Chapter 7: Progressing in the Match – Oshitari’s Shock
Ding!
[Pyer executed a topspin shot, activating skill: Basic Topspin Lv0 (0/10)]
[Pyer executed a half-volley and scored, Basic Topspin EXP +4]
With a single shot, Ishikawa activated his second fundamental tennis skill.
A topspin shot refers to striking the ball after it bounces, including ft topspin and lifted topspin strokes. The half-volley, however, is an extremely rare technique.
Typically, half-volleys are pyed from the midcourt or closer to the net, as hitting them from the baseline is highly unusual. But thanks to his mastery of Kendo, Ishikawa managed to execute one from the baseline with sheer precision.
Of course, the fact that his opponent wasn’t particurly strong also pyed a role.
On the other side.
"Damn it!"
Climbing back to his feet, Shinohara clenched his fist and smmed it into the ground.
This was beyond humiliating. He, an experienced pyer, had just been completely outpyed in his signature serve-and-volley strategy by a first-year rookie.
Shinohara was furious. His embarrassment quickly transformed into pure rage.
"Again!"
With a sharp exhale, he tossed the ball into the air once more.
Bang!
The tennis ball flew forward—but this time, he didn’t rush the net.
For one, he was shaken by that st rally and feared making the same mistake. And two, he had wised up to the fact that Ishikawa, despite being a newcomer, was not an ordinary pyer.
Rushing forward recklessly would only backfire. Instead, he decided to take a steady, controlled approach.
Bang!
On the opposite side, Ishikawa returned the ball swiftly, sending it towards Shinohara’s backhand.
The shot was fast, but Shinohara handled it with ease.
Tap, tap!
He quickly moved into position, striking the ball precisely just as it bounced.
Bang!
The ball soared back, this time aimed at the far side of Ishikawa’s backhand.
"Not bad," Oshitari muttered from the referee’s seat, nodding in approval.
"This guy isn’t as hopeless as I thought. He knows how to py to his strengths."
Tap, tap!
On the court, Ishikawa was forced to chase after the ball.
Unlike his previous, static shots, being on the move disrupted his rhythm. And speed was one of Ishikawa’s weak points.
At least… compared to Shinohara, who was both nimble and explosive.
Bang!
As Ishikawa returned the ball, Shinohara immediately counterattacked, smashing it to the opposite direction.
Forced to react, Ishikawa had to turn back and sprint for the ball again.
"Nicely done!"
From the sidelines, Ryota Suzuki cheered excitedly.
"Shinohara should’ve pyed like this from the start!"
Using the left-right drag technique to keep the opponent constantly on the move—that was how uppercssmen should dominate rookies.
Even though Ishikawa had won the first game, most of the spectators believed that if Shinohara kept pying like this, he would soon turn the match around.
Even Oshitari himself was beginning to think the same. Seated in the referee’s chair, he carefully observed Ishikawa’s movement.
"Constantly running back and forth is physically exhausting. It also mentally drains pyers, affecting their judgment."
For pyers with weak mental fortitude, it’s not uncommon to simply give up on chasing certain balls.
And Ishikawa?
He was just a rookie—inexperienced and untested in real matches. He was bound to make a mistake sooner or ter.
Or so Oshitari thought—until something shocking happened.
"Wait… he’s still holding on?!"
Bang!Bang!Bang!
Ishikawa was still being forced to run back and forth, tirelessly chasing Shinohara’s shots.
Beads of sweat had begun forming on his forehead, dripping down his face in thin streams. It was obvious—his stamina was running low.
Yet…
Shinohara wasn’t doing much better. Even though he was in control, unching continuous attacks, he was also pushing himself to the limit.
His confidence from earlier was fading. At first, he was certain he’d wear Ishikawa down. But now, he was the one feeling frustrated.
"This isn’t working!"
Shinohara lost patience first. He saw the ball coming towards him and gnced at Ishikawa’s position—far to the right.
Instead of another aggressive shot, Shinohara changed tactics. He extended his racket forward and sliced the ball lightly.
Tap!
A short drop shot—not perfectly executed, but good enough. From where Ishikawa was standing, there was no way he could reach it in time.
Or so Shinohara thought.
"Wait… when did he—? No way!!"
Ishikawa had already moved toward the center. His speed wasn’t spectacur, but Shinohara’s drop shot wasn’t precise enough.
Bang!
Ishikawa reached the ball just in time, smashing it cross-court.
"0-30!"
Oshitari announced the score. And at that moment, he completely changed his perspective on Ishikawa.
"This guy…"
He was not a polished pyer. His fundamentals were rough, even borderline weak.
But that wasn’t the point. What truly stunned Oshitari was his rapid growth.
From blindly chasing balls at the start, to predicting Shinohara’s shots and adjusting his movement ahead of time—all in just a few minutes. His tennis skills were visibly improving in real-time.
"And…"
Oshitari’s gaze shifted to a specific area of the court.
Shinohara’s rally position had become noticeably clustered, with a dense pattern of ball marks near his feet.
"His shot pcement is ridiculously precise. And… he’s adding underspin to his returns."
That was the real reason Shinohara was struggling physically.
On the surface, Ishikawa seemed like the one being forced to run, but in reality, he had been silently pressuring Shinohara with low-bouncing, backspin-heavy shots.
Each time Shinohara returned the ball, he unconsciously bent his knees more than usual—a minor detail that added up over time.
In a long rally, this accumuted fatigue had a devastating effect. Shinohara had thought he was wearing Ishikawa down.
But in truth—he was the one being broken mentally and physically.
"Ishikawa Shin…"
Oshitari looked at the sharp-eyed first-year with newfound admiration.
This… is insane.
Had he not witnessed it himself, he never would’ve believed it—A complete rookie, who had never pyed competitive tennis before, had managed to construct such a brilliantly yered strategy.
This was no mere one-dimensional power pyer.
No—if Ishikawa continued to improve at this rate…
Then the long-standing problem Ice Emperor had faced for years…
Might finally—
Be solved.
Even Oshitari, known for his calm demeanor, felt a fire ignite inside him.
(End of Chapter 7)
