**Chapter 201: The Peak Battle at Rikkai Dai (Part 3)**

"Yanagi."

As everyone gathered around, Yukimura turned his head and called out to Yanagi, who was standing outside the court. "Could you do me a favor and referee the match between me and Sanada?"

Hearing this, the members of Rikkai Dai couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.

The Son of God versus the Emperor.

And now, with Yanagi Renji, the team's strategist, as the referee? This lineup was simply too extravagant.

"Sure."

Yanagi nodded. He had been thinking the same thing. While watching from the sidelines was good, the best seat in the house was undoubtedly the high chair of the referee.

"By the way," one of the Rikkai Dai members muttered as Yukimura and Sanada exchanged a few words, "have any of you ever seen a match between Captain Yukimura and Vice-Captain Sanada?"

"Huh?"

At this question, many of the third-year members shook their heads.

Jackal, surprised, chimed in, "Now that you mention it, I don't think I have!"

"Yeah," Marui agreed. He had joined the Rikkai Dai tennis club early on. In his memory, Yukimura wasn't even a regular back then, and neither was Sanada. During the internal selection matches, both of them caught the attention of the coach at the time and were added to the roster. 

After that, Yukimura and Sanada both stood out, with Yukimura defeating everyone except Sanada with his overwhelming strength, securing the position of captain. Sanada then became the vice-captain. Together, they managed Rikkai Dai with precision, eventually leading the team to a national championship. The coach, nearing retirement, handed the reins over to Yukimura.

So, in everyone's eyes, this was the first time Yukimura and Sanada would face off.

But in reality, that wasn't the case.

Yukimura and Sanada had met long before entering middle school. They first crossed paths at a famous tennis club in Kanagawa. During practice matches, they both advanced with outstanding results. Later, they participated in inter-club tournaments and various local elementary school tennis competitions.

However, every time, Yukimura took first place, and Sanada came in second. This pattern continued until they entered middle school.

Now, three years had passed.

Both of them had forged their own paths in tennis. As they prepared to face each other again, both Yukimura and Sanada felt a surge of excitement.

"The match will be one set, winner takes all."

From the high chair, Yanagi, acting as the referee, confirmed both players' readiness and then looked to one side. "Sanada to serve, first game!"

*Tap... tap... tap...*

At the baseline, Sanada bent down and lightly tapped the tennis ball.

Memories of the past flashed through his mind. He gripped the ball, looked up at his opponent, and said, "I hope you don't disappoint me, Yukimura."

*Whoosh!*

With that, he tossed the ball into the air.

Then, with a swift motion, his racket moved so fast it seemed to vanish, leaving only a faint afterimage.

*Thwack!*

The crisp sound of the racket hitting the ball echoed through the court.

The ball, trailing a faint green streak, shot forward like a gust of wind. Its speed was so incredible that the spectators could barely catch a glimpse of it.

"Fūrin Kazan!!!"

Niou adjusted his glasses, visibly surprised. "Sanada's starting with that move already?"

In terms of speed, "Fū" (Wind) wasn't as fast as Niou's Laser Beam. However, it wasn't just about speed. The ball had incredible penetrating power, and if you weren't paying close attention, you wouldn't even be able to spot the contact point, let alone return the shot.

*Thwack!*

But at the baseline, a figure draped in a jacket effortlessly blocked the wind-like serve.

*Sizzle...*

The ball spun rapidly against the racket, as if trying to bore through it. But Yukimura's wrist remained steady, unmoved.

"Captain Yukimura's strength is incredible!" Kirihara exclaimed in surprise.

While "Fū" wasn't as powerful as "Ka" (Fire), it still posed a significant challenge for players who weren't power-focused. And yet, Yukimura, who had just recovered from a serious illness, had no trouble returning it.

What was even more impressive was the spin he put on the ball. It curved outward in a wide arc before sharply curving back inward, landing precisely on the sideline.

*Tap.*

"Such incredible control!" The Rikkai Dai members were in awe.

This kind of shot, so precise and elegant, was something Yukimura could pull off effortlessly. His control over the ball was undoubtedly among the best in the nation.

"Nice technique," Sanada remarked as he chased down the ball.

It had been years since they last faced each other, and Yukimura's skills were as mesmerizing as ever. But more importantly, Yukimura's shots weren't just beautiful—they were deadly. The placement of this shot would have caught most national-level players off guard, costing them the point.

But Sanada, who knew Yukimura's true strength and never let his guard down, managed to reach the ball.

*Whoosh!*

As he closed in on the ball, Sanada raised his racket, stirring up a fiery tempest as he slammed the ball forward.

*Boom!*

The sound of the impact reverberated through the court.

The ball, now blazing like fire, shot forward. A wave of heat spread across the court, making the spectators flinch.

"This is the true power of 'Ka' (Fire)!" Kirihara clenched his fists, recalling his own attempts to mimic the move using the "Muga no Kyouchi" (State of Self-Actualization). In hindsight, his efforts must have looked like a child swinging an axe to the top players.

*Thwack!*

Yukimura once again blocked the shot with ease.

"This..."

Seeing Yukimura return the ball without a second thought, as if it were a simple warm-up shot, left everyone stunned. It was as if he were effortlessly swatting away a fly!

"Just as I thought," Yanagi murmured from the referee's chair, his eyes narrowing as he focused on Yukimura. "Yukimura used a specific technique to neutralize the power of the shot."

Typically, a powerful shot like that would be too much for a non-power player to handle. But as Yanagi's understanding of technique deepened, he realized that wasn't always the case. The truly elite players could absorb and redirect the force of a shot in an instant.

For them, no matter how powerful the shot, as long as they had mastered the art of redirecting force, they could handle it with ease.

On the flip side, top players also used intense spin to increase the destructive power of their shots.

Like now.

The ball Yukimura returned was loaded with insane spin. Even a player like Kirihara, who was among the best in his year, risked having his racket torn apart if he wasn't prepared.

"But..." Yanagi's gaze shifted to Sanada. "No matter how much spin is on the ball, when Sanada uses 'Rin' (Forest), it becomes useless."

*Tap!*

Sure enough, Sanada executed a slicing shot, and the heavily spinning ball gently floated over the net like an autumn leaf.

"'Rin' (Forest), huh?" Yukimura nodded in approval. "It's a formidable technique, but Sanada, I think you've underestimated the spin on that ball."

"Huh?"

Sanada's expression shifted as if he'd realized something, and his face tightened.

*Tap!*

Sure enough, his "Rin" shot hit the net.

"Net ball!"

"0-15!"

Yanagi announced.

"No way!" Kirihara's eyes widened in disbelief. "Vice-Captain Sanada's 'Rin' failed?!"

Marui and Jackal were equally shocked.

If "Fū" represented Sanada's speed, "Ka" his power, and "Zan" (Mountain) his defense, then "Rin" was the embodiment of his technique. No matter how much spin or power was on the ball, "Rin" could neutralize it.

But now, "Rin" had failed!

"The spin on that return was too much!" Niou's glasses gleamed as he spoke, a hint of understanding in his eyes. "As expected, Yukimura's technique completely overwhelms Sanada's."

"Also," he added thoughtfully, "Yukimura's physical condition has clearly recovered well. It seems the purpose of this match is to test that."

"You're as impressive as ever," Sanada said, unfazed by losing the first point.

In all their past matches, Sanada had never beaten Yukimura in terms of technique.

"But... a tennis match isn't just about technique!" Sanada's eyes flashed with determination.

He served again with "Fū."

After Yukimura returned it, Sanada followed up with "Ka." Then he switched back to "Fū," then "Ka" again.

"Fū," "Ka," "Fū," "Ka..."

Sanada alternated between the two techniques, and with each exchange, the wind grew faster, and the fire grew hotter.

"'Fū' fuels 'Ka,' and 'Ka' amplifies 'Fū,'" Yanagi mused from the referee's chair. He hadn't expected Sanada to use "Fūrin Kazan" in this way.

*Boom!*

The next moment, Sanada struck the ball again, and a fiery tornado shot across the court. The heatwave blew toward the spectators, making it hard for them to keep their eyes open.

"The fusion of 'Fū' and 'Ka,' huh?" Yukimura smiled. "As expected, you've grown stronger since the Kanto finals."

This shot was faster than "Fū" and more powerful than "Ka."

*Swish!*

Yukimura raised his racket.

His movement wasn't particularly fast, but as he swung, it seemed to leave an afterimage, making it hard for the spectators to follow.

*Thwack!*

When the racket met the ball, Yukimura's eyes narrowed, and with a twist of his wrist, he redirected the force of the shot.

*Whoosh!*

In an instant, he sent the ball flying back with incredible precision.

"What?!" Jackal and Kirihara were stunned.

Sanada's signature move had been neutralized in an instant. It was hard to fathom just how skilled Yukimura was!

*Thwack!*

Sanada managed to block the return.

"That's... 'Zan' (Mountain)!" Niou adjusted his glasses, surprised. "It seems Yukimura's shot was so powerful that Sanada had to resort to his ultimate defense."

If "Fū," "Ka," and "Rin" represented Sanada's offensive capabilities, then "Zan" was his defensive foundation. With this move, unless he was up against an overwhelmingly strong opponent, Sanada was virtually unbeatable.

*Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!*

Sanada successfully blocked several of Yukimura's attacks.

His rock-solid defense, like an impenetrable mountain, left Jackal in awe.

"If I had that move, my doubles game with Marui would be on another level," Jackal muttered.

Marui nodded in agreement. "To force Sanada to use 'Zan' in the first game... Yukimura's strength is terrifying."

"But it ends here," Jackal said confidently. "This move has stumped even the top players. There's no way Yukimura can break through it."

"Really?" Niou narrowed his eyes.

Sanada's "Zan" was indeed strong, but his intuition told him that Yukimura, with his unparalleled technique, might just have a way to crack it.

*Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!*

Sanada continued to hold his ground.

But he wasn't just defending. He was also observing Yukimura, waiting for the slightest opening to launch a counterattack.

*Swish!*

Yukimura raised his racket again.

"It's no use," Sanada thought, settling into his defensive stance. "The only person who's ever broken through 'Zan' is Ryoma. This match might drag on, but that's the reality. Rikkai Dai doesn't tolerate any weaknesses."

*Step!*

With that in mind, Sanada focused intently, his mind sharp.

He knew Yukimura's goal was to test his strength and, at the same time, gauge the abilities of that first-year from Hyotei.

But Sanada wasn't just playing along.

If the opportunity arose, he wouldn't hesitate to take Yukimura's position as captain.

"Because that's the rule of Rikkai Dai—the strong reign supreme."

*Thwack!*

But in the next moment, a faint yellow light exploded at Sanada's feet.

"What?!" Sanada's expression changed in an instant.

To everyone's shock, he didn't react at all, simply watching as the ball flew past him.

"Uh... 0-30!" Yanagi hesitated for a moment, a hint of confusion in his eyes.

Logically, Sanada's "Zan" was unbreakable without overwhelming power.

"Wait, unless..." Yanagi's gaze shifted to Yukimura, and his eyes widened in realization. "Yukimura... has he found Sanada's blind spot?!"

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