Chapter 7: Progress in the Match, Ōshitari's Shock

*Ding!*

*The player executes a drive shot, activating the skill: Basic Drive Lv0 (0/10).*

*The player scores with a half-volley, Basic Drive experience +4.*

With a single shot, Ishikawa activated his second basic skill.

A drive shot, in tennis, refers to any shot struck after the ball bounces off the ground. This includes flat shots and topspin shots, while the half-volley is an exceptionally rare type of shot.

Generally, half-volleys are played from mid-court forward, and it's uncommon to see them executed from the baseline. However, Ishikawa, relying on his max-level *kendo* skills, managed to pull off a half-volley from the baseline.

Of course, the fact that his opponent wasn't particularly strong also played a role.

---

"Damn it!"

On the other side of the court, Shōhara, who had just gotten up from the ground, glared at Ishikawa's calm retreating figure and slammed his fist into the court in frustration.

This was humiliating.

He, a seasoned player, had been completely outplayed by a rookie in his own specialty—serve and volley.

Shōhara was utterly embarrassed, but that embarrassment quickly turned into burning anger.

"Again!"

With a low growl, Shōhara tossed the ball into the air once more.

*Thwack!*

The ball flew across the net.

But this time, he didn't rush to the net.

For one, he was wary of repeating his earlier mistake. Secondly, Shōhara had learned his lesson: this rookie was no ordinary newcomer.

Charging the net recklessly would only backfire.

Instead, it was better to play it safe and steady.

*Thwack!*

On the other side, Ishikawa returned the shot, sending the ball to Shōhara's backhand. The ball was fast, but Shōhara handled it with ease.

*Tap, tap!*

He sprinted in the direction of the ball, timing his swing perfectly as the ball bounced off the ground.

*Crack!*

The ball was sent back, this time aimed at Ishikawa's far backhand side.

"Not bad."

Ōshitari, watching from the sidelines, nodded in approval.

"At least he's not completely hopeless. He's playing it smart, using his strengths to his advantage."

*Tap, tap!*

On the other side, Ishikawa was forced to sprint to the ball's landing point.

Unlike his earlier stationary shots, the constant movement disrupted his rhythm. Additionally, speed was one of Ishikawa's weaknesses.

At least compared to Shōhara, who was agile and had decent explosive power, Ishikawa's speed was lacking.

*Thwack!*

Immediately after Ishikawa returned the shot, Shōhara sent the ball hurtling to the opposite side of the court.

Ishikawa had no choice but to sprint back to retrieve it.

"Nice one!"

Outside the court, Suzuki Ryōta cheered. "Shōhara should've been playing like this from the start!"

By alternating shots to both sides, Shōhara was forcing Ishikawa to run back and forth, exploiting his own strengths to completely dominate the match.

Even though Ishikawa had won the first game, the surrounding members of the Hyōtei team believed that if Shōhara kept this up, the match would quickly turn in his favor.

Even Ōshitari thought so.

Sitting in the umpire's chair, Ōshitari carefully observed Ishikawa's movements. "Constantly running back and forth is a huge test of a player's stamina. Moreover, the repetitive movement can affect a player's mental state, leading to poor judgment."

If a player's willpower is weak, they might even give up on returning the ball midway through the rally.

Especially for a rookie like Ishikawa, who lacked match experience, making mistakes was almost inevitable.

"Hmm?"

But as the match progressed, Ōshitari's eyes widened in surprise. "He's still holding on?"

*Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!*

On the court, Ishikawa continued to be forced into running back and forth by Shōhara's speed and explosive shots.

Beads of sweat had formed on Ishikawa's forehead, quickly streaming down his face.

Clearly, his stamina was reaching its limit.

But Shōhara wasn't faring much better. The relentless attacks weren't just testing Ishikawa's mental resilience—they were also taking a toll on Shōhara's own determination and stamina.

With no visible results from his attacks and Ishikawa's stubborn resistance, Shōhara's confidence began to waver. What started as a sense of superiority gradually turned into frustration, and eventually, concern over whether he could keep up his own stamina.

"I can't keep this up!"

Finally, Shōhara lost his patience.

Seeing the ball in front of him and Ishikawa positioned far to the right, Shōhara changed his strategy. Instead of a drive shot, he adjusted his racket and executed a soft slice.

*Tap!*

The ball floated over the net in a less-than-perfect slice.

But in Shōhara's mind, it was enough.

Given Ishikawa's position, there was no way he could reach the ball in time with his lack of speed.

"Huh?"

But the next moment, Shōhara's eyes widened in shock.

"When did he—? No way!"

Ishikawa had already moved to the center of the court. While his speed wasn't impressive, Shōhara's slice wasn't precise enough either.

*Thwack!*

In the end, Ishikawa reached the ball just before its second bounce and sent it flying to the far side of the court with a flat drive.

"0-30!"

Ōshitari announced the score.

By now, Ōshitari had completely revised his earlier assessment.

This rookie, Ishikawa Shin, wasn't just some talented newcomer. His fundamentals were shaky, even poor by most standards.

But that wasn't the point.

What truly caught Ōshitari's attention was Ishikawa's rate of improvement.

From being forced to run back and forth by Shōhara's shots, to anticipating the ball's trajectory and positioning himself half a step earlier, Ishikawa was visibly reducing his stamina drain.

His tennis skills were improving at an astonishing pace.

"And there's more."

Ōshitari's gaze shifted to Shōhara's side of the court, where a dense cluster of ball marks was visible.

"His returns are precise, and he's adding underspin to the ball."

Yes, that was the real reason Shōhara's stamina was draining so quickly.

On the surface, Ishikawa was being forced to run back and forth by Shōhara's shots. But in reality, Ishikawa was deliberately adding underspin (or sidespin) to his returns, causing the ball to bounce lower than usual after landing.

This forced Shōhara to bend his knees slightly more than usual to return the ball.

A minor adjustment, seemingly insignificant.

But over the course of a long rally, this small change placed increasing strain on Shōhara's knees, rapidly accelerating his fatigue.

The combination of physical exhaustion and mental pressure was what ultimately broke Shōhara's resolve.

In the end, it led to his critical mistake.

"Ishikawa Shin…"

Ōshitari's eyes gleamed with newfound interest as he looked at the composed young player. 

This was astonishing!

If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, Ōshitari wouldn't have believed that a complete rookie could devise such a meticulous, multi-layered strategy.

At this point, Ōshitari had completely overturned his earlier judgment. This rookie's potential wasn't limited to just being a serve specialist.

If Ishikawa continued to improve at this rate, he might even be the key to solving the long-standing issues that had plagued Hyōtei for years.

The thought sent a spark of excitement through Ōshitari's usually calm demeanor.

*(End of Chapter)*