down at the kitten in his arms.

Luna seemed to sense the tense atmosphere on the field. She was lying on his lap, her two front paws resting on his arms, her round eyes fixed on Kawamura on the field. Her little ears were tucked back, and her tail tip drooped, not swinging.

"You also think what he did was wrong, right?" Wang Yueling flicked the tip of its ear with her fingertip.

Luna meowed softly.

Yukimura sat beside him, watching Kawamura on the field, his eyes filled with deep regret: "He didn't want to lose. But doing this... the price was too high."

Kanata Irie rested his chin on his hand, observing the situation on the field, and smiled: "Interesting. Is Seigaku planning to gamble one last time?"

Wang Yueling didn't speak, her azure eyes falling on He Cun, her gaze becoming somewhat somber.

When people are driven to the brink, they often think of taking a desperate gamble. But many forget that the price of such a gamble is often a lifetime of regret.

-

The game continued.

The tenth set was Hyotei's serve.

Kawamura stood at the net, hunched over and panting. His left hand held the racket, which rested on his knee, while his right arm hung motionless at his side.

He straightened up and walked back to the baseline.

From the stands nearby, some people started shouting, "Stop playing!" and "Give up!" The voices drifted in from different directions.

Kawamura didn't look at the source of the sounds. He readjusted his receiving stance, holding the racket horizontally in front of him with his right hand, knees slightly bent, and his gaze fixed on Kabaji.

Kabaji stood at the baseline, holding the ball, but did not serve immediately.

He turned his head and glanced in the direction of the coach's bench.

Atobe nodded slightly.

Kabaji looked away, tossed the ball, bent his knees, and swung his racket.

One ball into the soul.

The ball streaked across the court like a yellow lightning bolt, whistling through the air as it struck Kawamura's backhand corner with a very low bounce.

While Kabaji's imitation of "One Ball to the Soul" can't match the speed of the original version, and the angle isn't particularly tricky, it has the advantage of being very powerful and having a precise landing point.

Kawamura was able to receive the shots, but it took him all his strength; every time he received a shot, his arm felt like it had been hit by a heavy hammer.

He gritted his teeth, his eyes fixed on the Birch Field across from him. He knew he was about to give up, but only one thought occupied his mind: he couldn't lose, he couldn't lose here.

He remembered what Echizen had told him before the match; he remembered Tezuka's trust; he remembered his teammates' expectations. If they won this point, Seigaku could advance to singles match two with an advantage, and their pressure would be greatly reduced.

These thoughts burned in his heart like flames.

Kabaji serves, and the ball goes straight to the inside corner.

Driven by an unwavering determination to win, Kawamura lunged forward with all his might and returned the ball. The moment the racket struck the ball, he felt a sharp pain that made his vision go black, and he almost collapsed.

The ball returned very high, creating an opportunity for a smash.

Kaba took a step forward, jumped, and smashed the ball.

The ball landed straight in the corner of the opposite field.

Kawamura gritted his teeth and lunged towards the ball, extending his racket to its maximum length, barely managing to graz the edge. The ball changed direction and landed back in his opponent's court.

A gasp of surprise erupted from the audience.

Kabaji reacted quickly, immediately stepping forward to cover and returning the ball to Kabaji.

After three shots, the ball returned to Kawamura's forehand position.

opportunity.

Kawamura had only one word left in his mind.

He took a half step back, channeling all his strength into his right arm. All technique and defense were forgotten; he only wanted to hit the hardest shot and win the point.

"Wave Ball!"

He roared and slammed his racket down on the ball.

The ball shot out like a cannonball, making a whooshing sound, heading straight for Kabaji's backhand.

Kabaji moved his feet slightly, but stopped again after seeing the ball's trajectory.

The force and spin of that ball exceeded the safety threshold; attempting to catch it would worsen the wrist injury.

He remembered that Atobe had drawn the red line and stood still.

The ball grazed the sideline, bounced, and then hit the netting behind it with a dull thud.

"40-40. A tie."

The entire audience erupted in uproar.

"Why isn't Kabaji answering?"

"That ball could have easily reached it!"

"Are you stupid? Winning this game would tie it!"

The audience was in an uproar, with many people unable to understand Kabaji's choice.

In the Hyotei rest area, Shishido crossed his arms and snorted, "A bunch of amateurs. They're useless as soon as they take over. What's the point of winning one point?"

Feng nodded, a little worried: "Huadi did the right thing. An arm is much more important than a point in the game."

Atobe leaned back in his chair, expressionless. He watched Kabaji finish his stroke on the court, tapped his fingertips lightly on the armrest, and gave a faint smile to his lips.

It's right that you didn't answer.

If he had actually caught it, with the force of that ball, his wrist would have been bruised for at least half a month.

Looking at Huadi's back on the field, there was a hint of approval in his eyes.

That kid knows what's good for him.

Ryo Mochizuki, watching from the stands, also breathed a sigh of relief, his heart finally settling down. He had been worried that Kabaji would act rashly and insist on taking the bait, but it seemed that Atobe's words had worked.

"He's obedient," Mochizuki Ryo said softly, the French syllable trailing off, "Bien. (Good)."

Yukimura heard this, turned his head to look at him, and said with a smile in his eyes, "Your pre-match risk control is quite effective."

"How could that be? It's only Keigo who can keep this stubborn mule in check." Mochizuki Ryo shrugged and poked Luna's head with his fingertip. "I don't have that much influence."

Upon hearing this, Irie raised an eyebrow, glanced at Atobe on the Hyotei coaching bench, and then at Mochizuki Ryo beside him, seemingly lost in thought.

Tokugawa's gaze lingered on Kabaji for two seconds before shifting to Atobe, his eyes showing a hint of approval.

The ability to hold the players back from a head-on confrontation when the match point is approaching is a rare quality.

On the court, after the score was tied, they played several more rounds. Kawamura, with a fierce determination, managed to snatch another point, but ultimately couldn't hold on.

That's all.

Kabaji's serve was rock solid, giving Kawamura no further opportunities. With the final serve resulting in a direct point, the umpire's voice rang out again.

"Game, Hyotei. 5-5 tie."

Kawamura stood on the field, his body swaying slightly. His right hand was numb, as if it didn't belong to him. He looked down at his hand; blood had begun to seep from the base of his thumb.

He gritted his teeth, switched the racket to his left hand, and gripped it tightly.

They can still fight.

Kawamura whispered a suggestion to himself.

Still able to fight...

On the sidelines, when the scoreboard showed 5-5.

The Hyotei cheering squad erupted once more, a sea of ​​golden fans surging, their shouts ringing out in unison. Meanwhile, the atmosphere on Seigaku's side darkened; everyone could see that Kawamura's condition was deteriorating.

The entire venue remained in uproar.

"It's tied! The score is tied!"

"They rallied from 3-5 to tie it at 5-5, Kabaji is just too amazing!"

"My God, some of those shots were so powerful! My racket flew out of my hand. Is Kawamura's hand alright? It seems like he can't even lift his right hand. If he keeps playing like that, something bad is definitely going to happen."

"Yeah, I feel so bad for him. Seigaku was leading for two games, and they've already tied it? Kawamura's clearly not up to par."

"We have to hold on even if it's tough, we've already come this far."