**Chapter 161: Suppressing Sanada, A Ball That Shatters the Mountain Wall (Part 2)**

"H-how… even Vice-Captain's *Invasion of Fire* was…"

On the Rikkai Dai side, the crowd that had been chanting their team's slogans during Sanada's aggressive play was now utterly speechless, staring in shock at the scene unfolding on the court.

Players from other teams, especially those who didn't know much about Ishikawa, were equally stunned.

The representative from Midoriyama Middle School muttered in disbelief, "The Emperor of Tennis… is being suppressed?"

"The Ice Emperor member is insanely strong!"

"Could it be… that Ice Emperor will actually rewrite history this year at the Kantō Tournament?"

After a brief moment of silence, the entire stadium erupted like water splashing into hot oil.

"What's wrong, senpai?" On the court, Ishikawa looked at Sanada, who was visibly tense, and chuckled. "I have to admit, your smash is the most powerful I've ever seen."

It was the truth. But that truth only made Sanada's expression tighten even more.

"Hmph!" Unable to respond, Sanada could only let out a cold snort and retreat to the baseline. He took a moment to calm himself, trying to regain his composure.

"0-30!" The referee finally announced the score.

*Tap… tap… tap…*

At the baseline, Sanada bent slightly, gently bouncing the tennis ball.

"Hmm?" Observant players like Inui and Mizuki noticed something unusual.

"Sanada's movements have changed," Inui remarked, surprised. "According to my data, he rarely does small things like bouncing the ball before serving."

"He's probably nervous," Fuji said with a wry smile. "When you're up against someone like *him*, it's hard not to feel helpless."

During the Kantō Tournament, Fuji had also experienced having his Triple Counters completely dismantled. Back then, his mental state was even worse than Sanada's now. This just showed how mentally strong Sanada, the so-called Emperor of Tennis and Rikkai Dai's vice-captain, truly was.

*Thud!*

Sanada served again.

The ball landed sharply near the service line, bouncing at a sharp angle.

"Huh?" Tachibana raised an eyebrow. "He's not going for his usual direct style anymore?"

"He's probably desperate," Chitose said, shaking his head. "Having all three of his signature moves countered would break anyone's spirit."

"True," Tachibana nodded, sighing. "When you play against someone like *him*, you start off confident, then become cautious, and eventually… you feel utterly powerless."

In his eyes, Sanada was only at the second stage.

*Thud!*

Ishikawa returned the shot, this time with more speed and power, showing he was getting serious.

Sanada, on the other hand, began using heavy spins, targeting Ishikawa's left and right sides. He no longer dared to use his wide swings for *Wind* or *Fire*, as those techniques required him to pull his racket back too far, leaving him vulnerable.

From the spectators' perspective, Sanada's playstyle became increasingly defensive. He stayed close to the baseline, a far cry from his usual aggressive and domineering style.

"Is this… really the Emperor of Tennis?" someone muttered, rubbing their eyes in disbelief.

On the Rikkai Dai side, the cheer squad fell silent. The regular team members clenched their fists, nervously watching the match.

Who could have imagined that Rikkai Dai, the team that had swept through the nation like a storm, would find themselves in such a dire situation?

*Thud! Thud! Thud!*

On the court, Ishikawa and Sanada continued their rally, with Sanada clearly being suppressed.

But it wasn't just suppression—Sanada had deliberately tightened his defense. Though it didn't look impressive, it allowed him to hold his ground and prevent Ishikawa from scoring further.

Meanwhile, on a bus leaving the tennis park and heading into the city, six Rikkai Dai members sat in tense silence. Even the usually playful Niō was focused, staring at the radio in Jirō's hands.

"Both players are moving incredibly fast! Sanada, Rikkai Dai's vice-captain, is holding his ground against Ishikawa's relentless attacks!"

"Oh no! Ishikawa just pulled off a beautiful drop shot!"

"Sanada rushes to the net! He reaches it, but—!! Ishikawa is already in position for a smash!"

"What a fierce smash! Ice Emperor is sure to score this time. Wait—what?! Sanada just returned it?!"

The radio broadcasted the intense match, and the Rikkai Dai members' expressions grew darker with every word.

"Phew…" When they heard Sanada had narrowly escaped the smash, Kirihara let out a sigh of relief.

"Uh…" Jirō looked up, sensing the heavy atmosphere, his expression complicated.

When had Rikkai Dai, the reigning champions, ever been in such a position? Losing two matches was bad enough, but now even their ace, Sanada, was being suppressed.

"The situation… isn't good," Yanagi said grimly. "Sanada's *Wind*, *Fire*, and *Forest* have all been countered. The only thing he has left to counter Ishikawa's smash is… *Mountain*."

"*Immovable Mountain*?" Yagyū nodded solemnly. "That move's defense is solid enough to withstand any attack. At least Sanada can hold his serve with it."

"Uh…" Jirō and Kirihara exchanged uneasy glances.

This was Sanada Genichirō, one of Rikkai Dai's Big Three, the Emperor of Tennis! Who would have thought he'd be reduced to relying on defensive play just to score a point?

If you told anyone this, they wouldn't believe it. But this was reality—their vice-captain was truly being suppressed.

"And…" Yanagi paused, his eyes narrowing. "I have a feeling that even *Mountain* might not be enough to stop him."

"N-no way… right?" Jirō and Marui's faces turned pale.

If that were true, did it mean Rikkai Dai was really going to lose to Ice Emperor in this year's Kantō Tournament?

"15-30!" On the court, as the ball rolled to a stop, the referee announced the score.

"He blocked Ishikawa's smash?" Ōshitari said in disbelief. "How did Sanada manage to defend against that in such a disadvantageous position?"

As the first person to attempt blocking Ishikawa's smash head-on, Ōshitari knew just how terrifying that power was.

"*Immovable Mountain*," Atobe said calmly. "That's Sanada's fourth signature move—a defense as solid as a mountain wall."

During the Junior Selection Camp, Atobe had fallen victim to this move. If *Wind*, *Fire*, and *Forest* were Sanada's offensive weapons, then *Mountain* was his ultimate defense.

With this move, Sanada's defense was nearly impenetrable.

Or at least, it used to be.

After mastering *World of Ice*, Atobe could now see the flaws in Sanada's *Mountain*. And that meant Ishikawa had likely figured them out too.

"Victory to Rikkai Dai!"

"Let's go, let's go, Rikkai Dai!"

"Finish them in one go!"

Sanada's point finally gave the Rikkai Dai supporters a glimmer of hope, and they began chanting their slogans again.

"*Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain*," Chitose murmured from the sidelines. "To think the Emperor of Tennis, Sanada Genichirō, would be pushed to this point so early in the first set."

To the Rikkai Dai members, Sanada's point was a morale boost. But to seasoned players like Chitose, it was a sign that Sanada was running out of options.

And just as Atobe had predicted, Chitose believed Ishikawa had already found the flaw in Sanada's *Mountain*.

What awaited the Emperor of Tennis was the abyss of defeat.

*Thud!*

Sanada served again.

With one point under his belt, his fighting spirit reignited. He began attacking aggressively, trying to force Ishikawa into making mistakes.

But this fast-paced exchange only led to Sanada making errors. Ishikawa capitalized on a slight misstep in Sanada's footwork and scored another point.

"15-40!"

"Ugh!!!" The Rikkai Dai members groaned in frustration.

Their gazes turned reproachful as they watched Sanada. He could've scored by playing defensively, but instead, he chose to attack and exposed his weaknesses.

"His insight is too sharp," Sanada thought, gripping his racket tightly. It seemed the path of offense was closed for now. To hold his serve, he'd have to rely on defense.

Even if it was ugly, as the one responsible for Rikkai Dai's victory, he had no other choice.

*Thud!*

Sanada served again.

He anchored himself near the baseline, using spin shots to force Ishikawa to move side to side. But Ishikawa's technique was just as refined, and soon Sanada found himself on the back foot.

"No other way," Sanada thought, taking a deep breath. To the surprise of the spectators, he deliberately hit a lob.

"What a chance!"

"No, it's a trap!"

"Right, Sanada's clearly baiting Ishikawa to smash, so he can use *Mountain* to score!"

The crowd quickly realized Sanada's plan. Surely someone as sharp as Ishikawa wouldn't fall for it.

*Swish!*

But to everyone's shock, Ishikawa didn't hesitate. He leaped into the air, raising his racket for a smash.

"A defense as solid as a mountain wall?" Ishikawa glanced at Sanada, who stood firm, his feet rooted to the ground like a mountain. A faint smile crossed Ishikawa's face. "Let's see if it can withstand my smash."

With that thought, his eyes sharpened.

A glint of determination flashed in his calm gaze.

Then, as if wielding a sword, Ishikawa channeled his mastery of kendo into his racket and unleashed a devastating smash.

*Boom!*

The ball shot down like a cannonball.

"Here it comes," Sanada thought, bracing himself. He had no doubt about the power behind Ishikawa's smash.

But he was equally confident in his *Immovable Mountain*.

"No one can break through my defense!" Sanada swung his racket with conviction as the ball bounced up.

*Boom!*

But the moment the ball met his racket, an overwhelming force surged through his arm.

"What?!" Sanada's eyes widened in shock.

It felt like he wasn't hitting a tennis ball, but a heavy lead weight.

*Clatter!*

In the next instant, to everyone's astonishment, Sanada's racket was knocked out of his hand.

"What…?"

The spectators stared in disbelief.

The Emperor of Tennis, Sanada Genichirō, had just had his racket knocked out of his hand mid-match?!

*Rumble…*

At that moment, it was as if the mountain wall had crumbled.

The invincible defense of *Mountain*, the Emperor's last line of defense, had been shattered.

"So this… is the Demon King of Ice Emperor?"

From that moment on, the spectators understood the weight of Ishikawa's new title.

(End of Chapter)

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